Arrival playbook · Practical guide

Your first 14 days in the U.S.

Arrival gets easier when the sequence is clear. This checklist separates what belongs before the flight from what usually requires you to be physically present.

Before departure

1. Keep your passport, visa or status documents, admission or employment details, U.S. address, and official contacts in your carry-on. Keep secure digital copies separately.
2. Tell your current card issuers about travel and confirm international use, spending limits, verification methods, and a backup contact number.
3. Plan at least two independent ways to pay. Do not rely on a single card from home or a phone that may lose service.
4. Use official school, employer, government, or housing channels to verify payment and arrival instructions.

Days 1 to 3

1. Complete the required arrival, school, employment, and immigration check-in steps that apply to your move.
2. Set up a U.S. phone number if needed, but read the full cost and deposit terms before agreeing.
3. Record every housing payment and get a receipt. Verify the landlord or property manager before sending a deposit.
4. Compare bank or credit-union accounts by fees, identification requirements, support, access, and deposit-insurance status.

Days 4 to 14

1. Once an account is open, test a small incoming transfer before moving a large amount.
2. Turn on transaction alerts, use a unique password, and protect the email and phone tied to the account.
3. Learn the billing date and due date of any credit product before using it.
4. Start a simple record of recurring costs, deposits, and deadlines. Your first budget can be approximate.

Four rules that prevent expensive mistakes

1. Verify payment instructions using a phone number or portal you found independently.
2. Never share a one-time code with someone who contacted you.
3. Do not pay to remove accurate information from a credit report or to create a new identity.
4. If a card, phone, passport, or identity document is lost, contact the relevant provider promptly and document what happened.

Primary sources: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: fraud and scams and the official sources responsible for your school, employment, or immigration requirements.

Educational information only. Requirements vary. Confirm them with the relevant official source.