Best U.S. banks for non-residents: a requirements comparison

You already know you can open a U.S. bank account without a Social Security number. The next question is where. There is no single "best bank" for every foreigner: it depends on whether the account is personal or for your company, whether you live in Miami or abroad, and how much money you will keep in it. So instead of a ranking, we compared the requirements and costs that real banks and fintechs publish, so you can see which option fits your situation.

How we built this comparison

We reviewed each institution's official pages, product guides and fee schedules in October 2026. We only include figures the institution itself publishes; where it doesn't, we say so. We did not open test accounts, and each bank's final decision depends on your profile.

We compare six things:

• How you open it: at a branch, by phone or in an app.
• Who it is for: whether it accepts people who don't live in the U.S. and whether it excludes any country.
• Opening deposit and monthly fee, and how to avoid the fee.
• What protects your money: whether it is an FDIC-insured bank or a fintech that works with partner banks.
• Documents requested from foreigners.
• Spanish-language service, where the institution says so.

The names here are representative examples of each type of institution, not a closed list. At the time of publication, inMiami.ai has no commercial agreements with any of them; if that changes, we will say so next to the relevant link.

Three questions before you choose

1. Personal or business account? The fintechs we compare are only for companies registered in the U.S. If you want an account in your own name, your options are banks.
2. Do you live in Miami or outside the U.S.? If you already live here, you can walk into a branch and almost any bank will do. If you live abroad, it matters a lot whether the institution opens accounts remotely and accepts your country of residence.
3. How much will you keep in the account? The international accounts at Miami banks charge a monthly fee if your balance drops below a set level. With a small balance, that fee can outweigh any other advantage.

Big national banks

These are banks with branches across the country, such as Chase, Bank of America or Wells Fargo. Their strengths are the ATM and branch network and basic accounts with low fees. The drawback for a foreigner is that online applications are usually designed for people with an SSN, so without one you should expect to visit a branch.

We use Chase as the example because it publishes in detail what it asks of foreigners:

A good fit if you already live in the U.S. or will be in Miami to open the account, and you want an everyday account with low fees. A weaker fit if you live abroad and can't travel.

Miami banks with international banking

Miami has several banks with teams dedicated to clients who live outside the U.S., especially in Latin America. They offer "international" accounts with their own terms and, in general, Spanish-speaking service. The trade-off is the balance: they require high opening deposits and charge a monthly fee if your balance falls below the minimum.

Figures from each bank's product guides and official pages, reviewed in October 2026. Amerant also lets you avoid the fee by combining balances in other accounts at the bank, and Banesco USA has an account for international students and employees from $1,000. Ocean Bank also offers an international business account from $10,000.

All four are FDIC-insured banks: you can check on BankFind, the official search tool. Amerant and City National say on their websites that they serve clients in English and Spanish.

None of them publishes a list of accepted countries. Like any U.S. bank, they must apply federal sanctions and their own risk policies, so the answer depends on your country, your activity and your ability to document the source of your funds.

A good fit if you live outside the U.S., want a personal dollar account at an insured bank and can keep the minimum balance. A weaker fit if you will keep little money there: a $20 to $50 monthly fee adds up to $240 to $600 a year.

Fintechs for your LLC account

If you own a company registered in the U.S., some digital platforms let you open a business account remotely with no monthly fee. The key point is that they are not banks: they keep your money at partner banks, and FDIC protection only applies through those banks and under certain conditions. We explain this in our guide on opening an account without an SSN.

The exclusion lists are longer and include other countries outside the region. All three warn that they can change without notice.

A good fit if you own an LLC, live in an accepted country and want to operate remotely without fees. A weaker fit if you want a personal account, live in an excluded country or plan to keep substantial savings there without fully understanding how the protection works.

Which option fits each case

What to ask before you sign

The tables help you shortlist. Before you open an account, ask in writing for:

• The account's full fee schedule, not just the monthly fee.
• What it costs to receive and send international wires and which exchange rate applies. In the guides we reviewed, the cost depends on the channel: it is higher at a branch than in the app.
• Whether you will need to come back in person for later steps, such as adding a signer.
• What happens to the account if you move to another country.
• For a fintech, which bank holds your money and what conditions must be met for FDIC insurance to apply.

Common mistakes

1. Looking for "the best bank" in the abstract. What fits an LLC run from Bogotá is not what someone who already lives in Miami needs.
2. Opening an international account without being able to keep the minimum. The monthly fee slowly eats into the balance.
3. Treating a fintech as a bank. Your money is protected differently.
4. Using the registered agent's address as your business address. Several institutions don't accept it.
5. Not checking whether your country is excluded before you start, especially if you live in a country under sanctions or restrictions.
6. Relying on an old comparison. Fees, minimums and accepted countries change. Check the review date, including this guide's.

Frequently asked questions

Next step

Choosing where to open your account is a practical decision: it depends on where you live, what you need and how much money you will move. If you haven't formed your company yet, start with our guide on how to open a Florida LLC as a non-resident. And if you'd like someone to look at your case, inMiami.ai is building a network of independent professionals in Miami, in English and Spanish.