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I am a mozambican citizen and would like to know whether I can open a bank account in the USA. I don't live in the US but am planning to buy a house and put it on rent. What requirements should I meet in order to do so?

WhatHiFi
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cinita
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1 Answers1

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Yes, you can. You need to come to the bank with 2 different types of ID (one of them will be your passport, some banks accept an existing credit/debit card as a second ID) and fill the form W8-BEN.

If you're going to have a property manager company managing the house for you, they'll similarly need your id information and form W8-ECI.

Check if there's a tax treaty with your country, and if there is - if there are provisions relevant for you and your future income. If so - specify the article, section and the specific terms on the W8 forms.

Make sure not to sign on a form W9 (if by mistake it is given to you by an ignorant bank employee or realtor).

W8 forms require you to have a tax ID. If you don't have a US SSN and is not eligible for one - you can apply for a tax id (called ITIN) with the IRS, using form W7.

littleadv
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