Vanguard for Non-U.S. Citizens (2025)

Is Vanguard only for US citizens? Can non US citizens open a Vanguard brokerage account? Vanguard international account for non US residents

Vanguard for non-U.S. Citizens: Key Points

• Brokerage accounts with the U.S. division of Vanguard can only be opened by U.S. citizens and resident aliens.

• A U.S. Social Security Number is required to open a U.S.-based Vanguard account.

• Vanguard does have global operations, and some of its foreign divisions will open accounts for non-Americans.

Overview of Vanguard

The Vanguard Group, Inc. is an investment firm that operates multiple lines of business. It functions as an asset manager with lineups of mutual funds and ETFs. It also works as an investment advisor and broker-dealer. In these two roles, it opens securities accounts for retail investors in multiple countries. The most well-known location is the United States. For a U.S.-based account, Vanguard requires either U.S. citizenship or permanent residence. In either case, a valid Social Security Number is required.

Vanguard’s International Accounts

For investors outside the United States, Vanguard has a few (only a few) subsidiaries that will open accounts for non-U.S. persons. The company’s international portal is located at global.vanguard.com. Here, countries where Vanguard has operations are presented within three regions. They are the Americas, Asia Pacific, and Europe.

The only country within Asia Pacific where Vanguard has operations is Australia. This branch of Vanguard does offer investing accounts. A residential address in Australia is required, as is an Australia mobile phone number. Vanguard also requires applicants to be Australian residents for tax purposes. An Australian account can be opened online in just a few minutes, and once opened, it will have access to Vanguard mutual funds and ETFs along with the top 300 ASX direct shares.

One of the countries in Europe, the United Kingdom, is eligible for account opening. Here, Vanguard requires U.K. tax residency and a minimum age of 18. Applicants cannot be U.S. citizens.

It should be pointed out that Vanguard’s commission-free pricing schedule does not apply to international accounts. These will have their own fee schedules, which could vary significantly from their U.S. counterparts (commissions will be applied in some cases).

vanguard non us citizen

Firstrade as Alternative

Some of the countries on Vanguard’s global portal are not eligible for retail accounts. For example, Vanguard’s Mexican site is only for institutional and sophisticated investors. Other countries, like China, do not show up at all. One brokerage firm that does a somewhat better job of opening accounts for non-Americans is Firstrade.

Besides Americans, Firstrade opens brokerage accounts . These are located in North America, Europe, and the Pacific region. Here are a few examples:

Belgium
China
Denmark
Finland
Germany
Italy
Mexico
New Zealand
Poland
Spain
Sweden
Thailand

How to Open a Firstrade Account outside the United States

Firstrade customers inside and outside the United States can . It has an international account application that requires a few minutes to complete. A mobile phone number is required, and Firstrade accepts several international numbers. A digital copy of the applicant’s passport is required, and this e-document can be securely uploaded (no snail mail required).

vanguard non us citizen

Trading in a Firstrade International Account

Firstrade customers of both kinds—foreign and domestic—can trade on the American exchanges. Other exchanges are off limits, though. The American exchanges do include both the big ones like the NYSE and the over-the-counter marketplace. Both sectors have American companies and foreign companies via American Depository Receipts (ADRs). A foreign account at Firstrade can be funded using online tools, and the broker charges zero commissions.

Free Firstrade Account

Visit Firstrade Website

Updated on 7/8/2025.

About the Author

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.