getting a joint bank account

[chrissiemissie 0]

just tried the other day, to add my husband the beneficiary to my bank accounts as a joint owner. (mainly, for evidence of bonafide marriage for the I-130. and partially, in prep for the future once he's finally here.) however, both banks said they required a SSN from him to be able to add him.

how did this work out for others? did you provide evidence of a joint bank account for the I-130? and anyone know of banks that allow you to add a non-US citizen to your US bank accounts? if there are any, what kind of documents did you need to add your non-US citizen spouse?

[Anh map 2,098]

Will your bank accept and ITIN? Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

Link to the IRS ITIN page -->> http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,...87,00.html#itin

[chrissiemissie 0]

humm.. did not know about this. i will ask!! thank you!

[TheKims 0]

I added my husband to my accounts without a social. I had to fill out a form called a W-8 ben and fax them a copy of my husbands id. It was too easy and now what was mine is ours... But the only thing is I have USAA. They have a selective membership primarly for military. But it never hurts to try.

[It's me 1]

my experience was that they needed my husband to sign his name on documents in person

[What Happened? 4]

We applied for an ITIN number it is the equivalent of an SSN but for people who are not citizens or LPRs but conduct business in US that might require the paying of taxes. Some banks and lenders will accept an ITIN.

The form you fill out is a W7. You can get it from the IRS website. When you send it in you will also need to file a 1040.

Doing this really depends on whether you really need to add your SO to your accounts for additional proof and have the time to wait for the ITIN to arrive in the mail otherwise some people just wait to get the SSN when qualified or find an account that will add your SO without it.

[chrissiemissie 0]

Will your bank accept and ITIN? Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

Link to the IRS ITIN page -->> http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,...87,00.html#itin

We applied for an ITIN number it is the equivalent of an SSN but for people who are not citizens or LPRs but conduct business in US that might require the paying of taxes. Some banks and lenders will accept an ITIN.

The form you fill out is a W7. You can get it from the IRS website. When you send it in you will also need to file a 1040.

Doing this really depends on whether you really need to add your SO to your accounts for additional proof and have the time to wait for the ITIN to arrive in the mail otherwise some people just wait to get the SSN when qualified or find an account that will add your SO without it.

yea good point. if we don't really need now, we can just wait to do it in the future when he's got the ssn. there's nothing really special about our case, other than we're newlyweds and we've lived together for a year and a half prior to the marriage. so you guys think we should have the extra evidence of a joint bank account? i was thinking of adding photos and documents proving our cohabitation (do they even need to see that?) on top of the marriage certificate. if that would be enough, then i suppose we could do without the hassle. hmmm. ? i suppose i'm a little indecisive about how much evidence to submit.

Edited May 23, 2009 by chrissiemissie

[What Happened? 4]

Will your bank accept and ITIN? Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

Link to the IRS ITIN page -->> http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,...87,00.html#itin

We applied for an ITIN number it is the equivalent of an SSN but for people who are not citizens or LPRs but conduct business in US that might require the paying of taxes. Some banks and lenders will accept an ITIN.

The form you fill out is a W7. You can get it from the IRS website. When you send it in you will also need to file a 1040.

Doing this really depends on whether you really need to add your SO to your accounts for additional proof and have the time to wait for the ITIN to arrive in the mail otherwise some people just wait to get the SSN when qualified or find an account that will add your SO without it.

yea good point. if we don't really need now, we can just wait to do it in the future when he's got the ssn. there's nothing really special about our case, other than we're newlyweds and we've lived together for a year and a half prior to the marriage. so you guys think we should have the extra evidence of a joint bank account? i was thinking of adding photos and documents proving our cohabitation (do they even need to see that?) on top of the marriage certificate. if that would be enough, then i suppose we could do without the hassle. hmmm. ? i suppose i'm a little indecisive about how much evidence to submit.

The only reason we applied for the ITIN number was so we could get a joint account. It just makes certain transactions between the US and Italy easier and less expensive with the currency conversions and fees. We didn't include any of the accounts with our petition so I can't really speak towards whether having that is better or not. Joint accounts are just on the list of additional evidence you can provide. We just started our process and we submitted the types of evidence that I saw most people on VJ submitting.

We submitted: The required i130, g325 one for me, one for him, our marriage certificate (ours required an apostile stamp), a translation of the marriage cert., all of the legalization documents for the marriage which included our affidavit of single status, the legalization of our witnesses, and interpreter etc., notarized statements from our witnesses attesting to our relationship, then I included all of the hotel receipts, flight boarding passes, train stubs, restaurant bills, pictures of us before the wedding, during the wedding and after the wedding, and info for our arriving new baby.

Maybe it is alot, but we wanted to be safe, if we need to present more at a later time we can as well. But we didn't give any joint account info.

I'm hoping things go smoothly, but we'll have to wait some more to find out.

We wish you the very best in your journey.

Edited May 23, 2009 by cornbread

[trinket 30]

If you are wanting to do it just for the petition then I would say hold off. First you would be going through a pretty easy consulate, so that's a big advantage for you, plus you are newly married living in different countries, USCIS doesn't expect you to have joint bank account.

