Live and Work in the USA: A Practical Guide for Newcomers

Getting a U.S. job offer or visa is the hard part, but the first few months bring their own admin. Without a Social Security number (SSN) you can struggle to get paid, without a credit history renting is harder, and the wrong health plan can cost you thousands.

This guide takes you through the practical side of moving to the U.S. for work: the paperwork, the money, the costs and the scams aimed at newcomers. Rules change, so check each official page before you act.

First, make sure you can legally work

Your right to work in the U.S. comes from your immigration status, not from a job offer or an SSN. The main routes look like this:

If you're still choosing a career path, our guide to top-paying jobs in the USA shows what different jobs pay and what they need.

Your first 30 days, step by step

1. Check your arrival record. Make sure your I-94 (the electronic arrival and departure record) shows the right status and dates.
2. Get or confirm your Social Security number. You need it for payroll and taxes.
3. Open a bank account. Set up direct deposit so your employer can pay you.
4. Sort out health insurance. Enrol in your employer plan within its deadline, or look at Marketplace options.
5. Find somewhere to live. Many newcomers start with a short-term rental while they search.
6. Start building credit. A secured credit card used lightly and paid in full is a common first step.
7. Look into a driving licence. Check your state's rules on foreign licences.
8. Keep every document. Pay slips, tax forms and immigration papers all matter later.

Getting a Social Security number

The Social Security Administration (SSA) says that, in general, only noncitizens with permission from DHS to work can apply for an SSN. Applying for an SSN and card is free.

How you get one depends on your route:

• Immigrant visa holders. If you asked for an SSN card on your immigrant visa application (Form DS-260), your details are shared with SSA and the card is mailed to you after you arrive. SSA says to contact your local office if it hasn't arrived within 14 days of receiving your immigration document.
• Workers on temporary visas. You can start the application online and then visit a Social Security office with your documents. SSA must verify them with DHS before it assigns a number, and the card then comes by post.

If you aren't eligible for an SSN but need a tax number, the IRS issues an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) through Form W-7. The IRS is clear that an ITIN doesn't authorise you to work or change your immigration status.

Banking and building credit

Opening a bank account

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a bank can accept an SSN, an ITIN, a passport number and country of issuance, or another government ID number. Many banks want U.S. or state photo ID, but some accept foreign passports and consular ID cards.

If you have no SSN or ITIN, you may only be able to open a no-interest account at first. Compare monthly fees, minimum balances and ATM charges before you choose.

Building a credit history

Your credit history from home usually doesn't transfer. Landlords, lenders and even some employers check your U.S. credit report, so it pays to start early.

The CFPB's main tips are:

• Pay on time, every time. Payment history is the biggest factor in credit scores.
• Keep balances low. A common guideline is to use no more than 30% of your credit limit.
• Don't apply for lots of credit at once. Many applications in a short time can worry lenders.
• Start with products built for beginners. Secured credit cards and credit builder loans are designed to help you establish credit.

Check your credit reports regularly and dispute anything that's wrong.

Health insurance

Medical care in the U.S. can be very expensive without insurance, so your health plan is one of your most important decisions.

Through your employer

Many employers offer a group health plan. Before you enrol, compare the monthly premium, the deductible (what you pay before the plan pays), the out-of-pocket maximum and which doctors are in network. Enrol within your employer's deadline, or you may have to wait for the next enrolment period.

Through the Marketplace

HealthCare.gov says U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and lawfully present immigrants can buy Marketplace coverage. That includes people with valid nonimmigrant visas. Undocumented immigrants can't.

If you move to the U.S. from a foreign country, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, so you don't have to wait for Open Enrollment, which HealthCare.gov lists as 1 November to 15 January.

Help with premiums is changing. HealthCare.gov says lawfully present immigrants with income between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level may qualify for the premium tax credit. But under a federal law passed in July 2025 (Public Law 119-21), from tax year 2027 that credit is limited to lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants and certain migrants from Compact of Free Association countries. From 2027, most people on temporary work visas would pay full price for a Marketplace plan.

Renting a home

Renting is where many newcomers first feel the lack of a U.S. credit history. Landlords commonly ask for a credit check, proof of income and a security deposit. Deposit limits and tenant rights are set by each state, and sometimes by the city, so check your state's rules.

