All Checklists

Key points at a glance

The H-1B Visa, Explained: Timeline, Costs and Common Mistakes

12 key points

1. 1H-1B is employer-sponsored; you cannot petition for yourself
2. 2The job must be a specialty occupation; the required degree must be in a specific specialty directly related to the duties — not a job-title match — and equivalent education or experience can qualify
3. 3The LCA, Form I-129 and approval notice I-797 carry the case
4. 4Your I-94 record, not the visa stamp, controls your stay

The checklist

Green Card EB-1, EB-2, EB-3: Which Category Fits You

12 steps

1. 1Learn the differences between EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 doors
2. 2Identify which category your current facts already open
3. 3Ask an attorney whether EB-1A or NIW evidence-building is realistic
4. 4Consider EB-1C if your employer has foreign entities and managerial roles

The checklist

H-4 Status and the H-4 EAD: The Complete Rules for Spouses

10 steps

1. 1Check every family member's I-94 after each entry
2. 2Keep H-4 extensions filed together with the H-1B's
3. 3Confirm the I-140 approval or AC21 basis before filing the EAD
4. 4File Form I-765 as early as the renewal window allows

The checklist

F-1 to H-1B: The Student's Complete Roadmap

10 steps

1. 1Verify your degree's CIP code against the STEM list
2. 2Ask employers in interviews how they handle H-1B registration
3. 3Calendar the annual registration window every spring
4. 4Know your offered role's wage level under weighted selection

The checklist

STEM OPT Extension: Eligibility, the I-983, and Staying Compliant

11 steps

1. 1Confirm your CIP code appears on the STEM list
2. 2Verify the employer's E-Verify enrollment before accepting
3. 3File the extension before your current OPT expires
4. 4Submit the signed Form I-983 to your DSO

The checklist

US Visa Stamping in India: The Complete Interview Playbook

12 steps

1. 1Confirm you actually need to travel — expired stamps don't affect status
2. 2Answer the portal's eligibility questionnaire; expect an in-person interview
3. 3Complete the DS-160 yourself, accurate and consistent with your history
4. 4Pay the visa fee through the official ustraveldocs portal only

The checklist

Dropbox (Interview Waiver): Who Still Qualifies, and What to Do If You Don't

12 steps

1. 1Confirm your visa category still qualifies — most work and study categories don't
2. 2Answer the portal's eligibility questions for your own facts on application day
3. 3Check you were old enough when the previous visa was issued
4. 4Confirm the previous visa was full validity, and not lost, stolen or revoked

The checklist

Children Aging Out of the Green-Card Queue: CSPA for Indian Families

12 steps

1. 1Record your child's exact date of birth, not just the year
2. 2Confirm the employment-based category: EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 differ
3. 3Confirm the priority date from the immigration records
4. 4Find the date USCIS received the I-140 (the receipt notice)

The checklist

Moving to the USA: The Complete 24-Point Relocation Checklist

24 steps

1. 1Assemble documents folder: passport, visa, status documents, degree certificates, transcripts
2. 2Build the medical file: vaccination records, prescriptions in original packaging, doctor's letters
3. 3Plan week-one money and notify your Indian bank before travelling
4. 4Arrange insurance covering the gap until employer or university coverage begins

The checklist

Getting Your Social Security Number: The Complete Process

12 steps

1. 1Confirm you are work-authorized and eligible for an SSN
2. 2Know the routes: immigrant visa request, USCIS form request, or in person
3. 3Allow time after arrival for records to reach government systems
4. 4Gather originals: passport, I-94, and your status or work-authorization document

The checklist

Opening Your First US Bank Account: Documents, Choices, Traps

12 steps

1. 1Know banks can verify identity with a passport, not only an SSN
2. 2Gather passport, visa, I-94, status document, and proof of address
3. 3Choose between a national bank, credit union, or online bank
4. 4Open checking and savings together and ask about fee waivers

The checklist

Getting a US Driver's License: The Universal Playbook

12 steps

1. 1Check your state's DMV on whether an International Driving Permit helps before you are licensed locally
2. 2Check your state's foreign-license grace period on the official DMV site
3. 3Gather passport, I-94, status document, and residency proofs
4. 4Bring your SSN or an SSA ineligibility letter