Most people don't have joint bank accounts or much of financial mingling (in some countries financial transactions might be seen as a Red Flag). Concentrate on photographs, making trips to each other, phone records, emails, postal letters and things like that.

Good luck!

[What Happened? 4]

Will your bank accept and ITIN? Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

Link to the IRS ITIN page -->> http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,...87,00.html#itin

We applied for an ITIN number it is the equivalent of an SSN but for people who are not citizens or LPRs but conduct business in US that might require the paying of taxes. Some banks and lenders will accept an ITIN.

The form you fill out is a W7. You can get it from the IRS website. When you send it in you will also need to file a 1040.

Doing this really depends on whether you really need to add your SO to your accounts for additional proof and have the time to wait for the ITIN to arrive in the mail otherwise some people just wait to get the SSN when qualified or find an account that will add your SO without it.

yea good point. if we don't really need now, we can just wait to do it in the future when he's got the ssn. there's nothing really special about our case, other than we're newlyweds and we've lived together for a year and a half prior to the marriage. so you guys think we should have the extra evidence of a joint bank account? i was thinking of adding photos and documents proving our cohabitation (do they even need to see that?) on top of the marriage certificate. if that would be enough, then i suppose we could do without the hassle. hmmm. ? i suppose i'm a little indecisive about how much evidence to submit.

The only reason we applied for the ITIN number was so we could get a joint account. It just makes certain transactions between the US and Italy easier and less expensive with the currency conversions and fees. We didn't include any of the accounts with our petition so I can't really speak towards whether having that is better or not. Joint accounts are just on the list of additional evidence you can provide. We just started our process and we submitted the types of evidence that I saw most people on VJ submitting.

We submitted: The required i130, g325 one for me, one for him, our marriage certificate (ours required an apostile stamp), a translation of the marriage cert., all of the legalization documents for the marriage which included our affidavit of single status, the legalization of our witnesses, and interpreter etc., notarized statements from our witnesses attesting to our relationship, then I included all of the hotel receipts, flight boarding passes, train stubs, restaurant bills, pictures of us before the wedding, during the wedding and after the wedding, and info for our arriving new baby.

Maybe it is alot, but we wanted to be safe, if we need to present more at a later time we can as well. But we didn't give any joint account info.

I'm hoping things go smoothly, but we'll have to wait some more to find out.

We wish you the very best in your journey.

Oh and we submitted birth certificates too and copies of his nationality card.

[txladykat 1]

Bank of America let us add my husband to my account. He only had to show two forms of ID (his passport and his Danish bank card)

[blue123 0]

just tried the other day, to add my husband the beneficiary to my bank accounts as a joint owner. (mainly, for evidence of bonafide marriage for the I-130. and partially, in prep for the future once he's finally here.) however, both banks said they required a SSN from him to be able to add him.

how did this work out for others? did you provide evidence of a joint bank account for the I-130? and anyone know of banks that allow you to add a non-US citizen to your US bank accounts? if there are any, what kind of documents did you need to add your non-US citizen spouse?

Try other banks, I guess I was lucky, the first bank I went to to open an account as a non USC wanted my passport and something with a US address with my name on process took about 15 mins ( they actually put my passport number in the space where it said SSN (the bank clerk made a quick phone call I assume to someone higher up in the bank before they did this) I received check book and visa debit card around a week later.

[No-Where-Man 147]

every bank is different really in their procedures

my wife is a USBANK customer ..they asked her POWER OF ATTORENY to make her sign a signature card on my behalf to add me to her account ..and a photocopy of my passport

a friend of mine dad it also with BANK OF AMERICA with exactely the same way and it work ..

Good Luck

[Beth/ Paris Heart 2]

every bank is different really in their procedures

my wife is a USBANK customer ..they asked her POWER OF ATTORENY to make her sign a signature card on my behalf to add me to her account ..and a photocopy of my passport

a friend of mine dad it also with BANK OF AMERICA with exactely the same way and it work ..

Good Luck

My bank Bank of America just added his name, THEN gave me signature card for his to sign, got him to sign it, even before I sent the signed bank card, the bank sent me his ATM card, and a new box of checks with both our names. I had NO probelm at all. But Ive been with the bank since high school, 1983.

They used 000-00-0000 as his S.S. # and was told to update it once he is here, and is issued a actual S.S. # card.

[chrissiemissie 0]

If you are wanting to do it just for the petition then I would say hold off. First you would be going through a pretty easy consulate, so that's a big advantage for you, plus you are newly married living in different countries, USCIS doesn't expect you to have joint bank account.

Most people don't have joint bank accounts or much of financial mingling (in some countries financial transactions might be seen as a Red Flag). Concentrate on photographs, making trips to each other, phone records, emails, postal letters and things like that.

Good luck!

thank you, trinket, for the advice. this is great to know.

though he's a polish citizen, he has lived/lives in the UK. so we'll be going through the london consulate (i don't know if everyone can see that just within the forum). is this an easy consulate as well?? (i really really really HOPE so!)

and to everyone else, thanks a billion for your tips. i totally just closed my BOA account about a year ago. perhaps i'll open another account, in the near future, and just add him... just so we have this worked out for the future.