Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

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homebuyer6426
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Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

Hi there,

I've been trying to set up a bank account for my newly immigrated wife. First we tried Ally, but she did not meet the requirements for opening an account. Then we tried Bank of America, as they were one of the few on a list that accept those of her status "resident alien". We completed most of the opening process online and then met with a representative in-person. He believed the account would open in a few days, but she was denied at the credit score/background check portion. We will reach out for details but the likely reason is having no credit. She does have a social security number.

For now I am adding her as a designated user on one of my credit cards to build credit.

1) About how long will it take to build her credit to where she can open a bank account, assuming she uses the card 10-20 times per month?
2) Any faster if I put her name on 3 of my cards instead of 1?
3) What other steps can I take to build her credit or to get her a bank account, other than making myself liable for her whole account?

All I really wanted was for her to be able to keep an account in US dollars and use a debit card with that. She also has some money that will not be used for a couple years that I thought she could put into a CD in her name. But with how things are going regarding opening accounts, the CD might need to be in my name instead.

Thanks for your advice.
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KlangFool
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by KlangFool »

OP,

A) Are you setting up a joint account with your wife or an individual account for your wife?

B) It is always a bad idea to have a debit card. Use a credit card instead.

KlangFool
Last edited by KlangFool on Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Mike Scott
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by Mike Scott »

Just do joint accounts for a year or two until she gets some history. You can search the great internet to find out if any of your existing card accounts will backdate new users to the date the card was opened to perhaps extend that history. Discover is pretty friendly to students and new users.
obgraham
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by obgraham »

She has an SSN and a green card.
Been there, done that.
Go to a local bank or credit union.
student
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by student »

Do you bank with a local bank? If so, use the same bank. I agree with another poster who suggest using a joint account first. As the above poster's suggestion, try a local bank/credit union.
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

obgraham wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:28 am She has an SSN and a green card.
Been there, done that.
Go to a local bank or credit union.
She has an SSN, it will take 3-5 years for her to get the green card and change from resident alien status to permanent resident status.
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tunafish
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by tunafish »

Debit cards are much more vulnerable to fraud than credit cards.

Every experience I have had with Bank of America over decades has been bad. I would try a local credit union if I were you.
an_asker
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by an_asker »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:44 am [...]
She has an SSN, it will take 3-5 years for her to get the green card and change from resident alien status to permanent resident status.
I'm assuming you are not a citizen, else my understanding was that the adjustment of status wouldn't take more than a year (of course, my info is dated - who know what is going on now? :oops: )
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by bsteiner »

The issue should be the bank's credit, not hers. She's lending the bank money. The bank is borrowing money from her.

Her being a resident alien shouldn't matter. There are large numbers of resident aliens, mainly green card holders.

As others have said, she might try one of the banks where you have a relationship.
TheTurtle
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by TheTurtle »

Definitely try local credit unions. They are more likely to work for her situation. Note that she might start out with a low credit limit, but it's a start.
This is based on personal experience, although dated. I was also in a college town and the credit union was used to resident aliens.
All the best.
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ResearchMed
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by ResearchMed »

TheTurtle wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:43 am Definitely try local credit unions. They are more likely to work for her situation. Note that she might start out with a low credit limit, but it's a start.
This is based on personal experience, although dated. I was also in a college town and the credit union was used to resident aliens.
All the best.

It sounded like the trouble was opening a savings account, not a charge account.

Seems strange, although perhaps it's a "know your customer" problem?

RM
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

an_asker wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:47 am
homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:44 am [...]
She has an SSN, it will take 3-5 years for her to get the green card and change from resident alien status to permanent resident status.
I'm assuming you are not a citizen, else my understanding was that the adjustment of status wouldn't take more than a year (of course, my info is dated - who know what is going on now? :oops: )
No problem, it's complicated and I don't understand it half the time myself. For K-1 visas the change after marriage to permanent resident is currently taking 3-5 years. For other visas the time period can be much shorter. I am a US citizen.
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

ResearchMed wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:53 am
TheTurtle wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:43 am Definitely try local credit unions. They are more likely to work for her situation. Note that she might start out with a low credit limit, but it's a start.
This is based on personal experience, although dated. I was also in a college town and the credit union was used to resident aliens.
All the best.

It sounded like the trouble was opening a savings account, not a charge account.

