Jump to content

16 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

Posted

Hello guys and gals. I am trying to figure out how some people are able to open bank accounts here in the US when their wifes/husbands are in other countries? It would be nice to save all the hassle if she was to have access to my banks here via atms. Does anybody have any insight into this? The banks I have talked to are bound by that US law that bars none residents from opening accounts, yet I have read of many people opening joint accounts...any clues?

Thanks!

04-12-08 Married

06-11-08 Mailed I-130 Package

06-18-08 NOA1

08-08-08 NOA2

10-22-08 Interview USEM

10-28-08 Visa Received

11-01-08 POE

That was fast!

Got to love the fact my wife was preggy and even with a RFE @ NVC she was still here in under 5 months!

Filed: Country: Jamaica
Timeline
Posted

Not from me, sorry. We even had issues when he was here....till he got a SSN.

I thought I read somewhere that if you get them a TIN issued for tax purposes, you can open an account. Not sure, though.

I wish you luck.

Life's just a crazy ride on a run away train

You can't go back for what you've missed

So make it count, hold on tight find a way to make it right

You only get one trip

So make it good, make it last 'cause it all flies by so fast

You only get one trip

Posted

An option, if all you want is an account which your fiancee can access via atms.

Open a separate account in your name, and once the ATM card is issued for said account, send your fiancee the ATM card and tell her the PIN#. You can deposit what you wish in that account and she can withdraw on the other end. I've heard of people who have done this for family and such, to save on money transfer/wiring fees, which if you send money with any regularity can add up.

-P

funny-dog-pictures-wtf.jpg
Filed: Other Country: China
Timeline
Posted
An option, if all you want is an account which your fiancee can access via atms.

Open a separate account in your name, and once the ATM card is issued for said account, send your fiancee the ATM card and tell her the PIN#. You can deposit what you wish in that account and she can withdraw on the other end. I've heard of people who have done this for family and such, to save on money transfer/wiring fees, which if you send money with any regularity can add up.

-P

That's what I did.

Facts are cheap...knowing how to use them is precious...
Understanding the big picture is priceless. Anonymous

Google Who is Pushbrk?

A Warning to Green Card Holders About Voting

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/606646-a-warning-to-green-card-holders-about-voting/

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

Just last week we added him to my bank acct w/ Washington Mutual...all they needed was 2 forms of ID from him, i.e. Canadian drivers license, his SIN card from Canada, or a major credit card. The guy at the bank had to call the bank's helpline to bypass the SS# part, but it worked out. I asked about this on a thread in the Canadian forum, and got alot of replies from people who were also able to do this no problem. Sometimes it just depends on the bank.

Posted
An option, if all you want is an account which your fiancee can access via atms.

Open a separate account in your name, and once the ATM card is issued for said account, send your fiancee the ATM card and tell her the PIN#. You can deposit what you wish in that account and she can withdraw on the other end. I've heard of people who have done this for family and such, to save on money transfer/wiring fees, which if you send money with any regularity can add up.

-P

That's what I did.

I tried that once, but Washington mutual only uses Mastercard... so the card didn't work for my wife. Still I told her to just hold onto the card for when she gets here.

I'm not sure if the orginal poster wanted it as proof of relationship for the Visa process. This is what I attempted a while back and I couldn't get any bank to open an account with my wife standing next to me. :wacko:

Sent I-130 to TSC

Received NOA1 from CSC with a date of 8/15/06

I-130 petition approved 4/16/2008 after 19 months.

Got IIN from NVC 5-13-08

Paid AOS fee online 5-14-08, Paid IV Fee online 5-27-08

Sent I-864 forms 5-27-08

Sent DS-230 forms 5-28-08

6-2-08 called NVC and msg says "received all information,processing will take 4-6 weeks"

6-13-08 called NVC, CR1 is complete, sent RFE for CR2. returned to NVC, waitn on result

6-26-08 case complete/approved. Waiting to be transferred to U.S. Embassy in Guangzhou, China for interview date

7-7-08 Petition forwarded to Guanzhou, China. Awaiting interview letter.

Filed: Other Country: China
Timeline
Posted
An option, if all you want is an account which your fiancee can access via atms.

Open a separate account in your name, and once the ATM card is issued for said account, send your fiancee the ATM card and tell her the PIN#. You can deposit what you wish in that account and she can withdraw on the other end. I've heard of people who have done this for family and such, to save on money transfer/wiring fees, which if you send money with any regularity can add up.

-P

That's what I did.

I tried that once, but Washington mutual only uses Mastercard... so the card didn't work for my wife. Still I told her to just hold onto the card for when she gets here.

I'm not sure if the orginal poster wanted it as proof of relationship for the Visa process. This is what I attempted a while back and I couldn't get any bank to open an account with my wife standing next to me. :wacko:

The card I sent my wife was MasterCard and it worked fine for her in China. I did have to notify the bank it would be used overseas though. We always tell the bank when we'll be using our cards abroad, just avoid denials due to fraud protection procedures.

Facts are cheap...knowing how to use them is precious...
Understanding the big picture is priceless. Anonymous

Google Who is Pushbrk?

