If you don’t have a Canadian passport or driver’s licence, you might think it’s impossible to open a bank account without photo ID. But banks have long lists of different types of acceptable IDs, so you can still prove who you are even without standard ID. Keep reading to learn more.
Can I open a bank account without photo ID in Canada?
The short answer is no. Banks need to verify your identity before you can open an account. That’s anti-fraud policy 101, and it protects you. You wouldn’t want a random person to be able to open a bank account in your name.
This also applies to digital banks. Even if you try to open an account online or through an app, you’ll usually be asked to submit a copy of your ID or a video of yourself.
But if you don’t have a valid Canadian passport or driver’s licence, banks might accept other forms of ID.
Use an international passport as verification
EQ Bank states that foreign passports will be accepted in some cases as a verification method for customers. You must still be a Canadian resident and have a Canadian address, however. You can sign up for EQ Bank’s accounts, including the EQ Bank Personal Account and the EQ Bank Notice Savings Account, using this as a verification method.
EQ Bank Personal Account
EQ Bank Personal Account
Earn up to 3.75% interest on your balance for 12 months and enjoy no fees on everyday banking, plus unlimited transactions and no minimum balances. Sign up online in minutes.
What ID do I need to open a bank account in Canada?
Banks will look for ID that has an identification number and shows your name, signature and picture. Canadian passports and driver’s licences issued in a Canadian province or territory are always acceptable (unless expired).
If you don’t have these, here’s a list of alternative IDs that banks might accept. If you don’t have photo ID, you may need to provide multiple alternatives types of ID.
Permanent Resident card
Health Card (not acceptable in all provinces)
Provincial or territorial identity card
Tax Notice of Assessment
Secure Certificate of Indian Status
Canadian Forces Card
Canadian citizenship card (issued before 2012)
Federally issued firearms licence
Foreign passport
US permanent resident card
US driver’s licence
Why is it sometimes difficult to provide ID to open a bank account?
There are a number of scenarios in which someone might be struggling to provide ID, and there are different options they can take.
Just moved to Canada
If you’ve recently arrived in Canada, you might not yet have a residence, making it tough to provide proof of residency. In this case, many banks accept foreign-issued passports as well as your Canadian-issued visa or other immigration documents.
If you’re planning to study in Canada, you might want to open a Canadian bank account for everyday spending and money transfers. Luckily, most major banks have accounts designed for students and newcomers to Canada with provisions for those who can’t provide the usual Canadian ID.
Digital nomads
With more and more people working remotely, travelling the world while working has become much easier. If you’re living the nomadic life, you may want to get a Canadian mailing address from an online address service provider. Note that there is a cost for this service, which varies depending on the provider you choose and whether you pay for add-ons like mail/package forwarding.
Homelessness
Should you find yourself without a home, there are ways to get an address without buying or renting property. Similar to digital nomads, you can get a virtual address or proxy address where your mail can be sent.
ID requirements for major Canadian banks
TD Canada Trust
Requirements:
SIN card and:
Valid Passport
Drivers Licence
Birth Certificate (if under 21)
Government Issued Age of Majority card
Can apply in person at a branch with 2 pieces of ID that show your name, address and date of birth. If you can’t provide a SIN number, documentation must be certified as true by TD Waterhouse or TD Canada Trust Branch personnel.
The eligible piece of identification must contain a photo and be issued by a government agency, including a federal government, (e.g. Canada, US or other foreign government), or by a provincial/territorial/state level government.
