Robinhood vs. SoFi vs. Webull for Visa Holders: Eligibility & Features (2026)

You have an F-1 or H-1B visa, a U.S. address, and perhaps $500 to start investing. Three apps promise accessible investing: Robinhood, SoFi Invest, and Webull. But one missing document can make a seemingly attractive brokerage irrelevant.

The right first question is not “Which app is best?” It is “Which broker’s published rules match my immigration documents, tax ID, and residence—and what happens if I leave the U.S.?”

We checked the three brokers’ published U.S. onboarding requirements, fractional-share rules, account transfer charges, and ongoing residency requirements, then mapped them to common visa-holder situations. This is a document-based comparison, not a claim that KoruVest submitted applications or personally tested these accounts.

Research last verified: October 15, 2026. United States self-directed brokerage accounts unless noted. Rules, documents, fees and availability may change; confirm before applying. How we checked the information ↓

Our eligibility comparison: what each broker actually publishes

Start with these non-negotiable requirements. The table is about published application eligibility, not a prediction that an individual application will be accepted.

Primary evidence: Robinhood application requirements; SoFi account eligibility, visa list and residency reverification; Webull account opening.

Three visa-holder scenarios — the decision changes with one document

These examples are illustrative profiles, not real clients, interviews or actual approvals.

Scenario A: F-1 student, valid ITIN, no SSN, currently living in the U.S.

On published requirements alone, SoFi and Webull are relevant places to check first: both list F-1 and allow an ITIN as a tax ID. Robinhood says an SSN is required, so an ITIN by itself does not satisfy its current brokerage requirement.

That does not mean that either SoFi or Webull will approve the application. A supported visa, genuine physical address, identity verification and any requested supplemental documents still matter. If an applicant has neither an SSN nor an ITIN, none of these three published account-opening pathways satisfies the stated tax-ID requirement.

Scenario B: H-1B worker, valid SSN, U.S. residential address

All three become plausible candidates for verification. Now the decision moves to how you invest, what you pay if you transfer out, and whether you expect to remain in the U.S. For a simple monthly ETF investor, advanced trading charts may be optional; for someone who uses analysis tools, Webull’s interface may matter more. Avoid assuming that visa status itself guarantees approval.

Scenario C: F-1 graduate or H-1B worker planning to move abroad

This is where an account that works today may become inconvenient. SoFi explicitly says it does not support Invest customers who reside outside the U.S. For Robinhood and Webull, do not infer a permanent overseas-service entitlement from the ability to open an account in the U.S. Ask their support teams how your destination country and new tax residence affect existing holdings, new purchases, transfers and withdrawals.

For readers who already live outside the United States, start with our non-U.S. resident brokerage comparison rather than treating U.S.-resident app eligibility as global availability.

What looks free at signup may cost money later

Robinhood, SoFi Self-Directed Invest and Webull generally advertise $0 commissions for eligible U.S.-listed stock and ETF trades. This is not the same as zero total costs. Regulatory or exchange charges, fund expense ratios, advisory fees and transfer fees can still apply.

The following figures were checked against each provider’s published help or fee documentation on October 15, 2026.

Notes: ACAT is a securities-account transfer to another broker, not the same as an ordinary cash withdrawal. An incoming broker may have a reimbursement offer, subject to conditions. Fractional-share availability depends on the security. Broker schedules can change.

Original KoruVest calculation: how expensive is a transfer for a small portfolio?

Imagine an investor who has $500 invested, then wants to move the account to another U.S. brokerage using ACAT. Divide the provider’s stated transfer fee by the assumed account balance:

At a $2,000 balance, the same amounts correspond to 5%, 5% and 3.75%, respectively. These are illustrations of disclosed fees as a share of a hypothetical balance, not actual portfolio returns or quotes of the final cash deducted in every situation. The point is that small-account investors should consider exit costs before selecting a broker.

Fractional shares may also be liquidated rather than transferred in kind, potentially creating a taxable transaction. Check each firm’s account-transfer mechanics. A cash withdrawal or sale-and-withdraw approach has different timing, tax and fee consequences and should not be assumed to be an equivalent workaround.

One underreported risk: keeping your account active after approval

SoFi’s published rules are distinctive in two ways. First, non-permanent-resident Invest members must verify U.S. residency every six months. The provider warns that failing to verify can restrict or ultimately close the account. Second, it discloses a $25 inactivity fee for an Invest account inactive for the preceding six months. Simply logging into the SoFi profile counts as activity according to its guidance; you need not trade just to avoid the inactivity fee.