Seems strange, although perhaps it's a "know your customer" problem?

RM
We were trying to open a checking account, although we also would have liked to have bought a CD in her name through Ally. The savings account at Ally would have been decent but at BoA the rate is insignificant.
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

TheTurtle wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:43 am Definitely try local credit unions. They are more likely to work for her situation. Note that she might start out with a low credit limit, but it's a start.
This is based on personal experience, although dated. I was also in a college town and the credit union was used to resident aliens.
All the best.
We may try that. I was under the impression that smaller banks and credit unions tended to shy away from the complexity that non-US-citizens introduce.
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jucor
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by jucor »

If you are near a major university see if they have a credit union that's open to outsiders (as many are these days) -- in my experience university-affiliated credit unions are very used to opening accounts for non-resident aliens with visas -- they do so for foreign students every year -- at a major university the numbers will be in the 100s or higher each year...
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

KlangFool wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:24 am OP,

A) Are you setting up a joint account with your wife or an individual account for your wife?

B) It is always a bad idea to have a debit card. Use a credit card instead.

KlangFool
I was setting up an individual account. I thought things might be simpler if we could keep track of who earned which money. A joint account is something I'd be willing to do if the other options don't pan out.

Regarding the debit card, the debit card she has now is from a foreign bank with a transaction fee for US dollars. I wanted to remove that obstacle.
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an_asker
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by an_asker »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:54 am [...]
No problem, it's complicated and I don't understand it half the time myself. For K-1 visas the change after marriage to permanent resident is currently taking 3-5 years. For other visas the time period can be much shorter. I am a US citizen.
Oh ok! I know for sure that banks have changed a lot since when I came to the USA in the 20th century. :oops:

Back then, it was quite easy to get an SSN and open an account in any bank.
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by wingman4uz »

Know many folks who have been down this road. Credit Unions are definitely worth a shot. Also, maybe a bank in an area of the country that has large non-resident immigrant populations. There are tens of thousands of immigrant tech workers on the west coast - so there have to be banks that will handle their finances.
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by KlangFool »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:05 pm
KlangFool wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:24 am OP,

A) Are you setting up a joint account with your wife or an individual account for your wife?

B) It is always a bad idea to have a debit card. Use a credit card instead.

KlangFool
I was setting up an individual account. I thought things might be simpler if we could keep track of who earned which money. A joint account is something I'd be willing to do if the other options don't pan out.

Regarding the debit card, the debit card she has now is from a foreign bank with a transaction fee for US dollars. I wanted to remove that obstacle.
That does not change the fact that it is a bad idea to setup a new account with a debit card.

KlangFool
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by dollar_elbow »

Anecdotally, when I was a resident alien (though on a H1B/Green Card route) before becoming a citizen, I had no issues opening Chase, BofA, Ally, Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard and other accounts, so I am not sure why she can't.
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by FireProof »

My wife got a Charles Schwab Investor Checking bank account as a resident alien, no questions. She started with a Discover Card 1% card with a $2000 limit when she had no credit. Once she got her first credit score after a few months, she was able to get a Capital One 1.5% card with like a $7000 limit.
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Beachey
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by Beachey »

Not sure where you are with immigration, typically if you are married for under two years your wife would enter as a CR1 and get a conditional green card that needs to be renewed after two years which gives you a permanent green card (IR1) that needs to be renewed every 10 years. I don't know how long the Removal of conditions (CR1->IR1) may take but with COVID, etc. it may be 1+ years.

What I think you will find is that it is hard to get credit with a new SSN. It took 7+ years before it stopped being a hassle. I was told multiple times on car loans/mortgages that it would greatly simplify things if I applied alone.

I would recommend you make her an authorized user on all your credit cards even if you just put the credit cards in the drawer. My wife's checking account is with BofA. I just checked and it was opened six months after she got her conditional green card. If you are going to need to remove conditions, you are going to want evidence of comingled finances so adding her as a joint owner on your checking account will help as well.
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celia
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by celia »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:11 am For now I am adding her as a designated user on one of my credit cards to build credit.

