Citi bank vs Wells Fargo for non residents

By Rohan Smith, 15 December, 2022

Citi bank review for non-residents without SSN

Bank
Citi bank
SSN Required?
Yes
ITIN Required?
No
Can Apply Online?
With SSN
Summary

Citi Bank is one of the largest Neobanks in the country, specializing in credit cards. Citi offers 13 types of cards, including free ones (no monthly fee). The Visa and Mastercard standards are accepted all around the world. Cash withdrawal is free from 65,000 ATMs. Citibank allows its clients to shop online and offline, and make international transfers. The mobile app features detailed analytics on the accounts and cards; as well as options for systematizing expenses. Also, the digital bank offers savings accounts at up to 1.01%.

Features
  • No minimum opening deposit.
  • Paperless statements option.
  • Unlimited reimbursement of non-Citi ATM fees.
  • No foreign exchange fee when using Citibank Debit Card abroad.
Cons
  • Does not provide a Multi-currency account.
  • Does not issue debit cards (pre-paid).
  • High-interest rate (APR) for most credit cards of the bank is rather high, up to 26.49%.
Link
https://online.citi.com/US/ag/banking/checking-account

Wells Fargo review for non-residents without SSN

Bank
Wells Fargo
SSN Required?
For Residents
ITIN Required?
No
Can Apply Online?
With SSN
Summary

Wells Fargo offers a large network of branches, many ATMs, and a variety of financial products. Monthly fees on basic bank accounts can be easily waived, but savings rates tend to be low. If you have a high enough balance across eligible accounts, you could receive upgrades on interest rates (but they’re still lower than the national average). Wells Fargo may be a good fit if you’re looking for a large network of branches and ATM access is important to you.

Features
  • Account: Everyday Checking.
  • US residence required: Yes (though not necessarily primary residence).
  • SSN/ITIN required: Only for US citizens.
  • No minimum daily balance required - Outgoing int'l wire cost: $30 plus an additional 4%-10% (depending on the currency)
Cons

  • Yields on certificates of deposit and savings accounts are low, like many big banks.

  • There is an out-of-network ATM fee of $2.50 for checking account customers.

  • The money market account has a steeper monthly fee if a specified balance isn’t maintained.

  • Wells Fargo still charges a $35 fee for over-drafting your account on most of its checking accounts.

Link
https://www.wellsfargo.com/checking/everyday/