Opening bank account RBC - Cohabitation/Relationship proofs

[CanUK333]

TBH RBC was more reluctant to open a joint bank account than opening a new one! How do you know that opening a joint account is easier??

Let me just be clear, I was referring to adding your spouses name to an already existing account making it a joint account NOT opening a new joint account. According to the bank manager at RBC, simply adding your spouses name to an account you already have is just that, adding their name, no ID or proof of residency or anything is needed. When you open a new account whether that be joint or sole that's when you need the id, immigration doc, etc.

 

[abdulzeedo]

Let me just be clear, I was referring to adding your spouses name to an already existing account making it a joint account NOT opening a new joint account. According to the bank manager at RBC, simply adding your spouses name to an account you already have is just that, adding their name, no ID or proof of residency or anything is needed. When you open a new account whether that be joint or sole that's when you need the id, immigration doc, etc.

We asked that too, they refused that as well! They said we can't do business with you until and unless you give us a proof of residency which could be the application number once we submit the inland application... I believe that the banks try to find a reason to not open your bank account! I do not know the reason, my bet is that they want to avoid you using their bank to evade taxes.

Plus, I don't get what the manager meant by that, since the added person has actually all the rights of the other person, and has to have a profile with the bank too, and we go in the same loop again!

 

[CanUK333]

We asked that too, they refused that as well! They said we can't do business with you until and unless you give us a proof of residency which could be the application number once we submit the inland application... I believe that the banks try to find a reason to not open your bank account! I do not know the reason, my bet is that they want to avoid you using their bank to evade taxes.

Plus, I don't get what the manager meant by that, since the added person has actually all the rights of the other person, and has to have a profile with the bank too, and we go in the same loop again!

haha you may be right! Seems to be very unclear and at times random information/rules. Maybe it just comes down to the teller; I've read many people on here who shop around or go into banks on different days until they find a nice/naive teller like we did who just does it.

 

[abdulzeedo]

I have made it the purpose of my life to investigate this and escalate the matter as much as I can and provide a formal and proved way to all the people in our situation to open a bank account!

I will repeat it again: the official policy that the banks have, Do allow TRV holders to open a bank account! However, the tellers rarely have had any opportunity to deal with these scenarios and their default answer is no! So, once I have an official reply from RBC's office I will post it here. And everybody who is in the same situation will be able to use that to their advantage...

 

[Chutsk10]

We opened a joint and personal account for my wife, whom has a TRV, at Coast Capital Savings. However, I do believe we got a little bit lucky. The teller confirmed that a SIN is not actually required to open an account but we didn't have the required ID. For visitors they accept a Visitor Record, and we only had the TRV in the passport. She seemed a little confused about the difference and let us proceed anyway.

Coast Capital asks for the following ID. One from Schedule A and one from Schedule B: I believe IMM1442 is the Visitor Record.

Schedule A

1. Driver’s licence issued in Canada, as permitted to be used for identification purposes under provincial law.
2. A Canadian Passport.
3. Certificate of Canadian Citizenship or a Certificate of Naturalization, in the form of a paper document or card, but not a commemorative issue.
4. Permanent Resident card or Citizenship and Immigration Canada Form IMM 1000, IMM 1442, or IMM 5292.
5. Birth certificate issued in Canada.
6. Social Insurance Number card issued by the Government of Canada.
7. Old Age Security card issued by the Government of Canada bearing the Social Insurance Number of the person named on the card.
8. Certificate of Indian Status issued by the Government of Canada.
9. Provincial or territorial health insurance card, as permitted to be used for identification purposes under provincial or territorial law.
10. A document or card, bearing the person’s photo and signature, issued by any of the following authorities or their successors:

1. Insurance Corporation of British Columbia;
2. Alberta Registries;
3. Saskatchewan Government Insurance;
4. Department of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations;
5. Department of Transportation and Public Works of the Province of Prince Edward Island;
6. Service New Brunswick;
7. Department of Government Services and Lands of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador;
8. Department of Transportation of the Northwest Territories; or
9. Department of Community Government and Transportation of the Territory of Nunavut.

Schedule B

1. Employee identity card, issued by an employer that is well known in the community, bearing the person’s photo.\
2. Bank or automated banking machine or client card, issued by a member of the Canadian Payments Association in the name of, or bearing the name of, the person and the person’s signature.
3. Credit card, issued by a member of the Canadian Payments Association in the name of, or bearing the name of, the individual and bearing the individual’s signature.
4. Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) client card bearing the individual’s photograph and signature.
5. Foreign passport.

 

[abdulzeedo]

We opened a joint and personal account for my wife, whom has a TRV, at Coast Capital Savings. However, I do believe we got a little bit lucky. The teller confirmed that a SIN is not actually required to open an account but we didn't have the required ID. For visitors, they accept a Visitor Record, and we only had the TRV in the passport. She seemed a little confused about the difference and let us proceed anyway.

Exactly my point. There is discrimination on this!! Why do you need a TRV for TRV exempt countries! I had this issue with Scotiabank and the teller had no idea what to say! He said a TRV would show him that I am intending to stay here for long. I asked him well, how do you behave with US citizens then? He said their ID is fine, but I objected that the issue was even more so with US citizens since they could literally drive back anytime in 1 hour... Oh well, I confused him even more, but his stance didn't change! Get a TRV even if you are exempt! However, I believe that the IRCC refunds you the TRV fee and rejects the application when it finds out that you aren't supposed to even have one since you are exempt!!

 

[abdulzeedo]

Update: I have been able to open an account with TD. They didn’t ask me anything at all. And had me fill in the tax income form with my UK NINO.

 

[Joeydocs]

Update: I have been able to open an account with TD. They didn’t ask me anything at all. And had me fill in the tax income form with my UK NINO.

Awesome.