1) About how long will it take to build her credit to where she can open a bank account, assuming she uses the card 10-20 times per month?
2) Any faster if I put her name on 3 of my cards instead of 1?
3) What other steps can I take to build her credit or to get her a bank account, other than making myself liable for her whole account?
I put one of my kids on a new credit card with me when he went away to college. I didn’t use the card but he charged something once or twice a month and, of course, the card was automatically paid off each month from my checking account. We had an agreement that he could only charge $100 a month and it was for off-campus “fun”/food with his friends. (The real reason was that there was no direct flight between home and school and if he was ever stranded at the transfer airport, he could easily get a hotel room.)

After two years, I was talking to the financial aid office who pulls the students’ credit reports and the counselor made a comment that his credit rating was very high. (He also made good money during the summers as a computer science student which he always applied to his share of tuition at a private university.)

My point is that the number of charges per month isn’t important. It’s the consistent payments that are. Also having any job will help as long as it reports to the credit bureaus.
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

Beachey wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:20 pm Not sure where you are with immigration, typically if you are married for under two years your wife would enter as a CR1 and get a conditional green card that needs to be renewed after two years which gives you a permanent green card (IR1) that needs to be renewed every 10 years. I don't know how long the Removal of conditions (CR1->IR1) may take but with COVID, etc. it may be 1+ years.

What I think you will find is that it is hard to get credit with a new SSN. It took 7+ years before it stopped being a hassle. I was told multiple times on car loans/mortgages that it would greatly simplify things if I applied alone.

I would recommend you make her an authorized user on all your credit cards even if you just put the credit cards in the drawer. My wife's checking account is with BofA. I just checked and it was opened six months after she got her conditional green card. If you are going to need to remove conditions, you are going to want evidence of comingled finances so adding her as a joint owner on your checking account will help as well.
Thanks for the information. She has been in the US for about 40 days. We married last week. It is a K-1 visa which is similar to a CR-1 but not exactly. We are going to start the filing on the Adjustment of Status soon but searches tell me this process will take a very long time. I believe it will be at least 1 year for the conditional green card and 3-5 for the permanent residency.
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

FireProof wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:12 pm My wife got a Charles Schwab Investor Checking bank account as a resident alien, no questions. She started with a Discover Card 1% card with a $2000 limit when she had no credit. Once she got her first credit score after a few months, she was able to get a Capital One 1.5% card with like a $7000 limit.
Sounds awesome, I wonder if the country she is coming from has an impact on the institution's responses. Can I ask what year it was?
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

dollar_elbow wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:09 pm Anecdotally, when I was a resident alien (though on a H1B/Green Card route) before becoming a citizen, I had no issues opening Chase, BofA, Ally, Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard and other accounts, so I am not sure why she can't.
Which country did you come from and what year?
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by anon_investor »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:40 pm
Beachey wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:20 pm Not sure where you are with immigration, typically if you are married for under two years your wife would enter as a CR1 and get a conditional green card that needs to be renewed after two years which gives you a permanent green card (IR1) that needs to be renewed every 10 years. I don't know how long the Removal of conditions (CR1->IR1) may take but with COVID, etc. it may be 1+ years.

What I think you will find is that it is hard to get credit with a new SSN. It took 7+ years before it stopped being a hassle. I was told multiple times on car loans/mortgages that it would greatly simplify things if I applied alone.

I would recommend you make her an authorized user on all your credit cards even if you just put the credit cards in the drawer. My wife's checking account is with BofA. I just checked and it was opened six months after she got her conditional green card. If you are going to need to remove conditions, you are going to want evidence of comingled finances so adding her as a joint owner on your checking account will help as well.
Thanks for the information. She has been in the US for about 40 days. We married last week. It is a K-1 visa which is similar to a CR-1 but not exactly. We are going to start the filing on the Adjustment of Status soon but searches tell me this process will take a very long time. I believe it will be at least 1 year for the conditional green card and 3-5 for the permanent residency.
Since you are a US citizen, your wife would be elgible to file for US citizenship after only 3 years in green card status. But since she will have a conditional green card, she still has to file for the conditions to be removed after it expires.
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by spammagnet »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:05 pmI was setting up an individual account. I thought things might be simpler if we could keep track of who earned which money. A joint account is something I'd be willing to do if the other options don't pan out.

