OPening an american bank account while abroad

[dru-man]

I don't have an American bank account and have been abroad for almost two years now. I seriously need to get something international before I hit the road again. Is it a simple matter to go into a U.S. bank while traveling in a foreign country and open an account? Or is it considered a foreign bank account which means local laws about opening an account in that country apply?

[kamakiri]

You need to get a Tax Id Number (TIN). It is the same as an American's Social number, except for non-Americans. That number is basically used for everything, from your government pension to credit reporting to Driver's Licenses.

You can get it at any US embassy, and they will mail you the card. From that point you can open up an account online from anywhere if you want, but without that number, you can't do a thing in the US financial system.

[dru-man]

Great--thanks for the info!