First 90 Days in the US Checklist: SSN, Green Card, ID, Credit, Taxes and Travel Rules

In your first 90 days in the US as a new permanent resident, the priorities are getting your Social Security number (SSN), making sure your green card actually arrives, getting a state ID or driver’s licence, and opening a bank account. Next come building US credit from zero, buying health insurance, reporting every move to USCIS within 10 days, and understanding that you are now a US tax resident. This checklist covers each step with links to official pages.

Key points

• Week 1: check that your SSN card is on its way and pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee if you have not already.
• Weeks 1–4: get a state ID or driver’s licence, open a bank account, and start a credit history.
• Within 60 days of arrival: enroll in health coverage. Moving to the US from abroad usually opens a special enrollment window.
• Every time you move: tell USCIS within 10 days.
• Always: avoid long trips abroad in your first years. Absences of 6 months or more can hurt a future citizenship application.

This guide is for people who arrived on an immigrant visa or recently got a green card in the US. Rules for driver’s licences, renting and state taxes vary by state.

The checklist at a glance

When	Task	Where
Days 1–7	Check SSN card status	Social Security Administration (SSA)
Days 1–7	Pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee (if not paid)	USCIS online
Days 1–14	Get a US phone number	Any carrier
Days 1–30	Open a bank account	Bank or credit union
Days 1–30	Get a state ID or driver’s licence	State DMV
Days 1–60	Enroll in health insurance	Employer, HealthCare.gov or state marketplace
Days 1–30 (men 18–25)	Register with Selective Service	sss.gov
Within 10 days of any move	Report your new address	USCIS
Days 30–90	Start building credit	Your bank
By April 15 next year	File your first US tax return	IRS and your state

1. Get your Social Security number

You need an SSN to work, get paid, file taxes and apply for most credit. Getting a number and card is free.

According to the SSA, most immigrants can request an SSN while applying for the immigrant visa:

• If you answered “yes” to the SSN questions on your DS-260 immigrant visa application, the SSA mails your card to the US address you listed. You do not need to visit an office.
• If you got your green card inside the US and requested an SSN on Form I-485, the SSA mails the card after USCIS approves your case.
• If you did not ask for one, apply at a Social Security office. Bring your passport with your immigrant visa, your green card if you have it, and your birth certificate.

If your card has not arrived within a few weeks, or you change your mailing address after arrival, contact the SSA. Keep the card at home, not in your wallet, and give your number only to employers, banks and government agencies that need it.

2. Make sure your green card arrives

If you came on an immigrant visa, the stamp in your passport (the I-551 stamp) is temporary proof of permanent residence. Your physical card comes later, but only if the fee is paid.

The USCIS Immigrant Fee page says:

• USCIS strongly encourages paying the fee online after you pick up your immigrant visa. Check the current amount on the USCIS fee schedule.
• If you do not pay, “you will not receive your Green Card.”
• Not paying does not end your status, but your only proof is the I-551 stamp, which is valid for one year from admission.

Once your card arrives, check every detail. If something is wrong, contact USCIS quickly. Keep copies of your card, passport and visa in a safe place separate from the originals.

3. Get a state ID or driver’s licence

There is no national ID card in the US. A state ID or driver’s licence is the everyday ID you use for banks, leases and many jobs.

• Each state’s motor vehicle agency (often called the DMV) sets its own rules. Find yours on USA.gov’s state motor vehicle services page.
• States decide how long new residents can drive on a foreign licence and whether you must take written and road tests. Many new residents must test.
• Ask for a REAL ID-compliant card. It is accepted for domestic flights and federal buildings.
• Bring original documents. Most states want proof of identity, lawful status (your green card or passport with I-551 stamp), your SSN and two proofs of address.

If you do not drive, get a non-driver state ID. It works as photo ID in the same way.

4. Open a bank account and build US credit

Banks usually ask for two forms of ID (for example, your passport and green card or state ID), your SSN and a US address. Some banks open accounts without an SSN, but having one makes things easier.

