
A bank account in the United States can be essential if you need to get paid in dollars, work as a freelancer, or have a company that receives payments from the United States.

In this article, you will learn what documents and requirements are necessary to open an account with Wells Fargo, one of the largest banks in the United States, as well as learn about the costs and the different accounts they offer. In addition, we will talk about Wise, an alternative to opening an account in the United States online and free of charge from the country where you live.
Documents and requirements to open an account at Wells Fargo
Under U.S. federal law, banks must verify the identity of new customers and prove that they have a U.S. address. That’s why when you apply to open an account at Wells Fargo, you’ll be asked to:
- An address in the United States and some document proving that you reside there
- Your Social Security Number
- Your first name, last name, date of birth, and a document such as your driver’s license or state ID
If you are not a resident of the United States, other alternatives allow you to open an American account.
Requirements to open an account as a foreigner
If you are not a US citizen, as a requirement to open an account with Wells Fargo, you may be asked for additional documents to verify that you are in the country regularly. Some of the documents they may ask you for are:
- A copy of your passport or visa
- Your residence permit
- Other identity documents from your country of origin
Wise’s multi-currency account
Wise is a good alternative to Wells Fargo if you need to have US account details. Wise offers a multi-currency account that you can open and operate online. It only takes a few minutes to sign up for free and you can do it¹ even if you are not a US resident. With your Wise account details, you can send and receive payments in dollars, just like if you had an account with any conventional bank.
Once you receive the money in your Wise account, you can convert it to over 40 currencies using the average exchange rate that you can check for yourself on Google. You can also apply for the Wise Debit MasterCard which automatically converts currencies at the real exchange rate wherever you pay.
Can non-residents open an account at Wells Fargo?
As a general rule, it is not possible to open a Wells Fargo account as a non-resident of the United States, although sometimes the bank’s agents make exceptions. In that case, as a requirement to open an account at Wells Fargo, you will be asked to go to a branch and speak to one of them in person. They may ask you for documentation that proves that you are in the United States legally, such as a copy of your passport and your valid tourist visa. They may also ask you for documentation that proves that you have a permanent address in your country of origin.
If you don’t live in the United States or don’t meet the requirements to open an account with Wells Fargo, you can open an account with an online alternative.
How to open a Wells Fargo account online
- Go to the page for savings accounts or current accounts and click on the button that says “Open it now”
- Indicate whether the account will be joint or individual and whether you are already a Wells Fargo customer or not. Have the documents they indicate ready and click “Continue”
- Complete the form that asks for your personal information and click “Continue”
- Indicate the type of account you are interested in
- Specify the payment method you will use to make the first deposit
- Review all the information and confirm the request
Please note that if you are not a US resident, Wells Fargo will not allow you to open an account online, but you may be able to do so with another entity such as Wise.
What are the fees for opening an account at Wells Fargo?
Wells Fargo, like other traditional banking institutions, charges fees for maintaining an account, withdrawing money from ATMs, and making transfers. In the following sections, you can find out the amounts of each fee.
Account opening
You won’t have to pay any fees to open an account with Wells Fargo. However, they will require you to make a minimum deposit of $25 at the time of opening.
Maintenance fees
It is a fee that the bank charges you for having your account open. The amount varies depending on the type of account it is²⁻³
- Clear Access Banking account: $5
- Everyday Checking Account: $10
- Prime Checking Account: $25
- Premier Checking Account: $35
- Way2Save Account: $5
- Platinum Savings Account: $12
In all cases, Wells Fargo offers you the option of avoiding this fee by maintaining a certain balance in the account or by making a certain number of transactions per month. These conditions vary from one account to another.
Withdrawing money from an ATM
Wells Fargo does not charge any fees for withdrawing money from its ATMs. But if you use other banks’ ATMs, you’ll pay $2.50 per transaction, plus the fee charged by the ATM²⁻³. This is true for all Wells Fargo accounts except Prime and Premier accounts, where you’ll only pay the fee charged by the ATM.
Withdrawing money from an ATM outside the United States
The commission that Wells Fargo charges you for withdrawing money abroad is $5, except for Prime and Premier accounts, where it is free²⁻³. In addition to whatever the entity that owns the ATM charges you in both cases.
Remember that the exchange rate used by traditional banks is different from the official one. This means that, in addition to paying the fee for withdrawing money abroad, you will also have to pay a surcharge on the exchange rate⁴.
Transfers abroad
International transfers made from a Wells Fargo account cost from $25 per transaction⁵. To this fee, you must add the cost of currency exchange. Because Wells Fargo uses its exchange rates with a premium, instead of the official ones. This results in an increase in the final price that you end up paying for the service.