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My ordeal as a non citizen/residence with a Wyoming LLC US banks + Citibank

kalel

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Jun 18, 2022
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Hi guys!
Glad to be here. I'd like to share my experience with being a non US citizen or a residence with a Wyoming LLC and opening a US bank account.

So, we all know Mercury and how it's somewhat easy to open an account and actually use their system to operate an account (compared to the big legacy brick and mortar banks).

So I opened my LLC a few months ago. Pretty straight forward and easy. Got the EIN within 2 weeks or so still waiting for my ITIN after over 2 months now.

Opened a Mercury account with ease. I had a trip planned to Cancun so I also decided to fly by to Miami to open a bank account with the big banks.

After checking BoA, Chase, Wells Fargo I was denied right away as I did not have a proof of address.

Regions Bank and First American bank told me it's possible however they'll have to submit an application first and that will take several weeks and heck knows if'll be approved.

So, I went to Citibank (that will be referred as ShittiBank from now on).

They were happy to open me an account with no problem providing an Israeli proof of address. Told me get a utility bill, translate it yourself (not even notarised) and we'll get it done.

Amazing, within 2-3 days got my account opened.

I was excited and thrilled. 2 days later I wired 250k from my HK company. Was sure they'll ask questions and have problems but #blessed they got the wire same day, no questions asked.

Got the online banking setup after receiving my debit card, took some calls with their support but eventually got it.

My Israeli number didn't get their IVR calls for the one time passowrd. No problem. Got a voip US number and that solved that issue.

Scott free I felt. So I got 250k, before I will send the extra funds about 800k, I wanted to send a wire out. Wire from Citi to Wise biz (same company name).

Now the hell began.

So submitted the wire instructions. at 2am I get an email that I have a secure message. I login I see that the wire needs verification. Ok. I call, hold on the line like a good boy.
Finally I explain the situation give the reference number I got in the secure message. Dude cannot find the wire. Eventually he does. Now I'm told he can't approve cuz I don't have a security word and question.
Sends me to customer service, customer service sends me to security dept. Security dept with broken English dosn't know what I want. Eventually Wire after 24hours gets canceled.

Now we try again. I call to approve, now I'm asked for a phone number to verify. I give the VOIps which the IVR uses to give me the OTP. Mechanical turk at support says can't verify that number (probably cuz it's a voip).
Now I'm told there is no other way to approve. Either number or f**k off. So I call again just wanting to schedule a meeting with my banker (cuz their f*****g online appointment doesn't work with my branch for some reason).
For some reason Beatrice at support thinks I wanna approve the wire (I was sure it was canceled). I say sure lets approve! She asks me a few KYC questions for the wire purpose, myEIN, dob etc. sends me a one time password to my email.
Puts me on hold whole confirming with whomever dept. Eventually she says all done. wire approved. Praise the lord! I ask 5 times, are you sure???? she says yessir all good. you should receive an email within several minutes.

Email never arrives. Next day no funds have left the account. I call again. This time Fredrick answers. Fredrick confirms that according to the notes, all is well. He checks with Fraud, Wire, Account manager. Eventually he says wire was canceled he has no idea how it happened. I ask to speak to a Supervisor - Mary. Mary explains to me. I complain depict all this ordeal. She says send another wire, if funds don't leave within the hour call again and verify.

I send another wire. Funds don't leave. I call again. Guess what? Back to square one, can't approve because of the # numbers.

FML I say. I ask to speak to a supervisor. This time Juan. Juan truly does his best. At the end he tells me because the account is less than 30 days, the only options for approval are the phone number. He tells me after 30 days there will be extra options for them to approve. He assures me he put some notes telling me after 30 days it should be possible.

It's now 30 days. Monday is a bank holiday in the US. In the meantime I already hustled and found services offering non VOIP real Verizon numbers. Paid them in BTC.
So on Monday I'm prepared again. Hopefully more options should open and hopefully my non voip numbers will work and I'll get actually an SMS using those services (F me if I know, as those services are not a real solid company. my test sending and SMS did get the reresult, but who knows).

So 250k stuck. Tuesday I'm sending a wire AM, calling them right away and seeing what happens. Ill be in Miami in the branch just in case. If again can't send wire, I'll tell them F U close my account send all to Mercury and I wish you burn in hell.

Guys? Does ShittiBank have a grudge against me? Am I just unlucky? I've worked with dozen of banks in my life. this is the first US bank I have an account with. WTF?

Share your experiences and maybe some tips. I've lost 30 years off my life in these past 2 weeks.

