--- title: How to open an international account group: Getting Started updated-on: 2026-09-01 subtitle: Open a Light Horse brokerage account as a non-US resident — passport, proof of address, and about 10 minutes of your time. description: Step-by-step guide for international (non-US) applicants opening a Light Horse Securities brokerage account — required documents, identity and address verification, funding details, investment profile, and disclosures. --- > *Light Horse is a brokerage for trading stocks, ETFs, options, crypto, and bonds. This guide walks non-US residents through the account-opening application from start to finish. It takes about **10 minutes**.* Because your requirements depend on where you live, this guide is written for applicants who reside **outside the United States**. If you're a US resident, green-card holder, or US citizen, see [How to open a US account](/instructions/getting-started/opening-a-us-account). ## Before you begin **Create your login first.** Go to [lighthorse.io](https://www.lighthorse.io) and sign up with your email or phone number. Once you're signed in, you're ready to start the application. **Have these ready** — you'll upload photos or scans during the application: | Document | Who needs it | |---|---| | **Passport** | All international applicants | | **Proof of residential address** (a document showing your name and full address, e.g. a utility bill or bank statement) | All international applicants | | **Resident ID card** (front and back) | Applicants residing in China | > **Note.** International applicants generally provide **two** documents (passport + proof of address). Applicants in **China provide three** (passport + proof of address + resident ID card). If anything else is needed, we'll ask for it during review — see [Step 13](#step-13-submit-and-wait-for-review). > **Tip.** Your ID and documents are used for account-opening verification only. ## Step 1 — Start the application From the home page you have two ways in: 1. Click the **Open Account** button in the middle of the page, **or** 2. Open the **User Menu** in the top-right and choose **Open account**. ## Step 2 — Add your identity document On **"Upload your Driver's License / Government Issued ID,"** upload the **front** and **back** of your ID: - International applicants can use a **passport**, **local ID**, or **state ID**. - Prefer to type your details instead? Choose **Manual Input** — but keep your documents handy, as you'll still be asked to provide them. Then confirm your **first name, last name, date of birth, and gender** and continue. Middle name is optional. ## Step 3 — Tell us where you live On **"Where do you live?"**, choose your **country of residence** first, then enter your full address (street, city, state/province/region, and postal code). > **This step matters most.** Selecting a country outside the US is what tailors the rest of the application to your region and adds the identity steps below. ## Step 4 — Enter your national identity number If your country requires it (for example, China's **Resident Identity Card**), enter your national identity number on the screen shown, then continue. ## Step 5 — Confirm citizenship and place of birth Select your **citizenship** and **place of birth**. > **Dual citizenship?** If you hold more than one citizenship, choose the one that matches your **primary country of residence**. If you have a single citizenship, simply select that country. ## Step 6 — Funding details Answer a few quick questions about how you'll use the account: - Whether you were **referred** by someone. - The **bank** you plan to fund from. - Your expected **initial deposit**. - Whether you expect to **withdraw cash more than once a month**. Answer honestly — there are no wrong answers here. ## Step 7 — Verify your passport and upload documents 1. Enter your **passport number** and its **expiration date**. We run a quick check now. 2. Upload a clear **photo or scan of your passport**. 3. Add your **proof of residential address** — choose the document type and upload it. The document must show your **name and full address**. **Residing in China?** You'll also be asked to upload your **Resident ID card** — both the **portrait side** (人像面) and the **national-emblem side** (国徽面). > **Don't see a spot for your national ID at first?** That's expected. If it's needed, we'll request it as part of the review after you submit. ## Step 8 — A few personal details - **Marital status** — Single, Married, Divorced, or Widowed. - **Number of dependents** — the number of people who depend on you financially. ## Step 9 — Employment and finances - **Employment status** — Employed, Self-Employed, Retired, Student, or Unemployed. - If employed, add your **employer, position, years of experience, and industry**. - **Financial status** — select the ranges for your **annual income, liquid net worth, and total net worth**. ## Step 10 — Your investment profile Choose the options that best describe you: - **Investment experience** — None, Limited, Good, or Extensive. - **Investment objective** — Speculation, Growth, Income, Capital Preservation, or Other. - **Risk tolerance** — High, Medium, or Low. - **Time horizon** — Less than 3 years, 4–7 years, or 8 years or more. - **Importance of liquidity** — Very, Somewhat, or Not Important. ## Step 11 — Regulatory disclosures Answer a short set of required questions: - Whether you or a family member is a **senior executive or 10%+ shareholder** of a publicly traded company. - Whether you or a family member is **employed by a member firm of a stock exchange or a FINRA-registered broker-dealer**. - Whether you or a family member is a **senior political figure / politically exposed person (PEP)**. - Whether you'd like to add a **trusted contact person**. > **About the trusted contact.** If you add one, we may reach out to them if we ever need to confirm unusual activity or can't reach you — they can't trade or access your account. ## Step 12 — Review and accept the agreements Review the **Light Horse** and **Apex** customer agreements and disclosures, tick **"I agree to all of the above,"** and continue to submit. ## Step 13 — Submit and wait for review You'll land on the **"Waiting for Review"** screen — your application is in. From here you can select **View Application Information** at any time to see what you submitted. ## What happens next - We review your application and may request additional documents (such as your national ID) during review. - You'll be notified of any status updates by **email** or **in-app message**. - Once you're **approved**, just log in — you can **fund your account and start trading right away**. You can revisit your application any time by heading to [lighthorse.io](https://www.lighthorse.io) and opening it from your account. Got questions? Ask us at [newaccounts@lighthorse.io](mailto:newaccounts@lighthorse.io). ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How long does the application take? About 10 minutes. You don't have to finish in one sitting — you can return to lighthorse.io and pick up your application. ### Which documents do I need? A passport and a proof of residential address for all international applicants; applicants in China also provide a resident ID card (front and back). See [Before you begin](#before-you-begin). ### What counts as proof of address? A document that shows your name and full residential address. Choose the document type from the list provided during the application. ### I have dual citizenship — which do I choose? The citizenship that matches your primary country of residence. See [Step 5](#step-5-confirm-citizenship-and-place-of-birth). ### When can I start trading? As soon as your application is approved and you've funded your account.