Regarding the debit card, the debit card she has now is from a foreign bank with a transaction fee for US dollars. I wanted to remove that obstacle.
Some banks will issue an ATM card that is not good as a debit card, reducing exposure to risk. But those are becoming rare. As Klangfool and others advise, avoid using a debit card for routine transactions. Definitely do not use it anywhere online, including automatic payment of bills.
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by VictorStarr »

I work for a FAANG in the SF Bay area. Recommendation for new employees coming on H1 visa (without SSN) open checking account and credit card either with Bank of America or Stanford Federal Credit Union, offer from employer is usually enough. Medium size bank (First Republic Bank) is more selective. If you live in the vicinity of a large university, a university credit union may be a good option, as they know how to deal with foreign students and staff.

Another option is a brokerage, either Fidelity or Schwab, a few years ago two of my friends got married and their wives opened Fidelity CMA and Fidelity credit cards after a few months on K-1.
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by rooms222 »

Less than 3 months after entering the US and getting a SSN through a K-1, and right after getting married, an immediate family member was able to get a plain, but no annual fee Capital One card in her own name. The applicant carefully read and attributed the appropriate household income accessible to the applicant. In a community property state, this is half the income of the household, if married. Capital One upgraded to a points card after about a year.

Banking was a mess with major banks for the K-1, and was put off until green card was issued. If a bank account was absolutely desired, a credit union in the closest university town was willing and able to open such an account, and was well versed on the requirements. The weird status of a K-1 until green card or work permit is issued caused problems with many major banks, with some insisting on a W-8 BEN for withholding, or just not being willing to do it.

Another factor is that many states will not issue state ID cards or drivers licenses until the work permit is issued. Having a work permit in hand may make the bank account issue easier at that time. In the last few months, USCIS is prioritizing work permit issuance, so much so that combo work/travel cards are no longer being readily issued to prioritize the work permit and do the travel card later.
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

VictorStarr wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:17 pm Another option is a brokerage, either Fidelity or Schwab, a few years ago two of my friends got married and their wives opened Fidelity CMA and Fidelity credit cards after a few months on K-1.
Great! That's an avenue I didn't know was available.
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

rooms222 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:26 pm Banking was a mess with major banks for the K-1, and was put off until green card was issued. If a bank account was absolutely desired, a credit union in the closest university town was willing and able to open such an account, and was well versed on the requirements. The weird status of a K-1 until green card or work permit is issued caused problems with many major banks, with some insisting on a W-8 BEN for withholding, or just not being willing to do it.
Good to know it's not just us!
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by Big Dog »

have you tried a local credit union?
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by econalex »

Must be due to the banks' unfamiliarity with K-1. I have been H1b/Resident Alien for a long time now and never had any difficulty setting up bank account/brokerage/401k/mortgage. The college assisted us getting SSN in freshmen year which must've helped a lot.

Also all of your wife's income, including any oversea income/dividend, would be subject to US tax the moment she gets green card.
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by lakpr »

Been there, done that, 20 years ago. Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) is what we used. No need for a joint account, as long as she has a Social Security Number, she can open a Savings Account at DCU. It requires donating $15 to a local charity that they support (I/my wife donated to Organization for Assabet River).

Once membership is established, ask for opening a Secured Credit Card. Use it for 2 years, and at the end of 2 years the credit card will be automatically unsecured, as long as there weren't any delinquencies and late payments. Because this will be the first credit card for her, I suggest depositing the maximum that you can afford / permitted. We put down $2000 for the limit 20 years ago, I believe the max limit was $5000, not sure if it's increased now.

There is NO ANNUAL FEE on the secured credit card. Best of all, only YOU and DCU will now this is a secured credit card. For all practical purposes, the reporting to credit bureaus of this credit card is as if it's an unsecured credit card.
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Beachey
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by Beachey »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:40 pm
Beachey wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:20 pm Not sure where you are with immigration, typically if you are married for under two years your wife would enter as a CR1 and get a conditional green card that needs to be renewed after two years which gives you a permanent green card (IR1) that needs to be renewed every 10 years. I don't know how long the Removal of conditions (CR1->IR1) may take but with COVID, etc. it may be 1+ years.

What I think you will find is that it is hard to get credit with a new SSN. It took 7+ years before it stopped being a hassle. I was told multiple times on car loans/mortgages that it would greatly simplify things if I applied alone.

