are there still foreign countries where banks let visitors open numbered accounts?
May 17, 2012, 7:51 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 273
are there still foreign countries where banks let visitors open numbered accounts?
are there still foreign countries where banks let visitors open numbered accounts?
no... I have no money to launder or hide. Just thought it would be fun to have one and keep a couple hundred dollars in it.
no... I have no money to launder or hide. Just thought it would be fun to have one and keep a couple hundred dollars in it.
May 17, 2012, 10:44 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 273
I had a Zurich hotel concierge look into it for me the last time I was there. She found out that it was no
longer possible for a US citizen to do it. (at least none of the banks she called was willing to do it) The
strange thing was that the banks said it was okay, if I had my Canadian passport with me. They said
I could get a numbered account even with just a minimum 100 Euros initial deposit. I am dual US/Canada
citizen, but I was traveling with my US passport only at the time. Guess I'll have to visit Switzerland with
my Canadian passport next time?
longer possible for a US citizen to do it. (at least none of the banks she called was willing to do it) The
strange thing was that the banks said it was okay, if I had my Canadian passport with me. They said
I could get a numbered account even with just a minimum 100 Euros initial deposit. I am dual US/Canada
citizen, but I was traveling with my US passport only at the time. Guess I'll have to visit Switzerland with
my Canadian passport next time?
May 17, 2012, 10:59 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: SNA Rwy 20L
Programs: QF Silver
Posts: 703
I've opened up an Australian bank account without a government issued Tax File ID number (US citizen, US address). The only downside is they withhold 10% of your interest without having the number on file. I don't think I'd open up a foreign account with a couple hundred dollars for fun as many banks will ding you with low-balance fees.
May 17, 2012, 11:07 am
#6
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
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You need a country whose banks don't deal with the U.S. (or have a presence in the U.S.) A little landlocked country sadwiched between two landlocked countries (hint: all 3 are in central Europe) would probably it the bill.
May 17, 2012, 11:22 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 273
You mean that little country name L.....?
Last edited by CenterWaters; May 17, 2012 at 11:29 am
May 17, 2012, 2:21 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: UK
Programs: BA EC Gold
Posts: 9,236
I had a Zurich hotel concierge look into it for me the last time I was there. She found out that it was no
longer possible for a US citizen to do it. (at least none of the banks she called was willing to do it) The
strange thing was that the banks said it was okay, if I had my Canadian passport with me. They said
I could get a numbered account even with just a minimum 100 Euros initial deposit. I am dual US/Canada
citizen, but I was traveling with my US passport only at the time. Guess I'll have to visit Switzerland with
my Canadian passport next time?
longer possible for a US citizen to do it. (at least none of the banks she called was willing to do it) The
strange thing was that the banks said it was okay, if I had my Canadian passport with me. They said
I could get a numbered account even with just a minimum 100 Euros initial deposit. I am dual US/Canada
citizen, but I was traveling with my US passport only at the time. Guess I'll have to visit Switzerland with
my Canadian passport next time?
May 17, 2012, 2:47 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: SNA Rwy 20L
Programs: QF Silver
Posts: 703
For a couple hundred Euro this is not required. If you have an aggregate of more than $10K held in foreign banks within the calendar year you are required to submit a TD F 90-22.1 form to the U.S. Treasury. This filing by itself does not trigger any tax ramifications but any foreign interest or gain must be listed on your federal & state return. Note that this filing is based on the high-water amounts within each account... If you opened an account with $5K in foreign bank A then closed the account & moved it to foreign bank B you'd have to file $5K for each account and since the aggregate would be $10K you'd have to report it even though it's the same amount of money offshore.
May 17, 2012, 4:01 pm
#10
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A little OT but hey this is a travel forum. There are two double landlocked (a landlocked (obviously duh) country surrounded only by landlocked countries). What is the other one? (I found this looking up a recent political event. Hint.)
May 17, 2012, 4:07 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,740
May 17, 2012, 4:08 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,849
Uzbekistan and Liechtenstein.
Last edited by yyzvoyageur; May 17, 2012 at 6:10 pm Reason: spelling...oops!
May 17, 2012, 4:09 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,476
May 17, 2012, 5:57 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 273
I'd like to know why. Are there disadvantage to being
double-llandlocked?
I guess it's perfect for peoplewho are afraid sharks and/or pirates? (0% chance of seeing
either one)
May 17, 2012, 6:09 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,849
Presumably they'd have to negotiate with two other countries for access to a seaport.