WE LIVE IN USA
Racco My checklist
All guides ＋
USA COMPLETEAll 91 items, ad-free, one-time purchaseAll 91 items for US$9.90 →

MY USA PLAN · U.S. landing checklist

The 91 things to do after arriving in the U.S.,
already in order.

SSN, bank account, phone, driver's license, and credit history, through to taxes, buying a car, and enrolling your kids in school. Every item covers what to prepare, roughly how long it takes, and where people get stuck. Check it off when it's done.

The first 30 items are free, no sign-up needed.All 91 items for US$9.90, a one-time purchase, not a subscription.

Read the first 30 items free → See all 91 items and the price ↓

Choose your status, your state, and what's most urgent, and in 30 seconds you'll have your My USA Plan. The first 30 items are open with no sign-up, so read them first and then decide whether you want the full version.

Here's what one item
looks like.

The first two are among the 30 free items, so you can open them to see the details. The third is in the full version.

Apply for a Social Security Number (SSN)

What to bring

  • Passport and visa originals
  • I-94 (look it up and print it free at i94.cbp.dhs.gov)
  • Proof of work authorization from DHS (for example, an EAD or I-797). For F-1 students, the I-20 alone doesn't count: you need on-campus work (a DSO letter plus an employer letter), CPT authorization on your I-20, or an OPT EAD. F-1 students without one of these usually can't apply for an SSN yet.

How long it takes About 15 to 30 minutes on site. Once approved, the card arrives in about 5 to 10 business days (longer if DHS has to verify your records by hand).

🔗 Official link: Social Security Administration (SSA) Apply for an SSN

Common pitfalls

  • If you arrived less than 10 days ago your entry record may not show up yet. Wait 10 days.
  • Make sure you can receive mail at the address you give. The card is mailed, not handed over at the counter.
Open a bank account (checking + savings)
Compare leasing vs. buyingFull version
Whether to finance or lease a car, which documents you need for taxes, and how to enroll your kids in school are in the other 61 items of the full version.

91 items in seven categories,
30 free, and the full version adds 61 more.

11ID & Core Documents

5 free items, including SSN, state ID or driver's license, and USPS mail forwarding. The full version adds 6 more, including ITIN, a USCIS online account, and reminders for when your status expires.

17Banking & Credit

5 free items, including a bank account, your first credit card, and credit monitoring. The full version adds 12 more, including tax basics (W-2, 1099), sending money home, and IRA / 401k.

12Phone & Internet

5 free items, including a phone plan, shopping accounts, and transit apps. The full version adds 7 more, including USPS Informed Delivery, a library card, and a scam call blocker.

14Getting Around

5 free items, including booking the driver's license written test and its practice questions, auto insurance, and renters and health insurance. The full version adds 9 more, including the road test, how to buy a car, leasing vs. buying, and traffic tickets.

17Settling In

6 free items, including finding a place to live, utilities and internet, Urgent Care, and a primary care doctor. The full version adds 11 more, including a dentist and an eye doctor, repairs in a rental, and neighborhood safety scores.

5Work & Career

3 free items, including the W-4, job search accounts, and workplace English phrases. The full version adds 2 more: a U.S.-style resume and professional licensing.

15School & Family

1 free item: registering at school and signing up for classes. The full version adds 14 more, including enrollment paperwork, Daycare / After School, school district maps, and 529 plans.

All 91 items cover what to prepare, roughly how long it takes, and where people commonly get stuck, and 55 of them link to the government or official site where it's handled. Once you choose your status, the 18 items meant only for students, parents, or people working in the U.S. stay off the lists they don't apply to.

Three steps to your own checklist

1

Tell us a little about your situation

Choose the option that is closest to your situation. We will keep unrelated tasks out of your way for now.

2

One thing at a time

See what to prepare, how long it may take, and where the official link is, then work through it at your pace.

3

Your progress is saved

Create a free account and you can pick up where you left off, even on another phone or computer.

30 items free.
All 91 items for US$9.90

The 30 free items cover your first month after arriving. The other 61 go on to cover tax documents and an ITIN, sending money home, the driver's license road test, buying or leasing a car, repairs in a rental, a dentist and an eye doctor, and enrolling your kids in school.

USA Start

US$0

The 30 most urgent things in your first month

  • Identity, banking, phone, transport, the basics
  • No sign-up needed. Start right now
  • Want it synced across devices? A free account does it
Read the first 30 items free →
Recommended

USA Complete

US$9.90

All 91 items, ad-free, one-time purchase

  • Status, money, phone, transport, daily life, education, work — all 91 items
  • One-time purchase, yours for life, not a subscription, no monthly charges, and no future fees
  • Your progress stays put. Rules change, we update. No re-downloading
Unlock all 91 items · US$9.90 →

Secure payment by Stripe | one-time purchase, not a subscription | Refund Policy

The first 30 items are free with no sign-up, so read them before you decide. This is digital content delivered after payment, so there are no refunds.

After payment you're brought back to this site, and this device unlocks all 91 items right away. The email you entered at checkout is your account. On another device, or if it didn't unlock automatically, sign in with that same email. If it still isn't unlocked, email weliveinusa.com@gmail.com with the email you used to buy.

FAQ

Does the free version really need no email?

Yes, open it and start. Want to continue on another device? A free account is all it takes.

Is payment secure?

Handled by Stripe. We never see or touch your card number.

Is it a subscription?

No. US$9.90 once, no monthly charges, yours for life.

What does "yours for life" mean?

Pay once and your account stays unlocked forever. Whenever we update content or fix links later, your account gets the new version automatically without paying again.

Is this a PDF?

No. It's an interactive checklist you use online, where you can read each item and track what you've finished.

Can I just find this on Google?

A lot of it, yes. The value of My USA Plan isn't secret information. It's putting scattered information in the order you actually need it, with the documents to bring, the official links, and the places people get stuck.

Can this replace a lawyer, an accountant, or a professional advisor?

No. It's a tool for organizing practical information and steps. It doesn't provide legal, immigration, medical, or tax advice.

Does the content get updated?

Yes. This is a web tool, not a one-time download. When a link or a rule changes, we update it. You don't re-download anything.

Can I get a refund?

No. The full version is digital content delivered after payment, so we don't offer refunds. The first 30 items are free with no sign-up, so you can read them before deciding whether to buy. If you were charged twice, or the content doesn't open after payment, email weliveinusa.com@gmail.com with the email you used for the purchase and we'll sort it out.

How do I unlock it after paying?

After payment you're brought back to this site, and this device unlocks all 91 items right away. The email you entered at checkout is your account. On another device, or if it didn't unlock automatically, sign in with that same email. If it still isn't unlocked, email weliveinusa.com@gmail.com with the email you used to buy.

Start with the first 30 items,
and decide about the rest later.

Read the first 30 items free → See all 91 items and the price ↑

First 30 free, read before you decide · All 91 for US$9.90, one-time purchase · Digital content, no refunds after payment

Who makes this

My USA Plan is made by We Live in USA. Each of the 91 items links to an explanatory article on this site.

U.S. MARRIAGE & WEDDING GUIDE U.S. Marriage & Wedding: 130 Steps First 30 free → U.S. STUDENT & EDUCATION GUIDE U.S. Student Landing Guide: 50 Steps Free to use →
First 30 free All 91 items for US$9.90 · One-time purchase Read the first 30 items free →Read free →