Opening a Bank account in Michigan

[frostiana 12]

Hello if there is anyone from Canada to Michigan inparticular...I am here in Michigan now, and today my USC husband and I went to the bank to add me to his savings account.. mostly for AOS purposes. We could not get them to understand that I am now a resident of Michigan and do not have a canadian address. They insisted even after phonecalls, that I needed to sign this tax form saying my permanent residence is (my former residence) in Canada and that my mailing address is my new home's address in Michigan!!!

We finally withdrew all the paperwork.

We will try another bank, however, that was the one where my husband has his accounts and his mortgage.

Anyone else have a similar story??

There were only so many terms available and I thought maybe I should be considered resident alien. They didn't want to put that though. Wouldn't for a bank I be considered a resident alien until my adjustment of status?

Edited December 13, 2011 by frostiana

[ralyse 31]

Hello if there is anyone from Canada to Michigan inparticular...I am here in Michigan now, and today my USC husband and I went to the bank to add me to his savings account.. mostly for AOS purposes. We could not get them to understand that I am now a resident of Michigan and do not have a canadian address. They insisted even after phonecalls, that I needed to sign this tax form saying my permanent residence is (my former residence) in Canada and that my mailing address is my new home's address in Michigan!!!

We finally withdrew all the paperwork.

We will try another bank, however, that was the one where my husband has his accounts and his mortgage.

Anyone else have a similar story??

Huh...

We're with Fifth Third in Michigan and we went in, showed my passport with visa and my SSN and they added me to my husband's account, no problem. Only thing I can think of is if it's a smaller bank or credit union they might not have clearly outlined policies about it?

[frostiana 12]

Huh...

We're with Fifth Third in Michigan and we went in, showed my passport with visa and my SSN and they added me to my husband's account, no problem. Only thing I can think of is if it's a smaller bank or credit union they might not have clearly outlined policies about it?

Thank you ralyse, we suspected as much!!!

If his other bank doesnt' work we will go to Fifth Third.

[SapphireDreams 71]

I'm not in Michigan, but I had to do this with Chase in NY. It wasn't really a big deal.

I just used my Canadian address (my parents address) as my main address and then had my US address as my mailing address. When I got my EAD card or might've been my greencard) I went back and changed my main address. It was just easier for me since my husband was already established at Chase and everything was linked with online banking etc.

I don't remember needing to have a joint bank account for AOS. For ROC, yes definitely... but not AOS... hmmm maybe I'm just forgetting.

[CDAgirlMI 51]

Canada to Mi here....

I was added to my husband's (then fiance) account without issue. We bank at a credit union, not sure if that has anything to do with it(??).

[frostiana 12]

I'm not in Michigan, but I had to do this with Chase in NY. It wasn't really a big deal.

I just used my Canadian address (my parents address) as my main address and then had my US address as my mailing address. When I got my EAD card or might've been my greencard) I went back and changed my main address. It was just easier for me since my husband was already established at Chase and everything was linked with online banking etc.

I don't remember needing to have a joint bank account for AOS. For ROC, yes definitely... but not AOS... hmmm maybe I'm just forgetting.

Interesting! His bank is also a Chase bank! I think they overlooked the 'alien resident' option, and we are in the same situation with my husband's accounts and mortgage there. That is the form I refused to sign ...but it said right on the form if it is a us resident or 'alien resident' do not use that form, use a W-9, whatever that is. It had gone on so long we just left without pursuing the W9 thing with them.

[SapphireDreams 71]

Interesting! His bank is also a Chase bank! I think they overlooked the 'alien resident' option, and we are in the same situation with my husband's accounts and mortgage there. That is the form I refused to sign ...but it said right on the form if it is a us resident or 'alien resident' do not use that form, use a W-9, whatever that is. It had gone on so long we just left without pursuing the W9 thing with them.

Our banker never went into that level of detail with us on the forms... I don't remember what I signed to be honest. But, what I can say is that I just went back 2 months later and switched it once I had more documentation and never had any issues with our taxes or anything like that.

You could just wait until you have your EAD card and then go back again if it concerns you. That should be too long from now! It's so weird thought because they needed a SSN, but I remember could only use my Canadian address. I remember it being weird, but not thinking much of it.

Other than that I will say that banking with Chase is great! They gave me a very high limit credit card less than a year after moving and have zero fees that I've encountered. Don't give up on them yet. Personally, I would just wait it out or give them a Canadian address and switch it as soon as you possible can.