Moving to the United States – an overview for newcomers

Citizens of the 42 Visa Waiver Program countries can visit the United States for business or tourism for up to 90 days without a visa, with an approved ESTA travel authorization, and Canadian citizens can usually visit without a visa. In HomiStart these passports are grouped as "visa-free".

A visa-free visit never allows you to live, work or study in the United States. Whatever your passport, you need the right immigrant or nonimmigrant visa (or another status) before you move. A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer decides on arrival whether to admit you, even if you hold an ESTA or a visa.

The main routes are:

• Work: usually an employer-sponsored petition, for example H-1B (specialty occupations), L-1 (transfer within a multinational company) or O-1 (extraordinary ability).
• Study and exchange: F-1 students need a Form I-20 from a certified school; J-1 exchange visitors need a Form DS-2019 from their sponsor.
• Permanent residence (green card): through close family, an employer, the Diversity Visa lottery or humanitarian routes.

See US visas and green cards for how each route works. Two developments are worth checking before you plan:

• Entry restrictions by nationality. A presidential proclamation signed on 16 December 2025 fully restricts entry for nationals of 19 countries and partially restricts entry for nationals of 19 more, with exceptions that include lawful permanent residents and existing visa holders. Check the current list before you apply.
• H-1B payment. A September 2025 proclamation requires a $100,000 payment for certain new H-1B petitions. On 18 September 2026 it was extended until 21 September 2027, while court rulings in June and July 2026 affect how USCIS applies it. Check the USCIS H-1B page for the current position.

• Passport and visa: check that your passport stays valid for your planned stay and that the name and category on your visa match your petition or school form.
• Civil documents: order certified copies of birth and marriage certificates for everyone moving with you. US offices such as the Social Security Administration accept only originals or copies certified by the issuing office, never photocopies.
• Records for children: vaccination records and recent school reports; New York City schools ask for proof of age, immunization records and two proofs of address.
• Money for the first months: in New York, rent, a security deposit of up to one month's rent and furniture fall due before your first US salary. Since 11 June 2025, a broker hired by the landlord may not charge you a fee.
• Health cover for the gap: most people are insured through an employer, but employer plans may have a waiting period of up to 90 days. Arrange cover for the first weeks if you need it.

A CBP officer inspects your passport and visa, asks about the purpose of your trip and decides whether to admit you. CBP then creates your electronic I-94 record, which shows your class of admission and the date until which you may stay. Look it up on the CBP I-94 website a few days after arrival and check that it is correct.

You may bring any amount of money, but if you carry more than $10,000 (or the foreign equivalent) in currency or monetary instruments, alone or together with your travel companions, you must report it to CBP on FinCEN Form 105. Not reporting it can lead to seizure of the money.

1. Social Security number (SSN): work-authorized newcomers apply to the Social Security Administration; it is free. See Getting a Social Security number (SSN) or an ITIN.
2. Bank account: many banks accept a foreign passport and an SSN or ITIN. See Opening a bank account in the United States.
3. Health insurance: enroll in your employer's plan, or buy a plan on your state marketplace. Moving can open a Special Enrollment Period, usually 60 days. See Health insurance in the United States.
4. Housing and address: find a home, then report your address to USCIS within 10 days of moving. See Finding a home in New York City.
5. Local registrations: in New York City, get a free IDNYC card, an OMNY card or contactless payment for the subway, and enroll children in school. See Your first 30 days in New York City.

Non-citizens become US residents for tax purposes if they hold a green card or meet the substantial presence test: at least 31 days in the US in the current year and 183 days over three years, counted with a weighted formula. Days spent as an F, J, M or Q student, or as a J or Q teacher or trainee who complies with the visa terms, generally do not count.

Tax residents are taxed on their worldwide income, like US citizens, and US persons with foreign accounts worth more than $10,000 in total at any time in the year must file an FBAR with FinCEN. Your first year is often a dual-status year. See Income tax in the United States.

Call 311 for any City service. The City's free Immigration Legal Support Hotline (800-354-0365) answers immigration policy questions and refers callers to trusted legal help, and New York State's Office for New Americans hotline (1-800-566-7636) offers help in more than 200 languages. Only lawyers and accredited representatives may give immigration legal advice.