Your guide to life in the US

Start with your situation

• I'm a studentThe F-1 pathway from school admission to OPT
• I will workH-1B, L-1, O-1 and work permit
• I'm getting marriedFiancé visa, spouse green card
• I will investE-2 investor visa and company formation
• My child was born in the USABirth certificate, SSN, Turkish population registry

• 01Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Before You Set Out

  • The two ways to go to the United States
  • Where to apply in Türkiye
  • Temporary visa application step by step

  All 12 topics →
• 02Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Temporary Visa Types

  • Tourist and business travel (B-1/B-2)
  • Student visa (F-1): from application to graduation
  • Exchange visitor (J-1)

  All 9 topics →
• 03Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Green Card (Permanent Residence)

  • What is a green card; rights and obligations
  • Green card through family
  • How to read the Visa Bulletin

  All 12 topics →
• 04Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  U.S. Citizenship

  • Requirements (N-400)
  • Application, biometrics, interview
  • Citizenship test

  All 6 topics →
• 05Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Working Life

  • Job search
  • Who can work: work authorization by visa type
  • Employment Authorization (EAD / I-765) and categories

  All 8 topics →
• 06Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Education

  • The US education system
  • University application
  • Rules for maintaining I-20, SEVIS, and F-1 status

  All 7 topics →
• 07Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Marriage and Family

  • Marriage to a U.S. citizen or green card holder
  • Getting married in the United States: state marriage licenses
  • Registration of a marriage in Türkiye

  All 7 topics →
• 08Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Having Children and Children

  • Giving birth in the United States
  • Childbirth costs
  • Registration of a child in the Turkish civil registry and identity card/passport procedures (consulate)

  All 7 topics →
• 09Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Healthcare and Insurance

  • How the U.S. health system works
  • Health insurance options
  • Open enrollment periods and situations that qualify for a Special Enrollment Period

  All 7 topics →
• 10Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Daily Life

  • New arrivals: first 30 days checklist
  • Driver's License
  • Opening a bank account; building a credit score

  All 8 topics →
• 11Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Transactions with Türkiye (Consular)

  • Turkish missions and areas of responsibility in the US
  • Consular appointments (konsolosluk.gov.tr) and e-Government
  • Passport, ID card, population registration (birth, marriage, death)

  All 9 topics →
• 12Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Rights and Legal Risks

  • Consumer rights: complaint options (FTC, CFPB, state attorney general)
  • Traffic tickets and police vehicle stops
  • Constitutional rights as an immigrant

  All 9 topics →
• 13Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Useful Guide

  • Emergency numbers
  • Official agencies and links
  • Turkish community organizations

  All 5 topics →
• 14Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Company Formation and Business

  • Business structures
  • Formation steps
  • EIN (employer tax number)

  All 6 topics →
• 15Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Tax

  • Tax residency: who is considered a "resident"?
  • Taxpayer identification number: SSN or ITIN
  • Tax return

  All 7 topics →
• 16Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Public Benefits

  • Which benefits can immigrants receive?
  • SNAP (food assistance, formerly known as "food stamps")
  • Medicaid and CHIP (health insurance for low-income people)

  All 6 topics →
• 17Up to date · Oct 16, 2026

  Retirement

  • U.S. Social Security retirement
  • Social Security tax (FICA) and exemptions
  • 401(k) and IRA: 2026 contribution limits

  All 6 topics →

Each business also appears next to the guide topic it relates to. A few examples:

• Consulates and Embassies
• Mosques and Places of Worship
• Associations
• Automotive
• Health & Beauty
• Education
• Legal & Consulting
• Construction & Real Estate
• Finance & Banking
• Tourism & Travel
• Arts & Culture
• Media & Communication
• Real Estate Agencies
• Schools and Colleges

• Embassy of Türkiye in WashingtonConsulates and Embassies · District of ColumbiaIn the guide: 10.0 New arrivals: first 30 days checklist › 11. Turkish consulate procedures
• Eyüp Sultan Cultural Center (Brooklyn/New York)Mosques and Places of WorshipIn the guide: 2.4 Work visas › R-1 (religious worker)
• Association of Turkish Americans of Southern California (ATASC)Associations · Los Angeles County, CAIn the guide: 13.3 Turkish community organizations
• HBElmer PediatricsHealth & Beauty · New JerseyIn the guide: 10.0 New arrivals: first 30 days checklist › 7. Health insurance
• Atatürk SchoolEducation · New York County, NYIn the guide: 5.11 Job search › Job searching step by step
• OKANLAWLegal & Consulting · CaliforniaIn the guide: 10.0 New arrivals: first 30 days checklist › 1. Days 1–2: Check your I-94 record
• AKDO NEW YORK (TACCI’de “Construction”)Construction & Real Estate · New YorkIn the guide: 10.4 Buying a home: mortgages for foreigners
• Chicago Turkish FestivalArts & Culture · IllinoisIn the guide: 6.6 Turkish and Turkish culture classes (MEB), weekend Turkish schools › Yunus Emre Institute: Turkish courses