US banks that accept ITIN

Yes — you can open a US bank account with an IRS-issued ITIN instead of a Social Security number. Federal law (the USA PATRIOT Act §326 Customer Identification Program rule, 31 CFR §1020.220) lets a bank accept an ITIN as your taxpayer identification number; it does not require an SSN. But each bank still sets its own policy, so the practical question is which banks document an ITIN path. The table below is built from each institution’s own current (June 2026) requirements — not third-party blogs.

Which banks open an account with an ITIN — verified

BankTypeOpen with an ITIN (no SSN)?How you openMin. depositMonthly fee
VaroApp-only bank✅ Yes — its terms list “SSN or ITIN”In the Varo app$0$0
SoFiApp-only bank✅ Yes — “SSN or ITIN”; open to non-permanent residentsOnline / SoFi app$0$0
Bank of AmericaTraditional (branches)✅ Yes — ITIN path documented for non-permanent residentsIn a branch (takes a foreign passport or a Mexican/Guatemalan/Dominican/Colombian consular ID)Varies by accountVaries by account
Wells FargoTraditional (branches)✅ Yes — “SSN or ITIN”Branch appointment if you are a non-permanent resident$25 (Everyday Checking)$15, waivable
CitibankTraditional (branches)✅ Yes — “SSN or ITIN”Online or branch (branch is smoother for ITIN-only)$0 (checking)Varies by account
ChaseTraditional (branches)✅ Yes — ITIN may substitute for an SSNIn a branch (foreign passport, matrícula, or EAD)Varies by accountVaries by account
Most credit unionsMember-owned✅ Often the most flexibleIn branch or online; join firstOften lowOften $0

Require a Social Security number — not ITIN-only options (per their own current pages):

  • Chime and Current — both state you need a US Social Security number to open; Chime also requires US citizenship or legal residency and accepts only US-issued IDs.
  • U.S. Bank — personal checking/savings are SSN-only (its ITIN option is for business accounts).
  • Self — its Credit Builder requires an SSN plus US citizenship or permanent residency, so it is not an ITIN-only way to build credit.

If you have only an ITIN, start with Varo or SoFi (from your phone), a credit union, or a branch visit to Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank, or Chase.

Documents you typically need

  1. Your ITIN — the IRS CP-565 assignment letter
  2. A government photo ID — passport from your country, or a consular ID (matrícula consular)
  3. Proof of a US address — utility bill, lease, or recent pay stub
  4. Any opening deposit — $0 at the app-only banks; some traditional accounts ask for $25+

If a branch says no

Policies vary by branch, and some staff are unfamiliar with ITIN openings. You can politely ask for a manager, bring the bank’s own ITIN/non-resident page, or try another branch — many large banks have branches with bilingual staff in areas with large immigrant communities. Credit unions, especially those in the Inclusiv Juntos Avanzamos network, are often the most flexible.

Banks in detail

Varo

App-only bank with its own US national banking charter. Its account-opening page lists “SSN or ITIN.” No monthly fee, no minimum deposit. FDIC-insured via Varo Bank, N.A.

SoFi

App-only bank. SoFi Checking and Savings asks for a “Social security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)” and is open to US citizens, permanent residents, and non-permanent residents 18+ with a US address. No monthly fee, no minimum deposit.

Bank of America

Documents an ITIN path for non-permanent residents, opened in a branch. Accepts a foreign passport, a US visa, or a consular ID from Mexico, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, or Colombia, plus a second ID and proof of US residency. Spanish-language service available.

Wells Fargo

Its help page lists “Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).” Permanent residents can open online; non-permanent residents make a branch appointment. Everyday Checking has a $25 minimum opening deposit and a $15 monthly fee that is waived with $500+ in qualifying deposits, a $1,500 daily balance, or other conditions. Full Spanish site.

Citibank

Its “how to open a checking account” page says the application “may include your name, address and Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number,” and notes no minimum deposit for Citi checking. ITIN-only applicants often find a branch smoother.

Chase

Its non-residents guide states an ITIN “may be used as a substitute for an SSN on your bank account application,” and its acceptable-ID list takes a foreign passport, matrícula consular, or EAD for non-citizens. ITIN-only openings are typically done in a branch.