A Warning to Green Card Holders About Voting

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/606646-a-warning-to-green-card-holders-about-voting/

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: India
Timeline
Posted

its all good ... taking from an ATM... is costly ... i have Bank OF America here and it cost me $5.00 per transaction in india ...... for me ... you/spocse can open an account in the foreign country and electronically transfer money to that account .... for india its free ... No charge

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Jamaica
Timeline
Posted
An option, if all you want is an account which your fiancee can access via atms.

Open a separate account in your name, and once the ATM card is issued for said account, send your fiancee the ATM card and tell her the PIN#. You can deposit what you wish in that account and she can withdraw on the other end. I've heard of people who have done this for family and such, to save on money transfer/wiring fees, which if you send money with any regularity can add up.

-P

YUP!! :thumbs: This is probably what the OP was hearing about. You can send them an ATM card, which is all that will probably be useful anyway. Most other countries dont have the same banks as here in US, so your SO would never need the actual bank. She just needs an ATM, with a visa/mc template and she can use it whereever she wants, and you can put money in the account, when ever you want.

PUSH!: Pray Until Something Happens!

Posted

He could add me to his acct in Canada but they wanted a SS# or ITIN here for my bank. And since I opted to go "head of household" for taxes, we didn't get him a number. Nice to know some banks will help you get around the SS# issue.

Sent I-130 to VT 25-Oct-2007

I-130 Moved to California 6-August-2008

My petition has been in 3 states (1, twice) in 9 months!

Rec'd by CSC 8/9, touched 8/11, 8/12, 8/15, 8/20, 8/25

Approved Tuesday, 25-August-2008

10 months since we mailed the petition

Rec'd NVC 9/3, Invoice Generated 9/10, DS-3032 emailed 9/11.

Rec'd AOS invoice 9/15, paid online 9/15, Accepted as Paid 9/18, mailed I-864EZ 9/19

IV Invoiced 9/18, paid online 9/19, Accepted as paid 9/22

DS-230 sent 10/2

Case complete @NVC 10/8 - 11 months, 1 week and 6 days

Interview in Montreal December 18, 2008 - scheduled 1 year, 1 week and 3 days after the start of our journey. Takes place 1 year, 1 month, 3 weeks and 2 days after the start...

[X] Passed [ ] Failed Interview

Thursday, April 2, 2009 Activated Visa - 1 year, 5 months, 1 week and 1 day

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Lebanon
Timeline
Posted

Hello There,

I had to get my hubby's ITIN number first, then file joint Tax return and then this year I added him to my citibank account no problem. I had to send the bank Authorization Signture forms for him to sign but with the ITIN number it was not a problem. But it did take about 2 years to do it.

Good Luck!

Nita

Hello guys and gals. I am trying to figure out how some people are able to open bank accounts here in the US when their wifes/husbands are in other countries? It would be nice to save all the hassle if she was to have access to my banks here via atms. Does anybody have any insight into this? The banks I have talked to are bound by that US law that bars none residents from opening accounts, yet I have read of many people opening joint accounts...any clues?

Thanks!

596696z2ypf41694.gif

I - 130

3.26.08 - NOA2 - APPROVAL IN 493 DAYS!!

NVC

7.22.08 - CASE COMPLETED IN 90 DAYS - THANK GOD!!

Embassy

9.29.08-Interview - AP (2 weeks)

10.15.08 - AP over :) Embassy called hubby to go get his Visa - HAPPIEST DAY!!!

10.20.08 - Visa Issued

11.25.08 - POE (JFK then SFO)

11.26.08 - Visa Journey is Over!! TOOK 737 DAYS....Habibi is Home!! :) :)

USA

11.25.08 - POE

12.10.08 - Applied for SS Card

12.15.08 - Welcome Letter Received

12.17.08 - SS Card Received

12.26.08 - Green Card Received :)

Begin Naturalization process 2011 ~ Inshallah

mybanner493ead35e2041shfr8.th.jpg

Posted

Whoa, thanks guys. I knew about opening another account in my name and sending her the ATM card. I just spent 2 months in the Philippines with her and used my ATM card several times a week and my bank or the banks there never charged me any fee's. I was trying to kill 2 birds with one stone ie: part of the imigration...comingeling of finances and to save a buck or two on wire transfers.

I guess the easiest way will be to open a second account in my name and send her the ATM card.

On a side note, in two weeks time my wife and I will be starting this visa journey....we filled the paperwork out for a cr1 just before I came back to the states and I started to assemble the information only to discover I forgot to have her sign the G-325a :wacko::bonk::oops::ranting: so....

We are still unsure which is the best way to go CR1 or K3...I found out last week she is pregnant :dance::thumbs::D . THe descission we are trying to make all has to do with the 2 year thing with the cr1. We havnt been married but 2 months so the CR1's benifit of a greencard doesnt apply to us so we will have the added cost of the change of status after the fact so the CR1 really isnt much use to us. Maybe I am wronge. For me I just want my love here beside me to kiss her lips again, touch her face and smell that wonderful garlic breath I came to love :devil:

Thanks guys and gals

04-12-08 Married

06-11-08 Mailed I-130 Package

06-18-08 NOA1

08-08-08 NOA2

10-22-08 Interview USEM

10-28-08 Visa Received

11-01-08 POE

That was fast!