Your credit history from another country does not carry over. The three nationwide credit bureaus are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. US credit scores affect renting, phone contracts, car loans and sometimes job offers.

Common ways to start:

1. Get a secured credit card (you put down a deposit that becomes your limit).
2. Use it for small purchases and pay the full balance on time every month.
3. Keep your balance well below your limit.
4. Avoid applying for lots of credit at once.

After a few months, check your reports for free. USA.gov says AnnualCreditReport.com is “the only website authorized by the federal government to issue free, annual credit reports” from each bureau.

5. Get health insurance

The US has no universal public health system for working-age adults. A hospital visit without insurance can cost thousands of dollars.

• Through your job: most large employers offer a plan. Ask HR when coverage starts.
• Marketplace: HealthCare.gov says green card holders can buy Marketplace coverage. Moving to the US from a foreign country can qualify you for a special enrollment period, and you usually have 60 days after the event to enroll.
• Medicaid: most green card holders must wait 5 years after getting qualified status before they can get Medicaid or CHIP. Refugees, asylees and some others are exempt, and some states cover children and pregnant people sooner.

Using some public benefits can raise questions in future immigration applications. See our public charge rule guide before applying.

6. Find a place to rent

Landlords usually run a credit check, which is hard when you have no US credit history. Things that can help:

• an offer letter or recent pay slips
• bank statements showing savings
• a larger security deposit or paying some rent upfront (state law may limit deposits)
• a guarantor (co-signer) with US credit

Read the lease before you sign. Never send money for a property you have not seen or a landlord you cannot verify. Once you move in, report the new address to USCIS (see section 8).

7. Understand US tax residency

As a green card holder, you are a US tax resident under the IRS green card test. The IRS says resident aliens are taxed on worldwide income.

Your first tax year

• Your year of arrival is often a dual-status year: nonresident before you became a resident and resident after. The IRS dual-status rules say you write “Dual-Status Return” on Form 1040, attach a statement for the nonresident part of the year, and cannot use the standard deduction.
• Your return is generally due April 15 of the following year.
• Most states also have an income tax with their own return.
• If you have foreign bank accounts over a reporting threshold, you may also need to report them to the Treasury.

Never file as a “nonresident” while you hold a green card without advice. USCIS lists this as a sign you may have abandoned your status. A qualified tax professional is worth it for your first year.

8. Report every change of address

USCIS requires noncitizens to report a new address within 10 days of moving (USCIS).

• Use the online change-of-address tool in your USCIS account. If you have pending applications, enter each receipt number so they are updated too.
• Or file Form AR-11 by mail.
• Also update your address with the SSA, your bank and the DMV.

9. Register with Selective Service (men 18 to 25)

USCIS says male permanent residents aged 18 through 25 must register with the Selective Service System. Selective Service guidance asks immigrants to register within 30 days of arriving. Registration is free and done online.

This matters for citizenship. USCIS treats failure to register as a possible problem for naturalization. Keep your registration number.

10. Protect your green card when you travel

According to USCIS:

Trip length	What can happen
Short trips	Usually no effect on status
6 months or more	May disrupt continuous residence for citizenship
About 1 year or more	May be treated as abandoning your status, unless you have a reentry permit
Over 2 years	A reentry permit expires; you may need a returning resident (SB-1) visa

If you expect to be away for more than a year, file Form I-131 for a reentry permit before you leave. Even a trip under a year can be a problem if you show you no longer live in the US. Keep a US address, bank account, job and tax filings.

Our N-400 continuous residence guide explains how trips affect your future application, and how to apply for US citizenship covers the full process.

What to do next

1. Check your SSN and green card status this week, and pay the Immigrant Fee if needed.
2. Book a DMV appointment for a state ID or licence.
3. Open a bank account and apply for a secured credit card.
4. Enroll in health insurance within 60 days of arrival.
5. Put April 15 in your calendar, and keep a log of every trip abroad.

For more US guides, visit the US country hub. This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. For your own situation, talk to a licensed immigration lawyer or tax professional.