Thanks!
 
No. Their only concern is approving the identity. Why no questions asked when receiving the funds, only when sending them out.

In addition when opening the account I have provided all documents such as sale of shares of part of the HK company to the new company. As well as me being the UBO. Full audit done by the HK accounting firm. Also if it's money laundering concern, it means all their reps simply BS me. Also explain why the wire was approved then just somehow got confused by the diff departments.
If this is money laundering then I guess I'm really in the wrong business lol.


Thanks guys. I'll update you how the "laundering" continues ;)
 
No. Their only concern is approving the identity. Why no questions asked when receiving the funds, only when sending them out.

In addition when opening the account I have provided all documents such as sale of shares of part of the HK company to the new company. As well as me being the UBO. Full audit done by the HK accounting firm. Also if it's money laundering concern, it means all their reps simply BS me. Also explain why the wire was approved then just somehow got confused by the diff departments.
If this is money laundering then I guess I'm really in the wrong business lol.


Thanks guys. I'll update you how the "laundering" continues ;)
bc your sending triggered smth. You can have all docs you would ever want to have but still end up in this mess and wait for months (shiti is a big tanker) until the right clown eventually approves your transaction.

That is the reason why Bitcoin exists.
 
I am a legal alien in the US and have accounts with both BOA and Chase. The nature of my business needs to send large wires within short periods. Here are a few lessons I learned in the past with chase and BOA.

If you have a new account - let the account mature. Unless you have Private banking ( Chase private clients, BOA private banking, Citi gold..etc.) Don't send large wires right away. After 2020 most US banks will use automated AI-powered back-office solutions to flag wire transactions. ( Heard from Chase Private client in Wallstreet ) When flagged - It is pointless to talk to regular customer support. They hardly get access to Level 3 teams. The best option is to call your bank's branch, and they will work with the back-office team to clear the issues. For new accounts, this happens more often now. So let the accounts mature for at least 30 days with significantly low wires such as $10K, then $25K $50-100K etc. If you urgently need to wire a large batch, call the branch they will clear your account. This works like a charm.
 
I am a legal alien in the US and have accounts with both BOA and Chase. The nature of my business needs to send large wires within short periods. Here are a few lessons I learned in the past with chase and BOA.

If you have a new account - let the account mature. Unless you have Private banking ( Chase private clients, BOA private banking, Citi gold..etc.) Don't send large wires right away. After 2020 most US banks will use automated AI-powered back-office solutions to flag wire transactions. ( Heard from Chase Private client in Wallstreet ) When flagged - It is pointless to talk to regular customer support. They hardly get access to Level 3 teams. The best option is to call your bank's branch, and they will work with the back-office team to clear the issues. For new accounts, this happens more often now. So let the accounts mature for at least 30 days with significantly low wires such as $10K, then $25K $50-100K etc. If you urgently need to wire a large batch, call the branch they will clear your account. This works like a charm.
AMAZING ANSWER !!! Thank you so much. That is exactly what my banker told me. Accounts less than 30 days are locked to very minimum verification questions. After 30 days they have more verification questions available. And yes, the issue with me were the Voip numbers that simply their system just puked out as not verifiable.
I'll know Tuesday after the 30 days period is over + my "real numbers" have been solved. Also I'll be in Miami in the branch just in case.

larveljojo you are a champ. Thanks a bunch!

 
UPDATE - 30 days have passed and lo and behold just tried to send the wire again. This time I was asked to put a one time code that was sent to me an d boom wire was already debited from the account. So to conclude - Citi needs minimum 30 days to age the account. Also for instant pays for example they have diff limits for less than 90 days accounts.
Customer support is utterly useless, luckily I fell on one supervisor who told me the real reason of 30 days.
No money laundering triggers - so thanks for the theories guys.

@larveljojo thanks again for sharing your real life experience.​


wellington and JackAlabama thanks for dropping my heart to my undies ;)

 
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hey man, where can i buy this too?
yes very interested too!
ok guys to answer your real number voip questions, I'm just gonna paste the links to the dashboard's services so just goto the root domain to signup if u want. I tested the numbers with this db: Welcome to FreeCarrierLookup.com


www.phoneblur.com - Log in - they provide a Verizon mobile number. you can choose only one service to send SMS (5$ per service). sending a text from other unselected services wont be received (so u either choose Citi, Whatsapp, or whatever service u need). I got a number but never actually test if they work on Citi. Sending a test text from some random # as I said doesn't show up, so I dunno if they actually will work. as it's mobile u need to manually wake it and it stays live for like 100 seconds to receive the text. then need to wake up again.

