Ask HN: What problems do international people face when they come to the U.S.?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10993284

by rm2904 • 10 years ago

12 16 10 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I'm wondering what problems people face who come here on long term visas. Irrespective of the country they are coming from there are some common problems in terms of access to credit, apartment hunting, phone connections etc.

danieltillett6• 10 years ago

Credit scores and how they are linked to everything.

rm29044• 10 years ago

Would you mind sharing types of services you were not able to get because of credit scores?

danieltillett6• 10 years ago

Rent, phone, bank account, car, employment. Credit scores are basically used for everything and a a recent immigrant you are considered worse than a bankrupt.

kspaans• 10 years ago

Do you mean lack of a credit score upon entering the US, or misconceptions about credit scores compared to other countries?

danieltillett6• 10 years ago

Both really, but the lack of a score is worse. Once you find out what this means it does not take too long to work out what you need to do.

joefarish• 10 years ago

I know someone who was moved from the UK to the US with work. Despite earning $200,000 PA he still had to pay 6 months rent up front and he was unable to get a new iPhone on contract. He told me this was because no credit history = 0.

rm29044• 10 years ago

This is interesting and a good example where credit scores fail.

codegeek• 10 years ago

I can give you a list of important things that you must focus on when you are new to the US. This will take care of the problems as well:

- Social security number (SSN): This should be one of the first things to get. Usually if you come for employment or as a student, your employer/college will help but this is definitely one of the first thing you need. You will get a card for this with the number on it. This number should be remembered by heart as you will need it almost everywhere when it comes to credit. See the items below. All of them require SSN.

- Credit and credit scores: To apply for a bank account, credit card or even a cell phone, you may need credit. There are services for people with no credit but you may be limited in the beginning. The best thing you can do is to convince a bank to open an account AND give you a "Secured" credit card which means that for a deposit of say $500, they will issue you a credit card. You start using it and hence start building your credit.

- One point about cell phones. Prepaid even though available that doesn't require credit, is not popular here as much. Most people use Post Paid cell phones with a fixed plan every month. The catch? You may get a nice phone with a 2 year contract for almost no upfront cost. But again, credit is required for post paid phones. So you may need to start with prepaid.

- Form of identification that is local. So, if you need to go anywhere where an ID is required, you could try to use your passport but that gets difficult in some places. The best form of identification in the US is a driver's license. Now, if you absolutely don't need to drive, you could always apply for an "State ID" within your state that looks like a driver's license but you cannot drive of course. One of the issues getting an ID could be that you need multiple proofs of a valid address within the state so that means until you have an address, it may be difficult.

rm29044• 10 years ago

How big of a problem is getting an apartment when someone moves to the U.S. as a student or for work?

Ask HN: What problems do international people face when they come to the U.S.?

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