Opening a bank account in China is much like opening a bank account in the United States. The first thing that you will have to do is find the right bank for you. Some good banks are Bank of China, Agricultural Bank Of China and ICBC. You will need between $100 and $500 to open an account. You can also open an account with a small amount of Chinese currency. The bank you choose will be a personal choice, but finding one that doesn’t charge fees to open the account is a good start. Many banks offer free checking accounts to their customers.
Get a valid passport and visa. Some banks allow you to transfer money from America to their banks in China. In order to open a bank account in China, you will need a valid passport and visa. You can usually use a tourist visa to do this. It will depend on the bank and its individual policies.
Research each bank before you choose to open an account. You want to be sure that the bank that you choose allows you to transfer money from your bank in China to your bank in America. Many banks that exist today will allow you to do this with little effort. You will have to show your identification, and your visa, if you are in China. If you are from the United States, you will have to show a valid form of identification in addition to your bank account number.
Check each bank to see if it offers higher interest rates on savings accounts than its competitors. In order to receive more business from foreign customers, banks often will offer many incentives to make you want to bank with them. Choose a bank that has been in business for a long time and has a good reputation for dealing with American customers.
Ask about the ability to bank online. This service will make it easier for you to check your balance, pay your bills and transfer money using your bank account in China. You should also see if it has phone support and the ability to check account balances through its phone service.
