Moving to the United States: the first documents you will receive

Many nonimmigrant visitors receive an electronic Form I-94 arrival and departure record when they are admitted to the United States. It records the class of admission and the date until which the person is admitted.

The visa in your passport allows you to travel to a U.S. port of entry and request admission. The I-94 record generally shows the period for which you were actually admitted. Do not assume that the visa expiration date and the permitted stay are the same.

Check the electronic I-94 soon after arrival. If your name, passport details, admission class or admit-until date appear incorrect, follow the official correction procedure promptly.

If you submit an immigration application or petition, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services may communicate through a Form I-797 Notice of Action.

Different I-797 versions have different purposes. A notice may confirm receipt, schedule biometrics or an interview, request additional evidence, communicate an approval or accompany an immigration document.

A receipt notice is not automatically an approval or a grant of immigration status. Read the heading, receipt number, case type, instructions and deadline carefully, and keep every notice with the application to which it belongs.

Depending on your immigration category, you may receive a Permanent Resident Card, commonly called a Green Card, or an Employment Authorization Document, commonly called an EAD or work permit.

An EAD is usually Form I-766 and shows the validity period of the employment authorisation. Some people are authorised to work because of their immigration status and may use different evidence.

Check the category, name, validity dates and restrictions. Do not begin work based only on an application receipt unless the applicable rules clearly authorise employment.

A Social Security number, or SSN, is a nine-digit personal number used for employment reporting, taxes and various financial or government processes.

Not every noncitizen is eligible for an SSN. In general, noncitizens authorised to work may qualify, while some people may qualify for a nonwork SSN only for a valid government-related reason.

Some immigrants can request an SSN during the immigrant-visa or USCIS application process. Others apply through the Social Security Administration after receiving qualifying immigration or employment documents.

An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, is issued by the Internal Revenue Service to certain people who need a U.S. taxpayer identification number but are not eligible for an SSN.

An ITIN is used for federal tax purposes. It does not provide immigration status, employment authorisation or eligibility for Social Security benefits.

Do not give an employer an ITIN as a replacement for an SSN for employment reporting. If you later become eligible for an SSN, follow the IRS and Social Security procedures for updating your records.

Employers use Form I-9 to verify the identity and employment authorisation of employees hired in the United States. The employee chooses which acceptable documents to present from the official lists.

Employers generally use Form W-4 to determine how much federal income tax to withhold from wages. State withholding forms may also be required.

Your onboarding package may also include an employment agreement, handbook, benefit elections, direct-deposit forms and arbitration or confidentiality documents. Read each document separately because signing one form can create obligations unrelated to immigration or taxes.

The United States does not have one automatic national health-insurance system for every new resident. Coverage may come through an employer, the Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare or a private plan.

Eligibility for Marketplace coverage, subsidies, Medicaid and CHIP can depend on immigration status, income, household members and the state where you live.

Insurance documents often distinguish premiums, deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, provider networks and services requiring prior authorisation. An explanation of benefits is not always a bill, so compare it with any invoice from the medical provider.

Federal tax obligations depend on tax residency, immigration category, income sources and other circumstances. Immigration status and federal tax residency are related but are not identical concepts.

Employees commonly receive Form W-2, while independent contractors may receive a Form 1099. Health-insurance, education, banking and other tax forms may also arrive after the end of the year.

An IRS notice may request information, explain a correction, propose a balance, confirm a refund or warn about identity verification. Check the notice number, tax year, amount, response instructions and deadline before taking action.

Driver licensing and state identification are handled by state agencies, often called the Department of Motor Vehicles or a similar name.

Requirements vary by state and can include proof of identity, lawful presence, state residence, an SSN or proof of ineligibility, vision testing, written and road tests, and insurance documents.

A standard licence, REAL ID-compliant document and enhanced document are not the same. Check which document you are applying for and which federal uses it supports.

Housing documents may include a rental application, screening consent, lease, deposit receipt, move-in inspection, utility agreements and notices from the landlord or property manager.

State and local landlord-tenant rules differ significantly. Check the lease term, rent, fees, deposit, utilities, occupants, renewal rules and procedure for giving notice.

Before moving in, document the condition of the property. Keep copies of the signed lease, inspection report, payment records and correspondence about repairs.

Public-school enrolment is managed locally and requirements vary by state and school district. Families may be asked for evidence of age, address, vaccination or health records, previous school records and guardianship.

A school district may provide enrolment decisions, transport information, meal-program forms, special-education documents, consent forms, schedules and attendance notices.

One school document can contain several dates. Add enrolment appointments, parent meetings, holidays, examinations, trips and form-return deadlines to your calendar separately.

Banks and financial institutions may request identity, address, immigration and taxpayer-identification documents. Requirements differ between institutions and account types.

Newcomers may have little or no U.S. credit history. Credit-card, loan and apartment applications can generate disclosures, adverse-action notices or requests for identity verification.

Protect your SSN, ITIN, passport and immigration-document numbers. Verify the sender before providing sensitive information, especially when a message creates urgency or requests payment through an unusual method.

Immigration, tax, court, insurance and state-agency documents can have strict response, filing, payment or appearance deadlines.

Keep the envelope and record when a notice arrived. Save copies of every submission, payment confirmation and delivery receipt.

Government agencies do not resolve serious cases through threats demanding immediate payment by gift card, cryptocurrency or wire transfer. Verify suspicious requests using contact information from the agency’s official website, not the phone number or link in the suspicious message.