You can apply for a bank account in Europe or the US as a foreigner, but the route depends on where you live, the account type and the provider. A traditional account may require a branch visit and accepted address documents. Remote receiving details can solve client payments, while offering different rights and functions from a bank deposit account.
A US client asks for an account number. A European client asks for an IBAN. You search for an overseas bank account and find advice about passports, residency, company formation and payment apps, often presented as if they were interchangeable.
They lead to different outcomes. Someone moving to Germany needs an account for daily life. A designer in Lagos may need compatible payment details and a reliable way to use the income in Nigeria. A company selling software in the US needs an account in the company's name.
Choose the route around that job. This guide covers personal accounts, the boundary with business banking, remote applications and the checks that make an account useful after approval. Country and provider rules below were checked on 7 October 2026. Numbered references point to the official sources at the end.
Need to Get Paid Abroad, Not Move Abroad?
You might not need to open a traditional US or European bank account just to receive international payments. If you're an eligible global earner, walllet gives you another route to explore: USD, EUR and GBP receiving details, with options to manage and use your income afterward.
Explore a Simpler Way to Receive Global Payments →
Which kind of overseas account do you need?
A bank deposit account, a fintech payment account and virtual receiving details can all help you receive money. Their legal structure and permitted uses differ. Before applying, establish who contracts with you, who holds the money and whether the balance is a bank deposit, electronic money or a digital asset.
Your actual need | Route to investigate | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
Daily spending after moving abroad | Personal current or checking account | Residence and identity requirements, debit card, local bills |
Holding eligible deposits at a bank | Bank deposit account | Bank licence, account owner, deposit protection |
Receiving overseas freelance income while living at home | Eligible local receiving details or payment account | Supported payer, currency, transfer method and cash out |
Managing a registered company's income | Business account in the company's name | Formation records, owners, operations and country restrictions |
Sending occasional international transfers | Transfer service or your existing bank | Destination support, fees and exchange rate |
This distinction can save you an unnecessary trip or company registration. A USD account at a Nigerian bank is a foreign currency account in Nigeria. It does not become a US account because the balance is in dollars. The comparison of domiciliary and virtual dollar accounts explains the practical difference for freelancers.
An IBAN is an account identifier. It does not establish that you have a deposit account in your own name, that every transfer method works or that the balance is insured. Ask the provider to explain the account relationship behind the number.
What determines whether a foreigner can open an account?
Your passport nationality, residential address, tax residence and account purpose are separate facts. Providers can assess each one. Being a foreign citizen does not automatically make you ineligible, and having a passport from an eligible country does not automatically make your application acceptable from an unsupported residence.
Write down four facts before comparing providers:
Your citizenship and the identity documents you can present.
Where you actually live and can document your address.
Your tax residence or residences and applicable tax identification numbers.
Whether you need the account personally, as a sole proprietor or for a separate company.
Add the payment pattern: who will pay you, from where, for what work and in what amounts. These details help a provider determine whether its service fits your activity.
The country printed on an account number is not your country of residence. A provider offering US payment details may onboard users elsewhere under its own eligibility rules. A digital bank based in Europe may require residence in a short list of countries.
For example, N26 requires customers to live in a supported country. Its current list includes Germany, France, Spain and Portugal, among others; Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Türkiye and the UAE are not on that list. Accepted identity documents and further requirements still matter.
How to open a personal bank account in the US as a non resident
Non US citizens can open accounts at some US banks. For a person living abroad, the practical starting point is a bank that publishes an appropriate foreign applicant route. Confirm its requirements before travelling. An account advertised for online applications by US residents may not accept the same application from overseas.
Bank of America's international professional guidance gives a concrete example. A non resident alien needs a physical foreign address, a US mailing address, two unexpired forms of identification and a tax identification number if applicable. The bank directs applicants to an appointment at a financial centre.
That is a documented application route, rather than a promise that every foreign visitor will be approved.
Step 1 Confirm the exact account and application channel
Contact the bank through its official website or branch. Explain your citizenship, actual residence and purpose. Ask whether the chosen account accepts your profile and whether you must apply in person.
Do not rely on another applicant's success at a different branch or on a generic statement that the bank serves foreigners. Get the requirements for the specific product you plan to use.
Step 2 Prepare identity and address documents
Follow the bank's accepted document list. Bank of America's published examples include a foreign passport as primary identification and options such as a foreign driving licence or qualifying payment card as secondary identification.
Keep residential and mailing addresses separate. A place that receives your card is not automatically acceptable proof of where you live. Ask which evidence the bank accepts for each address before booking an appointment.
