United States Bank account-opening documents and verification points

Personal application documents

• Generally, prepare a valid government-issued photo ID and provide your name, date of birth, residential/street address, and identification number as required by the bank. Chase’s general information also lists a passport, state driver’s license/state ID, Social Security card, and utility bill, mortgage statement, or bank/credit card statement showing your name and residential address. Banks differ in the IDs they accept; follow the target bank’s current checklist. (Sources: Chase personal account opening information; FinCEN CDD Rule FAQs)
• An SSN, ITIN or other tax identification number may be required, but do not claim that all non-US citizens must have an SSN. Bank of America’s information for international customers says it accepts an applicable FTIN, SSN or ITIN and that an SSN is not an absolute requirement for its account-opening process. The FDIC’s 2025 guidance also allows banks, under certain conditions, to obtain a TIN through a third party, but a bank may choose not to use this exemption. (Sources: Bank of America information on opening accounts for international customers; FDIC 2025 TIN guidance)
• Non-U.S. citizens may also have a path to open a personal account, but eligibility depends on the bank and identity category. Bank of America’s specific process for international customers requires non-resident foreign nationals to provide a physical foreign residential address, a U.S. mailing address, two unexpired identity documents and, where applicable, a tax identification number. Its process for resident foreign nationals requires a physical U.S. address, two unexpired identity documents and, where applicable, a tax identification number; an appointment for an interview at a financial center is required. This is the bank’s specific practice and does not mean other banks accept applicants residing abroad. (Source: Bank of America information on opening accounts for international customers)
• Tax status is generally verified according to the account and customer’s circumstances, rather than being equated simply with nationality. The IRS states that Form W-9 is used to provide a correct TIN to a person required to file information returns with the IRS; a foreign individual beneficial owner may provide Form W-8BEN if the payment is subject to withholding/reporting; a foreign entity uses Form W-8BEN-E to certify relevant tax status. The bank may also ask about tax residence and foreign TIN under its own international tax reporting procedures; whether a form must be completed depends on the bank, account, and applicable tax law. (Sources: IRS Form W-9; IRS Form W-8BEN; IRS Form W-8BEN-E)
• Initial deposit, age requirements and account eligibility vary by product. Chase notes that certain accounts have age requirements or a minimum initial deposit, and that the specific bank's requirements should be confirmed for both online and branch applications. (Source: Chase information on opening personal accounts)

Company application documents

• Company accounts generally require the legal entity name, operating/business address and contact details, tax identification number (commonly an EIN), formation/registration documents, and identification for signers or authorized representatives. Chase lists articles of incorporation/certificate of formation, LLC articles of organization, partnership agreements, state registration status, and applicable DBA/assumed-name documents; the specific list depends on entity type, state, and bank. (Sources: Chase guide to preparing for a business account; Chase guide to opening a business account)
• You will generally need to describe the nature of the business, its locations/number of locations, employees and annual sales, as well as the locations of customers/suppliers and the expected types, frequency, or amounts of transactions. Depending on business risk, the bank may ask further questions about the source of funds or request supporting evidence, but there is no single “source of funds document list” that applies uniformly to all banks and customers. FinCEN requires risk-based customer due diligence to understand the nature and purpose of a relationship and to conduct ongoing monitoring; Chase’s application materials expressly ask about business activities and expected transactions. (Sources: FinCEN CDD Rule FAQs; Chase Business Account Preparation Guide)
• Companies generally need to provide information on beneficial owners and controllers, including names, dates of birth, addresses, SSNs, or passport/other government ID numbers for foreign persons. The FinCEN CDD Rule generally covers owners with 25% or more ownership and one control person; the bank may require a lower ownership threshold or additional information based on risk or its own policies. Some Chase processes collect information on owners with 10% or more ownership; this is the bank's standard, not a uniform industry-wide legal threshold. (Sources: FinCEN CDD Rule FAQs; Chase guide to preparing for a business account)
• A foreign company or a non-U.S. tax entity may need to provide proof of foreign registration/good standing, signatory details, and information on its ultimate control/ownership chain. The appropriate tax documentation should be confirmed based on the entity type: foreign individuals and foreign entities may respectively use Forms W-8BEN and W-8BEN-E. Neither IRS form should be described as mandatory for every company account opening. (Sources: IRS Form W-8BEN; IRS Form W-8BEN-E; Chase corporate account preparation guide)

Application and verification process

1. First use the FDIC BankFind Suite directory to verify the legal name, official website and status of the actual insured depository institution. The API provides current and historical data on FDIC-insured depository institutions. An “active” status in the directory does not mean that the bank accepts any particular applicant or account-opening method. (Sources: FDIC BankFind Suite API Documentation; FDIC BankFind Suite directory)
2. Confirm the personal or business account type and applicant eligibility, then prepare identity documents and address/tax status information according to the bank's online or branch application checklist. Businesses should also prepare formation documents, authorized signatory details and beneficial owner information according to their legal structure. (Sources: Chase personal account opening information; Chase business account preparation guide)
3. Remote account opening depends on the bank, the applicant’s place of residence, and the entity structure. Chase allows some single-owner sole proprietorships, single-member/single-manager LLCs, and privately held S/C corporations with one authorized representative to apply online. Multi-member/multi-manager LLCs, nonprofits, and entities with multiple authorized representatives, among others, must apply at a branch. Chase may also require applicants to photograph government-issued identification for digital verification. (Source: Chase business account preparation guide)
4. If an in-person meeting is required, use the bank's official appointment channel to select a branch and time, and have the bank confirm the documents and attendees. Bank of America’s process for certain international clients requires an appointment with a financial center specialist and two forms of identification plus relevant documents. Applications to Chase for companies with complex structures may also require an authorised member, partner, or signatory to attend. (Sources: Bank of America international account opening information; Chase business account opening guide)
5. Account-opening reviews, requests for additional documents, and appointments are determined by the bank. Complete documentation means only that the application can enter the application/review process; it does not mean the bank will approve it. A website appointment is likewise not approval. The website must not promise successful account opening or a fixed processing time. Any estimated time must be presented as a non-guaranteed estimate and remains subject to the bank’s actual processing. (Basis: conditions and procedures vary by bank; see the Chase Company Account Preparation Guide and Bank of America’s account-opening information for international clients.)