Opening a bank account in Canada

[Irish Colleen]

Hi, can someone help please?

Firstly - Can I open a bank account in Canada on a visitor visa? What do I need to take with me

Thanks

 

[buddhadimple]

When my other half was on a one-year working holiday visa, they needed to see his Social Insurance Number/Card and his Passport and they said the bank account would expire when his visa expired. That was with a local Credit Union.

 

[Lilian]

Last week I opened a new bank account with visitor visa. For chequing account you only need 2 IDs. No Social Insurance Number.

 

[buddhadimple]

Last week I opened a new bank account with visitor visa. For checking account you only need 2 IDs. No Social Insurance Number.

Hahaha. I read that and thought, "For checking account? Checking it for what? Ohhh, for 'Chequing' account!" LOL!

 

[Lilian]

O I'm really sorry, english is my 5th language , just learning.

 

[AllisonVSC]

I opened one at RBC with two ids. Passport and US drivers license.

http://www.rbc.com/canada/financial/wtcpackage/index.html

BTW chequing and checking are both correct with regard to banking...one is British, the other American. Canadians spell it with a "q". It's ike theater and theatre, etc.

 

[Holidaylove]

If you have HSBC where you are located. they are usually really good about opening up bank accounts.

 

[chandu007]

Usually banks require just two forms of IDs, SIN is not required at all. Also, you will be able to apply for a secured Credit Card with the same bank.

 

[wsj78]

do you need to provide proof of address? I'll be staying with a friend of mine for couple of weeks. I can give his address. For ID, I've the passport and US drivers license. Would that suffice? In the US, banks always asked for some kind of proof of address like utility bill.

 

[buddhadimple]

O I'm really sorry, english is my 5th language , just learning.

No no your English is really good. Checking is just the American version of the word so it didn't click with me automatically. Don't worry about it at all


FIFTH language? You must be talented or have a very, very good memory!

 

[thebaileyohana]

Hmm I would say no. I tried to get added to my husbands bank accounts at BMO and they said I needed 2 forms of Canadian ID to be on an account or to open one. I guess all banks are different, but that was my experience.

 

[Lilian]

I opened an account at BMO with a german passport and canadian driver licence. And before at HSBC too. I just changed because BMO offers a credit card for newcomers.

 

[Inlandappl]

I opened my bank account with RBC on a visitor visa a couple of years ago long before applying for permanent residence. they asked me just to bring my passport and they didn't even look at it. they just asked me to tell the number...the bank account was opened in 10 minutes and 5 minutes later i had a debit card....If only CIC worked as fast as the banks do in this country!!!
P.s. by the way i went to the bank with my father in law(canadian citizen) who had been a customer of the branch for a long time, i don't know if that helped me....

 

[wsj78]

it's good to know that banks don't ask for proof of address, else I would have to wait a while

 

[eyeoftheocean]

I had huge problems opening a bank account, I had to get a letter from an Immigration consultant saying I had applied for PR . However , you can use HSBC their world wide