Step 3 Confirm the tax identification requirement
Bank of America states that an SSN is not required for its published route. That policy should not be treated as a rule for every US bank. Ask whether your chosen provider needs an SSN, ITIN, foreign tax identification number or other tax documentation.
An ITIN is a US tax processing number. The IRS says it is not issued solely to open a bank or investment account or start a business; an applicant needs a federal tax purpose and must meet the application rules. Do not buy an ITIN service on the assumption that the number guarantees banking access.
Step 4 Attend the appointment and review the account terms
Take the documents the bank requested and be ready to explain the source and expected use of funds. Before signing, check maintenance charges, any minimum balance conditions, transfer fees, debit card access and how you will manage the account from abroad.
If your nationality is subject to US economic or financial sanctions, Bank of America's guidance requires additional documentation demonstrating lawful US residence. Check this before planning a visit.
Step 5 Test the functions you need
After approval, verify access, incoming payment instructions and the withdrawal or spending route. Check whether a transfer is available to use, rather than relying on a sender's confirmation.
A person who needs ACH credits should confirm incoming ACH support. A person who needs international wires should confirm the bank's instructions for those wires. These are different payment methods, even when both settle in dollars.
How to open a bank account in Europe as a foreigner
There is no single European account opening procedure. EU countries share some consumer banking rules, while documents and application channels vary by country and institution. The UK and Switzerland have separate frameworks. Start with the country where you need banking functions and establish whether you are applying as a resident or non resident.
The EU right to a basic payment account
People legally resident in an EU country are entitled to a basic payment account, subject to the applicable rules. A bank cannot refuse that account solely because the applicant lives in another EU country. This right does not extend to every account type, including savings accounts.
Anti money laundering requirements still apply. In some countries, an existing comparable domestic account or the absence of a genuine interest in a cross border account can affect access. Living outside the EU does not, by itself, give you this EU entitlement.
Use the term "basic payment account" when that is the product you need. Applying for an ordinary premium or savings account is a different request.
Germany
Germany's regulator describes the Basiskonto as a basic payment account for eligible consumers legally residing in the EU who do not already have a payment account in Germany. It supports everyday payment functions; the provider does not have to grant an overdraft or credit card.
Someone moving to Germany can also investigate ordinary current accounts. Check the chosen bank's requirements for residence, address evidence, identity verification and tax information. An app's availability in Germany does not prove that it accepts your particular passport or application channel.
France
France has a droit au compte procedure for qualifying applicants refused a deposit account who do not already have a deposit account in France. The official guidance includes residents of France, qualifying EU residents applying for personal purposes, and French nationals abroad. It is not a blanket entitlement for every applicant outside Europe.
If you qualify and have been refused, follow the official Banque de France procedure. Keep the refusal documentation rather than treating an unsuccessful online application as the end of the process.
Spain
Banco de España explains that identity documents depend on the applicant's situation. Its account opening guidance also says that non residents must document that status. Ask the bank whether the account requires a particular identification or non residency document and how to obtain an acceptable version.
Do not assume that a passport alone completes the file. Request the bank's current checklist for your nationality, residence and chosen account.
Portugal
Banco de Portugal's guidance lists identity, a tax identification number or foreign equivalent, permanent residential address, tax domicile when different, and occupation or employer information among the account opening details. The supporting documents matter as much as the information you type into the form.
Ask the institution whether a Portuguese NIF is required for its particular product and whether your foreign documents are sufficient. The regulator's reference to a foreign equivalent should not be converted into a promise that every bank accepts an identical remote application.
The UK
Treat the UK as a separate destination. HSBC publishes a route for applying for a UK account from outside the UK, including for people preparing to move. Eligibility depends on the account, and HSBC states that some features may be unavailable while the customer remains resident abroad.
Check the product, supported residence, document requirements and delivery arrangements. A UK receiving account for GBP payments and a general purpose UK current account may serve different needs.
Can you open an overseas account entirely online?
Remote opening is possible for some eligible applicants. "Online" describes the application channel; it does not remove residence checks, identity verification or restrictions on the account's use. Compare remote personal banking, receiving services and business accounts separately.