I would recommend you make her an authorized user on all your credit cards even if you just put the credit cards in the drawer. My wife's checking account is with BofA. I just checked and it was opened six months after she got her conditional green card. If you are going to need to remove conditions, you are going to want evidence of comingled finances so adding her as a joint owner on your checking account will help as well.
Thanks for the information. She has been in the US for about 40 days. We married last week. It is a K-1 visa which is similar to a CR-1 but not exactly. We are going to start the filing on the Adjustment of Status soon but searches tell me this process will take a very long time. I believe it will be at least 1 year for the conditional green card and 3-5 for the permanent residency.
OK, this makes a little more sense. I would recommend Visajourney.com as a site. Unfortunately with the K-1, your wife will be in a little bit of limbo especially since with COVID the USCIS is very backed up. When you Adjustment of Status, make sure to apply for the EAD (Employment Authorization Document) and AP(Advanced Parole). The former let your wife work and the latter leave the country before the Adjustment of Status is approved. Though I believe the EAD/AP is taking extraordinarily long as well. The Adjustment of Status should get her a conditional green card which is good for two years. After two years, you can apply for the Permanent Green Card which is good for ten years. Assuming you remain married, she is eligible for citizenship three years from when the Conditional Green Card is approved. The normal waiting period is five years if the Green card is not associated with marriage to a US citizen.

Visa Journey will give you some of the current waiting times
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by random_walker_77 »

I'd recommend adding her as a joint owner, and/or opening an additional joint account with her at your current bank. Then after a few months, opening an individual account for her, if you want to. To build up credit history, add her as an authorized user on your oldest credit card (or two). A local credit union might be a good idea, and you can have her apply for credit builder "secured" credit cards.
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dollar_elbow
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by dollar_elbow »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:53 pm
dollar_elbow wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:09 pm Anecdotally, when I was a resident alien (though on a H1B/Green Card route) before becoming a citizen, I had no issues opening Chase, BofA, Ally, Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard and other accounts, so I am not sure why she can't.
Which country did you come from and what year?
From the UK. I was a resident alien from 2011-2020 on various visas, but there was never an issue opening accounts. I think I was asked for documents just once at a Chase branch, but that was it. I think every other place just asked if I was a resident or citizen and didn't seem to care otherwise as long as I had an SSN and a state ID.
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uaeebs86
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by uaeebs86 »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:40 pm
Beachey wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:20 pm Not sure where you are with immigration, typically if you are married for under two years your wife would enter as a CR1 and get a conditional green card that needs to be renewed after two years which gives you a permanent green card (IR1) that needs to be renewed every 10 years. I don't know how long the Removal of conditions (CR1->IR1) may take but with COVID, etc. it may be 1+ years.

What I think you will find is that it is hard to get credit with a new SSN. It took 7+ years before it stopped being a hassle. I was told multiple times on car loans/mortgages that it would greatly simplify things if I applied alone.

I would recommend you make her an authorized user on all your credit cards even if you just put the credit cards in the drawer. My wife's checking account is with BofA. I just checked and it was opened six months after she got her conditional green card. If you are going to need to remove conditions, you are going to want evidence of comingled finances so adding her as a joint owner on your checking account will help as well.
Thanks for the information. She has been in the US for about 40 days. We married last week. It is a K-1 visa which is similar to a CR-1 but not exactly. We are going to start the filing on the Adjustment of Status soon but searches tell me this process will take a very long time. I believe it will be at least 1 year for the conditional green card and 3-5 for the permanent residency.
My son-in-law came from the UK in December on K-1 visa. He and my daughter got married in late February, applied for adjustment of status in March, and he got his green card in late May. He had had no problems setting up bank accounts after that - he started working full time in mid June.
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gavinsiu
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by gavinsiu »

My parents didn't have problems getting a bank account with a green cards decades ago. Getting loan on the other hand was an issue. Try other banks and see if you encounter the same issue.
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by rooms222 »

The issue for the moment is not having anything from USCIS that shows residency. Once you get a work permit you can get a state ID/License and should not have a problem opening a bank account. Also, if you live in one of the blue states on this map, you should have her go get a State ID or Drivers License now, and should be able to bank. If in one of the yellow states, wait until you get a work permit from USCIS or go to a credit union that will work with you.

