Bank Account Dilemma

[thai2luv 0]

Hello Everyone,

Our AOS interview is coming up in January, 2007 and I know we need to establish our relationship to the satisfaction of USCIS, which would obviously include sharing the money.

Last Friday, my wife and I went to my bank to add her to my accounts and also open for her an individual saving account. According to the bank, her primary and secondary ID was not sufficient. We brought her Thai passport, marriage certificate, and health insurance card showing her married name.

We were unable to obtain a California ID for her sincer her I-94 had expired by the time we were able to make the DMV appointment. We are waiting for EAD approval, which would allow her to obtain an ID card, but I am worried the AOS interview will come prior to EAD approval.

The bank employee advised us that the passport is ok if we want to add my wife under her maiden name, as shown on the passport. And we would also need secondary ID showing her maiden name and residential address, such as a cellphone or utility bill. She has no credit here and something such as a magazine subscription by mail is not acceptable for the bank. For obvious reasons, we do not to begin establishing credit or add her to my accounts with her maiden name.

Has anyone here encountered this problem and have a solution????

Thanks for your help.

[YuAndDan 153]

Keep in mind the AOS interview is one for a "Conditional Green Card" They understand that you won't have these things established yet. Bring what you have, such as mail in both of your names to the same home, medical card if she is on your medical. ect...

You have 2 years of the conditional card to establish the other evidence before having to lift conditions, that is when they take a more critical look at the legitimacy of your marriage.

Good luck.

By the way, I like the Gif showing my IP, ISP ect in your signature!

Edited November 27, 2006 by YuAndDan

[Dr_LHA 3]

A fairly common situation. Joint bank accounts are good, but USCIS will understand if you tell them the bank wouldn't allow you to open one. Often banks require SSN for example.

[Irisheyes 0]

Is her SS card in her married name, your timeline suggests she has one? If not, try changing that. Try a different bank, they all have different requirements. In order for you to get to the removal of conditions stage, you must get through this interview first. Finances are an important part of a marriage, have whatever evidence you can get together.

Edited November 27, 2006 by Irisheyes

[Kez/JWolf 6]

I opened my checking account and savings account in my maiden name and then when I had EAD and a SSN I went back to the bank and changed the name on my accounts to my married name.... for proof of residentual address my husband added my to his lease in my maiden name and got the landlord to send a copy to me at our address...

[YuAndDan 153]

Is her SS card in her married name, your timeline suggests she has one? If not, try changing that. Try a different bank, they all have different requirements. In order for you to get to the removal of conditions stage, you must get through this interview first. Finances are an important part of a marriage, have whatever evidence you can get together.

Yes do you have SS number yet? Edited November 27, 2006 by YuAndDan

[chuckandkim 0]

In this order, all documents are in maiden name:

1. SSN Card

2. AMEX Card under my account

3. Discover Card under my account

4. State ID with 2 proofs of residency (using SSN Card envelop which SSA sent Kim’s SSN Card, Amex, and Discover envelops which were applied and sent to Kim, Passport, Visa) Done deal!

5. Go back to Local Bank, different branch, got a nice Branch manager who allow Kim to be added to my account as co-owner. Visa Debit Card in her name. No problem. Key here is: Bank can take all available documents you listed above to open account for your fiance... just a matter of who will take your application at the bank... Go to a different Bank....

Also, AOS only wants to see if you two have established a solid relationship, joined bank account is helpful but it's not all there is to be... Keep in mind, we still have Kim’s maiden name on All of her documents/financials

[thai2luv 0]

Is her SS card in her married name, your timeline suggests she has one? If not, try changing that. Try a different bank, they all have different requirements. In order for you to get to the removal of conditions stage, you must get through this interview first. Finances are an important part of a marriage, have whatever evidence you can get together.

Yes do you have SS number yet?

Yes, my wife has a SSN in her maiden name. Although a SSN is "required" to open a bank account, it is not accepted as either primary or secondary evidence. Go figure.....

