Short answer: To apply for a US business bank account as a non-resident, have your US entity formed, your EIN issued, a valid passport, details of every owner and controlling person, a business address and a clear description of what the business does. Each bank runs its own identity and compliance review, so preparation helps, but approval is never guaranteed.
This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Banking eligibility depends on each provider's own policies and on your circumstances, and rules change. Confirm requirements with the bank or provider you apply to, and take professional advice for your situation.
Why preparation matters
US banks must follow federal anti-money-laundering rules when they open accounts. Two rules in particular shape what you will be asked for:
- The Customer Identification Program (CIP) rule (31 CFR 1020.220) sets the minimum identifying information a bank must collect and verify.
- The beneficial ownership rule (31 CFR 1010.230) requires banks to identify and verify the people who own or control a legal entity customer.
Beyond those minimums, the CIP rule says each bank's procedures "must be based on the bank's assessment of the relevant risks," including its account types, how accounts are opened and its customer base. That is why two banks can ask for very different things, and why a non-resident applicant may face more questions than a local one. Your job is to make the answers easy to verify.
What the federal rules require banks to collect
| Item | What the rule says (summarised) | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Required for every customer | Your LLC's exact legal name, as on its formation documents |
| Address | For a business: a principal place of business, local office or other physical location | A real business address, not just a mail-forwarding line |
| Identification number | For a US entity, a taxpayer identification number; for non-US individuals, options include a TIN or a passport number and country of issuance | Your EIN for the business; a passport for each individual |
| Entity documents | Documents showing the entity exists, such as certified articles, a government-issued business licence, a partnership agreement or a trust instrument | Articles of Organization and, where available, a Certificate of Good Standing |
| Beneficial owners | Each individual owning 25% or more, plus one individual with significant control (for example a managing member or CEO) | Identity details for every qualifying owner and the person who runs the company |
These are minimums. A bank can ask for more.
The readiness checklist
1. A formed US entity
You need the business itself before you can open an account for it. Most non-resident sellers use an LLC. Keep together:
- Articles of Organization (or Articles of Incorporation for a corporation);
- a Certificate of Good Standing, if your state issues one;
- your operating agreement, showing members and ownership percentages;
- registered agent details.
If you have not formed the entity yet, our guide to how to form a US LLC from Pakistan walks through each step, and our post on a US LLC for non-US Amazon sellers explains why marketplace sellers use one.
2. Your EIN
An EIN is the business's federal tax ID and usually the identification number a bank records for the entity. The IRS's online EIN tool is not available if your principal place of business is outside the US. The Form SS-4 instructions give international applicants other routes: by phone at 267-941-1099 (not toll-free, 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday), by fax or by mail.
Keep the IRS EIN confirmation letter. Banks often ask to see it. If you are unsure whether you also need an ITIN, read ITIN vs EIN for non-US LLC owners.
3. Identity documents for each owner and controller
Have for every person the bank must identify:
- a valid, unexpired passport, with clear scans showing all four corners;
- date of birth and residential address;
- in some cases, proof of that residential address, such as a recent utility bill or bank statement, depending on the provider.
Names must match exactly across the passport, operating agreement and EIN records. Small differences in spelling or word order are a common cause of delays.
4. A business address you can explain
The CIP rule asks for a principal place of business or other physical location for an entity. Be ready to explain your setup honestly: where the business is actually run from, what your registered agent address is and where mail goes. A bank may ask about each.
5. A clear description of the business
Banks want to understand expected account activity. Prepare a short, factual summary:
| Question a bank may ask | What to prepare |
|---|---|
| What does the business do? | One paragraph: e.g. "We sell home goods on Amazon.com and Walmart.com" |
| Where are customers and suppliers? | Countries and main channels |
| Where will money come from? | Marketplace payouts, card processors, wholesale customers |
| Where will money go? | Suppliers, software, staff, owner distributions |
| Expected monthly volume | A realistic estimate, not a target |
| Online presence | Website, storefront links or marketplace account names, if live |
Consistency matters more than size. The answers should match your documents, your website and what your account will actually do.
6. Ownership and control details
Under the beneficial ownership rule, the bank identifies each individual who owns 25% or more of the company and one individual with significant responsibility to control or manage it. Write down each owner's percentage and who acts as managing member. If ownership runs through another company, have documents ready for that layer too.
7. Tax forms
The bank may ask for a tax certification form. Which one applies depends on how your entity is classified for US tax purposes and who owns it. Ask your tax adviser before you sign, rather than guessing on the application.
Common reasons applications stall
These are general patterns, not a list of any bank's criteria:
- Mismatched names across the passport, formation documents and EIN letter.
- Incomplete ownership information, such as an owner left out or percentages that do not add up.
- Unclear business activity, where the applicant cannot explain what the account will be used for.
- Address confusion between registered agent, mailing and operating addresses.
- Applying before the EIN is issued, or before the entity is in good standing.
If an application is declined, ask whether the provider can tell you what was missing. Fix it before applying elsewhere, rather than repeating the same file.
After the account is open
Opening the account is the start, not the end. Keep records current: update the bank when owners, addresses or business activity change, and keep statements organised for bookkeeping and tax filings. Marketplace sellers then connect the account to their payout settings; our payout method setup service covers that step separately.
How ECOMHUTSY helps
ECOMHUTSY has supported e-commerce sellers since 2016 and works with clients in 50+ countries, with a head office in Multan, Pakistan, plus branches across Pakistan and offices in Dubai and Westland, MI.
Our business banking readiness service is onboarding coordination: a readiness review, a comparison of suitable routes, document organisation, application support, follow-up tracking and handoff. We are not a bank and do not hold deposits. Every provider performs its own eligibility, identity and compliance review, so approval is never guaranteed. If you still need the entity itself, our US LLC formation support can come first.
Never send passport or CNIC scans through a public web form. We request identity documents only through secure follow-up.
Frequently asked questions
Can a non-resident open a US business bank account?
Often, yes, if the business is a US entity and the bank's own review is satisfied. Federal rules allow banks to identify non-US individuals using a passport number and country of issuance, but each bank decides its own risk policies.
Do I need an SSN or ITIN to open a US business bank account?
The business account normally uses the entity's EIN. For non-US individuals, the federal CIP rule lists a passport number and country of issuance as an acceptable identification number. Some providers still ask for more, so confirm with the bank.
Who counts as a beneficial owner?
Under 31 CFR 1010.230, each individual who owns 25% or more of the company, plus one individual with significant responsibility to control or manage it, such as a managing member.
Does ECOMHUTSY guarantee bank approval?
No. We help you prepare and coordinate the process. Each provider makes its own decision.
What should I prepare first?
Form the entity, get the EIN and make sure every name and address matches across your documents. Everything else builds on that.
Get banking-ready
Tell us where your LLC, EIN and documents stand today, and our team will review your readiness and confirm scope and pricing for banking support.
Not legal, tax or financial advice. Information reflects federal regulations and IRS guidance as of October 2026 and may change. Approval is never guaranteed.
Sources
- 31 CFR 1020.220, Customer identification program requirements for banks (Cornell Legal Information Institute): https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/31/1020.220
- 31 CFR 1010.230, Beneficial ownership requirements for legal entity customers (Cornell Legal Information Institute): https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/31/1010.230
- eCFR, 31 CFR 1020.220 (official text): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-31/subtitle-B/chapter-X/part-1020/subpart-B/section-1020.220
- IRS, Instructions for Form SS-4 (Rev. December 2025): https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iss4
- IRS, Get an employer identification number: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number
