Your First 90 Days in the USA: A Settling-In Checklist for Indians

Arriving in the United States on a work or student visa, the first three months are less about the big career move and more about paperwork. Getting a handful of foundations in place early, in the right order, makes everything after it easier. Here is the checklist.

Social Security Number (SSN)

If you are work-authorised, apply for an SSN at a Social Security office (some visa processes let you request it on arrival). Your SSN is needed for payroll, taxes and building credit, so treat it as the first domino. Keep the card safe and never carry it around daily.

Open a bank account

Set up a checking and savings account soon after landing. Bring your passport, visa, your I-20 or DS-2019 or I-797 approval, and a US address. Many banks are used to newcomers and can open an account before your SSN arrives.

Get a phone plan

A US phone number makes almost everything else, banking, job forms, deliveries, work. If you have no US credit yet, a prepaid plan gets you a number immediately without a credit check, and you can switch to a postpaid plan later.

Build US credit from zero

Your Indian credit history does not carry over; in the US you start at zero. Build a record deliberately:

• Open a secured credit card, or a newcomer card from an issuer that accepts limited or no credit history (some even use your foreign credit)
• Use it for small purchases and pay the balance in full every month
• Avoid missing payments, payment history is the biggest factor in your score

Driver's license or state ID

Your state's DMV issues a driver's license or a non-driver ID, which becomes your everyday identity document. Rules, tests and the documents required vary by state and by visa type, so check your state DMV site and bring your immigration papers.

Sort out housing

Understand how US leasing works before you sign: security deposits, credit checks, and the fact that a newcomer with no credit may be asked for an extra deposit or a guarantor. Read the lease terms on breaking the lease and renewal.

Health insurance

US healthcare is expensive and a single visit without coverage can be shockingly costly. Get insurance through your employer or school, or buy a plan, and learn the basics: premium, deductible, copay and network.

Find your community

Most US metros have Indian grocery stores, temples and gurudwaras, and cultural or regional associations. Local Indian community groups, alumni networks and neighbourhood forums are the fastest way to find housing leads, advice and a social circle when you are new.

The bottom line

The first 90 days are about building a paper trail, SSN, a bank account, credit, a license, that the rest of your US life depends on. Do them early and in order, and the transition gets a lot smoother. Requirements differ by state and change over time, so confirm specifics with the official source for each step.