log In and https://conxhub.com/ verification service. They provide a number that isn't mobile, but they say will look real to a verifier. they auto email u once a text is received but instantly.

https://clientarea.nonvoipus.com/rentals provide another verizon mobile if u take the 30 days rental line it will receive texts from wherever. sending test text was received. might be a 1-2 mins lag sometimes until the dashboard shows it. again as it's mobile need to wake up every time to receive the texts.

the "shadier" verizon numbers only accept crypto if I remember correctly as payment (btc/eth/litecoin).

another real SIM service which I haven't tried but looks good (pre pay for 1 year though).

https://www.onesimcard.com/

service that provided mobile but simply never got the texts:
SMS Verification | USA Non VoIP Phone Numbers so I don't recommend, cuz their support gave me no answer that actually helped).

hope this helps u guys. will be great if you can update the post with your experiences with ur banks and these type of services.

I personally got a token from Citi yesterday which is linked to the biz and personal citi gold account, so things should be smoother for me now. As posted in this thread - let the accounts age at least 30 days and things will be smoother. I just had a very bad first impression.
 
ok guys to answer your real number voip questions, I'm just gonna paste the links to the dashboard's services so just goto the root domain to signup if u want. I tested the numbers with this db: Welcome to FreeCarrierLookup.com


www.phoneblur.com - Log in - they provide a Verizon mobile number. you can choose only one service to send SMS (5$ per service). sending a text from other unselected services wont be received (so u either choose Citi, Whatsapp, or whatever service u need). I got a number but never actually test if they work on Citi. Sending a test text from some random # as I said doesn't show up, so I dunno if they actually will work. as it's mobile u need to manually wake it and it stays live for like 100 seconds to receive the text. then need to wake up again.

log In and https://conxhub.com/ verification service. They provide a number that isn't mobile, but they say will look real to a verifier. they auto email u once a text is received but instantly.

https://clientarea.nonvoipus.com/rentals provide another verizon mobile if u take the 30 days rental line it will receive texts from wherever. sending test text was received. might be a 1-2 mins lag sometimes until the dashboard shows it. again as it's mobile need to wake up every time to receive the texts.

the "shadier" verizon numbers only accept crypto if I remember correctly as payment (btc/eth/litecoin).

another real SIM service which I haven't tried but looks good (pre pay for 1 year though).

https://www.onesimcard.com/

service that provided mobile but simply never got the texts:
SMS Verification | USA Non VoIP Phone Numbers so I don't recommend, cuz their support gave me no answer that actually helped).

hope this helps u guys. will be great if you can update the post with your experiences with ur banks and these type of services.

I personally got a token from Citi yesterday which is linked to the biz and personal citi gold account, so things should be smoother for me now. As posted in this thread - let the accounts age at least 30 days and things will be smoother. I just had a very bad first impression.
Thank you for the information!


My experience in terms of VOIP is with Mightycall - their service is super reliable, their app works great. Sometimes though their numbers are not accepted (happens with Google, for example) Banks do accept their numbers, even BofA does. I tried Phone.com a couple years back - they suck.

in terms of banks I'm in a sort of a pickle here- BofA won't open business checking accounts online for any of my LLC's lately. So I resort to using SmallBusinessBank which is meh! in terms of service and overall quality. For instance, they only ship your business debit card to a residential address.

I did try to open a Kabbage business checking account recently with success. It's an okay bank although sometimes their routing numbers aren't accepted by other institutions./
 
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Hi guys!
Glad to be here. I'd like to share my experience with being a non US citizen or a residence with a Wyoming LLC and opening a US bank account.

So, we all know Mercury and how it's somewhat easy to open an account and actually use their system to operate an account (compared to the big legacy brick and mortar banks).

So I opened my LLC a few months ago. Pretty straight forward and easy. Got the EIN within 2 weeks or so still waiting for my ITIN after over 2 months now.

Opened a Mercury account with ease. I had a trip planned to Cancun so I also decided to fly by to Miami to open a bank account with the big banks.

After checking BoA, Chase, Wells Fargo I was denied right away as I did not have a proof of address.

Regions Bank and First American bank told me it's possible however they'll have to submit an application first and that will take several weeks and heck knows if'll be approved.

So, I went to Citibank (that will be referred as ShittiBank from now on).

