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Moving to the USA: first steps

From the first month after arrival to your first tax return: the steps in the order people usually take them.

  1. Step 1

    The first month: a to-do list

    First 30 Days in the USA: Checklist for New Immigrants

    A week-by-week plan for the first month in the USA: SSN (also with an immigrant visa), account without SSN, REAL ID and driver's license, housing, insurance (60 days on Marketplace, changes from 2027), work and I-9, ITIN, credit history, Odyseusz, and emergency contact numbers for Polish consulates.

  2. Step 2

    Social Security number

    Where and How to Obtain an SSN (Social Security Number) in the USA

    The Social Security Number (SSN) is a required document for legal work, bank account opening, tax filing, and many other formalities in the USA.

    or

    ITIN if you cannot get an SSN

    ITIN, or IRS Tax Number: Who Needs It and How to Obtain It

    ITIN is a nine-digit IRS tax number for individuals without the right to an SSN; we explain who needs it, what documents the IRS accepts, how to submit Form W-7 by mail or in person (TAC, VITA, CAA agent), when the number expires, and what ITIN does not provide, including changes to the Child Tax Credit starting in 2025.

  3. Step 3

    A bank account

    How to Open a Bank Account in the USA Without an SSN

    Account without SSN – ITIN, PSFCU (Polish bank), Chase, BoA, Wells Fargo. Step by step with a passport.

  4. Step 4

    A phone

    Phone in the USA – prepaid without paperwork (T-Mobile, Mint, Cricket, Visible)

    Prepaid plans without contracts: T-Mobile, Mint, Cricket, Visible, Tello – price comparison 2026, coverage.

  5. Step 5

    A place to live

    Renting an Apartment in the USA Without a Credit Score: What Works, Documents, and Security Deposit Limits

    How to rent an apartment in the USA without a credit history: what landlords check, guarantors, private owners, room rentals, documents, and explanation letters. Security deposit limits in NY, NJ, MA, MI, and Florida, rights after being denied due to a report (FTC), and signs of fraud.

  6. Step 6

    Credit history

    Credit Score in the USA – How to Build Credit History from Scratch

    Secured card, Self Lender, Petal, Experian Boost – how to reach 700+ in 12 months.

  7. Step 7

    Your first credit card

    Secured Credit Card in the USA – How It Works, Best Cards, Graduation to Unsecured

    A secured credit card is the simplest way to build credit history in the USA – you deposit a refundable deposit ($200-2000) which becomes your credit limit, use it like a normal card, and every timely payment is reported to credit bureaus.

  8. Step 8

    Health insurance

    How Health Insurance Works in the USA: Employer, Marketplace, Medicaid

    Three paths to insurance before age 65: employer plan, Marketplace, and Medicaid, with subsidies in 2026 and 2027, enrollment for 2027 (November 1, 2026 – January 15, 2027), and changes for immigrants from the law enacted in July 2025.

  9. Step 9

    Driving licence

    Polish Driver's License in the USA: When It's Sufficient and When You Need a State License (2026)

    You can drive in the USA on a Polish driver's license as a visitor, preferably with an international driver's license issued by the county office (35 PLN, Geneva model); upon residency, you have 30–90 days to obtain a state driver's license, usually passing all tests; deadlines, test languages, and rules in NY, NJ, IL, CA, FL, TX, and MI.

  10. Step 10

    The driving test

    How to Pass the Driving Test in the USA – Driver's License Exam

    The procedure for obtaining a US driver license: documents, costs, theoretical and practical exams, and whether a Polish driver's license is sufficient.

  11. Step 11

    Your first tax return

    First Tax Filing in the USA – W-2, 1040, Deadlines, Deductions

    Your first tax return in the USA – when to file (April 15), which form to use (1040 vs 1040-NR), what deductions are available, how to file for free, and what to do if you only have an ITIN.

  12. Step 12

    Government accounts online

    Official U.S. e-Services for the Polish Diaspora: my Social Security, IRS Account, USCIS, Login.gov, and ID.me (2026)

    Duplicate SSN cards, IRS installment payments, and N-400 citizenship applications – all online. How Login.gov (requires SSN) and ID.me (also works from Poland) function, what has disappeared in 2026 (Direct File eliminated, Polish IRS pages removed), and where you can still receive service in Polish (SSA with free translators).