State Dept. Fed. Credit Union - difficulties but maybe successful

[gamb00ler]

Knowing that we would soon relocate from US to CM I opened SDFCU accounts in Dec. '19.  All accounts except IRA were made joint with my Thai wife (US citizen).  We changed our address everywhere to be that of our friend's condo so we could quickly deal with any loose ends after departing.  IRS, SSA, banks addresses were all updated.  But, thinking we wouldn't need a US license we didn't update those.  SDFCU said living outside US wouldn't be a problem, but that it would be a good idea to keep an onshore mailing address.

 

We moved to CM in late Sep. '20.

 

The wife's IRA at another US institution still had an active CD so we didn't transfer that account before moving.  When CD matured we started the process of moving her IRA account to SDFCU.  SDFCU required that she have her own membership to open an IRA account in her name only.  That's when the NOT fun portion started.

 

SDFCU required her to file an application and submit supporting identification documents.  They insisted on a residential lease OR a utility bill in her name.  They also complained about her DL address differing from the address on her application.  So they declined her membership application after it was PENDING for a few days.  I emailed and gave a full explanation of our situation and was told they would make a note on the app and we should re-submit it.  They again declined.  Another round of e-mails and they suggested that a DL with the matching address would suffice.  Fortunately the state we resided in allowed online address updates so we both got updated DL's and submitted app once more.  Again declined but this time it occurred instantly.

 

Using our Google Voice line I called SDFCU support and spent over an hour explaining our situation again and then a seemingly interminable wait for them to consider.  I finally got a verbal assurance that the app would be accepted.  We're still awaiting the actual final approval.  Getting a membership for my wife has taken three months so far.

 

Headache Prevention Tips:

- as best you can, make sure you have EVERY account you will need set up before you leave US

- having a joint account may not suffice for a US financial institution to grant a sole ownership account

- get a Google Voice number up and verified before departure or keep a US based mobile for the first few months at least

- Google Voice works most of the time for outbound calls but receiving inbound calls only works about 10% - usually goes to voicemail

- if using address of friend/relative for mail forwarding consider getting a "lease" agreement in place or a utility service in your name

- update state DL to reflect your forwarding address ... difficult if in a different state

 

Edited August 29, 2021 by gamb00ler
clarity

[cmarshall]

We had a similar experience when we went to open an account for my wife at SDFCU.  Took about four months.  They are very fussy about documentation.  But it all worked out in the end.  

 

Have you established "emeritus status" with SDFCU yet?  If you are retired and get SS or some other pension auto-deposited to SDFCU, they give you a few small benefits including reducing the cost of a domestic wire transfer to $6 from the normal $20 if I remember correctly.  If your Thailand bank is Bangkok Bank, which is a US bank, then you can do overnight wire transfers SDFCU -> BKK Bank for the $6.  You can also set up a "template" for such transfers.  Then when you do your, let's say monthly, transfer, you just send an email to the Wires department asking them to put through a transfer in the amount of $XXX using the "Smith-Joe" template.  Next morning about 9 AM the money arrives.

 

My GV calls ring in my Google Voice app on Android 100% of the time.  You might have a problem with your phone.

 

Maintaining a state driver's license is one of the criteria that some states include when determining whether your tax domicile remains that state even though you have moved away.  Therefore, it is safer to surrender your state DL and get a receipt for it as part of cutting all ties with your former state.  Doesn't apply to no-income-tax states, of course.

Edited August 30, 2021 by cmarshall

[mtls2005]

On 8/29/2021 at 5:12 PM, gamb00ler said:

Google Voice works most of the time for outbound calls but receiving inbound calls only works about 10% - usually goes to voicemail

This seems like a Settings, or network issue issue. I receive 100% of my GV calls. In fact, four phones might ring (3 mobiles, 1 POTs connected to a VoIP adapter, which can handle up to 4 lines; I have two GV numbers.) Maybe do some research to this and see if you can rectify it.

 

Go to voice.google.com while logged into your Google/GMail account, go to settings, go to Calls, Incoming Calls, tick the devices you want calls directed to. While there, look at Linked Numbers, is there a phone number you've provided? You do not want calls forwarded to another number. And un-tick Screen Calls. There may be more issues/settings to check.

 

I would also recommend an UltraMobile SIM - mainly because they support WiFi calling, so with a WiFi network here your calls are treated as domestic. $3/month gets you 100 minutes and 100 SMSes.

 

You could port an existing number (mobile or landline) to GV or UM, to preserve continuity. I'd recommend porting a mobile number to GV where possible.

 

Talk a tone is a good free option.

 

There's a lot to do before relocating from the U.S to here. A lot of issues are exacerbated by COVID, since returning has been more challenging.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gamb00ler]

Thanks for the tips.

 

I've been using GV since it's inception in 2010 and am very familiar with it's settings.  I have no phone number linked to my GV account.  I only have the Web device and IOS device listed.  Only my iPhone is set to receive calls.

 

My iPhone will often ring only once or twice before an incoming GV call goes to voicemail.  I've tried many experiments with the help of my US contacts and they report that they hear the ring tone several times before it goes to voicemail.  I can't chalk it up to internet latency as my Ping tests to US seem decent and delays during GV conversations are close to landline quality.

