WISE just shut me down!

[PumpkinEater]

I’ve been using WISE transfers monthly for the past two years during my retirement without issue, transferring money from my USA bank account to my K bank account. 
I tried the normal WISE transfer yesterday and there was a red notice that I had to update my information. So I went in and saw that all was ok with my information and tried to continue. Again I was denied and called the WISE people who told me that I now need a physical address in the USA and that it cannot be a “mailbox”. I asked about who was behind this regulation and they sent me an email that the “Financial Crime Enforcement Network (FCEN) was behind this new requirement.

My concern as a US Citizen is the “whats next” question?

Are they working on cancellation of overseas living or retirement? Will they cancel my Citizenship and therefore my Social Security because I don’t own a home in the US anymore? Quite disturbing activity by the powers involved…

 

Any other folks out there having this problem?

 

Cheers!

[gargamon]

Welcome to Trump's America.

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, PumpkinEater said:

My concern as a US Citizen is the “whats next” question?

Are they working on cancellation of overseas living or retirement? Will they cancel my Citizenship and therefore my Social Security because I don’t own a home in the US anymore? Quite disturbing activity by the powers involved…

Nearly as bad in the UK, no UK address and they are likely to cancel your bank account.

[RSD1]

Change your address on your Wise account to your address in Thailand. Done. 
 

Or try to open up a Revolut account. Might be able to do the same transfer setup with them.

[PumpkinEater]

4 hours ago, RSD1 said:

Change your address on your Wise account to your address in Thailand. Done. 
 

Or try to open up a Revolut account. Might be able to do the same transfer setup with them.

 

[PumpkinEater]

Doesn’t work…

WISE only accepts address from you passport (issued) country

 

[PumpkinEater]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Nearly as bad in the UK, no UK address and they are likely to cancel your bank account.

They have tried this as well, but so far was able to avoid my banking shutdown.

WTF USA!

[impulse]

7 hours ago, gargamon said:

Welcome to Trump's America.

 

My bank accounts got canceled for lack of a US address about 4 administrations ago.

 

[billd766]

14 minutes ago, PumpkinEater said:

Doesn’t work…

WISE only accepts address from you passport (issued) country

 

How odd. I have a UK passport but my address is in Thailand since 2001.

 

I have had no problems with Wise in the last 5 years when transferring money from the UK to Thailand.

 

Snipped from the OP.

 

Again I was denied and called the WISE people who told me that I now need a physical address in the USA and that it cannot be a “mailbox”. I asked about who was behind this regulation and they sent me an email that the “Financial Crime Enforcement Network (FCEN) was behind this new requirement.

My concern as a US Citizen is the “whats next” question?

Are they working on cancellation of overseas living or retirement? Will they cancel my Citizenship and therefore my Social Security because I don’t own a home in the US anymore? Quite disturbing

 

Perhaps the problem is in the USA under the "new" regime, and not with Wise at all, but with the “Financial Crime Enforcement Network (FCEN).

 

 

[gargamon]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

My bank accounts got canceled for lack of a US address about 4 administrations ago.

 

That's funny. I have 3 or 4 bank accounts down there with a PO box as my address. And I use a google voice number on them. No problem at all. Maybe it's got something to do with the amount of money you have there.

[PumpkinEater]

Just now, gargamon said:

That's funny. I have 3 or 4 bank accounts down there with a PO box as my address. No problem at all. Maybe it's got something to do with the amount of money you have there.

 

[PumpkinEater]

I too have two US bank accounts, and both of them need updated addresses every year.

So far they have “accepted”  my mail center address but threatened to shut them down if I cannot prove my US residence.

[impulse]

48 minutes ago, PumpkinEater said:

I too have two US bank accounts, and both of them need updated addresses every year.

So far they have “accepted”  my mail center address but threatened to shut them down if I cannot prove my US residence.

 

That's been the trajectory for about 20 years now.  Some banks have been stricter than others.  I always reported my residence address honestly, lest I be accused of (and possibly prosecuted for) laundering money if I fibbed.

 

Blaming it on a guy that's been in office less than 2 weeks?  (Not you...  That other guy)

I was amazed at how many hoops I had to jump through to open a new checking account when I became a Covid refugee back in the USA after not being a resident for over a decade.

 

[HappyExpat57]

I believe they will accept virtual addresses from places like iPostal. Only problem with iPostal is they require two forms of ID, they won't accept just a passport.

[oldcpu]

9 hours ago, PumpkinEater said:

Any other folks out there having this problem?

 

 

Do you have any friends or relatives in the USA who will let you use their address?  Other countries you could try (with relatives and friends are most EU countries, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand (and I suspect some others).  Find someone you can really trust.  Note you still use YOUR NAME, you just note the address is 'care-of' your relative or friend.

 

I originally obtained my Wise account (and debit card) while living/working in Germany.  When I moved to Thailand, I changed my mailing address to good friend in Germany  ... To something like:

 

Mr. oldcpu

z.H.d. oldcpu's friend's name (where z.H.d. is like c/o in English)

street address

city, germany

postal code

 

So I am not hiding anything.  Its clear the address is at care-of another person's address.

 

That has worked for me.

.

[sammieuk1]

Make up an address and when the time comes get your new cards sent here 🤔

 

[Yumthai]

16 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Mr. oldcpu

z.H.d. oldcpu's friend's name (where z.H.d. is like c/o in English)

street address

city, germany

postal code

 

So I am not hiding anything.  Its clear the address is at care-of another person's address.

You're actually hiding your current tax residence(s) because this is what Wise is required to know to comply with OECD standards.

But as long as they don't address you directly to update/confirm your residence I guess it's OK.

