Joint Bank Account: Married(US citizen + Romanian citizen)

[trailmix 77]

thanks Bob! I should of asked for your help and not these other clowns who don't know to much.

Wow, all these people trying to help you and this is what you give in return?

Lucky you have Bob.

[pushbrk 12,877]

I claimed my husband on my 2009 tax returns and they sent a paper in the mail to us from the IRS issuing him a individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN . It also says in the future if you choose to become a citizen of the u.s.a a ssn will replace the itin. It was pretty simple. The only thing is my husband isn't on my account and when i went to deposit my taxes they wouldn't let me. They said my husband has to be on my account and has to be present and have his id. Sooo I have to wait to deposit them for when I see him next! Or fill out the form you guys were talking about, but I'm in no rush for it.

Obtaining an ITIN IS actually simple if it is also simple for the US Citizen to get the foreign spouse's passport in hand, IN the USA. For most, that's not a simple thing at all.

[Minted7 3]

Obtaining an ITIN IS actually simple if it is also simple for the US Citizen to get the foreign spouse's passport in hand, IN the USA. For most, that's not a simple thing at all.

yeah, I see what your saying....well that was just my exprience I speak for myself.

[pushbrk 12,877]

yeah, I see what your saying....well that was just my exprience I speak for myself.

Sometimes our personal experience relates well to the topic of a thread and sometimes it doesn't. I had no trouble getting ITINs for my wife and daughter once they were here with their passports but we weren't about to mail or courier passports between the US and China.

[RobbyUSA 26]

Wow, all these people trying to help you and this is what you give in return?

Lucky you have Bob.

yes... you are right.... but it was kind of a joke.

I was just fustrated at the time.

thanks everybody for your help.....

[rose1966 0]

Hi RobbyUSA, I am new on VJ (member since 2 days) and at the beginning of our journey (still waiting for NOA2 for I130 + NOA1 for K3 )but just wanted to tell you my story about openning a bank account in US. Before we got married in KS, I wanted to open an account (Fidelity Bank)and they asked for my SSN which I don't have... They offered me to open a joint account with my boyfriend. So since then we have a joint account with his SSN + my pass copy. I believe in your case W8-BEN for your wife and your SSN would be enough. Crossing fingers for you

[Deb+Steve 13]

Well, the US regulations on bank accounts must be a whole lot looser than ours if people are able to walk in and add randomly to their accounts. My husband could add me to his account with no problem, I couldn't be issued with a card until I had a valid SSN/ITIN or presented in person which I couldn't do. (I have the ITIN so it's a non-issue for us now).

The ITIN wasn't a PITA to obtain. Better planning perhaps or understanding what is required to obtain one. The painful part was paying for a public notary and the apostille on my passport biographic page. Took the IRS less than 4 weeks to issue me the ITIN.

In Australia, no bank would touch us unless he appeared in person and presented 100 points of valid ID. I couldn't even make him a signatory or give him authority to operate in the event anything happened to me unless he appeared in person.

[Bleauwolf 9]

Ditto Bob!!!!!!

I also faced the same issue as I wanted to open a joint account for me and my wife. As has been mentioned several times. I think it depends (somewhat) on the individual bank. As Darnell mentioned the Patriot Act puts a squeeze on things... but it's not impossible.

I think another important factor is also the relationship you have with your bank. i.e. if you go to multiple branches of your own bank and no one really knows you. You're probably not going to have much success. If there's a specific branch that you normally go to and some of the people know you and you have done business there for some time. I think you will have a much better chance.

In my situation I usually always do business at the same branch of my bank. I was, in fact, successful at opening a joint account for me and my wife, (although she's not in the US yet). They didn't require her SS number (as she doesn't have one yet), they did accept her passport info in lieu of a SS number. But, they did require her personal signature (however, they gave me the form as they did not require her to sign the form in their presence or only there at the bank).

Most importantly, I did everything legitimately and honestly. These are the steps I took:

From preparing the visa process, I already had possession of the following documents:

1) I had a color scan of my wife's passport biographic page. Additionally I had a copy of the governmental notary stating her identity and verifying her birthdate. (This established and confirmed her identity).

2) I took my copy of our marriage registration book (we were married in China) + The governmental notarial certificate which both translated our marriage registration and confirmed our marriage. (This verified our marriage).

3) The next time I went to see my wife in China, I took the bank form with me that required her signature. Which she signed and I brought back with me (you can also send it by mail if your not taking a trip to go see you significant other). (This fulfilled the bank's requirement that she must sign and authorize).

I only had one bit of luck... and that is that my rep at the bank just happens to be Chinese. So! Even without the notary certificates with translations, she was still able to verify everything. HOWEVER, her being Chinese didn't actually influence being able to get the joint account. I have know her a while and she's very much by the book.

Items 1), 2) and 3) is all that was required to open the joint account. (As mentioned before: it may vary from bank to bank... but IT IS possible, even without the SS number or tax ITIN). (A few weeks later her ATM card arrived and I have it locked up until I return to China and she can sign it and keep it..... since this time we're coming back together!!!!!!!!)

One thing to note is.... (as stated in other posts) it's certainly not required to have a joint account for the visa process. However, I also understand the view of those who would also like to show some evidence of co-mingled resources. In our case, after we had account open for several months we were able to build up a small but steady savings together. In the end, it was a plus. The bank provided us with a very nice certification letter for the visa process.

