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The short answer
A new permanent resident can usually open a US account in the first week with a Nigerian passport showing the immigrant visa stamp, or the green card once it arrives, plus proof of a US address. If you asked for an SSN on your immigrant visa application, the SSA mails the card without an office visit. From your first day as a resident you are also a US tax resident, so your Nigerian accounts become reportable.
What you have on arrival day
Most Nigerians arriving on an immigrant visa land with a passport carrying the visa and an entry stamp, before the physical green card (Form I-551) arrives in the post. Federal identification rules for banks (31 CFR 1020.220) require name, date of birth, a residential street address and an ID number. For a non-US person the number can be a passport number with country of issue, or an alien identification card number. So you can open an account before the card or the SSN arrives, if the bank's policy allows.
| Document | What it does at the bank |
|---|---|
| Nigerian passport with immigrant visa and entry stamp | Primary ID and evidence of permanent resident status until the card arrives. |
| Green card (I-551), once received | Alien ID number; many banks prefer it. |
| US street address | Required; a relative's address with a letter, or your lease. |
| SSN | For tax reporting; add it when it arrives if the bank opened on your passport. |
How the SSN reaches you
The SSA says immigrant visa holders can apply for an SSN as part of the visa application. The card is then mailed and usually no office visit is needed. If you did not, apply at an SSA office with your passport and immigration documents. The SSA suggests waiting 10 days after arrival. The service is free, and the SSA accepts only originals or certified copies. Our guides to SSNs for Nigerian immigrants and what to do if the card has not arrived cover the follow-up.
Tax residency starts on your first day as a resident
Under the IRS green card test, your US tax residency starts on the first day you are in the US as a lawful permanent resident. If you got the card abroad, it starts on the first day you are present after that. The arrival year is usually a dual-status year, and from then on you are taxed on worldwide income. The practical effects for your money:
- Interest, dividends and rent from Nigeria become reportable on your US return.
- If your foreign accounts together exceed the FBAR threshold at any time in the year, you file an FBAR. The IRS defines a foreign financial account as one "at a financial institution located outside the United States", including bank and brokerage accounts. FBARs are due on 15 April, with an automatic extension to 15 October.
- Form 8938 may also apply above its own thresholds.
Choosing your first accounts
- One checking account for pay, rent and bills, at an FDIC-insured bank or an NCUA-insured credit union.
- One savings account for an emergency fund.
- A secured card or credit builder loan to start your US credit file. Your Nigerian credit history does not carry over. See whether Nigerian credit history counts.
- Keep your Nigerian accounts open if you need them, but list them for your FBAR.
Deposit insurance: the FDIC covers at least $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category, at each insured bank, and the NCUA covers up to $250,000 at federally insured credit unions.
Common snags in the first month
- Name order: your Nigerian passport and US documents may order your names differently. Ask the bank to match your passport exactly.
- Address: if you are staying with relatives, a letter from them plus a document showing their address may be accepted. Ask first.
- Card delay: if the green card is slow to arrive, the passport stamp still evidences status. Keep it safe until the card comes.
- Employer pay: your employer will need your SSN for payroll. Until it arrives, give them proof that you have applied.
A note on bringing money with you
Many new residents arrive with savings. Moving them by wire from a Nigerian domiciliary account to your new US account creates a clean record, which helps with a mortgage later and with your US tax file. If you carry more than $10,000 in currency or monetary instruments in total when you enter, you must declare it to US Customs. Our guide to opening an account as a new immigrant has more on first deposits.
Write down your residency start date and keep the passport page showing your entry stamp. Your preparer will need it for the dual-status return, and you will need it again when you apply for citizenship.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme Personal Account can be opened from the US and holds naira and dollars with local account details for each, so family support and Nigerian bills sit in one multicurrency account. Verifiable statements from Receipts are useful when your preparer asks for Nigerian account records. Pryme is not a US bank.
Questions people ask
Can I open a US bank account before my green card arrives?
Often yes. Federal rules allow a passport number for a non-US person, and your passport with the immigrant visa stamp shows your status. Bank policies vary, so call first.
How do new green card holders get an SSN?
If you asked for one on your immigrant visa application, the SSA mails the card. Otherwise apply at an SSA office with your passport and immigration documents, ideally 10 days or more after arrival.
Do I need to report my Nigerian bank accounts after getting a green card?
From your residency start date you are a US tax resident. Nigerian accounts count towards FBAR filing if their combined value passes the threshold, and Form 8938 may apply too.
Does my Nigerian credit history transfer to the US?
Generally no. Start a US file with a secured card or credit builder loan and pay on time.
Sources
- eCFR: 31 CFR 1020.220, Customer identification programs for banks · accessed Oct 2026
- SSA: Social Security numbers for noncitizens (Publication 05-10096, Feb 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- IRS: Residency starting and ending dates (updated 14 Mar 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- IRS: Publication 519, US tax guide for aliens · accessed Oct 2026
- IRS: Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) (reviewed 30 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- FDIC: Understanding deposit insurance · accessed Oct 2026
- FinCEN: Form 105, Report of international transportation of currency or monetary instruments (rev. Jul 2017) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.