Landing in the US
Setting up phone, utilities, and getting an ITIN if needed
Beyond banking and housing, daily life in the US runs on a few accounts that newcomers must set up from scratch. This guide covers getting a US phone plan (prepaid versus postpaid, and why postpaid often requires credit or a deposit), connecting home utilities, and obtaining an ITIN if you have a tax need but are not yet eligible for an SSN.
What you’ll learn
- Prepaid vs postpaid phone plans and which to choose at first
- Connecting electricity, gas, and internet, and avoiding large deposits
- Who needs an ITIN and who should wait for an SSN instead
- Filing Form W-7 for an ITIN and the documents required
- How an ITIN differs from an SSN in what it allows
- Using utility accounts as proof of address and residency
- Keeping early accounts in your own name for your record
It explains the documents each requires, how to avoid deposits where possible, and how these early accounts quietly contribute to your record of US residency. The ITIN section explains who needs one, the W-7 application, and how it differs from an SSN.
Educational content only, these guides are not legal advice.Read the full disclaimer →
Related guides in this stage
Landing in the US
Your first 30 days in America: SSN, ID, address, basics
Your bank wants an SSN, the SSA wants an address, and the landlord wants a bank account, and newcomers lose weeks to that circle. The first month is sequenced here so each task unlocks the next instead of blocking it.
Landing in the US
Opening a US bank account with no credit history (Chase, BoA, SoFi)
You can often open a US account with a passport and visa alone, but the choice of bank, and whether you need an SSN first, decides how smoothly it goes. Chase, Bank of America, and newcomer options like SoFi are compared, with how the account seeds your credit.
Landing in the US
Finding US housing: leases, security deposits, credit checks for foreigners
US landlords screen on a credit score you don't have yet, and the listings that don't care are often the scams. Learn the alternatives that genuinely work, a larger deposit, a guarantor, prepaid rent, and how to read a lease and spot a fake listing.