Loans you can get with an ITIN

An ITIN is a tax number, not a lending licence — the IRS is explicit that it is “issued by the IRS for federal tax purposes only” and does not authorise work or confer immigration status. But no federal law prohibits a bank or credit union from lending to someone with no SSN. The rule that decides who a bank must identify — the Customer Identification Program rule, 31 CFR 1020.220 — expressly allows a non-US person to be identified by “a taxpayer identification number,” and an ITIN is one.

The practical lane is credit unions and CDFIs, not fintech apps. Every major fintech we checked either requires an SSN outright or publishes no ITIN path at all.

Car loans

Credit unionWhere it lendsWhat its own page says
Prime Financial CUWisconsin (metro Milwaukee)“Purchase or refinance your car or truck with an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) — no Social Security Number required.”
Pacific NW FCUOregon + Clark/Skamania Co., WA“We understand that lacking a Social Security Number shouldn’t prevent access to loans.” Auto “as low as 5.34% APR”; accepts matrícula consular as ID
Embold CU6 Oregon counties“With an ITIN you have access to all services and products, except real estate lending.” Accepts matrícula consular
Mutual Security CUConnecticut“All credit union members, whether they open their accounts with a social security number or an ITIN, have access to the same low rates.”
Northwest Plus CUWashington (Everett, Marysville, Burlington)“Members with an ITIN are eligible to apply for: Auto loans, Personal loans, Credit Builder Loan, Personal Line of Credit.”
LES People’s FCUNew York City“Our rates and underwriting are the same for every member, based on credit worthiness, not immigration status.”

Personal and credit-builder loans

  • Latino Community CU (North Carolina) — membership opens with a “Valid Social Security Number or ITIN” and “a valid government-issued photo ID from any country”; $8 one-time membership fee. Its personal loan goes up to $20,000 ($500 if you have no formal credit history) — but that loan requires you to be a North Carolina resident, so joining from another state does not get you this one.
  • Guadalupe CU (northern New Mexico) — its own FAQ: “Yes. At Guadalupe Credit Union, you can apply for a loan with an ITIN.”
  • Capital Good Fund (CDFI, several states) — Impact Loan eligibility says “Have a social security number or ITIN”; $300–$1,500. ⚠️ Its eligible-state list differs between products — read the page for the loan you want, not the general one.
  • Northwest Plus, Embold and LES People’s (above) make personal and credit-builder loans on the same ITIN terms.

⚠️ The apps that do not take an ITIN — in their own words

This is where most online lists are wrong, so check it before you waste an application:

AppWhat it actually requires
Self“Individual borrowers must be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident… Valid bank account and Social Security Number are required.”
Chime“A valid Social Security number.”
Current“Yes, Current requires a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN) to open an account.”
Upstart“we are not able to support International Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN).”
Varo · SoFiThese take an ITIN to open an account (see the table higher up) — but neither publishes an ITIN path for a loan. SoFi’s personal-loan eligibility lists visas and permanent residency, never an ITIN. Don’t assume account access means credit access.
OppLoansPublishes no SSN or ITIN policy at all — ask first.

Upstart contradicts itself — believe the eligibility page. Its borrower-eligibility page states you must “have a verifiable name, date of birth, and Social Security number” and that “at this time, we are not able to support International Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN).” Yet Upstart’s own documents-needed article lists “Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)” among the documents you can apply with. Both pages are Upstart’s. The eligibility page is the one that governs whether your application survives, so treat Upstart as closed to ITIN-only applicants — and don’t spend a hard credit inquiry testing the marketing copy.

Oportun is widely described online as ITIN-friendly. Its own site never says so: the application asks for a “government-issued ID (from most countries)” and the privacy notice mentions collecting “SSN or ITIN,” but Oportun publishes no ITIN-acceptance policy on any product page. Ask before you apply.

Home loans and business capital

  • ITIN mortgages — verified lender directory; typically 10–25% down, no SSN required.
  • Business capital with an ITIN — ⚠️ SBA loans closed to all non-citizen owners in 2026, green-card holders included. CDFIs such as Kiva (0% interest, no SSN requested), DreamSpring and LiftFund still lend to ITIN-only owners.

Build credit and send money with an ITIN

Last verified: 2026-07-11. Each bank’s ITIN policy was checked against that bank’s own current account-opening page; policies change and can vary by branch, so confirm directly before you apply.

General procedural information for educational purposes. Not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Laws and fees change — verify with the issuing agency before taking action. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration attorney or other appropriate professional.

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General information on litigation, not legal advice. Checked: 2026-07-25.

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