Temp I-551 stamp "not official document"

[uktousa13 0]

Just been told by Wells Fargo that a temp I-551 stamp is not an accepted official proof of residency. Any suggestions on how to proceed? Waiting on replacement green card after old one expired.

[Lemonslice 4,989]

Why did Wells Fargo want to see your green card?

[uktousa13 0]

Tried to open an account. They rejected me on the grounds that I'm not a resident. I explained that I am and I have this stamp to prove it. They said they don't recognize the stamp as proof of residency.

Edited July 11, 2017 by uktousa13

[marriedguy 34]

you should show them your green card and the I-797 letter.

[Crazy Cat 42,588]

It must depend on the bank.  My wife just opened accounts at 2 different banks within the last 3 days using only her Taiwanese passport with CR-1 visa and Social Security card.  One was Bank of America.

Edited July 11, 2017 by missileman

[Scandi 4,186]

I would suggest you go to another bank.

[uktousa13 0]

Yeah, I already have gone to another bank. But it's baffling to me. Spent 30 minutes on the phone with them explaining that I am a permanent resident and that I have documents that prove that while they insisted that they don't recognize those documents. I think Wells Fargo might have seceded from the United States. Other bank was fine. I gave them the same stack of documents (expired green card, passport with temp I-551 stamp, explanation of what a temp I-551 stamp was) etc as I gave Wells Fargo and they were fine with it. Wells Fargo were very insistent that they decide who is and is not a permanent resident and that they don't have to accept documents they don't want to.

Edited July 12, 2017 by uktousa13

[Lemonslice 4,989]

If anything, maybe it was your lucky day http://abcnews.go.com/Business/timeline-wells-fargo-accounts-scandal/story?id=42231128

 

Happy you were able to open a bank account elsewhere.  

Edited July 12, 2017 by Lemonslice

[Hypnos 6,578]

It sounds like Wells Fargo don't want your business.

[marriedguy 34]

14 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

If anything, maybe it was your lucky day http://abcnews.go.com/Business/timeline-wells-fargo-accounts-scandal/story?id=42231128

 

Happy you were able to open a bank account elsewhere.  

They like only fake accounts

Edited July 12, 2017 by marriedguy

[Ontarkie 14,559]

~~Moved to Moving Here and Your New Life, from US Citizenship Discussion - As the OP was trying to open a bank account.~~

[N-o-l-a 7,168]

Some people are iffy about the stamp, but if you bring a print out from USCIS, like this one: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/temporary-i-551-stamps-and-mrivs  or this https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/acceptable-documents/list-documents/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

that might help.  We had a lot of trouble getting the CT DMV to accept it a few years back, but ultimately prevailed.

 

An I-551 is an I-551 is an I-551....doesn't matter if it is a stamp or a card.

Edited July 12, 2017 by N-o-l-a

[JFH 12,191]

Bank of America were a nightmare for me. They refused to accept my I-551 stamp (despite the fact that the person dealing with me claimed to have arrived here on a spouse visa herself a few years ago - even she said I wasn't a permanent resident). They insisted I was a non-resident alien and even refused to use our address here as a mailing address and said  my bank card and any documents would have to be sent to England to the last address I had there even though the place belongs to someone else now - someone I don't even know. I closed the account and went elsewhere.

[mallafri76 1,012]

3 hours ago, JFH said:

Bank of America were a nightmare for me. They refused to accept my I-551 stamp (despite the fact that the person dealing with me claimed to have arrived here on a spouse visa herself a few years ago - even she said I wasn't a permanent resident). They insisted I was a non-resident alien and even refused to use our address here as a mailing address and said  my bank card and any documents would have to be sent to England to the last address I had there even though the place belongs to someone else now - someone I don't even know. I closed the account and went elsewhere.

I think it depends a lot on the state and even the person you speak to at a specific branch because I was able to open a bank account with BOFA years ago, when I was still living in Sweden. All they needed was two sets of Swedish ID and that I made a deposit into the account. They put my Swedish address on the account but put my MIL's address as mailing address. Then once I immigrated to the US, I showed BOFA my green card and they changed my bank account from a non-resident to resident account. 

[mcdull 474]

15 hours ago, uktousa13 said:

Just been told by Wells Fargo that a temp I-551 stamp is not an accepted official proof of residency. Any suggestions on how to proceed? Waiting on replacement green card after old one expired.

try HSBC.