Route | What the current published rules establish | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
Bank of America international professional route | A foreign applicant route with specified documents | Published guidance directs applicants to a financial centre appointment [1] |
N26 personal account | Account opening for residents of supported countries | Residence and accepted document requirements [3] |
Wise account | Holding balances is available for residents of specified locations | Sending money, holding balances and receiving details have different eligibility [10] |
Mercury business account | Applications from eligible US companies with international founders | Company operations, owner residence and prohibited countries [11, 12] |
walllet.com receiving service | USD, EUR and GBP details advertised for eligible global earners | Partner rules, account eligibility and the exact receiving route [13, 14] |
For a Nigerian resident, the country checks change the shortlist. Nigeria is absent from Wise's current list of locations where residents can hold balances. That is different from whether Wise supports transfers to Nigerian bank accounts.
Mercury's current business restrictions include founders living in Nigeria, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as Iran. A US company registration does not override that residence restriction.
This is why an "open a US account from anywhere" headline needs careful reading. The service may mean a company account, a receiving identifier or an account available only in a defined group of countries.
What changes when you apply from Nigeria India Pakistan or another country?
Your current residence should be checked before account features. Country specific search results can help find candidates, but provider documentation decides eligibility. The following is a starting point for investigation, not an approval table.
Where you actually live | Practical starting point | Restriction to check first |
|---|---|---|
Nigeria | A provider that explicitly supports Nigerian residents and the required client payment | Wise balance eligibility, Mercury restrictions and your receiving provider's rules |
India | An eligible personal receiving service or a bank's documented overseas applicant route | Current personal versus business eligibility and local rules on overseas funds |
Pakistan or Bangladesh | A provider with explicit support for your residence and payer | Mercury's current prohibited residence list; other providers need separate checks |
A legally resident EU location | Local banking or an eligible EU basic payment account | Accepted documents and the distinction between basic and other accounts |
The UK | UK resident banking or a documented international applicant route | Residence, account specific requirements and available functions |
Türkiye or the UAE | Providers accepting your actual residence; branch banking where appropriate | N26 does not list either as supported residence [3] |
Iran | Current sanctions and institution specific eligibility review | Wise does not support Iran; Mercury also lists Iran [12, 15] |
Applying from Nigeria
For a freelancer living in Nigeria, work backwards from the payment. Does the US client need to pay through ACH? Is a European client sending euros through SEPA? Is the money a direct invoice payment, platform payout or salary?
Then check what happens after receipt: the form of the balance, conversion, card access and withdrawal to your Nigerian bank. The guide to receiving payments from US UK and EU clients in Nigeria covers those payment instructions in more depth.
An account that receives the first payment but has no suitable route to your local expenses leaves the job unfinished.
Applying from India Pakistan or Bangladesh
Use a provider's residence and product eligibility pages rather than a generic international list. A personal receiving product and a company account can have different rules. Review any home country requirements for holding overseas funds and documenting export or freelance income with your domestic bank or adviser.
For Pakistan and Bangladesh, Mercury's published residence restriction is an immediate filter. That finding concerns Mercury; it does not establish a universal prohibition on all overseas banking.
Applying with an Iranian passport or from Iran
An Iranian citizen living lawfully in another country and a person living in Iran have different application profiles. Institutions can impose their own restrictions in addition to sanctions requirements. Wise's unsupported locations include Iran, while Mercury's published restrictions distinguish residence from nationality.
Bank of America's requirements for nationals of sanctioned countries add another institution specific condition. US Iran sanctions also change over time: OFAC's programme page contains a notice dated 5 October 2026. Verify the applicable rules at the time of application and payment.
Do not assume that a third country residence permit, second passport or company creates eligibility. Provide your actual circumstances and obtain confirmation from the institution. This guide makes no claim that walllet.com supports Iranian residents or all Iranian nationals.
Do you need a company to get US account details?
A company is relevant when the account belongs to a business. It should not be the default solution to receiving personal freelance income. Forming a company creates a separate set of ownership, administration and possible filing obligations, while the account provider still reviews eligibility.
Mercury's business guidance requires a company formed in the US or a US territory, existing or planned US operations and an acceptable principal business address. It does not accept a registered agent address as the principal place of business. Owners must supply their real residential addresses.
The practical sequence is to confirm provider eligibility, establish the appropriate business structure, prepare formation and tax documents, document owners and operations, then apply. Check the residence restriction before paying a formation service.
Mercury Personal has separate requirements, including a valid SSN, US residential address and US phone number. Eligibility for a company's account does not give its overseas founder automatic access to the personal product.
If you are invoicing personally, investigate a permitted personal or sole proprietor receiving route first. If you invoice through a separate legal entity, confirm that the beneficiary and permitted account use match that entity.
Which documents should you prepare?
