Account opening difficulty comparer
Want an overseas account but unsure which one fits? Tell it whether you can show up in person and what documents you hold, and the table below filters to the routes you can actually take—with difficulty laid out at a glance.
Star ratings and the bar are a rule-of-thumb summary; each bank's policy changes constantly—go by the official site and the actual review.
What this tool is comparing
It lines up the common overseas account routes in one table, sorted on the dimensions that matter most when opening one:
- Remote or not: whether you can open it from your phone, or have to fly to a local branch in person.
- ID bar: passport only, or do you also need a travel permit / local ID / residency.
- Address proof: whether you must supply a local or verifiable home address—the step that stops many people.
- Difficulty rating: a 1–5 star rule-of-thumb across the above; more stars, more effort.
Pick "remote only" or "passport only" above and the table instantly drops the rows that don't fit, leaving the routes that are genuinely open to you in that situation.
Each bank's policy, its appetite for overseas applicants and the documents required are always shifting, and virtual banks adjust eligibility at short notice. Always go by each bank's current requirements and the actual outcome of the review; this table only narrows things down.
How to use it
Set the two filters to your real situation, then from the remaining routes try the ones with low difficulty and an ID bar you can clear first. As a rule, remote-friendly digital / virtual banks have the lowest bar, while big bricks-and-mortar banks are the most solid but need you in person. For a specific market, read how to open a Hong Kong card, how to open a US card and how to open a UK card. Before you start, run through the which-card checklist to get your documents ready and save yourself some trips.