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Posted

Have you opened a US saving account while living in Mexico?

Have you then transferred money from another US account into this account?

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Posted

I don't remember the last time I appeared in person to open a bank account -- until we opened our Actinver account a few years ago. But there are stricter KYC (know your customer) rules in the States today, so it's gonna depend entirely on the bank.

But I'll bet that opening a credit card account is a golden key to open another type of account. They'd probably do it automatically, since you'll have passed a significant authentication hurdle.

Posted

Also search for a bank or credit union or broker that has no foreign exchange fee and refunds ATM's worldwide. 

 For example Fidelity  Investments cash management account. 

Posted

Schwab but I'll bet you will have to have a 'valid' US address to give them. Don't know if Schwab will open up an account if you tell them that you live fulltime in Mexico.

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Posted

We were fortunate to have all our U.S. banking set up when we moved here.  None of those banks have questioned our Mexico location although we do have a valid legal U.S. address we maintain as well.  This has worked well for 18 years, hope it doesn't get screwed up now.

Posted

When my 19 year old grandson was visiting us a few months ago, he was able to open up an account at Navy Credit union and then transfer money from his Schwab account to Navy online, with no need for a VPN. He had enlisted in the Army and needed the Navy account for his paychecks. 

Now he didn't have a Mexican address if that was implied in the OP's original question.

Posted

Remember you must have a USA domicile address,  credit cards can not collect from you in foriegn country, they will cancel your credit card immeditaly if you do have a do USA domicile address andtell them you live in Mexico

I know of thre epeople who areover 85, just wantedto be honest and told there credit compny they are full time in Mexico, card c anceled, luckliy they till there TAM cards to do transactions.

If you have a IShop  Laredo address that has worked for several people, buut you can not open a new card with IShop address, only just chnage of address.

  • Confused 1
Posted
23 hours ago, Mainecoons said:

..... although we do have a valid legal U.S. address we maintain as well. 

Curious... what do you have, while living full time in Mexico, that qualifies as a 'valid legal' US address?  What is it 'legal' for?

 

Posted

I have had a CHASE JPMorgan checking/savings account for over 30 years.  My address has been in MX since 1998, no U.S. address.  I pay credit card charges and other issues online.  Credit/debit cards are delivered to me by FedEx.  Absolutely no problem.

Posted
43 minutes ago, RickS said:

Curious... what do you have, while living full time in Mexico, that qualifies as a 'valid legal' US address?  What is it 'legal' for?

 

One of the benefits Escapees RV club offers is a U.S. legal address.  Not sure how they do it but it has worked for many years now.  IRS and our banks do not question it.  IRS is aware of our Mexican residence.  

 

  • Thanks 1
Posted
3 hours ago, RickS said:

Curious... what do you have, while living full time in Mexico, that qualifies as a 'valid legal' US address?  What is it 'legal' for?

 

 

An address other than a mail forwarding that is accepted by

IRS, Social Security, Financial institutions, State ID, etc.

Posted
29 minutes ago, Mostlylost said:

 

An address other than a mail forwarding that is accepted by

IRS, Social Security, Financial institutions, State ID, etc.

Do you think it could it be my brother's address in Los Angeles?

Posted
1 hour ago, bdmowers said:

Do you think it could it be my brother's address in Los Angeles?

Yes, but that is where they will send everything and your brother will have to forward it.

The Escapees mail service forwards everything to Laredo TX for us and then Sol y Luna brings it in.  This is more than a little expensive, I try not to calculate what each piece of mail costs.  Escapees only forwards first class, no junk mail.  Sol y Luna forwards whatever shows up in Laredo.

No packages.  This used to be a bit of a problem but Amazon has gotten so good at shipping to us here in Mexico it is not an issue for us now.

Posted
2 hours ago, bdmowers said:

Do you think it could it be my brother's address in Los Angeles?

There's little to no mailings these days with everything being available online. The only issue is debit or credit cards. Ours are sent to a son's house in Dallas. This time we're lucky since we'll be there to pick up 2 new ones.  Barclay sold their credit card bast to Citi who issued new cards for everyone. Unfortunately, Citi did not create a new expiration date, so we'll have to do this again at the end of next year.

Posted
19 hours ago, bdmowers said:

Do you think it could it be my brother's address in Los Angeles?

no california will think you ar resident of californiat and send you a tax bill, if you have taxable income, no taxableincome use califormnia address, not requiredto file taxes

Posted
On 6/4/2026 at 2:55 PM, John Shrall said:

There's little to no mailings these days with everything being available online. The only issue is debit or credit cards. Ours are sent to a son's house in Dallas. This time we're lucky since we'll be there to pick up 2 new ones.  Barclay sold their credit card bast to Citi who issued new cards for everyone. Unfortunately, Citi did not create a new expiration date, so we'll have to do this again at the end of next year.

Thank you.

Posted
On 6/1/2026 at 10:49 AM, Lou Quillio said:

I don't remember the last time I appeared in person to open a bank account -- until we opened our Actinver account a few years ago. But there are stricter KYC (know your customer) rules in the States today, so it's gonna depend entirely on the bank.

But I'll bet that opening a credit card account is a golden key to open another type of account. They'd probably do it automatically, since you'll have passed a significant authentication hurdle.

Thank you.

Posted
On 6/1/2026 at 4:17 PM, Mostlylost said:

Also search for a bank or credit union or broker that has no foreign exchange fee and refunds ATM's worldwide. 

 For example Fidelity  Investments cash management account. 

Thank you.

Posted
On 6/4/2026 at 1:55 PM, Mainecoons said:

Yes, but that is where they will send everything and your brother will have to forward it.

The Escapees mail service forwards everything to Laredo TX for us and then Sol y Luna brings it in.  This is more than a little expensive, I try not to calculate what each piece of mail costs.  Escapees only forwards first class, no junk mail.  Sol y Luna forwards whatever shows up in Laredo.

No packages.  This used to be a bit of a problem but Amazon has gotten so good at shipping to us here in Mexico it is not an issue for us now.

Thanks for the info.  I've been using his address for other purposes for years and have only received a modicum of mail.  Using his address seems a good choice for the new bank account.

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