You may want to close your account if you don’t have any financial obligations in the U.S. and you need easy access to the money in your home country. Even if you withdraw all the money in your account before leaving the U.S., you may still want to formally close your account so you are not charged any fees for keeping your account open.
To close your account, find out the procedures for your bank. Many banks will let you close your account in person at a branch location, on the phone, or by mail. A few banks will even let you close your account online. There may be special procedures if you have a joint account. If you are closing your account from abroad, you will have to write a letter with specific information to your local branch. Make sure all of your checks and automatic payments have cleared before closing the account. You may be prevented from closing your checking account if you have a negative balance.
To get your money you will have to choose between a check or transfer or, if permitted by the bank, having your money loaded onto a prepaid card that you can carry which may be safer than cash. Check to make sure that you are able to deposit a foreign check into a bank account in your home country and be aware of any relevant fees or requirements for processing international checks. For example, see Condusef’s recommendations for depositing international checks in México and other tips for sending money to México. If you choose a check, you will have to carry the check to your home country. When you are there, you can deposit it in your home country account, but it may take 40-60 days to clear. For a bank draft and wire transfer you will already need an account in the home country. See Chapter 14 on Taking Money Across the Border for more tips.
Tip: Be extremely careful of security concerns like fraud or robbery when traveling with cash or a check, even if it is written in your name.