https://www.ncsl.org/research/immigrati ... card%20and

Note that the laws of the different states (blue states) establish different criteria that may or may not exactly fit, but are likely to be able to resolve the situation. The yellow states tend to require proof of lawful residence that is specific, and almost never includes the period once 90 days from entry into the US from the K-1 has expired. Most do not accept the initial letter sent by USCIS that you have filed for adjustment of status as proof of lawful residence, but do accept the work permit issued from that filing. In the old days, K-1s were granted an initial 90 day work permit in the passport in some cases, and the residue of these policies is why some K-1s go to Social Security right away to get a Social Security card during that initial 90 days, as if it is not done at that point, it cannot be issued until the work permit is issued. Also, accompanying children (K-2 visa) are not included in this policy, and cannot get Social Security numbers until a work permit or green card is issued for them.
Last edited by rooms222 on Wed Aug 10, 2022 9:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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WinstonTeracina
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by WinstonTeracina »

My wife entered the U.S. in February 2021 with a K-1 visa. We married at the end of the month and I believe received her SSN around April 2021. Once we had her SSN (and eventually her EAD) we too had difficulties opening bank accounts for her. In the end, we were able open a Joint Investor Checking (and Brokerage) account and Schwab and she was able to open a Roth IRA with them. I would highly recommend Schwab as I specifically remember the minimal hassel with them after we had tried so many other banks.
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tj
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by tj »

homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:05 pm
KlangFool wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:24 am OP,

A) Are you setting up a joint account with your wife or an individual account for your wife?

B) It is always a bad idea to have a debit card. Use a credit card instead.

KlangFool
I was setting up an individual account. I thought things might be simpler if we could keep track of who earned which money. A joint account is something I'd be willing to do if the other options don't pan out.

Regarding the debit card, the debit card she has now is from a foreign bank with a transaction fee for US dollars. I wanted to remove that obstacle.
How is she earning any money without a green card?
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by WinstonTeracina »

tj wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:46 pm
homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:05 pm
KlangFool wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:24 am OP,

A) Are you setting up a joint account with your wife or an individual account for your wife?

B) It is always a bad idea to have a debit card. Use a credit card instead.

KlangFool
I was setting up an individual account. I thought things might be simpler if we could keep track of who earned which money. A joint account is something I'd be willing to do if the other options don't pan out.

Regarding the debit card, the debit card she has now is from a foreign bank with a transaction fee for US dollars. I wanted to remove that obstacle.
How is she earning any money without a green card?
As a K-1 visa holder he/she can apply for an EAD as part of the green card application. These are generally approved much quicker than the actual green card.
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PicassoSparks
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by PicassoSparks »

From hard-won experience: Debit card use does not improve your credit score.

My wife (dual citizen newly moved to the US) had an awful time with credit scores, used her debit card and auto bill pay and learned to her horror that she wasn’t building credit. Was eventually given a $500 limit starter card.

I (immigrant) had an easier start, ironically, because my home country bank has a US subsidiary (I’m Canadian, so there’s lots of infra for cross-border lifestyles). That kickstarted my credit score in the US.

Does you wife have access to something like that?
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Beachey
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by Beachey »

uaeebs86 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 7:54 pm
homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:40 pm
Beachey wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:20 pm Not sure where you are with immigration, typically if you are married for under two years your wife would enter as a CR1 and get a conditional green card that needs to be renewed after two years which gives you a permanent green card (IR1) that needs to be renewed every 10 years. I don't know how long the Removal of conditions (CR1->IR1) may take but with COVID, etc. it may be 1+ years.

What I think you will find is that it is hard to get credit with a new SSN. It took 7+ years before it stopped being a hassle. I was told multiple times on car loans/mortgages that it would greatly simplify things if I applied alone.

