Address reporting within 10 days, the Social Security number, the state ID or driver licence, a bank account without an SSN, health cover and the foreign-account reporting rule: in the order you need them.
In brief
As of 6 November 2026, the first month in the USA depends on your status. A new green card holder reports a change of address to DHS within 10 days of moving (Form AR-11), visits the Social Security office, gets a state driver licence or ID, opens a bank account and arranges health cover; Marketplace insurance opens a 60-day enrolment window once the green card is issued, while most states apply a five-year wait to Medicaid. If your foreign accounts together exceeded USD 10,000 at any time in a year, a foreign-account report (FBAR) is due. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
First, find your status
Almost every step below depends on whether you are a lawful permanent resident (a green card holder), a visa holder or a visitor. We found good public material for new green card holders and very little for people on other statuses, so this checklist follows the green card path and says where a visa holder should check separately. If you are not sure what status you hold or what documents you are entitled to, ask an immigration lawyer or the agency that issued your papers.
For the general version of this list, see the first 30 days after moving abroad. If you are buying property, our article on unusual and record properties in the USA is about the market, not about settling.
Days 1 to 3: papers and address
After arrival you usually wait for the physical green card to come by mail, which one law-firm blog puts at two to four weeks. Keep your passport, the immigrant visa stamp and every document that came with it.
Address. A permanent resident who moves must report the new address to DHS within 10 days using Form AR-11. Several law-firm and money-transfer blogs say so, and one adds that it can be filed online at the USCIS website. A forum post notes that the form is needed only if you have actually moved. Because the rule is easy to miss, file it the day you get a lease.
Proof of address. The Social Security office, the DMV and banks will ask for a document with your name and address: a lease, a utility bill or a bank letter. Sign your lease first and collect one of these documents early.
Week 1: the Social Security number
If you were issued a Social Security number with your immigrant visa, your card may arrive by mail. Otherwise you apply with Form SS-5 in person at a Social Security office; the blogs we found list the green card and the passport. One source says the number does not change when the employment restriction on the card is removed after you receive the green card; only the card is replaced. We did not search the rules for visa holders and for people without work authorization. Ask the Social Security Administration which category you are in before you go.
Weeks 2 to 4: ID, bank and health cover
State ID or driver licence. Requirements are set by each state, so check your state's DMV website. In general the blogs mention the green card, your Social Security number or card, and proof of residence. The DMV usually checks your papers and issues a licence or an ID that shows your status. For what is usually needed to exchange a foreign licence, see driving licence abroad.
Bank account. Opening an account without a Social Security number is possible at some banks. Several sources say a passport alone is enough at certain banks and that an ITIN is the other common substitute, and that policies differ by bank and even by branch. Call ahead and ask which documents the branch needs. For what banks usually ask newcomers from the Russian-speaking world, see resident bank account abroad.
Health cover. Sources agree that Marketplace insurance generally cannot be bought just because you are waiting for a green card, and that receiving the green card starts a 60-day special enrolment period. The five-year wait mostly applies to Medicaid, which most states grant to permanent residents only after five years. One cut-off excerpt mentioned a 2026 rule affecting lawfully present immigrants; we could not confirm it, so read healthcare.gov before choosing a plan. Visitors and people between statuses usually buy short-term cover. See also health insurance after moving abroad.
Foreign accounts and taxes
If you keep bank accounts in your home country, a foreign-account report applies. Tax-firm blogs say you must file FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR) if the aggregate of all your foreign accounts exceeded USD 10,000 at any point during the calendar year, even for a single day. The deadline is 15 April with an automatic extension to 15 October, and one source puts a negligent failure to file at a penalty of up to USD 10,000. Sources list green card holders as US persons; whether a resident without a green card counts depends on the substantial presence test, so check your case. We did not research FATCA reporting (Form 8938), ITINs or the first-year tax return. Because the US taxes residents on worldwide income, talk to a US tax adviser in the first month. For the principles, see tax residency when relocating.
Mistakes that cost a month
1. Forgetting the 10-day address report after a move. 2. Not collecting a proof of address before going to the Social Security office or the DMV. 3. Going to a bank without calling ahead about the SSN. 4. Assuming Marketplace cover starts before the green card is issued. 5. Missing the 60-day enrolment window. 6. Not knowing that foreign accounts together are measured against the USD 10,000 line. 7. Assuming Medicaid is open at once.
One-page checklist
- Day 1: keep the passport and visa papers; sign a lease; collect a proof of address.
- Days 2 to 3: file AR-11 online if you have moved; wait for the green card by mail.
- Week 1: apply for or check the Social Security number and card.
- Week 2: DMV visit for the licence or state ID; call the bank about the documents.
- Week 3: open the bank account; compare Marketplace plans in the 60-day window.
- Week 4: list all foreign accounts and their highest balances; talk to a tax adviser.
FAQ
Do I need a Social Security number to open a bank account? Not at every bank: several sources say some banks accept a passport alone or an ITIN. Call the branch first.
How soon must I report a new address? A permanent resident reports a move to DHS within 10 days using Form AR-11, according to several law-firm blogs.
Can I buy Marketplace health insurance while waiting for the green card? Sources say generally not; receiving the green card opens a 60-day special enrolment period.
When is the foreign-account report due? FBAR is due on 15 April with an automatic extension to 15 October, according to tax-firm blogs, if the foreign accounts together exceeded USD 10,000 at any time in the year.
What if I am on a visa and not a green card holder? Then several steps change, and we did not find public material for those statuses. Ask the issuing agency or an immigration lawyer which documents you are entitled to.