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USAA Bank for vets...problem opening an account if I live in Mexico!


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I am a vet and assumed that I would have no problem opening an account. The reason I want to do this is because I have an account with a community bank in California where I receive my SS monthly deposit. I am getting hit with about a US$30 "Foreign Transaction Fee"  with each $2,000 pesos ATM transaction. The person I talked to at USAA Bank assured me that this would not apply there but was firm that if I reside here I was restricted from opening an account. Seems strange...anyone have experience with this situation? Gracias

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I have no problem with USAA by listing my son's address in the US as mine and adding my present address here as an additional. I then selected paperless. When I was to get new cards, I told them after they were already in the mail that I was not presently in the US and to DHL new ones here, which they did and cancelled the ones mailed that I never got. I have been using local ATM's for four years exclusively and always get the charge rebated at the end of the month.

Since they serve members of the military stationed world wide there is plenty of understanding for a world traveler. I think they only require that the account be opened in the US or at least a US address for their membership.

USAF 63 - 67

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46 minutes ago, AngusMactavish said:

I have no problem with USAA by listing my son's address in the US as mine and adding my present address here as an additional. I then selected paperless. When I was to get new cards, I told them after they were already in the mail that I was not presently in the US and to DHL new ones here, which they did and cancelled the ones mailed that I never got. I have been using local ATM's for four years exclusively and always get the charge rebated at the end of the month.

Since they serve members of the military stationed world wide there is plenty of understanding for a world traveler. I think they only require that the account be opened in the US or at least a US address for their membership.

USAF 63 - 67

Amazing...also USAF 63 -67. Drafted and figured I was not cut out to be a jungle fighter in 'Nam so volunteered for the 4 years in the USAF instead of the 2 years in the Army. Worked out good since I did most of my time at the Pentagon in DC. 

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OK, gracias, I think that I managed to open an account online using my step-son's Phoenix address and my IShop mailing address. Looks good...gracias. By the way when I said in my OP "I am getting hit with about a US$30 "Foreign Transaction Fee" with each $2,000 pesos ATM transaction." I actually meant $20,000 pesos. 

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It getting pretty bad. Easiest way is to keep a full normal US address for banking. I use my Mom's house (90 and still kickin!).  Another thing I use is a VOIP phone with a local Oregon phone number that rings here at lakeside using the internet.  Net talk is the one I use much cheaper than Vontage.  It allows you to hide in Mexico and everybody (yes the US government knows I live in Mexico so not everybody) thinks I am still in USA.  No problems in 12 years with this combo.

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It's the STREET name and number that IDs it as a CMRA.  Here is what I got when I ran Ishop's Laredo address.  I did not enter an apt. or unit or PMB number.  

Not saying all financial businesses use this software, and it could be that new applicants get it run against the USPS address file, and older accounts aren't.  

isho.png

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My husband and I opened an account with USAA with no problem using our Mexican address after BanamexUSA dropped our account along with many Lakeside residents a few years ago. We no longer had a USA address. My husband, recently deceased, was a Navy vet.  The account is still active in my name.

You do not need a permanent address in the USA to open an account. USAA caters to current and former members of US military all over the world.

As MtnMama says, their reps are wonderful. To call, I use this toll free #: 001-800-531-8722. 

My husband joined the Navy at 18 to avoid being drafted into the Army. Decades later, USAA addressed him in correspondence Dear Seaman Reeves. That always made me smile.

Lexy

 

 

 

 

 

 

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3 hours ago, Lexy said:

I should add: Not all USAA reps are perfect. I know from experiene some reps mistakenly give out incorrect info. If it doesn't sound right, call again. You're likely to get another rep and get the info you need to to open an account.

Lexy

I joined the USAF and did 4 years, also to avoid being drafted by the Army during those difficult times (I had actually gotten the draft notice!). As discussed and shown here by others, now it is not possible to sign up to USSA bank without a US residential address. After I had called and was told that I could not use a Mexican address, I tried online with my IShop Laredo address and was rejected because this was not a "residential" address. I went back and tried my step-son's Arizona address and Bingo! I was able to register IShop as my mailing address though. Things change.

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You're right, Gringohombre, USAA has changed its address rule.

I just called USAA.  It took two transfers to reach the rep who had the answer, for sure. She confirmed that now a veteran must have a USA address to open an account. I told her how my husband and others we knew were able to use our Mexican addresses to open accounts. She sounded almost apologetic when she said the rule had change.

But as you've noted, there're ways around it. . . .

Lexy

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  • 2 weeks later...

I live in Mexico and I was able to open an acct in the BBVA COMPASS BANK, in California,  so I pay just 5 usd per transference, but I had to open an acct in México at BBVA.  Hurry up.  The usa branch was sold to pnc so I do not know if thew will change the policies about transferences to Mexico! 

 

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3 minutes ago, Citizen of the World said:

I live in Mexico and I was able to open an acct in the BBVA COMPASS BANK, in California,  so I pay just 5 usd per transference, but I had to open an acct in México at BBVA.  Hurry up.  The usa branch was sold to pnc so I do not know if thew will change the policies about transferences to Mexico! 

 

I now have a USAA checking account set up. I also have a Mexican BBVA account for many years. How do I go about transferring funds from USAA to my BBVA account here? What is BBVA COMPASS BANK...first time I have heard of that. Gracias

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9 minutes ago, gringohombre said:

I now have a USAA checking account set up. I also have a Mexican BBVA account for many years. How do I go about transferring funds from USAA to my BBVA account here? What is BBVA COMPASS BANK...first time I have heard of that. Gracias

Banking, Credit Cards, Mortgages, & More | BBVA (bbvausa.com)

 

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