I would recommend you make her an authorized user on all your credit cards even if you just put the credit cards in the drawer. My wife's checking account is with BofA. I just checked and it was opened six months after she got her conditional green card. If you are going to need to remove conditions, you are going to want evidence of comingled finances so adding her as a joint owner on your checking account will help as well.
Thanks for the information. She has been in the US for about 40 days. We married last week. It is a K-1 visa which is similar to a CR-1 but not exactly. We are going to start the filing on the Adjustment of Status soon but searches tell me this process will take a very long time. I believe it will be at least 1 year for the conditional green card and 3-5 for the permanent residency.
My son-in-law came from the UK in December on K-1 visa. He and my daughter got married in late February, applied for adjustment of status in March, and he got his green card in late May. He had had no problems setting up bank accounts after that - he started working full time in mid June.
Was this 2022? That would have been fast even before COVID though processing times do vary depending on what local office you are using. Good for him.
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uaeebs86
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by uaeebs86 »

Beachey wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 6:17 am
uaeebs86 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 7:54 pm
homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:40 pm
Beachey wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:20 pm Not sure where you are with immigration, typically if you are married for under two years your wife would enter as a CR1 and get a conditional green card that needs to be renewed after two years which gives you a permanent green card (IR1) that needs to be renewed every 10 years. I don't know how long the Removal of conditions (CR1->IR1) may take but with COVID, etc. it may be 1+ years.

What I think you will find is that it is hard to get credit with a new SSN. It took 7+ years before it stopped being a hassle. I was told multiple times on car loans/mortgages that it would greatly simplify things if I applied alone.

I would recommend you make her an authorized user on all your credit cards even if you just put the credit cards in the drawer. My wife's checking account is with BofA. I just checked and it was opened six months after she got her conditional green card. If you are going to need to remove conditions, you are going to want evidence of comingled finances so adding her as a joint owner on your checking account will help as well.
Thanks for the information. She has been in the US for about 40 days. We married last week. It is a K-1 visa which is similar to a CR-1 but not exactly. We are going to start the filing on the Adjustment of Status soon but searches tell me this process will take a very long time. I believe it will be at least 1 year for the conditional green card and 3-5 for the permanent residency.
My son-in-law came from the UK in December on K-1 visa. He and my daughter got married in late February, applied for adjustment of status in March, and he got his green card in late May. He had had no problems setting up bank accounts after that - he started working full time in mid June.
Was this 2022? That would have been fast even before COVID though processing times do vary depending on what local office you are using. Good for him.
Yes, he came in December 2021 and they got married in Feb. 2022. The process to get the K-1 was very long due to Covid however.

My daughter got laid off in May and he had an a good job offer in hand so they asked for an expedite process. Not sure if that actually helped or not.
"Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out." ― John Wooden
student
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by student »

PicassoSparks wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 5:49 am From hard-won experience: Debit card use does not improve your credit score.

My wife (dual citizen newly moved to the US) had an awful time with credit scores, used her debit card and auto bill pay and learned to her horror that she wasn’t building credit. Was eventually given a $500 limit starter card.

I (immigrant) had an easier start, ironically, because my home country bank has a US subsidiary (I’m Canadian, so there’s lots of infra for cross-border lifestyles). That kickstarted my credit score in the US.

Does you wife have access to something like that?
Here is a trick that used to work. Apply for an AMEX card in your home country and then ask them to transfer it to the US.
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

dollar_elbow wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 4:52 pm
homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:53 pm
dollar_elbow wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:09 pm Anecdotally, when I was a resident alien (though on a H1B/Green Card route) before becoming a citizen, I had no issues opening Chase, BofA, Ally, Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard and other accounts, so I am not sure why she can't.
Which country did you come from and what year?
From the UK. I was a resident alien from 2011-2020 on various visas, but there was never an issue opening accounts. I think I was asked for documents just once at a Chase branch, but that was it. I think every other place just asked if I was a resident or citizen and didn't seem to care otherwise as long as I had an SSN and a state ID.
That might be the difference - no state ID yet.
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homebuyer6426
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Re: Newly immigrated wife not allowed to bank at Ally and denied by Bank of America

Post by homebuyer6426 »

tj wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:46 pm
homebuyer6426 wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:05 pm
KlangFool wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:24 am OP,

A) Are you setting up a joint account with your wife or an individual account for your wife?

B) It is always a bad idea to have a debit card. Use a credit card instead.

KlangFool
I was setting up an individual account. I thought things might be simpler if we could keep track of who earned which money. A joint account is something I'd be willing to do if the other options don't pan out.

Regarding the debit card, the debit card she has now is from a foreign bank with a transaction fee for US dollars. I wanted to remove that obstacle.
How is she earning any money without a green card?
She isn't, really. But she received $9000 from her government recently as a one-time-payment because her father was a police officer.
45% Total Stock Market | 52% Consumer Staples | 3% Short Term Reserves
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