Although the joint account is certainly helpful, it's not a loss if you can't get it. There are other ways to show co-mingling of financial resources. In many cases the USC often sends money to their mate. Whatever method you use (i.e. bank money transfer, Western Union or Moneygram) just be sure to have all your receipts, make copies and submit them as additional proof. Another possibility is if you share any property together. My wife and I have an apartment in China together. Although I primarily live here in the US (except for visits with her), we are both named and both have signed the annual lease agreements together.

None of these things are things you are required to do. They are just supportive evidence.... and.... every little bit helps!!

Best of Luck to Everyone,

~Bleauwolf

Edited July 4, 2010 by Bleauwolf

[zerobravo 0]

Hi, this is my first post....so go easy.

My wife is a US citizen and I am Australian...living in London. I am part way through the visa process.

We went and set up a new account together at a HSBC branch in California March 2010. We both had to bring identification and proof of address (my address in the UK).

Account, cards and internet banking are all fine...only trouble is I can't use the internet banking as it requires an SSN to register, but I just use my wife's login instead.

edit: no govt forms or ITIN numbers were asked for. the account is my wife's and I am the additional.

Edited July 5, 2010 by zerobravo

[Zai & Gary 6]

We need to keep in mind the terminology used here. Making someone a "Joint Bank Account Holder" is different from adding someone to your account as an authorized card holder and making someone the beneficiary of your account should something happen to you. I don't know everyone elses reason for wanting the foreign S.O. as a joint account holder but I suspect that primarily it is same as me because the USIS uses a Joint Bank Account in their description of proof of relationship. They really should not use that as an example because it is not such an easy thing to accomplish for many people.

I wanted my wife as a Joint Bank Account Holder for proof or relationship.

Bank of America told me that they had 2 requirements for a Joint account Holder

1) she must have a SSN (I'm not trying to start that debate again)

2) she must be there in person for her signature.

They did offer to add her as an authorized Debit Card User and as Beneficiary without these two requirements. I opted to forget about the Joint Account idea until after she gets here.

[nab 74]

just wanted to input my experience with this....

i went to the bank i have used for many years, they know me well. no problem for joint bank acct i'm told... the branch manager has known me for years, she sent me over to a guy to set it up but i didnt know there was a problem till next day.

he acted like he didnt want to set it up which surprised me because this guy has always been pleasant and friendly to me, so why he was acting so reserved about it IDK but where computer gave him problem she (manager) bypassed it. she seemed happy i had gotten married but he seemed a little irritated. (sidenote, he is about the same age, maybe a little older than my husband, so he's a young guy, not some old stuffy jaded person.) couldnt figure out why he was acting weird.

i had all paperwork i had been told was needed: copies of husband's IDs (national ID and his passport), original durable power of attorney papers (him giving me POA), the money, and of course all my info which they have on file. they dont require joint acct holders be married (or i would have supplied nikah papers).

so he pretends to set account up, takes my $1000 cash, gives me a blank starter check book with checks, account paperwork and i go home. i check the account online later and the account is there with rest of my accounts, but no money...? cash is applied same day so i am a bit freaked out that account shows -0- till next morning when i go there and ask what happened to the money???

also, i asked about a form i was asked to sign (it was for taxes because he didnt have SS#, might be that W8 form?)... the form had to be signed by husband and not me (so i signed only once, for him, not twice for both of us), and i was curious why on a joint account only he would be required to sign.

so i was told the account was set up as an individual account, in my hiusband's name only, that's why only his signature was required. WTH??? why? because he (the guy who set acct up) originally said the computer would not allow him to set up joint account with a POA - lie! because i have a friend who banks there who is POA for her mother and both are on the account and i have POA for my best friend who is not here right now (and has never stepped foot in the bank, i opened with a durable POA) and we have joint accounts as well to make banking more easy. so when i busted him on that and go to asst branch manager who was there that day (manager was off) he tries to cover his hind-end. he says he was just trying to "prevent fraud" (imagine seeing steam blowing out my ears at that point) and i was like WHAT FRAUD? he is MY HUSBAND!

i tell him to close the account immediately and give my money back and he tells me he had already closed it becasue husband could not get any type of account unless he was standing right there giving them his ID himself. (another lie = that guy had applied for debit card i found out later when it came in mail; card was NOT authorized by me!)

when i was there i told them i have never been married and had individual acct (i have been married previously) so why he would think it would be ok to set up individual acct when i specifically said i wanted joint account. if his computer honestly would not allow him to set up account he should have told me that while i was there.

i was (and still am!) FURIOUS becasue jerk never mentioned he was opening an individual acct tehn he tries to get me to do a transfer of the money instead of giving my money back to me (how can he do a "transfer" if he already closed the account???) but i told him i wanted CASH like i gave them!

i'd still like to know where that money was overnight since the acct was closed and there was no money in it.

anyway, later at home i get a call from asst manager (also known her for quite some time as well) who tells me oh he was just trying to protect you... he told her he was afraid i migth be getting used and taken advantage of so he decided he was going to "protect" me ... how does it protect me to take my money and set up individual acct under my husband's name?? he was just tyring to cover his behind by telling her some garbage like that!

i am not sure exactly what he did but he said he called legal dept and tehy told him they will not open any accts for anyone from pakistan even with a POA and IDs. asst manager said she couldnt open acct if legal is telling him that because she was told they dont accept any paperwork from pakistan: IDs, passports POAs doesnt matter. i told them that was discrimination and they said any bank will tell me same. since then i have gone to a different branch and they were appalled and told me to give them all the paperwork and they would contact legal dept because as far as they knew there was no such policy in place to not accept a person or paperwork just because they are from pakistan.

This is a large bank = Chase.

i knew there was discrimination out there but this really floored me... this is beyond the Paatriot Act.