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The short answer
Yes. A foreign passport, including a Nigerian one, is on the Bank Act list of acceptable identification. On its own it covers your name and date of birth, so a bank will want either a second document with your name and address, or confirmation of your identity by a customer in good standing or a respected member of the community. Ask in person at a branch and bring originals.
Visitors, new students, workers on their first week and new permanent residents all ask the same thing: "All I have is my passport. Will a Canadian bank take it?" The federal rules answer this clearly, and the answer is better than many people expect. The passport is accepted. The question is what goes with it.
What the federal rules say
The FCAC's bulletin on access to basic banking, effective 22 February 2023, explains section 627.17(1) of the Bank Act. A bank must open a retail deposit account for a person who meets the identification rules, and those rules list "foreign passports" as a reliable document. The FCAC consumer page confirms you can open an account with proper identification if you are not a Canadian citizen or you live outside Canada.
There are two routes. Both start with your passport.
| Route | What you show | What the passport covers |
|---|---|---|
| Option 1 | Two documents: one with name and address, one with name and date of birth | Name and date of birth |
| Option 2 | One document with name and date of birth, plus a person who confirms who you are | The whole document requirement |
Option 1: passport plus something with your address
A Nigerian passport has no Canadian address in it, so it cannot be the name-and-address document. The second document must come from the list:
- Government of Canada or provincial identification (for example a permit or PR card issued by IRCC, or a provincial ID)
- A recent tax assessment notice or government benefit statement
- A recent Canadian public utility bill
- A recent bank account or credit card statement
In your first days you may have none of these with an address on them. That is the gap option 2 fills.
Option 2: passport plus a voucher
Your passport, plus confirmation of your identity by either a customer in good standing with that bank, or a person of good standing in the community where the branch is. In practice: a cousin, colleague or friend who already banks with the same bank comes with you to the branch and confirms who you are. The rules do not require that person to be Nigerian or a citizen.
Things that can go wrong
- Online-only processes. The legal right is to open an account when you ask in person at a branch. An app that will not accept your passport is not the same as a refusal at a branch.
- Credit unions and trust companies. The Bank Act rule applies to banks; the FCAC bulletin notes there is no equivalent rule in the Trust and Loan Companies Act.
- Name differences. If your passport says "Oluwaseun Adebayo" and your permit says "Seun Adebayo", expect questions. Bring the document that explains the difference.
- Refusals. A bank may refuse for reasons the FCAC lists, including suspected illegal use, fraud in the past seven years, knowingly false information, or refusing to let it verify your ID. It must tell you in writing, with its complaints process and the OBSI and FCAC contacts.
Which status you hold makes little difference
The identification rules are the same whether you arrived as a student, a worker, a visitor or a permanent resident. What changes is which second document you are likely to have. A study or work permit is Government of Canada identification, but it does not usually show a Canadian address, so with a passport and a permit you hold two name-and-date-of-birth documents and still need an address document or a voucher. A visitor with only a passport will almost always need the voucher route.
Once the account is open, the bank statement it sends you is itself a document on the list: a recent bank account statement with your name and address. That statement can then help you open accounts elsewhere, register for services, or show your address to a landlord. Ask the bank to send the first statement, or a letter confirming your address, as soon as it can.
What to check first
- Check that your passport is the one in your current name and that it matches your Canadian permit or PR card.
- Decide which route: find a second document with your Canadian address, or a friend who banks there.
- Go to a branch in person with originals.
- If refused, ask for the written notice before you leave.
- Then apply for your SIN; see the SIN guide for new residents, or what a SIN starting with 9 means if you are on a permit.
Where Pryme fits
If you need to move money while the Canadian account is being set up, a Pryme account can be opened from any country and holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR with local details for each. It does not replace a Canadian account for Canadian-dollar pay and rent, but it keeps your naira and other currencies in one place. See how Pryme works and how accounts are secured.
Questions people ask
Will a Canadian bank accept a Nigerian passport as ID?
Yes. Foreign passports are on the list of acceptable documents under the Bank Act provision the FCAC describes. You need either a second document showing your name and address or a person who can confirm your identity.
Can I open a bank account in Canada with only a passport and no address proof?
Yes, under the second option: your passport plus confirmation of your identity by a customer in good standing with the bank or a respected member of the local community.
Can I open a Canadian bank account online with a Nigerian passport?
Some banks offer online or pre-arrival applications, but the legal right described by the FCAC applies to requests made in person at a branch. If online fails, go to a branch.
Do I need a SIN to open a bank account in Canada?
A SIN is not on the FCAC's list of identification requirements for opening an account. The bank may ask for it for other reasons; ask the branch.
Sources
- FCAC bulletin: Access to basic banking services, opening a retail deposit account (effective 22 Feb 2023, modified 7 Oct 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- FCAC: Opening a bank account (modified 23 Oct 2026) · 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.