Certificate of Canadian Citizenship
Certificate of Indian Status issued by the Government of Canada
Driver’s licence as permitted to be used for identification purposes (a temporary Alberta Driver’s
Licence prohibited from being used as identification)
Canadian Firearms Licence
Government issued ID card or document
Immigration Canada Documents; Immigration
Canada form IMM 1000, IMM 1442, IMM 5292, or IMM 5688
NEXUS Card
Passport
Permanent Resident card
Provincial or territorial health insurance card as permitted to be used as identification under provincial or territorial law (health cards issued by the provinces of Manitoba, Ontario, P.E.I., and Nova Scotia are prohibited from being used as identification anywhere in Canada)
Document or card, bearing the individual’s photograph and signature, issued by any of the following authorities or their successors:
Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
Alberta Registries
Saskatchewan Government Insurance
Department of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations
Department of Transportation and Public Works of the Province of Prince Edward Island
Service New Brunswick
Department of Government Services and Lands of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Department of Transportation of the Northwest Territories
Department of Community Government and Transportation of the Territory of Nunavut
Newcomers to Canada: SIN number and Canadian address
Provincial or federal identification card (excluding Quebec)
Quebec Health Insurance Card (new version)
When applying online, you will submit a copy of your ID and a selfie for comparison. You can also verify your identity by signing into online banking at another financial institution where you have a chequing or savings account.
How to open a bank account without photo ID in Canada
If you can’t provide photo ID, you can often provide a combination of other types of ID to open an account in Canada. Typically at least one has to be government-issued ID.
For example, you could provide your SIN card and birth certificate to the bank when opening an account. Alternatively, you could maybe use a Citizenship and Immigration Canada form (IMM 1000, IMM 1442 or IMM 5292) along with a valid foreign passport.
You will also need to provide proof of address, which is a document showing both your name and home address, like a recent Canadian public utility bill or a notice of tax assessment from the CRA.
There are several possible combinations of ID you can use to open a Canadian bank account. Check the lists above for detailed breakdowns of acceptable ID from top banks.
You may be able to open a bank account without providing multiple types of ID if your bank allows digital identity verification by conducting a soft credit check, which won’t affect your credit score. However, some banks require hard credit checks if you open an account online. This will affect your credit score.
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Bottom line
To prevent fraud, you can’t open a bank account in Canada without ID. Although passports and driver’s licences are the most commonly used forms of ID, banks typically accept a much wider range of documents to verify your identity. You may also be able to verify your ID by consenting to a credit check.
Frequently asked questions
You'll have a hard time opening a bank account without photo ID in Canada.
If you simply want a way to make card purchases (like you would with a debit or credit card), consider getting a prepaid spending card from an alternative financial institution. Photo ID might still be required, but it's usually easier to sign up for than a bank account and minimum documentation is required.
Examples of prepaid cards you can easily sign up for include the Neo Money card and the KOHO Extra Prepaid Card.
If you want to transfer money, check out international money transfer services like Wise, WorldRemit or Xe.
If you don't have ID on a bank's official list of acceptable identification, go into a bank branch personally to speak to a representative. The bank may be flexible with ID requirements as long as you can verify basic details like your name, Canadian residency and date of birth.
When verifying your residency to open a bank account in Canada, banks will usually accept a recent utility bill, bank statement, CRA Notice of Assessment, credit card bill, government benefits statement, school transcript or other document showing your name and address.
Canadian banks typically don't accept expired ID, so you'll need to renew your ID before opening a bank account.
Banking scores
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Finder scores, in blue, are based on our expert analysis. We assess multiple key categories broken down into over 30 different data points across both chequing and savings accounts.
Stacie Hurst is an editor at Finder, specializing in loans, banking, investing and money transfers. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Writing, and she has completed FP Canada Institute's Financial Management Course. Before working in the publishing industry, Stacie completed one year of law school in the United States. When not working, she can usually be found watching K-dramas or playing games with her friends and family. See full bio
Chelsey Hurst is a publisher at Finder, specializing in banking and investments. She loves empowering people to avoid financial pitfalls and make better decisions with their money. Chelsey has a Bachelor of Science from Redeemer University, a Master of Science from McMaster University, and has won multiple awards for research communication. In her spare time, Chelsey enjoys cooking and taking long walks in nature. See full bio
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