In this order, all documents are in maiden name:

1. SSN Card

2. AMEX Card under my account

3. Discover Card under my account

4. State ID with 2 proofs of residency (using SSN Card envelop which SSA sent Kim’s SSN Card, Amex, and Discover envelops which were applied and sent to Kim, Passport, Visa) Done deal!

5. Go back to Local Bank, different branch, got a nice Branch manager who allow Kim to be added to my account as co-owner. Visa Debit Card in her name. No problem. Key here is: Bank can take all available documents you listed above to open account for your fiance... just a matter of who will take your application at the bank... Go to a different Bank....

Also, AOS only wants to see if you two have established a solid relationship, joined bank account is helpful but it's not all there is to be... Keep in mind, we still have Kim’s maiden name on All of her documents/financials

1. My wife has a SS card in her maiden name.

2. I added her to two of my credit cards under her married name.

3. See #3

4. She cannot get a state ID card without EAD approval.

5. The bank (Citibank) gave me a list of all acceptable porimary and secondary ID. All branches use this same list.

I will not reschedule the AOS interview, and we will go with what evidence we have, which isn't much right now.

[Irisheyes 0]

Is her SS card in her married name, your timeline suggests she has one? If not, try changing that. Try a different bank, they all have different requirements. In order for you to get to the removal of conditions stage, you must get through this interview first. Finances are an important part of a marriage, have whatever evidence you can get together.

Yes do you have SS number yet?

Yes, my wife has a SSN in her maiden name. Although a SSN is "required" to open a bank account, it is not accepted as either primary or secondary evidence. Go figure.....

In this order, all documents are in maiden name:

1. SSN Card

2. AMEX Card under my account

3. Discover Card under my account

4. State ID with 2 proofs of residency (using SSN Card envelop which SSA sent Kim’s SSN Card, Amex, and Discover envelops which were applied and sent to Kim, Passport, Visa) Done deal!

5. Go back to Local Bank, different branch, got a nice Branch manager who allow Kim to be added to my account as co-owner. Visa Debit Card in her name. No problem. Key here is: Bank can take all available documents you listed above to open account for your fiance... just a matter of who will take your application at the bank... Go to a different Bank....

Also, AOS only wants to see if you two have established a solid relationship, joined bank account is helpful but it's not all there is to be... Keep in mind, we still have Kim’s maiden name on All of her documents/financials

1. My wife has a SS card in her maiden name.

2. I added her to two of my credit cards under her married name.

3. See #3

4. She cannot get a state ID card without EAD approval.

5. The bank (Citibank) gave me a list of all acceptable porimary and secondary ID. All branches use this same list.

I will not reschedule the AOS interview, and we will go with what evidence we have, which isn't much right now.

Hmmm.......I think I would take my business elsewhere, just on principle alone. It's not like she's trying for a credit card or loan or anything. Just to have her name added to the account.

[thai2luv 0]

Is her SS card in her married name, your timeline suggests she has one? If not, try changing that. Try a different bank, they all have different requirements. In order for you to get to the removal of conditions stage, you must get through this interview first. Finances are an important part of a marriage, have whatever evidence you can get together.

Yes do you have SS number yet?

Yes, my wife has a SSN in her maiden name. Although a SSN is "required" to open a bank account, it is not accepted as either primary or secondary evidence. Go figure.....

In this order, all documents are in maiden name:

1. SSN Card

2. AMEX Card under my account

3. Discover Card under my account

4. State ID with 2 proofs of residency (using SSN Card envelop which SSA sent Kim’s SSN Card, Amex, and Discover envelops which were applied and sent to Kim, Passport, Visa) Done deal!

5. Go back to Local Bank, different branch, got a nice Branch manager who allow Kim to be added to my account as co-owner. Visa Debit Card in her name. No problem. Key here is: Bank can take all available documents you listed above to open account for your fiance... just a matter of who will take your application at the bank... Go to a different Bank....

