To open a Chase account, plan on two original IDs; the rest depends on the account you pick and whether you're a U.S. citizen.
- Photo ID: a primary and a secondary ID, original and unexpired; a U.S. driver's license, passport or state ID works as the primary.
- SSN or ITIN: not stated as a Chase rule on the account pages; Chase's general advice article says an ITIN "may be used as a substitute for an SSN" where a bank requires one.
- Proof of address: Chase recommends having a U.S. address before you open; non-citizens without a green card need a U.S. address on one of their IDs.
- Opening deposit: Chase Total Checking: not stated; Chase Secure Banking: "No minimum deposit to open".
- Age: Chase's general advice says you can apply online for most checking accounts at 18 or older; teens 13 to 17 can open Chase High School Checking with a parent or guardian.
- Online or branch: Total Checking online or at a branch; teen accounts in a branch only.
- Non-citizens and non-residents: a green card is a primary ID; without one, use a Matrícula Consular Card, passport or U.S. Employment Authorization Card.
As read on Chase's own pages on October 29, 2026; the bank can change these, so its linked pages are the final word.
What to bring to Chase
| What to bring | What Chase says | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Primary ID | "Please bring a primary and secondary form of ID": U.S. driver's license, passport, state ID, tribal or BIA ID, or U.S. military/veteran's ID, each with photo | "All documents must be original (we cannot accept copies or screenshots) and valid (not expired)" |
| Second ID | For U.S. citizens, examples include "Bank Statement <60 days old", "Utility Bill w/name and address <60 days", an employer or student ID with photo | Green-card holders may use a Matrícula Consular Card or Foreign National ID here |
| SSN or ITIN | Not stated on the account pages | General advice article: an ITIN may substitute "if one is required by the bank" |
| Proof of address | "We recommend you have a U.S. address … and a valid phone number before opening an account" | Without a green card: "Primary or Secondary ID must contain a U.S. address" |
| Opening deposit | Secure Banking: "No minimum deposit to open"; Total Checking: not stated | Chase Savings "does not require a minimum balance to open" |
| For teens | High School Checking: ages 13 to 17, parent or guardian as co-owner | "Account must be opened in-branch with both the parent/guardian and student present" |
| For non-citizens | Primary ID: Matrícula Consular Card, passport, or U.S. Employment Authorization Card | "Additional ID requirements may apply for customers from OFAC sanctioned countries" |
Two IDs, and where a U.S. address has to show up
Chase's ID list is split into three groups: U.S. citizens, permanent residents with a green card, and non-citizens without one. Everyone brings a primary and a secondary ID. The difference is in the last group: there, "Primary or Secondary ID must contain a U.S. address." A passport rarely shows one, so if your passport is the primary, your second ID has to carry the address.
Students also bring "proof of student status," and Chase names the DS-2019 and I-20 as common examples. A non-citizen teen can open Chase High School Checking in a branch with a passport plus an I-20, or a passport plus a DS-2019.
On the SSN, Chase's product pages are quiet. Its general articles say international students "may not need" an SSN for a checking account, but those are advice pieces, not account rules. If you have neither number, call the branch first.
The federal minimum behind every bank's list
Under 31 CFR 1020.220, a bank must collect at least your name, date of birth, address and an identification number before it opens an account. For U.S. persons that number is a taxpayer ID such as an SSN or ITIN; for others it can be a passport number and issuing country, or a similar government ID number. The bank then has to verify who you are, and each bank adds its own rules on top, which is why Chase asks for two IDs. The basics every bank shares are in what every US bank asks for.
How Chase compares
Same date, each bank's own pages; the other nine have their own checklists.
| Bank | Checking: minimum to open | SSN or ITIN | Where you can open | Without SSN or green card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase | Total Checking: not stated; Secure Banking: no minimum | Not stated as a Chase rule | Online or branch (teens: branch) | Matrícula consular, passport or work permit as primary ID; one ID must show a U.S. address |
| Bank of America | SafeBalance $25; Advantage Plus $100 | Online asks for an SSN; visa holders open in person | Online or financial center | Visa holders: in person, two IDs incl. foreign passport or consular ID |
| Wells Fargo | $25 | SSN or ITIN | Online at 18+; branch under 18 | Branch appointment; foreign government ID showing nationality or residence |
| Citi | No minimum | SSN or ITIN | Online (savings also branch or phone); new customers may be asked to visit a branch | Online only for U.S. citizens and resident aliens; foreign individuals give a W-8BEN |
| U.S. Bank | Smartly Checking $25 | SSN or ITIN (online: SSN) | Online or branch | Branch: passport plus I-20 or I-94; Matrícula Consular Mexicana as primary ID |
| PNC | $25, or $0 online | SSN or ITIN | Online or branch | Branch only: passport, a second ID and Form W-8BEN |
| Truist | Truist One Checking $50 | SSN or taxpayer ID number | Online, branch or phone | Nonresident aliens: passport number, issuing country and foreign address |
| Capital One | 360 Checking: no minimum | SSN or ITIN | Online, branch or Café | 360 accounts: U.S. citizens and permanent residents only |
| TD Bank | $0 (fund within 45 days) | SSN; ITIN for TD Essential Banking | Online, store or phone | Not stated |
| Ally | $0 | SSN or taxpayer ID number | Online or phone only, no branches | U.S. residents with a U.S. street address only |
Have it ready before you apply
Chase wants originals at the branch, so phone copies are a backup, not your ID. Still, if an online form asks you to upload an ID, a clear photo of the front and back saves a scramble, and a recent utility bill as a PDF answers most proof of address questions. Know your SSN or ITIN without digging for the card; if you're not sure which one you have, ITIN vs SSN sorts it out. Paperlock keeps that small pile in one place on your iPhone: it reads each document you scan, locks behind Face ID, and shows ID thumbnails blurred until you confirm it's you. It's on the App Store.