These are separate obligations. Logging in does not replace residency verification. A visa holder focused on long-term, low-turnover investing should make room for both periodic compliance messages and account activity checks.

We have not assumed equivalent six-month reverification or inactivity terms at Robinhood or Webull without matching published evidence. Always inspect the current account agreement for your own account type.

Tax residency and immigration status are different questions

An F-1 or H-1B visa is an immigration category. The IRS separately determines federal resident-alien versus nonresident-alien status, often using the substantial presence test and exceptions. Eligible F-1 students generally exclude certain U.S. presence days for up to five calendar years, subject to detailed rules and prior years in other qualifying categories; that is not an exemption from income tax.

This distinction can affect which taxpayer certification (such as Form W-9 or W-8BEN) is appropriate and how certain income is reported or withheld. A valid ITIN alone does not tell you which tax form applies. Verify your tax-residency facts using IRS Publication 519 and IRS W-8BEN instructions; seek qualified advice when your status is uncertain.

For the immigration-side question of whether passive stock investing differs from work activity, read Can F-1 Students Invest in Stocks?. For the documents and tax-residency sequence, see Brokerage Accounts for Non-U.S. Citizens.

Five questions to ask a broker before uploading your documents

This KoruVest pre-application worksheet is designed to turn the research into an action you can use without sharing passport scans or personal tax numbers with this website.

1. Visa document: Does the broker currently support my exact immigration classification and expiration date? Is a current I-94, I-20, approval notice or other supporting record needed in addition to a passport?
2. Tax ID: Does the brokerage account accept my SSN or ITIN? Do not assume another product at the same company follows the same rule.
3. Residence: Is my real current home address in a supported service area? Would a planned move require new documentation?
4. Exit plan: What happens if I become resident in [destination country]? Can I retain the account, hold assets, make purchases, transfer and withdraw? Request the answer in writing if the policy matters to you.
5. Cost and account type: What are the latest account, inactivity, fund, transfer-out and advisory fees for the specific account type I plan to use?

Suggested support message: “I currently live in [U.S. state] with [visa type] and [SSN/ITIN]. Please confirm whether I may apply for a self-directed brokerage account, what documents you need, and how an eventual relocation to [country] would affect trading, transfers and withdrawals.”

Do not email a full SSN, passport scan or other sensitive identity documents through ordinary unprotected email. Use the firm’s official secure document-upload process.

What we would prioritize for each situation

F-1 with ITIN but no SSN: Verify SoFi and Webull first because both publish the relevant tax-ID and F-1 pathways. F-1 or H-1B with SSN: All three deserve a requirements check; weigh platform usability and recurring costs after confirming eligibility. Likely to depart the U.S.: Confirm cross-border servicing and potential account-transfer costs before funding any of them.

There is no universally best app for visa holders. A choice that looks excellent on a feature list may be the wrong account if your papers or future residence do not fit the firm’s conditions.

How KoruVest checked these claims

Research method: We compared the providers’ public eligibility pages, accepted-visa lists, fractional-share policies, inactivity/advisory-fee disclosures and outgoing transfer rules as displayed on October 15, 2026. We kept brokerage approval claims conditional, separated brokerage residency from federal tax residency, and independently calculated the transfer-fee examples from stated dollar amounts. We did not open accounts, interview broker representatives or run live applications for this review.

Scope: U.S. brokerage offerings; rules differ by product and are subject to account review. For provider-specific outcomes not documented publicly (especially servicing after moving overseas), this guide deliberately tells readers to confirm rather than inventing a yes/no answer.

Official primary sources

• Robinhood — What you need to get started; Fractional shares; Transfer your assets out
• SoFi — Invest eligibility; Accepted visa documents; Residency reverification
• SoFi — Fractional Stock Bits; Robo Invest advisory fee; Inactivity fee; ACAT transfer fees
• Webull — Opening your account; Fractional-share requirements; Asset transfer fees
• IRS — U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens (Publication 519); IRS — Form W-8BEN instructions

Some rules may change after this check. The original research table and fee calculation should be reviewed whenever a provider updates its published policies. No affiliate compensation or firsthand application testing is claimed in this article.

Educational disclaimer: This article provides general information only and is not personalized investment, tax, legal or immigration advice. It does not recommend a security or guarantee eligibility at any broker. Investing carries risk, including loss of principal. Confirm current account terms with the broker and consult appropriately licensed professionals about individual circumstances.