This checklist is for executives, individuals, couples and families moving to the United States. Visa, tax, customs and registration rules depend on your nationality, immigration status and destination state, so verify each item with official sources. We walk through the move chronologically, from early planning to departure day and the first 90 days.
Key Takeaways
- Verify immigration, customs, tax and healthcare rules first, then plan backward from your arrival date.
- Keep originals, certified copies and digital backups in one secure system.
- Treat carried items, shipped goods, temporary housing and utilities as separate task lists.
- Plan Social Security, licensing, banking and school registration as part of the move.
Plan Your International Move on a Timeline
Start with the destination, purpose and target move date
Name the purpose first: employment, study, family reunification, retirement or something else. The State Department's visa directory lists categories such as F/M for study, H-1B for specialty occupations, L for intracompany transfers and IR1/CR1 for spouses of US citizens.
Then separate three questions that people often merge:
- Immigration status: which visa or residence category applies
- Work authorization: whether your status permits employment or requires a separate application
- Tax residency: the green card test or substantial presence test (generally 31 days this year and 183 weighted days over three years)
A visa does not answer all three. Give each its own line on your checklist.
Build a backward-planned schedule
There is no universal lead time. Interview wait times vary by consulate and exclude administrative processing, so check the relevant consulate and USCIS processing tools. Then work backward through five phases:
- Early research and status verification
- Document and application preparation
- Housing and shipping arrangements
- Final-month execution
- First-90-days follow-up
Map dependencies. You need an approved visa before travel, proof of income for many leases, medical records for school and insurance, and often a US address for administrative applications.
Moving2US, for instance, works from the sequence many newcomers hit: no lease without a bank account, no bank account without the right documents, no paycheck without a Social Security number.
Create a realistic budget
Cover these lines:
- Airfare and visa fees (State Department application fees run from $185 to $345 by category, and USCIS fees are separate)
- Document authentication and translation
- Temporary housing, rental deposits and shipping
- Customs-related charges, insurance and transportation
- School costs and pet relocation
- An emergency reserve
Compare destination costs against your current spending. Prices differ sharply by state: in 2024, BEA price parities put California at 110.7 and Arkansas at 86.9, against a national 100.
Also check exchange-rate exposure and when your income will actually land during the transition.
Use a shared household tracker
Build a spreadsheet with one row per task: owner, due date, official source, required documents, confirmation number and status. Then create filtered views by household type:
- Solo executive: employment and housing tasks
- Couple: joint finances and spouse work authorization
- Family: school, custody and medical items that get buried in a general list
Complete Documents, Visa and Compliance Tasks
Organize immigration and identity documents
Gather:
- Passports, visas and work authorization
- Birth, marriage or divorce records
- Custody or adoption papers
- Proof of employment or income
- Any destination-specific forms
Check validity periods. The State Department asks immigrant-visa applicants for a passport valid six months beyond intended entry, though CBP publishes nationality exceptions.
Translations must be complete and certified as accurate. Documents from Hague Apostille Convention countries may need an apostille. Carry originals separately from checked or shipped belongings.
Prepare a secure evidence file
Keep paper copies and encrypted digital backups of:
- IDs, applications, approvals and policies
- Financial, medical and school records
- Emergency contacts
- Proof of arrival dates, addresses, leases and travel
- Foreign income, account openings and taxes paid
The IRS generally advises keeping records three years, and longer in some cases.
Prepare family, healthcare and pet records
Separate what you need to enter the US from what helps later with school, insurance or housing.
- Medical: vaccination records, prescriptions listed by generic name, dental and vision records
- School: transcripts and immunization documentation, which are set by the destination state
- Custody: permission letters for travel
- Pets: dogs must be at least 6 months old and microchipped; cats have different federal rules, so don't copy one checklist to the other
Immigrant-visa medical exams must be done by approved panel physicians, separate from routine school or insurance paperwork.
Review financial and tax obligations
Leaving your current country may trigger departure notifications, final filings and banking restrictions. Arriving in the US can create federal, state and local obligations. US tax residents are taxed on worldwide income.
Flag these thresholds with a qualified professional:
- FBAR: aggregate foreign accounts over $10,000 at any time in the year
- Form 8938: for an unmarried filer living in the US, over $50,000 at year-end or $75,000 at any time
- Border cash reporting: monetary instruments over $10,000 carried into the US
Research arrival administration
Identify the official channel for each task:
- Social Security
- Driver's licensing
- Tax ID
- Banking
- Healthcare enrollment
Sequence varies by status and state. An ITIN, for example, serves tax purposes only and does not authorize work.
Arrange Housing, Healthcare and Household Essentials
Choose a safe and practical housing strategy
Compare temporary accommodation, renting and buying against your main constraints:
- Budget and visa duration
- Commute, schools and healthcare access
- When your shipment arrives
Security deposit limits vary by state. California's attorney general notes most landlords may charge up to one month's rent as a deposit, but that is only one state's rule.
Before signing remotely, verify lease terms, utilities, maintenance duties and cancellation clauses. The FTC warns against paying before viewing a property, and against wire transfers and cryptocurrency. Without US credit history, expect screening hurdles and ask landlords early what they accept.
