I recently attempted to open a savings account (with debit card) in Banco Popular and BHD, 2 different banks each
with no success. I live in Santo Domingo.
This is what I brought based on what they told me I needed beforehand:
1. Passport
2. 3 months bank statements from other bank
3. Reference letter from other bank
4. Reference letter from Dominican person and client of bank
5. Apartment rental receipt
6. Letter from Employer
Both BHD banks told me I couldn't open an account because I have been in the country over 3 months
and my tourist visa was expired.
Both Popular banks told me that my Bank reference letter had to be in Spanish (it's a USA bank) and that my
Apartment rental receipt and my Dominican reference letter were "informal". I rent my apartment every 2 weeks
from the landlord and he prints me off a receipt with the dates, signatures, address and everything from his
computer. The Dominican reference letter was hand written. They also told me that my scanned/printed
bank reference letter and employee letter that I had emailed to me had to be the originals.
To me it seems ridiculous to give me that much hassle just to open a savings account especially when I brought
everything (and more) that they asked for. They need the 2 sentence bank reference letter in Spanish when
it's a USA bank? They need me to hassle my bank and employer to have them mail me a letter outside of the country because
it can't be a scanned copy? At BHD I was even friends with an employee there who was referring me to the bank
and they still wouldn't let me open an account since I've been here more than 90 days with no cedula.
I had the vibe at Popular that the male bankers at both banks were just making it difficult
for me because I was a foreigner and they had some type of insecure ego thing going on.
Anyways, can someone tell me where I should go specifically (branch and location in Santo Domingo) to open a savings account
(USD and Peso) with debit card (with Visa/Mastercard logo) where I won't have a problem opening the account
when I come with all of these documents. If anyone has a reference at the bank that could help me that'd be
cool too. English preferred but I can do Spanish also.
And also based on what you experienced what documents does this bank need specifically?
Thanks
with no success. I live in Santo Domingo.
This is what I brought based on what they told me I needed beforehand:
1. Passport
2. 3 months bank statements from other bank
3. Reference letter from other bank
4. Reference letter from Dominican person and client of bank
5. Apartment rental receipt
6. Letter from Employer
Both BHD banks told me I couldn't open an account because I have been in the country over 3 months
and my tourist visa was expired.
Both Popular banks told me that my Bank reference letter had to be in Spanish (it's a USA bank) and that my
Apartment rental receipt and my Dominican reference letter were "informal". I rent my apartment every 2 weeks
from the landlord and he prints me off a receipt with the dates, signatures, address and everything from his
computer. The Dominican reference letter was hand written. They also told me that my scanned/printed
bank reference letter and employee letter that I had emailed to me had to be the originals.
To me it seems ridiculous to give me that much hassle just to open a savings account especially when I brought
everything (and more) that they asked for. They need the 2 sentence bank reference letter in Spanish when
it's a USA bank? They need me to hassle my bank and employer to have them mail me a letter outside of the country because
it can't be a scanned copy? At BHD I was even friends with an employee there who was referring me to the bank
and they still wouldn't let me open an account since I've been here more than 90 days with no cedula.
I had the vibe at Popular that the male bankers at both banks were just making it difficult
for me because I was a foreigner and they had some type of insecure ego thing going on.
Anyways, can someone tell me where I should go specifically (branch and location in Santo Domingo) to open a savings account
(USD and Peso) with debit card (with Visa/Mastercard logo) where I won't have a problem opening the account
when I come with all of these documents. If anyone has a reference at the bank that could help me that'd be
cool too. English preferred but I can do Spanish also.
And also based on what you experienced what documents does this bank need specifically?
Thanks
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