Having a bank account not only means belonging to the financial system of the United States, but also offers you the possibility of planning and security.
Surely you have wondered what is the importance of having a bank account even if you do not have documents in the United States. You should know that in addition to the benefits, facilities and security that you can obtain if your money is in a bank, it is that of “belonging to the system”, with a simple bank account you are part of the financial system of the country where you live.
To open a bank account, it is certain that they will ask you for documentation and the main reason is because you need to prove your identity, not your immigration status in the United States. Therefore, residence, citizenship or work permit are not essential. The important thing is that you can prove an identity and a postal address.
Advantages of having a bank account regardless of immigration status
- One of the benefits that having a bank account in the United States can bring you, especially if you are an irregular migrant, is that if you have to do an immigration process, the bank account can provide important data to the government, such as the date from when you are in the country, permanence and if you work regularly, but above all, a bank account is evidence of stability.
- On the other hand, safety and savings. Although many immigrants prefer to have their money in cash and keep it at home, keeping it in a bank offers you a certain guarantee that it will not be stolen or lost, and in the event of a fire you will not lose it either.
- You will have access to your money from ATMs, you can make and receive transfers and payments without having cash.
To open a bank account while undocumented, you can do it simply with a valid passport, a consular registration or any legitimate documentation that has a photo and the most important information about you.
If you want to choose between several options, a simpler one, another option that gains value in these times is mobile banking, the one that does not need a physical location and therefore will require fewer requirements than a conventional bank when opening One account.
On the other hand, there are banks that allow you to open accounts without demanding so many requirements, among them Amalgamated Bank, PNC Bank and Capital One stand out, which with only the ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Number) and sometimes a minimum amount of up to 25 dollars allows To open an account.
If we go from the traditional to the innovative, banking continues to be the most prestigious financial institution in the world. If you are undocumented and live in the United States, it may be a little more difficult to open a bank account, but it is not impossible.