Moving2US prepares a shortlist of up to five rentals, accompanies tours and reviews the lease before you sign.
Plan healthcare and insurance
Confirm when current coverage ends and cover any gap. Key facts:
- Many countries, including the UK, have no reciprocal healthcare agreement with the US, and acceptance of foreign policies varies by plan
- Marketplace eligibility for lawfully present immigrants differs from financial-assistance eligibility
- Medicaid generally carries a five-year wait after qualified status, with exceptions
- Employer plans can impose a waiting period of up to 90 days
Coverage never starts automatically. FDA rules generally allow foreign nationals to bring a 90-day supply of medication, so carry prescriptions and a medical summary.
Coordinate the first household setup
Plan the first-week essentials early:
- Phone, internet and utilities
- Banking and local transport
- School registration and childcare for families
Check appliance voltage too: US supply is 120V at 60Hz, so a plug adapter alone may not be enough.
Moving2US, a flat-fee practice led by Cheryl Stern, handles the compliance side: Social Security, driver's license and bank appointments, plus school registration. Its fees run from $2,000 to $2,800 by household type.
Manage Belongings, Shipping and Departure
Decide what to carry, ship, store, sell or donate
Sort each item by replacement cost, sentimental value, customs limits, climate, home size and voltage. CBP Form 3299 allows free entry of household effects only if you used them abroad for at least a year, so do not assume everything is duty-free.
Meat, plants and other restricted goods stay restricted even inside a household shipment.
Pack a travel-day kit with:
- Passports, visas and key records
- Medication and chargers
- A change of clothes and payment access
Select movers and understand the shipment
Compare written quotes side by side, including:
- Insurance or liability terms
- Storage options and delivery windows
- Customs duties and prohibited goods
Use licensed movers. The Federal Maritime Commission lists registered ocean intermediaries and handles disputes over delays and lost cargo. For the U.S. inland leg, FMCSA’s mover lookup shows registration and complaint history.
No standard door-to-door transit time exists, so get the estimate in writing. Moving2US does not provide moving crews or shipping.
Complete final departure tasks
- Forward mail (USPS: changes filed from abroad go through your origin postal service)
- Notify banks and cards
- Update employer, landlord and insurers
- Cancel utilities and subscriptions
- Confirm pet travel, flights and baggage
- Download key documents offline and set up a way to receive verification codes
- Keep a backup route to money
Settle Into the United States During Your First 90 Days
Stabilize the first 72 hours
- Confirm accommodation, inspect it, and secure keys and documents
- Connect a phone and locate food, a pharmacy and medical care
- Record your arrival date, address, lease, insurance and shipment tracking
A documented move-in inspection protects your deposit.
Complete the core administrative sequence
Order depends on status, employer and state. Each agency runs its own clock:
| Task | Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Social Security card (first number) | 5-10 business days after approval |
| Immigration-linked SSN | Generally within 14 days of receiving EAD or green card |
| New York license | Within 30 days of residency |
| Texas license | Apply within 90 days of residency |
None of these creates a nationwide 90-day grace period. Banks must collect ID and an identifying number, and acceptance of foreign passports varies by institution.
Moving2US prepares and attends these appointments with clients.
Set up the household and support network
Get daily life running with the essentials:
- Utilities and internet
- Doctors and prescriptions
- Childcare, transit and groceries
Children cannot be barred from public school because of their or their parents' immigration status, and districts often accept leases or utility bills as proof of residence. Families should check school calendars, special education needs and medical continuity. Federal guidance says a child's English-learner status cannot delay a disability evaluation.
Maintain an evidence and deadline file
Keep one file for:
- Leases, utility start dates and insurance dates
- Bank openings and employment documents
- Travel dates, foreign income and taxes paid
- Agency correspondence
It simplifies tax filings, renewals and proof requests later.
Review at 30, 60 and 90 days
Use each checkpoint to list unresolved immigration, housing, healthcare, banking, licensing, school, shipment and tax tasks, and assign a next action. At 90 days, update budgets and emergency contacts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you need to do to move out of the country?
Research the destination, secure visa or residence permission, gather passports and records, and arrange finances, healthcare, housing and shipping. Then complete departure notifications and post-arrival registration. Requirements depend on both countries.
Do I need to tell HMRC if I move abroad?
If you have UK tax obligations, generally yes. HMRC's P85 applies to those not usually in Self Assessment; existing filers report through Self Assessment. Also review US filing duties.
What documents do I need for an international move to the United States?
Typically a passport, visa or authorization, civil records, proof of income, medical and school records, financial and insurance documents, and certified translations or apostilles where required.
How far in advance should I start planning an international move?
As soon as the move is realistic. Then work backward from official processing times for visas, housing, shipping, school enrollment and pet travel.
How do I arrange housing before relocating abroad?
Set a budget, book temporary accommodation, and confirm income-proof rules. Review leases carefully, avoid paying before verifying the landlord, and consider professional destination support.
What should I do after arriving in the United States?
Secure accommodation, phone and banking, then handle Social Security and licensing where applicable. Add healthcare, utilities, school registration and transport, and review progress at 30, 60 and 90 days.
