Fidelity Account Restrictions for US Expats: 2026 Policy and What to Do

Fidelity does not close every expat account, but it restricts what you can do once your address is outside the United States. Its trading FAQ says it does not open accounts for new customers residing outside the US. Existing customers who move abroad can generally keep self directed accounts with restrictions: managed relationships end, purchases of US mutual funds stop, and in some countries accounts are limited to selling investments and withdrawing the proceeds.

The trigger is your address of record, not your citizenship. When Fidelity learns you reside outside the US, common outcomes are:

• New account opening is generally unavailable to non-US residents.
• Discretionary asset management ends, and certain mutual funds held in those managed accounts may be sold. Representatives can provide administrative help but cannot discuss asset allocation, income planning or portfolio composition.
• Purchases of US mutual funds are blocked, and contributions to 529 and HSA accounts stop. Existing mutual funds in self directed accounts can generally remain, and Fidelity currently allows dividend and capital gain reinvestment.
• In some countries, customers are limited to selling investments and withdrawing the proceeds, and further restrictions can affect deposits, margin, options or specific account types. Fidelity crypto accounts must be closed when you move outside the United States.
• Workplace accounts such as a 401(k) with Fidelity can usually remain in place, though servicing options may narrow.

EU and UK residents face an extra layer that is not Fidelity-specific: PRIIPs rules prevent most EU brokers and platforms from selling US-domiciled ETFs and funds to retail investors, which compounds the mutual fund purchase block.

1. Consolidate scattered accounts while you still have a US address, so you are managing one custodian relationship from abroad instead of five.
2. Ask Fidelity in writing what your specific account types can and cannot do from your destination country, and keep the answer.
3. If you hold US mutual funds, understand that you can usually keep and sell them but not add to them; decide before the move whether to reposition into assets you can still trade.

Do not misstate your address to keep full access. Custodians cross-check addresses, logins and tax documents, and a discovered mismatch is the fastest route to a frozen account.

If Fidelity has already limited your account or asked you to move it, you generally have a notice window. Use it to inventory positions, check which holdings can transfer in kind to an expat-friendly custodian, and avoid forced sales with tax consequences in both your countries. The full playbook, including what to do custodian by custodian, is in our guide to US custodians closing and restricting nonresident accounts.

Can I keep my Fidelity account if I move abroad?

In most cases yes. Existing self directed accounts are usually kept open when you move, but once Fidelity has a non-US address on file you can lose the ability to buy US mutual funds and, in some countries, the ability to place new trades at all. Selling and holding generally stay available.

Can I open a new Fidelity account as a non-US resident?

Generally no. Fidelity does not open accounts for new customers residing outside the United States, so open what you need before you move.

What about my IRA or Roth IRA?

Retirement accounts are usually kept open after a move and you can normally continue to hold and sell inside them. New contributions depend on having US earned income that you have not excluded, which is a tax question rather than a Fidelity question.

What about my 401(k) left with a former employer?

A workplace plan sits with the plan administrator rather than with Fidelity retail, so the restrictions above may not apply in the same way, though servicing options can still narrow. Check the plan document before you assume a rollover is available from abroad.

Which countries are eligible, and what about the country I am moving to?

Treatment varies by country rather than by account type, and Fidelity does not publish a public eligible country list. The practical grouping is:

• Sanctioned or high risk jurisdictions: the strictest treatment. Accounts can be limited to selling and withdrawing, and some account types must be closed.
• Western Europe and the UK: ordinary restricted residence treatment, plus the PRIIPs layer on your side that blocks most US domiciled funds and ETFs.
• Canada, Australia and Japan: ordinary restricted residence treatment, generally hold and sell with no new US mutual fund purchases.
• Southeast Asia and other common expat destinations: usually ordinary restricted residence treatment, but trading permissions vary more from country to country, so confirm in writing.
• Everywhere else: assume restrictions apply and ask Fidelity in writing what your specific account types can do from that country before you file the address change.

Does telling Fidelity my new address trigger the restrictions?

Yes. The address of record is the trigger, not your citizenship. Keeping a US address you no longer live at is not a solution: custodians cross-check addresses, logins and tax documents, and it breaks the tax reporting that follows the address.

Can I still buy US ETFs from abroad?

Usually yes where trading is permitted at all, because US mutual funds are typically blocked first. Buying US domiciled funds while resident in the EU or UK runs into PRIIPs rules on your side, and buying non-US funds runs into PFIC treatment on the US side.

What should I do before I move?

Treat the address change as the deadline. Consolidate what you want to keep, make any fund purchases you need while you still can, confirm in writing what your destination country means for your account, and read the custodian hub for how other brokers compare.

Aequify gives US expats a single view of accounts across countries, flags compliance obligations like FBAR and FATCA that follow account moves, and prepares the tax-ready data your advisor needs when repositioning around a custodian restriction. If a Fidelity letter set this in motion, start with the birds-eye view before you sell anything.

This article provides general information and is not tax, legal or investment advice. Policies vary by country, account type and individual circumstances. Confirm current rules with Fidelity and qualified advisers before acting.