Also, AOS only wants to see if you two have established a solid relationship, joined bank account is helpful but it's not all there is to be... Keep in mind, we still have Kim’s maiden name on All of her documents/financials

1. My wife has a SS card in her maiden name.

2. I added her to two of my credit cards under her married name.

3. See #3

4. She cannot get a state ID card without EAD approval.

5. The bank (Citibank) gave me a list of all acceptable porimary and secondary ID. All branches use this same list.

I will not reschedule the AOS interview, and we will go with what evidence we have, which isn't much right now.

Hmmm.......I think I would take my business elsewhere, just on principle alone. It's not like she's trying for a credit card or loan or anything. Just to have her name added to the account.

Although you may get someone willing to bend the rules a bit, I believe all banks are required to follow the same federal regulations with regard to ID required for adding or opening accounts.

[Yodrak 7]

thai2luv,

Yes, all banks are required to follow the same federal regulations, but different banks interpret what those regulations mean quite differently. Some banks are much more conservative than others and have their own requirements that go above and beyond to be on the safe side.

Yodrak

Although you may get someone willing to bend the rules a bit, I believe all banks are required to follow the same federal regulations with regard to ID required for adding or opening accounts.

[payxibka 10,047]

What about an internet bank such as Etrade bank or others. If I remember correctly the process was easy!

[ceriserose 1]

thai2luv,

Yes, all banks are required to follow the same federal regulations, but different banks interpret what those regulations mean quite differently. Some banks are much more conservative than others and have their own requirements that go above and beyond to be on the safe side.

Yodrak

Although you may get someone willing to bend the rules a bit, I believe all banks are required to follow the same federal regulations with regard to ID required for adding or opening accounts.

My husband's bank added me within the week after we married, using my maiden name (Cdn passport, SSN in maiden name, and birth certificate). We changed it to my married name 2 months later using the marriage certificate and WA state driver's license.

[thai2luv 0]

thai2luv,

Yes, all banks are required to follow the same federal regulations, but different banks interpret what those regulations mean quite differently. Some banks are much more conservative than others and have their own requirements that go above and beyond to be on the safe side.

Yodrak

Although you may get someone willing to bend the rules a bit, I believe all banks are required to follow the same federal regulations with regard to ID required for adding or opening accounts.

My husband's bank added me within the week after we married, using my maiden name (Cdn passport, SSN in maiden name, and birth certificate). We changed it to my married name 2 months later using the marriage certificate and WA state driver's license.

I have added my wife to two of my credit cards as an add'l family member, but it still won't solve the porblem of the joint bank account. The credit cards are in her married name, but her passport is in her maiden name.

I will try to add her to the bank accounts using her maiden name with her passport and birth certificate.

Thanks for all of your good advice.

[John & Annie 0]

thai2luv,

Yes, all banks are required to follow the same federal regulations, but different banks interpret what those regulations mean quite differently. Some banks are much more conservative than others and have their own requirements that go above and beyond to be on the safe side.

Yodrak

Although you may get someone willing to bend the rules a bit, I believe all banks are required to follow the same federal regulations with regard to ID required for adding or opening accounts.

My husband's bank added me within the week after we married, using my maiden name (Cdn passport, SSN in maiden name, and birth certificate). We changed it to my married name 2 months later using the marriage certificate and WA state driver's license.

I have added my wife to two of my credit cards as an add'l family member, but it still won't solve the porblem of the joint bank account. The credit cards are in her married name, but her passport is in her maiden name.

I will try to add her to the bank accounts using her maiden name with her passport and birth certificate.

Thanks for all of your good advice.

It is perfectly legitimate for her to use her maiden name. She does not need to change her name ever. Do not let that road block get in the way too much.

We are with Citi bank and they let us use Passport, SSN, and Marriage Cert. You might want to look up their policies and procedures and bring a copy with you. We share your pain about the CA Drivers license. We already have a car for my wife and she can not drive it.

Edited December 12, 2006 by John & Annie