Got to love the fact my wife was preggy and even with a RFE @ NVC she was still here in under 5 months!

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: India
Timeline
Posted

I ended up opening an account with my wife in India because I figured I couldn't do it here without a SSN for her ...

Didn't even try here but now I'm thinking the Bank of America idea isn't bad - maybe I can use some other forms of ID for her in this case ... I'll look into it (but I think my purposes are solved since the I-130 had the Indian account as proof and it must have been good enough lol)

NEETU IS HERE!

I-751 Process -

5/24/10 : I-751 Packet sent to VSC

5/26/10 : Delivered to SAINT ALBANS VT 05479 @ 11:46am

5/27/10 : NOA1 Date (based on scanned check image)

5/28/10 : Funds withdrawn from bank account

6/04/10 : NOA1 (I-797) received, confirming above NOA1 receipt date.

7/31/10 : Biometrics letter received - Appointment date of 8/11/10!

8/11/10 : Biometrics done!

8/29/10 : GC received (sometime last week lol)! (WOW!)

Previous timeline of our Busy 2008!!

1/06 : Married my JAAN :)

1/15 : I-130 and I-129F sent to Chicago Lockbox

1/17 : Both petitions received @ Chicago

2/27 : Check cashed & I-130 petition visible on system.

2/29 : Received NOA1's! Notice Date - 2/22/08

5/01 : I-130 APPROVED!!! (But not my I-129F)

5/08 : Got Case # from NVC (received 5/7/08)

5/11 : PAID AOS Fee Online -- I-129F still pending; full speed ahead with I-130!

5/12 : Neetu emailed NVC re: DS-3032 (choice of agent)

5/13 : AOS Status now "PAID" -- AOS PRIORITY MAILED

5/16 : NVC received AOS

5/19 : DS-3032 email accepted & AOS entered in system

5/24 : IV Bill Invoiced and paid online

5/28 : IV Bill status = PAID -- DS-230 EXPRESS MAILED!

5/29 : NVC received DS-230 at 11:01 am

5/30 : DS-230 entered into system

6/03 : CASE COMPLETE - 26 DAYS AFTER NVC RECEIVED I-130

6/10 : Interview scheduled (for 7/9 originally)

6/14 : Interview letter (my copy) received.

6/16 & 6/21 : Medical

7/16 : Interview completed - APPROVED!

7/21 : Neetu picked up passport/brown packet from VFS

7/25 : POE AT EWR!!!

End of Sept: GC received!

Filed: Other Country: China
Timeline
Posted
Whoa, thanks guys. I knew about opening another account in my name and sending her the ATM card. I just spent 2 months in the Philippines with her and used my ATM card several times a week and my bank or the banks there never charged me any fee's. I was trying to kill 2 birds with one stone ie: part of the imigration...comingeling of finances and to save a buck or two on wire transfers.

I guess the easiest way will be to open a second account in my name and send her the ATM card.

On a side note, in two weeks time my wife and I will be starting this visa journey....we filled the paperwork out for a cr1 just before I came back to the states and I started to assemble the information only to discover I forgot to have her sign the G-325a :wacko::bonk::oops::ranting: so....

We are still unsure which is the best way to go CR1 or K3...I found out last week she is pregnant :dance::thumbs::D . THe descission we are trying to make all has to do with the 2 year thing with the cr1. We havnt been married but 2 months so the CR1's benifit of a greencard doesnt apply to us so we will have the added cost of the change of status after the fact so the CR1 really isnt much use to us. Maybe I am wronge. For me I just want my love here beside me to kiss her lips again, touch her face and smell that wonderful garlic breath I came to love :devil:

Thanks guys and gals

CR1 visas result in a two-year (conditional) green card upon arrival. There is no adjustment of status but you file to remove conditions during the 90 days preceding the expiration of the card.

Being married two years before entry results in a 10 year unconditional card.

Facts are cheap...knowing how to use them is precious...
Understanding the big picture is priceless. Anonymous

Google Who is Pushbrk?

A Warning to Green Card Holders About Voting

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/606646-a-warning-to-green-card-holders-about-voting/

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
- Back to Top -

Important Disclaimer: Please read carefully the Visajourney.com Terms of Service. If you do not agree to the Terms of Service you should not access or view any page (including this page) on VisaJourney.com. Answers and comments provided on Visajourney.com Forums are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Visajourney.com does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. VisaJourney.com does not condone immigration fraud in any way, shape or manner. VisaJourney.com recommends that if any member or user knows directly of someone involved in fraudulent or illegal activity, that they report such activity directly to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. You can contact ICE via email at Immigration.Reply@dhs.gov or you can telephone ICE at 1-866-347-2423. All reported threads/posts containing reference to immigration fraud or illegal activities will be removed from this board. If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by contacting us here with a url link to that content. Thank you.
×
×
  • Create New...