Can a US Resident open a Canadian Bank Account?

[swestrup]

I have a friend in the US who is dealing with some Canadian companies that only want to deal with a Canadian dollar account drawn on a Canadian bank. He's wondering if anyone knows of a bank that will let him open an account up here without physically being present, by faxing a passport or something for proof of identity.

Anyone know?

Comments

[my_fair_kadie]

Without physically being there to open it? Don't think so...

[fuzzyila]

I can only think of ING, but you would need a Canadian address, I would think.

[mrar]

ING requires that you already have a Canadian bank account to transfer the money from. They won't take an initial money transfer from a US bank.

[its_ender]

There are Canadian banks in some bigger USA cities.
They should also ask at their bank for affiliates.

[azrhey]

I second this. Most Canadian banks have US branches these should be contacted for further information.

[swestrup]

He's in Seattle, and last I checked most of the US Branches of Canadian banks were on the other coast. That doesn't help him much if he has to fly across the US to open the account.

[mrar]

Before I moved to Canada I went to the local TD bank and asked about this. They informed me that while they are a Canadian bank, their US branches are still US banks and as such opening a US bank account at, say, TD bank just gives you a US account, not a Canadian one, and if you want a Canadian one you still have to go to Canada and open one here.

[kaylla_334]

Go with RBC, TD, BMO/Harris Bank or HSBC ar they all have branches and offices on both side of the border and will all easily connect it all together

[silentauror]

It's not as simple as that. I used to work in a bank and there are so many complications about banking in numerous countries at once. Even though these banks (as well as others) have branches on both sides of the border, it doesn't work out to just having one account that you can access from either country. An RBC account opened in New York will deal in US funds only and not be accessible in Canada, at least not that directly. Ditto for US banks operating in Canada

[silentauror]

PS: He will also need a Canadian address to use. Banks do verify that info, so he shouldn't just make one up, either... :P Maybe if he has a friend whose address he could use for this purpose?

[baddestbadass]

I have a friend that used his hotel address to open his bank account. lol We couldn't believe it, he volunteered his u.s address but they used the hotel address