STRATEGIC PARTNERS
December 4, 2001
MINNEAPOLIS -- As part of an effort to make banking easier for Mexican nationals, U.S. Bank has made more materials available in Spanish, including enhanced Spanish language options on its 24-hour phone banking and ATMs.
U.S. Bank has also hired more bilingual employees in key service areas and offers several no-cost banking seminars in Spanish in communities where these seminars are of interest.
In addition, the bank now accepts the ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), the official identification issued by the Consulate of Mexico, to open a bank account or cash checks that are drawn on U.S. Bank.
U.S. Bank has partnered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Social Security to educate consumers about the use of the ITIN, which makes it easier for individuals with non-resident status to open accounts. Consumers can get more information about the ITIN from their local Social Security office, according to a news release.
The move, which took effect on Nov. 1, is available at 2,186 branches in 24 states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
"We quickly realized that it is important to the Mexican community to make the account opening process more convenient,' said Alice Perez, who leads the Hispanic initiative at U.S. Bank. "It's important that people have a place to keep their money safely. Plus it helps them build a financial relationship in the community where they live and work."
