If you are interested in visiting or immigrating to the United States, carrying the right documentation is necessary in order to clear Customs. For most of the visitors, a visa will be required besides a passport. Visa applications can sometimes be a long process, but being able to fulfill your dream about moving to the USA is definitely worth the wait. If you want to visit or move to the United States, you can contact the Immigration Law Attorney Chicago that adheres to the highest standards of client service.
Arriving in the United States
New beginnings usually include completing many organizational things. In the ideal case, you will have a few weeks before your studies, new job, or before your child’s school year begins. Besides getting bureaucratic things done, you should use this time to explore your new home. Some of the things that you should include in your list of things to do are:
- Social Security Card
- Health Insurance
- Housing or temporary accommodations
- Opening your American bank account
- Pension plan
Social Security Card
One of the first things you should do after you arrive in the US is to apply for your Social Security Card. It’s a rule that all immigrants have to apply for a Social Security number because Social Security card is a very important identification card. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to work in the US, and do many other things, like opening your bank account. You will need the following documents to apply for your card:
- Birth certificate
- Passport
- Lawful Permanent Resident card (Green Card)
You can expect your Social Security Card to arrive about two weeks after applying for it.
Health Insurance
For people moving to the US, it’s important to understand what options you have about your health insurance, and in most cases, it’s recommended to call an immigration law attorney to advise you. What you should know is that Americans pay for their health care, whether indirectly or directly, through their health insurance. Since healthcare in the United States is expensive, it’s advantageous to have the employer pay it for you. Some of the employers will pay only a part of your insurance, so you will be required to pay for the rest of it.
Housing or Temporary Accommodations
It’s advisable to organize your accommodation before moving to the United States. Searching for your apartment or house in the US should be relatively easy, and rental prices are usually reasonable, depending on where you decide to live. Consider renting your accommodation on a month to month basis at the very beginning, so you can move again if desired. While searching for the perfect place to live, you can always stay in a hotel room, because many hotels are offering discounted prices for longer stays.
Opening your American bank account
You should open your American bank account as soon as possible. Banks in the US are not much different from the other banks in the world. Call the bank, and the bank clerk will provide you with information about the documents that you will need. You should have some of your documents prepared, such as your passport, Green card, mailing address in the USA, and Social Security Card.
Pension Plan
In the United States, the pension system is officially called “The Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Program”. When working in the US, you have to pay for the Social Security fund. You are eligible for the Social Security benefits after ten years of working in the US. The age of retirement in the United States for people who are born after 1960 is 67 years. However, it’s not unusual that people above that age keep working.