There is no problem with opening a bank account, as long as you have a passport and you local ID. (You can get one at a DMV if you don't have one. )When you're opening a bank account, you go directly to a manager in your local branch of your bank. To open a bank account you will need to have some sort of balance. To do that,u00a0 you could either just deposit funds directly or get your spouse to co-sign on your account. If you do the former, you will only be allowed to have debit cards and check books. If you do the later, I belive you will be allowed credit options. What you could also do is open a joint account, which will be particularly useful to you if you wish to obtain a credit card. If your spouse (with SSN and credit score) is also responsible for this account, you will be allowed credit (typically the same as his maybe lower).