🗓️ First 2 weeks in the USA

The vital survival tasks that unlock all legal and financial systems: US phone number, electronic I-94, SSN application, checking account, lease, and groceries.

• Get a US phone number (prepaid SIM/eSIM without credit check)
  ▸ Step-by-step

  1. Choose a budget prepaid carrier: Mint Mobile, Visible, US Mobile, T-Mobile Prepaid, or AT&T Prepaid. Prepaid plans require no SSN or credit score. Mint Mobile ↗ Visible by Verizon ↗ US Mobile ↗
  2. Purchase a physical SIM card at Target, Walmart, or a carrier store, or activate an eSIM online in minutes.
  3. Save and remember your new US number: you will write it on every bank form, school application, and lease.
• Retrieve & print your official I-94 Arrival Record from CBP

  The I-94 proves your legal admission status and authorized stay in the United States.
  ▸ Step-by-step

  1. Visit the official US Customs and Border Protection I-94 website (i94.cbp.dhs.gov) 24–48 hours after arrival. Official CBP I-94 Portal ↗
  2. Enter your passport details and click "Get Most Recent I-94".
  3. Carefully verify your admitted class of visa and the "Admit Until Date" (or D/S). Save as PDF and print several copies for the DMV, SSA, and banks.
• Apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) at the local SSA office

  SSN is essential for legal employment, building credit, and filing taxes.
  ▸ Step-by-step

  1. If you have an immigrant visa and checked the SSN box on your DS-260, your card usually arrives by mail in 2–3 weeks.
  2. Otherwise, visit your nearest Social Security Administration (SSA) office with your foreign passport, visa, and printed I-94. SSA Office Locator ↗
  3. Submit Form SS-5. Keep the stamped receipt as proof of application while waiting for the physical card in the mail. SSA Form SS-5 ↗
• Open a US checking account & debit card (Chase, BoA, Wells Fargo)
  ▸ Step-by-step

  1. Visit a branch of a major national bank: Chase, Bank of America, or Wells Fargo. Chase Checking Accounts ↗ Bank of America International Visitors ↗
  2. Bring your passport, visa/I-94, secondary ID (credit card from KZ or driver’s license), and proof of US address (lease or utility bill). Many branches can open accounts without an SSN initially.
  3. Ask the banker about waiving monthly fees (e.g., maintaining a minimum balance of $500–$1,500 or setting up direct deposit).
  4. Set up mobile banking and activate Zelle for free, instant person-to-person money transfers in the US.
• Secure long-term housing, sign lease & set up utilities
  ▸ Step-by-step

  1. Search properties on Zillow, Apartments.com, or local property managers (such as Irvine Company in OC). Zillow Rentals ↗
  2. Without US credit history: be prepared to provide proof of savings (bank statements from KZ/US), offer an extra deposit, or use a guarantor/co-signer.
  3. Photograph the apartment condition thoroughly during move-in walkthrough inspection.
  4. Set up essential utilities: Electricity (SCE), Gas (SoCalGas), and Home Internet (Cox / AT&T Fiber). Southern California Edison (SCE) ↗ SoCalGas ↗
• Buy essential groceries, locate halal & ethnic stores & learn US pricing norms
  ▸ Step-by-step

  1. Get a wholesale membership at Costco for bulk savings on household staples, water, nuts, and organic foods. Costco Wholesale ↗
  2. Locate local Halal meat butcheries and Turkish/Middle Eastern markets (such as Super Irvine, Crown Market) for fresh halal lamb, beef, and flatbreads, and explore Trader Joe’s for high-quality everyday staples. Trader Joe’s ↗
  3. Visit European/Slavic markets (Babushka Deli, European Deli) for familiar comfort foods like buckwheat (гречка), curd (творог), and sour cream (сметана).
  4. Remember: In the US, state and local sales tax (7.75%–10.25% in CA) is added at the cash register, and 15%–20% tipping is customary in sit-down restaurants.