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U.S. Cross-Border Banking

We’re on your side, north and south of the border.

CALL OUR CROSS-BORDER HOTLINE

Benefits

Find out what you can do with cross-border banking

Whether you’re a snowbird, a frequent traveler or a Canadian who works in the U.S., BMO can help take care of your banking needs on both sides of the border.

  • Do you travel frequently between the U.S. and Canada?

    We can help you:

    • Save U.S. dollars before you travel

    • Send U.S. dollars to the U.S. and access them when you’re there

    • Shop with U.S. dollars

  • Are you a snowbird who lives in both the U.S. and Canada?

    We can help you:

    • Save, transfer and shop in U.S. dollars

    • Pay bills in the U.S. and Canada

    • Buy a vacation property

  • Are you a Canadian working or studying in the U.S.?

    We can help you:

    • Handle day-to-day banking on both sides of the border

    • Buy a home in the U.S.

    • Take care of your U.S. investment needs

Looking for private wealth cross-border solutions? Check out BMO Private Wealth

Banking Solutions

Two countries, one seamless banking experience

We make cross-border banking easy in the U.S. and in Canada.

  • Get a personal checking account with BMO U.S.

    Access your account via BMO Digital Banking (U.S.) and enjoy being able to:

    • Deposit U.S. checks footnote 2, footnote 12
    • Use online tools to transfer funds footnote 3

    You can also:

    • Get a BMO Debit Mastercard® with no transaction fees at Allpoint® and BMO ATMs in the U.S. footnote 4
    • Pay U.S. bills
    • Access your account at BMO U.S. branches
    EXPLORE U.S. CHECKING ACCOUNTS
  • Get a credit card with BMO U.S.

    Pay in U.S. dollars and choose one of our BMO U.S. credit cards that meets your spending and rewards needs footnote 5

  • Get a mortgage with BMO U.S.

    Find the support you need with:

    • Lending solutions that help you buy a home in the U.S. footnote 6
    • A mortgage program that allows credit decisions to be based on your Canadian credit history, something that not all U.S. lenders do
  • Get a U.S. dollar checking account with BMO Canada

    Access your account via BMO Online Banking (Canada) and enjoy being able to:

    • Deposit U.S. checks footnote 7
    • Pay Canadian bills
    • Use online tools to transfer funds to BMO U.S. footnote 8

     

  • Get a Canadian dollar checking account with BMO Canada

    Access your account via BMO Online Banking (Canada) and enjoy being able to:

    • Pay Canadian bills
    • Transfer U.S. funds via BMO Global Money Transfer
    • Withdraw funds from U.S. ATMs footnote 13

money movement

How to do cross-border money transfers

From Canada to the U.S.

Your options include:

  • BMO Canada to BMO U.S. Transfer – send up to USD $25,000 per transaction online from your BMO Canada U.S. dollar account to your BMO U.S. deposit account footnote 8
  • BMO Global Money Transfer – send money from your BMO Canada Canadian dollar checking account to your BMO U.S. deposit account

From the U.S. to Canada

Your options include:

  • BMO Canada Wire – send up to USD $50,000 per transaction footnote 9,  footnote 10 through BMO Digital Banking (U.S.) from your BMO U.S. deposit account to your BMO Canada U.S. dollar account for no fee
  • BMO International Money Transfer – visit a BMO U.S. branch to make a U.S. dollar wire transfer from your BMO U.S. deposit account to your BMO Canada account. We’ll waive the transfer fee, but other fees will apply footnote 11

Resources

Looking for something more specific?

Whether you need help with private wealth management, business banking or commercial banking, we have teams across BMO to support all your cross-border banking needs.

  • Private wealth management

Explore our financial resources

From articles to banking support to online safety tips, we’ve got the latest information to help you make real financial progress.

U.S. cross-border banking FAQs

  • At BMO U.S., we're pleased to welcome our Canadian neighbors by making cross-border banking simple and convenient. Whether you’re a frequent visitor to the U.S. or enjoy extended stays, we offer Canadian clients U.S. products and services that help make cross-border banking seamless. We can help meet your financial needs whether you live, vacation, shop or study in the U.S.

  • No, you can use your Canadian address.

  • Yes! BMO U.S. personal credit cards come with great benefits and rewards and are available to our Canadian customers. If you’re a BMO customer in Canada interested in a BMO U.S. credit card, please call 1-888-214-6720 or visit any BMO U.S. branch to apply or get more information. Certain eligibility requirements apply. footnote 5

  • Yes. BMO U.S. can provide lending solutions to qualifying customers footnote 6 who are looking to purchase residential property in the United States. You may refer to a Gateway Mortgage Banker at a BMO branch or to the BMO Cross-Border Banking Hotline, available at 1-888-214-6720.

  • You can access your BMO Canada CAD account to withdraw U.S. cash at BMO U.S. ATMs. footnote 13 You cannot access BMO Canada U.S. dollar accounts to withdraw U.S. cash at BMO U.S. ATMs. BMO Canada accounts cannot be accessed through BMO U.S. branches.

  • Can I view my BMO U.S. and BMO Canada accounts together online?

    Yes you can, with BMO Total Look, which is available through BMO Digital Banking (U.S.).

    Can I download the BMO Digital Banking (U.S.) app footnote 12 even if I’m in Canada? 

    Yes, the app is available through the U.S. Apple App store and the U.S. Google Play store. Please contact your hardware provider if you have any questions about accessing the U.S. Apple App store or Google Play store.

    How can I pay my U.S. bills?

    You can pay U.S. bills from U.S. companies and financial institutions using BMO Bill Pay, available through BMO Digital Banking (U.S.) and the BMO Digital Banking (U.S.) app. footnote 12

    Is there a fee if I use a BMO Canada Debit Card to withdraw U.S. cash at BMO ATMs?

    As a courtesy to BMO customers, BMO does not charge an ATM surcharge fee when you withdraw cash at any BMO ATM. footnote 13 A network fee may apply. Foreign currency transaction fees will apply.

    How can I pay for fuel with my BMO U.S. debit or credit card on a terminal that requires a zip code?

    Use the three numbers from your postal code and add two zeroes at the end when prompted for a five-digit zip code at the pump. For example, if your postal code is M1A 2B3, the five-digit number you enter is 12300.

Ready to get started? Let’s chat

  • Call our Cross-Border Hotline

    Our team at the BMO U.S. Customer Contact Center can help with your banking needs. footnote 1

    1-888-214-6720
  • Come in and talk to us

    Our in-branch teams can help you find the banking solutions you need.

Terms and Conditions:

  • Footnote 1 details Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.

  • Footnote 2 details Mobile Deposit is available using the BMO Digital Banking (BMO U.S.) app. This service may not function on older devices. Users must be a BMO Digital Banking customer with a BMO U.S. account opened for more than 5 calendar days. Deposits are not immediately available for withdrawal. For details, please see the BMO Digital Banking Agreement found at bmo.com/en-us/legal.

  • Footnote 3 details If you make an Internal Transfer on a weekend or holiday, we'll credit the payment the same day, but we'll post the payment on the next Business Day.

  • Footnote 4 details When using a BMO U.S. debit card, Foreign Transaction Fees will apply at BMO and Allpoint® ATMs located outside of the United States. When using a BMO Canada debit card (i.e., not a BMO U.S. debit card) you may be charged a fee in the U.S. When using a BMO U.S. debit card at an ATM that is not owned or operated by BMO U.S. or Allpoint®, the ATM owner or operator may charge you a surcharge fee for a withdrawal, transfer or balance inquiry.

  • 5 To be eligible for one of our U.S. credit cards, customers will need to meet certain minimum relationship standards, including having: