I recently attempted to open a bank account at US Bank without an SSN in California. Here's how it went.

Having no bank account, I cash all my checks at a branch of the bank upon which they're drawn. A friend with whom I do business has a US Bank account and pays me with checks drawn on that account. When I would go in to a local branch to cash the check, the teller would ask me if I had a bank account to which I would reply that I do not. They would then ask if I'd like to open one, and I would give them the same response I gave to all other tellers at all other banks that asked: not unless I can open one without a SSN. To my surprise, the US Bank teller said they could and would.

So I went in one day to open an account, having spoken to the branch manager and confirmed that I would simply need two forms of ID. I have a state ID card (that I got only because I found it nearly impossible to use my "functionally equivalent" identification to otherwise cash checks) but nothing else. After some discussion it was determined that I could use a vehicle registration form. My wife's car is still registered with the state, so I was able to use the registration renewal form as a second ID. I also believe a marriage license would be acceptable as well, based on something I read somewhere in the CA statutes that allowed for alternative ID for some specific purpose and a marriage license was one of the items mentioned.

The clerk was unable to enter all 9's or 0's in the SSN field. The only way to make the SSN field go away was to select a county other than "United States" from the drop down list, but I didn't want to represent myself as being a citizen of any other country (which would be a lie, probably an unfortunate one at that). I told her I was a citizen of California, and explained dual citizenship in the US (state v. federal) and she was very fascinated and appreciated the lesson, but that didn't help the computer understand my status. Passing myself off as an "American National" was of no use either. The clerk let me look at the country scroll down list and I didn't find anything that I would feel comfortable using. The only logical choice available was "United States".

So, no go. I continue to research this. I know there is a way.