Before you start

Passport, with visa and I-94 if applicable
A Boise residential address
An SSN or ITIN if you have one; a passport number if not
An opening deposit, which varies by institution

Step-by-step

1
Open a checking account in branch
Bring your passport, local address and SSN or ITIN if issued. Federal Customer Identification Program rules explicitly allow a passport number and country of issuance instead of a taxpayer number for non-US persons.
In personWho: YouWeek 1
2
Mention a pending ITIN if you have no SSN
Institutions may open accounts for people who have applied for but not yet received an ITIN. File IRS Form W-7 and bring the receipt to the counter.
In personWho: You
3
Try an Idaho credit union
Idaho has a strong regional credit union sector with community charters covering anyone living or working in the Treasure Valley, and several are tied to the big local employers. They read a thin file the way a human does, which a national bank's underwriting model cannot.
In personWho: You
4
Set up direct deposit
Give payroll your routing and account numbers. Direct deposit waives the monthly maintenance fee on most US checking accounts.
Via employerWho: You and your employer
5
Open a secured credit card in month one
Post a deposit, typically around $500, and get a card with a matching limit that reports to the credit bureaus. Age of history matters as much as behaviour, so start immediately rather than waiting until you need credit.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
6
Assume you will need a car, and time the loan
Valley Regional Transit covers the main corridors but the metro sprawls from Boise to Caldwell and most jobs assume driving. Financing with no credit file means a large deposit or several points above market — if the Greenbelt and a bus route can carry you for six months, the saving is real, and a credit union will usually beat a dealership.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport, with country of issuance serving as the identifying number if you have no SSN or ITIN
Visa and I-94, where applicable
SSN card or ITIN letter, if issued
Proof of Boise address
Employer offer letter, accepted by some institutions as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

Federal rules let a bank take your passport instead of an SSN.

The Customer Identification Program rule accepts a passport number and country of issuance for non-US persons. Branch staff frequently do not know this and will send you away for a Social Security card. Escalate, or try a credit union.

Source: FDIC — Customer Identification Program requirements

No credit history is treated worse than bad credit history.

US underwriting scores a file, and a file that does not exist cannot be scored. A well-paid newcomer can be declined for a flat and a car loan in the same week, and building one takes months rather than days.

Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — bank accounts

Housing screening is the tight point here, not banking.

Boise absorbed a decade of in-migration and rents rose faster than almost any US metro through the 2020s. Landlords screen on credit score and income multiples accordingly. Arriving with a larger deposit, a guarantor or several months up front — offered upfront rather than after a rejection — is worth more here than in a slacker market.

Source: community-reported

A pending ITIN is often enough to open an account.

You do not have to wait for the number to arrive. Form W-7 takes weeks; many institutions will open an account on the receipt plus a passport, which unblocks payroll and a rental deposit.

Source: IRS — US taxpayer identification number requirement

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting for an SSN before trying to open an account, when a passport is often enough.
Never trying a credit union, where a human reads a thin file.
Financing a car in month one with no credit file and accepting a punitive rate.
Delaying a secured card until you actually need credit, and losing six months of history.
Paying an avoidable monthly maintenance fee by never setting up direct deposit.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.