E*TRADE For Non-U.S. Residents
To open an account at E*TRADE, you need to meet these criteria:
1. You must be at least 18 years old (though those under 18 can open custodial accounts).
2. You need a residential address in the U.S. or its territories (exceptions are made for military personnel stationed abroad).
3. You must have a valid Social Security Number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (a Social Security Number is required for bank accounts).
E*TRADE does not require U.S. citizenship to open an account. People of many nationalities can apply as long as they meet the above conditions. However, most non-U.S. citizens do not have a U.S. residential address and therefore are usually unable to open an E*TRADE account.
Fortunately, there is a U.S. brokerage firm that welcomes international investors — ZacksTrade. The company has some
of the lowest margin rates in the industry, offers a professional trading platform, and access to
91 exchanges around the world. Learn more about the company in the
ZacksTrade Review.
Open ZacksTrade Account
Visit ZacksTrade Website
E*TRADE Available Countries
E*TRADE’s standard retail brokerage business is aimed at U.S. residents.
Overview of ZacksTrade
Although opening a brokerage account with a firm based in the United States is often impossible for
non-Americans, ZacksTrade provides an alternative. The broker-dealer offers accounts to residents
of foreign countries, non-Americans, and Americans alike. Here’s how to get your account open no matter where
you live or what your citizenship is:
How to Open an Account
To get started, click here,
and then on the OPEN AN ACCOUNT button that appears in the middle of the page. The broker’s website is accessible from virtually any location on the planet, although a few nationalities are restricted from opening an account. For example, North Korea is not on the list of eligible countries; but there are over 200 that are on the list, so almost anyone can open a ZacksTrade account ($250 is required to get started for any nationality).
After clicking on the green button, you’ll get the broker-dealer’s electronic application page. You simply need to provide your name, email address, and phone number, and you’ll immediately have an account number. To get the account up and running, you will need to provide further details. Besides the standard data points, ZacksTrade's application will ask for:
Citizenship
Country of birth
Country of tax residency
Social Security Number (other national ID number can be used)
Thankfully, ZacksTrade's online application is available in multiple languages. Look in the
top-right corner of the screen and you should see your account number next to a language menu.
Click on this language menu and you’ll get a drop-down list of several languages, including
Spanish, English, and Japanese. Unfortunately, ZacksTrade's regular website is in English only.
Fees on Foreign Accounts
ZacksTrade does have account fees that can apply to foreign and domestic accounts alike. This means there is no annual fee, but there is a $15 monthly inactivity charge on accounts under $25,000 that generate less than $15 in commission fees. The broker does have the $250 initial deposit requirement mentioned above.
ZacksTrade does charge for withdrawals after one free withdrawal per month. The exact charge varies by the currency being withdrawn and the method of withdrawal. A withdrawal by wire in U.S. dollars is $10. A withdrawal by wire in Euros costs €8; in rubles, the fee is 330₽.
Currency conversion is possible inside a ZacksTrade account. The brokerage house charges between US$2 and US$2.50 for a conversion from U.S. dollars.
Margin and credit interest rates at ZacksTrade vary by currency. For example, borrowing Danish krone
costs 5%, while margin rates on the Mexican peso can be as high as 9%.
Open ZacksTrade Account
Visit ZacksTrade Website
Countries Accepted
If you are an international investor from one of these countries -
Belgium, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea,
Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Taiwan, United Kingdom (Great Britain),
Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Comoros,
Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam -
then go to ZacksTrade »
Updated on 4/3/2026.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
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