The final document list belongs to the provider. You can reduce back and forth by preparing consistent identity, residence and income records before applying. Use the following as a preparation checklist, then confirm which items the chosen institution actually requires.
Record | What it helps establish | Preparation check |
|---|---|---|
Unexpired passport or accepted national ID | Identity | Correct name, readable details and accepted document type |
Address evidence | Actual residence | Your name and current address; accepted issuer and document age |
Residence or immigration document where requested | Legal residence | Validity and compatibility with the registered country |
Tax identification information | Tax classification and reporting | Relevant jurisdictions and matching records |
Contracts invoices and payment records | Income source | Payer, work performed, amount and payment trail |
Company and owner documents if applicable | Account holder and control | Entity name, ownership, business address and operations |
Identity and address rules appear in the US bank and Portuguese regulator guidance; Mercury separately documents business and owner requirements. Wise also distinguishes verifying an address from proving a legal right to reside in the registered country.
Keep the spelling of your name consistent. If an invoice uses a trading name but the beneficiary is your personal name, resolve how the provider expects that relationship to be documented.
Do not alter an address document to fit a provider's country list. When you lack acceptable proof, ask what genuine alternative evidence is permitted. A clean explanation is more useful than an application built around inconsistent records.
Check the payment method before sharing the account
Account currency, account location and payment method are different. Your client needs instructions for the transfer the provider accepts. A balance labelled USD does not establish incoming ACH support; an IBAN alone does not establish that a particular SEPA payment will be accepted.
Client payment | Information to confirm with your provider | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
US ACH credit | Beneficiary, account number and ACH routing number | Sending wire instructions for an ACH payment |
US domestic wire | Provider's domestic wire instructions | Assuming the ACH routing number is also the wire routing number |
EUR SEPA transfer | Beneficiary, eligible IBAN and any required BIC | Treating every IBAN as SEPA enabled |
UK GBP transfer | Account name, sort code, account number and accepted UK method | Assuming every GBP detail supports every UK transfer scheme |
International wire | Full bank and beneficiary instructions for that currency | Omitting intermediary instructions or fee allocation |
Nacha's consumer guidance identifies the routing and account numbers used for ACH arrangements. Use the receiving institution's current instructions for your specific account.
For a US client choosing a method, the ACH and wire transfer comparison explains the trade offs. Once you choose, send one complete set of bank details for an international payment.
Confirm the payer category as well. A service may accept a company invoice payment but restrict personal transfers, or permit some platforms while excluding others. Approval of the account does not approve every future payment.
How much does an overseas account really cost?
Compare the amount you can use after the complete transaction. An opening charge, receiving fee, exchange rate and withdrawal cost affect different stages. A route advertising a low receiving fee can become more expensive once you convert or withdraw.
Separate one time setup costs from recurring payment costs. For a traditional account, check maintenance and minimum balance conditions. For a receiving service, check incoming payment fees, conversion, withdrawals and any card charges. Include sender and intermediary costs when they reduce the amount reaching you.
Use this calculation for a same currency comparison:
Usable amount = payment received before deductions minus receiving charges minus later conversion or withdrawal charges.
If comparing local currency proceeds, use each provider's executable exchange rate at the same time. Do not combine the fee from one provider with the rate from another.
An illustrative comparison for a USD 1000 invoice
The following numbers are hypothetical. They are not walllet.com prices or competitor quotes.
Cost stage | Route A | Route B |
|---|---|---|
Incoming payment | USD 1000 | USD 1000 |
Receiving deduction | USD 0 | USD 10 |
Balance after receiving | USD 1000 | USD 990 |
Later withdrawal charge | USD 20 | USD 0 |
Usable USD equivalent before FX | USD 980 | USD 990 |
Route B leaves USD 10 more before currency conversion, despite charging at receipt. A different exchange rate could change the result. The guide to the full cost of a freelance payment gives more detail on comparing the deductions.
What walllet.com currently publishes
The walllet.com IBAN account guide lists a USD 5 issuance fee and a 1% charge for incoming USD through its supported bank receiving route. A USD 1000 payment therefore has a USD 10 receiving charge and leaves USD 990 after that charge. The issuance fee is separate.
The same guide lists a separate 0.5% off ramp fee. Confirm the complete current withdrawal quote, exchange rate and other applicable charges before calculating naira proceeds. These published figures do not establish EUR or GBP pricing, and they should be rechecked in the current product.
Your Client Sends $1,000. What Happens to It Next?
