So, I'm in a bit of a unique situation in relation to my startup. I'm an international founder of a U.S tech company and I incorporated with Stripe Atlas.
I had no issues with the incorporation whatsoever. I received the formation documents, the EIN, all went very smoothly. UNTIL, I got to the part of opening a bank account.
The problem is, my passport is expired. And due to absurd military-service rules I won't be able to renew it till 2028 (when I turn 30). Either that or I start the military service which takes 2 years at the end of which I'll be able to renew the passport. So, basically achieves nothing.
I have been able to use my other forms of ID for various business services. Apple Developer for instance accepted a photo of my expired passport in combination with my other forms of ID with certified translations.
Financial institutions, however, would not accept anything but a valid non-expired passport. I tried virtually all of them. Mercury, Relay, Wise even Stripe's new financial account feature. They're all very strict and you rarely get to talk to a human. Even if you do, they're taught to read the same scripts as the bots.
I do understand where this is coming from, of course. Scams and fraud are increasingly becoming a huge problem and I'm all for being strict towards preventing them. My question, however, is will I ever be able to get any kind of investment before the 2028 threshold? If so, how? And do yo guys know of any financial providers who might be willing to handle a unique case like this one?
Appreciate your advice!