Ettenatas

Hi everyone,

I am planning to move to the US (Maryland) in due course to be with my Fiancee, and I am looking in to how to prepare for my move so that I am as set up as I can be when I move over there. I have read elsewhere that you can open a bank account before arriving, have looked into getting a pre-paid phone plan as I won't yet have a credit rating here, but I wondered if there is anything I am missing.

Any help would be gladly appreciated

Hotscot

Bank account you'll need a legal US address and some sort of tax ID. Usual one is a Social Security No.
Prepaid phone you can obtain as soon as you arrive. I also recommend getting a Google Voice No.
You'll be living with your fiancee and he can add you to bills?

Have you taken steps to get the appropriate visa? You don't mention what stage of planning you're at.

Good luck and welcome.

Here's something to read.
https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Pulas...rk_in_the_USA_

civilservant

So your K1 is in progress?

robtuck

Banks with a presence in both countries will usually have a way of setting up a Global account - it's not always easy though, my HSBC one never came into being! That said it is a quick and painless process within the first few weeks once over here if you do wait until moving.

Amex will allow you to set-up a USA card provided you are in goo standing with them in the UK and for a period of time (12 months?). That's a quick way to building a credit rating.

Get your name added to some accounts once you have your SSN.

Get a bread importer set-up.

Hotscot

Or make your own.

https://breadtopia.com/no-knead-bread/

This method is really easy.

Pulaski

Is your fiancée a US citizen, or is she in the US on a green card, or some sort of visa?

zzrmark

I set up a Wells Fargo account but had to have the wife as the lead name on the account until I established permanent residence.

The use of 'fiancee' would suggest the US partner is of feminine gender!

Hotscot

Didn't even occur to me.

How did my bread post end up here? Post #5.

dc koop

Sign up for Blue Cross or Blue Shield. The monthly premium might be a bit pricey but it will be a lot more than that if you get sick/ accident and need a hospital stay. Obviously hope you never will.

zzrmark

Last line post #4 perchance?

caretaker

Doesn't matter, I'm glad it did; saved the link and might give it a try!

Ettenatas

Hey guys,

Sorry, to clear a few things up, I am female, my fiance (I apologise for the above typo ) is a male USC and our visa application is in progress. Part of the reason I want to open an account here is so that I can place savings into it so we can cover ourselves regarding meeting the poverty line! I will look into a few of your suggestions.

You mention an SSN, but what about an ITIN? If I obtained one of those could my name then be added to accounts etc? Is it worth doing or should I wait?

And finally, kudos for the bread post! I might have to give no knead bread a try!

Noorah101

If you are married and doing a CR-1 spouse visa, it doesn't matter where the money is, it can still be counted on the USC's I-864.

As a fiancee, you probably can't be added to his bank account because savings accounts are interest-bearing and for that you need a SSN. You can only get an ITIN number if you file a US tax return, which you don't.

Rene

Ettenatas

Thank you for the clarification on both matters.

It is reassuring to know that when we are married that my assets will still be counted. Does this include my salary in the UK, or is it purely assets?

Noorah101

If your salary in the UK will not continue from the same source in the USA, then it won't count. But assets will still count, no matter in whose name or in which country.

Rene