[KannikaP]

3 hours ago, PumpkinEater said:

Doesn’t work…

WISE only accepts address from you passport (issued) country

 

Incorrect. My WISE account uses my Thai address.

[ballpoint]

Do you have a Wise debit card?  I have a Wise account in Australia, despite not being Australian, nor having an address there, I use my Thai address.  The only "issue" is that Thailand isn't on their debit card issuing list, which to me isn't a problem, but if you did have a debit card and they found you weren't residing in a country that's on their list then I could see them wanting further proof.

 

Looks like you can't get a multi currency card if you live in the US right now too, for some reason, but you can get a USD one.

 

"The Wise card is currently available for personal customers that live in these countries and regions:

Australia

Brazil

Canada

EEA + Switzerland*

Japan

Malaysia

New Zealand

Philippines

Singapore

UK + European microstates and overseas territories*

USA except for residents of Nevada (US Wise Multi-Currency Cards temporarily unavailable)

The Wise Multi-Currency Card isn't available for business customers in Malaysia, the Philippines, and temporarily in the US".

 

Can I get the Wise card in my country? | Wise Help Centre

 

 

Resolut has similar card restrictions, but Thailand isn't on their list either, so you'd still need to provide an address in one of the following countries:

 

"Supported countries where I can sign up for Revolut
You can open a Revolut account if you live in a country or overseas territory listed below.

Supported countries
Australia
Brazil
European Economic Area (EEA) - see below
Japan
New Zealand
Singapore
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
The European Economic Area (EEA)
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

Supported British Overseas Territories
British Indian Ocean Territory
Isle of Man
Jersey
Guernsey
Supported French overseas territories
French Guiana
Guadeloupe
Mayotte
Martinique
Reunion
Saint Martin"

 

Supported countries where I can sign up for Revolut | Revolut United Kingdom

[PumpkinEater]

33 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

 

Do you have any friends or relatives in the USA who will let you use their address?  Other countries you could try (with relatives and friends are most EU countries, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand (and I suspect some others).  Find someone you can really trust.  Note you still use YOUR NAME, you just note the address is 'care-of' your relative or friend.

 

I originally obtained my Wise account (and debit card) while living/working in Germany.  When I moved to Thailand, I changed my mailing address to good friend in Germany  ... To something like:

 

Mr. oldcpu

z.H.d. oldcpu's friend's name (where z.H.d. is like c/o in English)

street address

city, germany

postal code

 

So I am not hiding anything.  Its clear the address is at care-of another person's address.

 

That has worked for me.

.

As with my Drivers license they may want an electric bill or rental agreement in your name for proof….thanks

[Upnotover]

1 minute ago, KannikaP said:

Incorrect. My WISE account uses my Thai address.

I've been wondering about how it works with a Thai address Wise account.  Presumably you can't hold a balance in any currency?  Simply use it as a vehicle to move money to here from a non Thai account?  And obviously no card possible.  

[PumpkinEater]

2 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Incorrect. My WISE account uses my Thai address.

It will not, I tried, The Country…United States is shaded so it cannot be changed…

[ballpoint]

5 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

I've been wondering about how it works with a Thai address Wise account.  Presumably you can't hold a balance in any currency?  Simply use it as a vehicle to move money to here from a non Thai account?  And obviously no card possible.  

No, as I said above, I have a Wise account in Australia using a Thai address, which acts like a regular bank account (except for the debit / ATM card), with an account number, BSB etc.  I keep a small AUD balance in there all the time. 

 

I also have investments in Singapore and contacted Wise once about opening an account there, again using my Thai address. I was told no problem, but I'd have to close my Australian one first.  You can only have one account.

[timendres]

10 hours ago, gargamon said:

Welcome to Trump's America.

 

Nothing to do with Trump.

The USA has started down the road of financial repression.

These rules will get more draconian.

It is the result of a government that is increasingly insolvent.

[KannikaP]

7 minutes ago, PumpkinEater said:

It will not, I tried, The Country…United States is shaded so it cannot be changed…

And I just checked, Thai address and phone number has always worked for years. 

GBP to THB, then to Bkk Bank every month, usually next day at 14.02, as I click long Stay reason.

[Upnotover]

2 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

No, as I said above, I have a Wise account in Australia using a Thai address, which acts like a regular bank account (except for the debit / ATM card), with an account number, BSB etc.  I keep a small AUD balance in there all the time. 

 

I also have investments in Singapore and contacted Wise once about opening an account there, again using my Thai address. I was told no problem, but I'd have to close my Australian one first.  You can only have one account.

Actually was replying to someone else but interesting nevertheless. And you didn't originally open the Australian account with an address there?

[Ohyesuare]

16 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Incorrect. My WISE account uses my Thai address.

 

Same here.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, gargamon said:

That's funny. I have 3 or 4 bank accounts down there with a PO box as my address. And I use a google voice number on them. No problem at all. Maybe it's got something to do with the amount of money you have there.

 

Could be...  With the banks paying 0.1% on checking account deposits, all I kept there was working money and a little emergency money.   I wasn't what they called a "whale".

 

BTW, the OP's dilemma is why I always keep a few thousand in cash, just in case.  Enough, at least, to get things in order and to head back to the USA to find out WTF.

 

[PumpkinEater]

9 minutes ago, Ohyesuare said:

 

Same here.

Here is the page that needs confirmation by WISE.

Note that the Country (My resident Country) is shaded and cannot be changed.

[ballpoint]

44 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Actually was replying to someone else but interesting nevertheless. And you didn't originally open the Australian account with an address there?

 

Opened with my Thai address.