Things that help without a credit history:

• A signed job offer or recent pay slips
• Bank statements showing savings
• A reference from your employer or a previous landlord
• Offering a larger deposit where the law allows it

The federal Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to discriminate in renting because of race, colour, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or disability. You can file a complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) within one year.

Cost of living by region

The U.S. is huge, and costs vary as much between states as between countries. The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) publishes regional price parities, which compare price levels with a national average of 100.

Source: BEA, released 19 February 2026. The District of Columbia was 109.9.

Housing is where the gap is widest. BEA's housing rent index ranged from 154.3 in California to 54.2 in West Virginia.

Where the money goes

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Survey shows how U.S. households actually spend. In 2024, average annual spending per household was $78,535.

Transport takes a big share because most of the country depends on cars. If you move to a city with good public transport, you may save there, but you'll usually pay more for housing.

Taxes: the basics

You'll pay federal tax on your U.S. wages from your first pay slip, and many states and some cities add their own income tax.

Whether the IRS treats you as a resident or a nonresident for tax depends on two tests:

• The green card test. If you're a lawful permanent resident at any time in the year, you're generally a resident for tax.
• The substantial presence test. You're a resident if you were in the U.S. at least 31 days this year and 183 days over three years, counting all days this year, one-third of last year's days and one-sixth of the year before.

Some people, including certain students, teachers and trainees, can exclude days. The year you arrive is often a dual-status year, when you're a nonresident for part of the year and a resident for the rest.

U.S. tax residents are taxed on their worldwide income, so income and interest from home may need to be reported. The standard filing deadline is 15 April for the previous tax year.

Getting a driving licence

Driving licences are issued by states, not the federal government. USAGov says visitors can use their home licence, but some states also want an International Driving Permit (IDP). You must get an IDP from your home country before you travel, because the U.S. doesn't issue them to foreign visitors.

If you live in the U.S., you'll generally need a licence from your state's motor vehicle department, which may mean tests as well as documents. Check its rules on documents and deadlines for new residents.

Since 7 May 2025, you need a REAL ID-compliant licence or another accepted ID to board domestic flights. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says a passport is also acceptable.

Sending money home

If you support family abroad, the fees and exchange rate matter as much as the amount.

Under federal rules explained by the CFPB, remittance providers must tell you the fees, taxes, exchange rate and amount your recipient will get before you pay. You can usually cancel within 30 minutes at no cost, as long as the money hasn't been picked up or deposited. You have 180 days to report an error.

There's also a new tax. The IRS says a 1% federal tax applies to remittance transfers made after 31 December 2025 when you give the provider cash, a money order, a cashier's check or a similar physical instrument. Paying from a bank account or debit card isn't covered, so compare the total cost before you choose.

Scams aimed at newcomers

Newcomers are targeted because the systems are unfamiliar. Watch for these:

• Notarios and fake immigration helpers. USCIS says a notario público can't give you immigration legal advice. Only lawyers and accredited representatives can.
• Government impersonators. USCIS says it never asks you to transfer money to an individual, and it doesn't take payment through Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal, Venmo or gift cards.
• Job scams. The FTC says honest employers never ask you to pay to get a job. If a new "employer" sends you a check and asks you to send part of it back, it's a fake check scam.
• Rental scams. The FTC warns about rents far below the local rate, landlords who can't show you the property and demands for payment by wire transfer, gift card or crypto.
• Fake government websites. Official U.S. government sites end in .gov, and immigration forms are free on the USCIS website.

Your newcomer checklist

• Confirm your immigration status allows the work you're doing.
• Apply for your SSN, or an ITIN if you aren't eligible.
• Open a bank account and set up direct deposit.
• Get a secured credit card and pay it in full every month.
• Choose health insurance before your deadline and check your eligibility for help.
• Check your state's rules on deposits, tenant rights and driving licences.
• Compare living costs using BEA's regional price parities before you choose where to live.
• Find out whether you're a tax resident and keep your first-year records.
• Compare remittance costs and avoid paying in cash where you can.
• Never pay anyone for a job, an SSN or a "guaranteed" visa.

Life in the U.S. gets much easier once the basics are in place. Take them one at a time, use official sources, and if you're still deciding where to go, compare what different U.S. jobs pay against living costs where those jobs are.