Got the Banking Sorted Out

[davewe]

Just a quick update on our experience, since there have been questions as to whether you could get an account without an ACR and without a permanent resident status. I figured we would try and if I couldn't, we could start out with an account in my wife's name only. The one piece of advise I read here (maybe from Jack) was to look like a well-heeled foreigner and they might want my biz. Janet took that literally and dressed up a bit and put on her heels. I put on a clean t-shirt! We went to PNB with our passports and rental agreement from the apartment. The woman asked if I had an ACR and I told her "not yet". She checked our passports with the Balikbayan stamp and copied that plus the rental agreement and we were good to go. Well that is except for an hour of paperwork.

The only unexpected fly in the ointment was when I explained my strategy of wanting to deposit a monthly check drawn against my US account. I expected a fee but she said there was a $15 fee plus the expected fee of 200-300 pesos, depending on the check size. If true I may have to rethink my strategy. OTOH she emphasized that PNB can take US Social Security checks, so I might go that route as well.

[scott h]

10 minutes ago, davewe said:

$15 fee plus

We have been banking with PNB for almost 5 years now. We deposit drawn on our US account. We pay 200 peso for each 2000 dollar check but have never been charged a 15 dollar fee. But then again things vary from branch to branch.