US bank account for US citizen but not resident

June 2, 2021 3:10 AM

I'm a US citizen and live in the UK. I don't have a US bank account, and I'm headed to the US for a family emergency where it would help if I did. My stress-addled brain can't handle the google advice, which is all for US residents who aren't citizens. Could you suggest a bank in San Diego where I could walk in and open an account with a US passport, UK residency card and license, and a cash deposit?
posted by jebs to Work & Money (5 answers total)

Just... call a bank branch in San Diego and ask them what you need to do this? If there's a way the bank is used to accepting a local proof of temporary residence at a specific address other than what is listed on your passport, they can probably do this quickly. I'd tell you the name of my bank where you can do this, but I don't want to suggest that they're a good bank--they're just one of the megacorp banks that are in every city. It may suit you to contact some local Credit Unions.

You may also find what you need with online banks like Revolut (without the cash deposit part).

(Source: Am American, am living in the UK)
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 4:44 AM on June 2, 2021

Seems like this is a pretty normal thing: Top 9 Checking Accounts for U.S. Expats Living Abroad
posted by tiamat at 6:08 AM on June 2, 2021 [1 favorite]

I went to a branch in Chinatown, in NYC, of a bank that had previously been resistant to helping me open an account. At this branch they were more than capable. They did not need me to have a US address. The staff were wonderful and knew how to deal with all the issues my circumstances presented. They indicated that some other branches may have simply misunderstood the rules or never had the training that was necessary at theirs. If my experience is anything to go by, you might consider hitting a branch in a particularly transnational part of SD for getting set up.
posted by spibeldrokkit at 6:49 AM on June 2, 2021 [1 favorite]

I'm not clear what your use case is for this, but if it's primarily about being able to transfer money to and from US bank accounts easily, then your best bet might be a Multi Currency Account from Wise, which gives you a US routing number and Account number to use, as well as a UK sort code and account number, and is definitely the best deal if you'll need to send money between the US and the UK.
posted by ambrosen at 7:45 AM on June 2, 2021 [2 favorites]

Seconding Wise - I have the reverse problem, and it's a whole lot less annoying than my actual UK bank. It has a routing and account number that works for most purposes, and you can get them to give you a debit card that is billed in the local currency, so if you carry a $ balance it will charge against it.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 10:32 PM on June 2, 2021