Banking and Taxes

It is recommended that you bring a small amount of cash with you to pay for two weeks of expenses, because it often takes 10 days to honor money transfers from your home country to the U.S.

Open a bank account as soon as you arrive in the U.S. You can also use a credit card from your home country for many purchases, but your credit card may charge you extra fees when you buy things in another country.

American currency comes in two forms: paper and coin.

• U.S. paper money, known as dollars (bills), comes in denominations of $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. There is also a $2 bill that is less commonly used.
• Common U.S. coins are the penny (1 cent), nickel (5 cents), dime (10 cents), and quarter (25 cents). One hundred (100) cents is equivalent to 1 dollar.
• There is also a $1 coin, which is less frequently used.

Select to learn more:

Banking

Banks offer many services, including checking and savings accounts. Learn more about banking in the U.S.

Credit Cards

You can usually use your credit card(s) from your home country in the U.S. But you may want to have a U.S. credit card for various reasons.

Taxes

Tax laws are completely separate from visa laws. As a result, our office CANNOT answer any tax questions.