They were happy to open me an account with no problem providing an Israeli proof of address. Told me get a utility bill, translate it yourself (not even notarised) and we'll get it done.

Amazing, within 2-3 days got my account opened.

I was excited and thrilled. 2 days later I wired 250k from my HK company. Was sure they'll ask questions and have problems but #blessed they got the wire same day, no questions asked.

Got the online banking setup after receiving my debit card, took some calls with their support but eventually got it.

My Israeli number didn't get their IVR calls for the one time passowrd. No problem. Got a voip US number and that solved that issue.

Scott free I felt. So I got 250k, before I will send the extra funds about 800k, I wanted to send a wire out. Wire from Citi to Wise biz (same company name).

Now the hell began.

So submitted the wire instructions. at 2am I get an email that I have a secure message. I login I see that the wire needs verification. Ok. I call, hold on the line like a good boy.
Finally I explain the situation give the reference number I got in the secure message. Dude cannot find the wire. Eventually he does. Now I'm told he can't approve cuz I don't have a security word and question.
Sends me to customer service, customer service sends me to security dept. Security dept with broken English dosn't know what I want. Eventually Wire after 24hours gets canceled.

Now we try again. I call to approve, now I'm asked for a phone number to verify. I give the VOIps which the IVR uses to give me the OTP. Mechanical turk at support says can't verify that number (probably cuz it's a voip).
Now I'm told there is no other way to approve. Either number or **** off. So I call again just wanting to schedule a meeting with my banker (cuz their ******* online appointment doesn't work with my branch for some reason).
For some reason Beatrice at support thinks I wanna approve the wire (I was sure it was canceled). I say sure lets approve! She asks me a few KYC questions for the wire purpose, myEIN, dob etc. sends me a one time password to my email.
Puts me on hold whole confirming with whomever dept. Eventually she says all done. wire approved. Praise the lord! I ask 5 times, are you sure???? she says yessir all good. you should receive an email within several minutes.

Email never arrives. Next day no funds have left the account. I call again. This time Fredrick answers. Fredrick confirms that according to the notes, all is well. He checks with Fraud, Wire, Account manager. Eventually he says wire was canceled he has no idea how it happened. I ask to speak to a Supervisor - Mary. Mary explains to me. I complain depict all this ordeal. She says send another wire, if funds don't leave within the hour call again and verify.

I send another wire. Funds don't leave. I call again. Guess what? Back to square one, can't approve because of the # numbers.

FML I say. I ask to speak to a supervisor. This time Juan. Juan truly does his best. At the end he tells me because the account is less than 30 days, the only options for approval are the phone number. He tells me after 30 days there will be extra options for them to approve. He assures me he put some notes telling me after 30 days it should be possible.

It's now 30 days. Monday is a bank holiday in the US. In the meantime I already hustled and found services offering non VOIP real Verizon numbers. Paid them in BTC.
So on Monday I'm prepared again. Hopefully more options should open and hopefully my non voip numbers will work and I'll get actually an SMS using those services (F me if I know, as those services are not a real solid company. my test sending and SMS did get the reresult, but who knows).

So 250k stuck. Tuesday I'm sending a wire AM, calling them right away and seeing what happens. Ill be in Miami in the branch just in case. If again can't send wire, I'll tell them F U close my account send all to Mercury and I wish you burn in hell.

Guys? Does ShittiBank have a grudge against me? Am I just unlucky? I've worked with dozen of banks in my life. this is the first US bank I have an account with. WTF?

Share your experiences and maybe some tips. I've lost 30 years off my life in these past 2 weeks.

Thanks!
You ran a million + through a brand new account and you are surprised you are encountering all this?
Why don't you use some of your money to just buy a real phone number instead of using a VOIP, as it would solve 99% of your problems.

No. Their only concern is approving the identity. Why no questions asked when receiving the funds, only when sending them out.

In addition when opening the account I have provided all documents such as sale of shares of part of the HK company to the new company. As well as me being the UBO. Full audit done by the HK accounting firm. Also if it's money laundering concern, it means all their reps simply BS me. Also explain why the wire was approved then just somehow got confused by the diff departments.
If this is money laundering then I guess I'm really in the wrong business lol.


Thanks guys. I'll update you how the "laundering" continues ;)
You're not understanding that
1) Employees only tell you what they know
2) They don't know everything.

You think Juan the local branch manager knows what the HQs and Compliance in NYC AML procedure is? Do you think he even knows there is one? Compliance for sure is blocking your transactions b/c a new account with $2million flow from a foreigner is an auto red flag.
 

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