Arriving in the US: Your First Two Weeks

Your first two weeks in the US are about three things: entering correctly, getting the identification and accounts that payroll needs, and surviving financially until your first paycheck. This page is a checklist built around that order. It assumes you already have your visa and a start date, so if you do not, read the visa timeline after the match first.

Before you leave home #

• Originals in hand luggage: passport with visa, DS-2019 (J-1) or approval notice (H-1B), program offer or contract, any letter from the program about your start date, and medical school diploma and transcripts.
• Copies: scan everything and store it in secure cloud storage. Give a family member access.
• Vaccination and health records: programs usually require proof of immunity before you start. Ask the program's employee health office what they need so you are not delayed at orientation.
• Money: bring a card that works internationally and a modest amount of cash. Do not carry large sums.
• Your entry window: confirm with the program's international office the earliest and latest dates you may enter. Do not book non-refundable travel until you know them.
• Temporary housing: book the first one to four weeks. Do not sign a long lease for a place you have not seen. See housing for residents.

Day 1 to 3: enter and secure the basics #

1. At the border, the officer will inspect your documents and admit you in a specific status for a specific period. Answer plainly and carry your documents with you.
2. Check your I-94. The I-94 is your official arrival and departure record. CBP provides it online. Look it up soon after you enter and check that your name, status and "admit until" information are correct. Many later steps use it. If anything is wrong, tell your program's international office immediately.
3. Get a US phone number. You will need it for banks, payroll, hospital systems and two-factor logins.
4. Settle into temporary housing and confirm your orientation date and location.

Week 1: identification, payroll and a bank account #

The order below tends to work, but check with your program's human resources office, because they decide what they need on day one.

You cannot usually finish everything in one day. The Social Security number is the step with the least control, because you must visit the Social Security Administration in person and wait for the card.

Week 2: licence, transport and stability #

• Confirm your medical licence or training licence status with the program. Some states require a training licence before you see patients. See state licensure for IMGs.
• Plan transport. Many hospitals have parking permits or shuttle options. A car is not always necessary. See driver's licence and car basics.
• Buy only what you need for the first month. Furniture and large purchases can wait until you know your schedule and your first paycheck date.
• Learn your hospital systems login process. Residents often get badges, EHR access and pager or phone credentials during orientation. Ask who to contact if access is delayed.
• If you are bringing family, read about J-2 and H-4 dependents before they travel, because their work and study rules differ.

Plan the gap before your first paycheck #

Pay timing differs by employer. Some pay biweekly, some monthly, and the first check can lag behind your start date, sometimes by several weeks. Ask HR for the date of your first deposit and whether any relocation or signing support exists. Then budget for:

• Housing deposit and first month of rent
• Utilities and internet setup, which sometimes require deposits when you have no credit history
• Food and transport for the gap
• Licence, immigration or insurance costs you paid up front
• Items required for work that are not covered by the hospital

This is the point where many new residents use savings, family help or a small personal loan. Compare any short-term borrowing carefully and avoid high-cost products. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains credit and borrowing basics on its website.

If something goes wrong #

• Visa or status problem: contact the international office, not just HR.
• Lost documents: report a lost passport to your embassy and ask your sponsor how to replace the DS-2019 or approval notice.
• Late first pay: ask HR for the cause and the timeline. Keep records of your start date and hours.
• Safety or scam concerns: be suspicious of any request to pay a "fee" by gift card, wire or cryptocurrency, including from people claiming to be officials.

Most of what you set up in the first fortnight lasts for years, so go step by step, keep copies, and ask your program's international office whenever a rule is unclear.