Getting paid is only half the equation. Receiving fees, currency conversion and cash-out options determine how useful that income actually is. Explore how walllet connects international receiving details with ways to hold, spend and cash out funds in Nigeria.
See What You Can Do With Your International Income →
What protection does your balance have?
Protection depends on the legal account and asset, rather than the currency or logo. Ask who holds the funds, where they sit and what happens if the bank, app provider or asset issuer fails. A USD denominated balance is not automatically an insured dollar deposit.
For eligible US bank deposits, the FDIC's standard limit is USD 250000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category.
With a nonbank app, pass through deposit coverage can depend on funds actually reaching an insured bank and on recordkeeping and other conditions. FDIC insurance does not cover the failure of the nonbank company itself.
EU rules protect eligible bank deposits up to EUR 100000. Check the bank's deposit information sheet for the applicable scheme, aggregation rules and exclusions.
Safeguarding under a payment or electronic money arrangement needs its own explanation. Ask the provider which rules apply and how recovery would work. Do not substitute a bank deposit guarantee for a different legal arrangement.
Stablecoins also have separate issuer, market and technology risks. A dollar linked token can lose value or become difficult to redeem. Self custody gives control of supported assets; it does not create deposit insurance or eliminate the risk of losing access.
The virtual USD account trust checklist turns these distinctions into questions to check before using a provider for recurring income.
A practical route for Nigerian freelancers who need to get paid
For a Nigerian freelancer, an eligible receiving service can be a better fit than arranging foreign residence or a US branch visit solely for client payments. The useful comparison includes what you can do with the income after it arrives.
walllet.com advertises USD, EUR and GBP receiving details in the user's name, connected with supported dollar linked holdings, card spending and cash out to Nigerian banks. For an eligible freelancer whose needs match those services, that connected workflow is a reason to consider walllet.com before building the same routine across several apps.
The advantages are practical: fewer handoffs between receiving and using income, and a choice about how much to convert for local expenses. They still need to be tested against your payment pattern and available product functions. This guide does not establish that walllet.com is cheaper than every alternative or accepts every payer.
walllet.com's terms say third parties provide regulated account, card and fiat services. walllet.com itself does not act as the bank or deposit taking institution. Supported crypto assets use a separate self custodial wallet arrangement. Partner services can require verification and review.
Before choosing the route, check the legal account provider, supported transfer method, permitted payer, balance asset, total quote and withdrawal route. The walllet.com IBAN account guide explains the receiving layer and its conditions.
If you need cash deposits, a bank loan, a local account for relocation or conventional insured savings, investigate an appropriate bank account for those functions. A receiving service should be evaluated on the work it performs.
How long should you allow for opening and using the account?
Treat application review, account activation, card delivery and payment availability as separate stages. A fast application form does not tell you when a receiving route will be active or when a transfer can be spent. Ask the provider for an estimate for your actual application and payment method.
Before a relocation or your first invoice, establish what remains outstanding: a branch appointment, an identity check, an address document or a review of the account's intended use. Confirm which functions work immediately after approval and which require another step.
Plan essential expenses around an existing working route until the new one has been tested. If a client has already paid, compare the transfer's expected processing period with the actual status rather than applying an account opening estimate to a payment delay.
What should you do after the account is approved?
Approval is the start of using the account. Save the current payment instructions and test the complete route with a permitted, non critical payment before putting important recurring income through it.
1. Confirm that verification is complete and the receiving details are active.
2. Check that the beneficiary matches the intended account holder.
3. Send the exact currency and payment instructions to the payer.
4. Record the amount sent, deductions and balance made available.
5. Test the withdrawal or spending function you need.
6. Keep the invoice, payment confirmation and account record together.
If a payment is delayed, collect the payer's reference and confirmation before requesting another transfer. Use the missing payment evidence checklist to give support a traceable record.
For Nigerian global earners comparing a receiving route, check the available walllet.com account options. Confirm eligibility, payment instructions and the full cost before making the route your default.
You Work Globally. Your Money Should Be Easier to Manage.
If your goal is to receive payments from US or European clients, you may not need the paperwork and travel involved in traditional overseas banking. Explore walllet's available receiving options, manage eligible digital-dollar balances and discover ways to spend or cash out in Nigeria.
Start Managing Your Global Income With walllet →
Related reading
USD and Global Accounts: Choosing the Right Receiving Account
How to Open a USD Bank Account in Armenia as a Foreigner
USD Business Account in Nigeria (2026): Personal vs Business, Fees & Requirements
How to Receive Your Salary in USD in Nigeria Without Converting It All to Naira
