USD Account for Non-US Residents: No SSN or ITIN Needed (Latin America Guide)

In short

The SSN (Social Security Number) and ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) are US identifiers. The first is issued to citizens and residents with work authorization; the second to people with US tax obligations. If you live in Latin America with no US ties, not having either is the normal case — and you don't need them for everything.
Traditional US banks ask for them in practice, even though the law doesn't always require them: they are the convenient path to verify identity and credit history. The typical outcome for a non-resident is being required to show up at a branch in person, with requirements that vary by bank.
Fully online alternatives exist: virtual dollar accounts that verify your identity with your local ID plus a selfie — no SSN, no ITIN, no travel.
At D-ONE CASH, verification takes under 5 minutes, and the account comes with its own account number and routing number to receive ACH and wires. The balance is credited as USDC, equivalent 1:1 to the dollar.
No SSN does not mean no verification: any serious service will require KYC. An "anonymous" dollar account is not an alternative — it's a red flag.

What the SSN and ITIN are (and why you don't have one)

The SSN is the United States' social security number. It is issued to citizens, permanent residents and people with work authorization. In practice it works as the universal identifier of American financial life: payroll, taxes, credit history.

The ITIN is its tax cousin: a number the IRS — the US tax agency — issues to people who have US tax obligations but cannot obtain an SSN. Getting one requires proving a valid tax reason, submitting documentation and waiting weeks.

If you live in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina or anywhere else in the region, work for clients wherever they are, and have no US tax ties, you most likely have neither. That is the normal case. The relevant question is not how to get them, but what you actually need them for — and for holding a dollar account, the answer is: it depends on which kind of account.

Why US banks ask for them

A nuance almost no article mentions: US account-opening regulation — the customer identification rules that came out of the law known as the Patriot Act — does not require the customer to have an SSN. For foreigners it explicitly admits alternatives, such as a passport or other government-issued documents.

What happens is operational, not legal: the SSN is the key that plugs into the credit bureaus and verification databases banks already use. Verifying a foreigner without an SSN is manual work, so most banks resolve it the way that is most convenient for them: requiring physical presence at a branch, extra documentation and, often, high minimum deposits. Some simply do not open accounts for non-residents at all.

Hence the situation every freelancer in the region knows: opening a US bank account as a non-resident is technically possible; in practice it demands a flight, appointments, paperwork, and an outcome that depends on which branch you happen to walk into.

The real options, compared

For someone in Latin America who wants to get paid in dollars and hold them, the actual menu looks like this:

Option	Typical requirements	Opens online	What you get
Traditional US bank	Passport + branch visit + per-bank requirements	No (for non-residents, as a general rule)	Bank account with FDIC insurance
USD account at a local bank	Varies by country; not always available	Sometimes	Local USD account, subject to your country's FX rules
Crypto exchange	Local ID + selfie	Yes	Buying/selling crypto; not an account that receives ACH in your name
Virtual dollar account (fintech)	Local ID + selfie	Yes	Account and routing number for ACH/wires; balance in digital dollars

Each row has its use case. If what you specifically need is an FDIC-insured account in your name, that is the first row, frictions included. If what you need is to receive dollar payments from clients or platforms and decide yourself when to convert, the last row solves exactly that with no SSN, no ITIN and no travel — and it is the one we detail next, because it is what this product offers.

How the virtual account works without an SSN, step by step

At D-ONE CASH the opening is 100% online and identity is verified with what you already have:

Sign up with your email.
Verify your identity (KYC): a valid ID document from your country plus a selfie. The process is online and takes under 5 minutes; it is run by Persona through Bridge's infrastructure. Which documents each country accepts is in the verification guide, and the reasoning behind all of it in what KYC verification is.
Generate your USD virtual account: you get your own account number and routing number, in your name, able to receive ACH transfers and wires from any bank.
Receive the payment: when a deposit arrives, it is credited to your balance as USDC, the stablecoin equivalent 1:1 to the dollar. Bank-transfer deposits in dollars cost 0.75%, per the public fees table.

From there you decide: hold the balance in USDC, send it to another account on the platform, or withdraw it to a bank account in local currency — withdrawals cost between 1.50% and 2.10% depending on the destination country, with the currency conversion already included, a 20 USD minimum amount and a 1–2 business day timeline. The full freelancer flow, with numbers, is in how to get paid in USD as a freelancer in Mexico; the broader picture of what a virtual account is, in virtual dollar account.

There is no free plan: the cheapest is Professional at 7.99 USD per month, and the volume limits per plan are in plans.

What this account is not (no fine print)

Transparency matters more than the sales pitch here, so plainly:

It is not a US bank account. The account number and routing number are real and receive real transfers, but the issuer is not a bank where you hold a bank deposit in your name.
Stablecoin balances are not bank deposits and are not covered by the FDIC, SIPC, Fogafín or any deposit or investor insurance. Our own site publishes this in those words, and stablecoin risks — issuer, backing, custody — are a serious topic that deserves informed decisions.
No SSN does not mean no identity. KYC is mandatory and there is no inbound method without it. Any service offering you a dollar account without verifying who you are is operating outside the system's rules — with your money inside it.
Your taxes remain your own. Having the account neither creates nor removes tax obligations in your country. D-ONE CASH is a product of DIGITALROCKETS LLC; we are not a bank and we do not give tax or investment advice. If your tax situation depends on where and how you get paid, consult a local professional.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the SSN and the ITIN?

The SSN is the US social security number, issued to citizens, residents and people with work authorization. The ITIN is a tax number the IRS issues to people with US tax obligations who don't qualify for an SSN. Both are US identifiers: if you have no ties to the US, not having either is the normal case.

Can I open an account at a US bank without an SSN?

Regulation allows it — it admits passports and other documents for foreigners — but in practice most banks require showing up at a branch and extra requirements for non-residents, and some don't open accounts for non-residents at all. It is possible, but rarely 100% online.

What do I need to open a virtual dollar account from Latin America?

A valid ID document from your country and a selfie. Verification is 100% online and takes under 5 minutes. No SSN, no ITIN, no US proof of address, no in-person visit.

Does the virtual account receive real ACH transfers and wires?

Yes. The account comes with its own account number and routing number, in your name, and receives ACH and wire transfers from any bank. Deposits are credited to your balance as USDC, equivalent 1:1 to the dollar, with a 0.75% fee per received transfer in dollars.

Is the money insured like in a bank?

No. Stablecoin balances are not bank deposits and are not covered by the FDIC, SIPC or any deposit or investor insurance. It is a different product from a bank account, with different risks, and it's worth deciding with that difference clear.

Is it legal to have an account like this from my country?

Virtual dollar accounts operate under the regulation of the infrastructure's issuer, and KYC verifies your identity to it. What varies by country is your tax and FX situation: holding a balance abroad or in digital dollars may carry reporting obligations depending on your jurisdiction. The app doesn't decide that — check with a professional in your country.