 

Since I pay Google $0 maybe they're hoping I'll disappear and be replaced by a paying customer.????

Edited September 2, 2021 by gamb00ler

[skatewash]

Applied for State Department Federal Credit Union account and was declined twice.  Seemed to be a giant waste of my time.  Applied for a Charles Schwab Bank account instead and was accepted with no problem.  Still use the Charles Schwab account.  Don't miss the SDFCU account.

[Jingthing]

26 minutes ago, skatewash said:

Applied for State Department Federal Credit Union account and was declined twice.  Seemed to be a giant waste of my time.  Applied for a Charles Schwab Bank account instead and was accepted with no problem.  Still use the Charles Schwab account.  Don't miss the SDFCU account.

Declined why?

[Jingthing]

OP, could you have signed up with your wife's U.S. passport as ID?

 

I do understand SDFCU can be a PITA. 

 

I opened it from Thailand and since I still had valid US license they suggested opening it with that even though in theory they can be opened with passport. 

 

I've heard good things about Capital One for expats being even better than Schwab but I think you still to fake living in the US 

 

If regulations allowed I wish someone would just start a bank that specifically caters to expats! 

[gamb00ler]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

OP, could you have signed up with your wife's U.S. passport as ID?

 

I do understand SDFCU can be a PITA. 

 

I opened it from Thailand and since I still had valid US license they suggested opening it with that even though in theory they can be opened with passport. 

 

I've heard good things about Capital One for expats being even better than Schwab but I think you still to fake living in the US 

 

If regulations allowed I wish someone would just start a bank that specifically caters to expats! 

Their problem is not with proving my wife's identity.  It seems they insist that she shows that she lives at the same address that we have listed on the account.  I explained that at least for the next year+ we will be living in Thailand.  They STILL are denying her an account even when we have supplied documents that satisfy their address verification rules.

[Jingthing]

33 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

Their problem is not with proving my wife's identity.  It seems they insist that she shows that she lives at the same address that we have listed on the account.  I explained that at least for the next year+ we will be living in Thailand.  They STILL are denying her an account even when we have supplied documents that satisfy their address verification rules.

That's interesting. Because when I opened my account there I was pretty clear that I lived in Thailand but was given guidance that opening with a driver's license ID was just going to be easier.

[skatewash]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Declined why?

Communication with SDFCU seemed to be a problem.  Didn't like my Commercial Mail Receiving Agency address which is of course a non-residential address but is the only address I maintain in the US.  Didn't like my Thai address, either, which is in fact my residential address. 

It wasn't my first rodeo with a Federal Credit Union as I'm a 25-year member of another FCU, but I find they can be a little idiosyncratic at times.  To be honest it seemed to me that they just didn't like that I lived in Thailand.  I was less impressed with SDFCU after dealing with them then I was before.

Charles Schwab accepted my CMRA address in the US, and to date, no problems have ensued.  You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you might  just find, you get what you need.

 

[gamb00ler]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

That's interesting. Because when I opened my account there I was pretty clear that I lived in Thailand but was given guidance that opening with a driver's license ID was just going to be easier.

Perhaps their policies have changed.  We started preparing for the move to Thailand about a year before we actually moved.  Part of the preparation was opening SDFCU accounts.  I spoke to a SDFCU customer service representative when opening the accounts and explained that we would be moving to Thailand.  The rep just said that as long as we kept a US mailing address everything would be fine.  Now...it doesn't seem to be acceptable to them

[skatewash]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

OP, could you have signed up with your wife's U.S. passport as ID?

 

I do understand SDFCU can be a PITA. 

 

I opened it from Thailand and since I still had valid US license they suggested opening it with that even though in theory they can be opened with passport. 

 

I've heard good things about Capital One for expats being even better than Schwab but I think you still to fake living in the US 

 

If regulations allowed I wish someone would just start a bank that specifically caters to expats! 

Yes, agree that CapitalOne has offered good service for someone living outside the US.  I used my CMRA agency (non-residential) address in the US to open three credit card accounts from Thailand.  Never any problems.  Have them send my new credit cards to my US address and I have them forwarded to Thailand from there.

There are know-your-customer rules in place in the US, but some financial institutions (like CapitalOne and Charles Schwab) seem to be able to legally open accounts for people who live outside the US and other financial institutions don't seem to be able to.  This leads me to believe the problems lie with the financial institutions interpretation of what their due diligence should be with regard to these rules.

[gamb00ler]

9 minutes ago, skatewash said:

There are know-your-customer rules in place in the US, but some financial institutions (like CapitalOne and Charles Schwab) seem to be able to legally open accounts for people who live outside the US and other financial institutions don't seem to be able to.  This leads me to believe the problems lie with the financial institutions interpretation of what their due diligence should be with regard to these rules.

I agree that it is probably SDFCU that is over zealous in their interpretation.

 

In my experience SDFCU is way, way behind most other financial institutions in their procedures.  Up to now I've been patient with how old fashioned they are.  I'm now seeking other institutions that will accept us as customers without requiring stringent proof of residence such as utility bill, etc.  SDFCU does have better interest rates than almost any bank, but I see other Credit Unions are competitive with SDFCU.

Edited September 12, 2021 by gamb00ler