The checklist

Building US Credit From Zero: The Complete 12-Month Plan

12 steps

1. 1Understand that Indian credit history does not transfer to America
2. 2Pull free reports from the official AnnualCreditReport.com site
3. 3Open a starter account: secured card, authorized user, or credit-builder loan
4. 4Put one small recurring charge on the card

The checklist

Your First US Tax Return: The Newcomer's Complete Primer

12 steps

1. 1Determine residency: green-card test, substantial presence, or exempt student
2. 2Exempt-individual students (F/J/M/Q, generally within the five-calendar-year limit): file Form 8843 — it may be required even when no return is due
3. 3Nonresident: Form 1040-NR. Resident: Form 1040. Dual-status year: the IRS's dual-status rules — Form 1040 with a 1040-NR statement if resident at year end, the reverse if not
4. 4Collect every W-2, 1099, and Form 1098-T as they arrive

The checklist

Finding Your Community: Where Indians in America Actually Connect

12 steps

1. 1Treat community-building as a settlement task with a plan
2. 2Join the SOS Global Indians community and introduce yourself with your city
3. 3Get a public library card in week one
4. 4Find your regional-language or alumni association and join its group

The checklist

NRI Tax 101: Residency, FBAR and FATCA Without the Jargon

12 steps

1. 1Determine your tax residency via the green-card or substantial presence test
2. 2Check whether student exempt-individual or dual-status rules apply to you
3. 3Inventory every Indian account yearly with its peak balance
4. 4File the FBAR with FinCEN if accounts cross the aggregate threshold

The checklist

Sending Money to India: The Complete Remittance Guide

12 steps

1. 1Compare providers on total rupees received, not the advertised fee
2. 2Check the mid-market rate before every significant transfer
3. 3Verify the provider's FinCEN registration and state license, or its regulated principal
4. 4Avoid hawala and every unlicensed informal transfer arrangement

The checklist

401(k), IRA and HSA: How America's Tax-Advantaged Accounts Work

12 steps

1. 1Enroll in your employer's 401(k) as soon as offered
2. 2Contribute at least enough to capture the full employer match
3. 3Check the vesting schedule when joining and before resigning
4. 4Decide your traditional-versus-Roth split for your own scenario

The checklist

US Health Insurance, Decoded: HMO vs PPO, Deductibles and Enrollment

12 steps

1. 1Learn premium, deductible, copay, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum and network
2. 2Compare plans on deductible and out-of-pocket maximum, not premium alone
3. 3Pick a plan type — HMO, PPO, EPO or HDHP — matching your care use
4. 4Confirm your doctors and nearby hospitals are in-network

The checklist

Understanding (and Fighting) US Medical Bills: Your Federal Rights

12 steps

1. 1Wait for the EOB before paying any medical bill
2. 2Check the EOB: network status, service codes, patient-responsibility math
3. 3Request an itemized bill and compare every line against the EOB
4. 4Dispute errors in writing with the provider's billing office

The checklist

ER vs Urgent Care vs Primary Care: The Complete Decision Guide

12 steps

1. 1Learn the tiers: ER, urgent care, PCP, nurse line, telehealth
2. 2Call 911 without hesitation for chest pain, stroke signs, severe breathing trouble
3. 3Use urgent care for same-day problems that are not dangerous
4. 4Pick an in-network PCP and book the establishing visit early

The checklist

Top Mistakes Indian Students Make in Their First Year

12 steps

1. 1Ask your DSO before any decision touching enrollment, work, or travel
2. 2Confirm full-time enrollment; never drop below it without prior DSO authorization
3. 3Never work off-campus without CPT, OPT, or hardship authorization
4. 4Report address, program, or school changes to SEVIS promptly

The checklist

Choosing a School in America (K-12): Public, Private, Charter and Magnet

12 steps

1. 1Your address sets the assigned public school; charter, magnet and open enrolment run under their own rules
2. 2Confirm the assigned school with the district's boundary lookup — NCES lists schools, not zones
3. 3Compare charter, magnet, and private options and their application windows
4. 4Know your child's right to enrol regardless of immigration status

The checklist

OPT Survival Guide: Every Rule That Can End Your Work Authorization

12 steps

1. 1Request the DSO's OPT recommendation before filing with USCIS
2. 2File Form I-765 early, inside both application windows
3. 3Check the EAD card for errors the day it arrives
4. 4Never start work before the EAD validity begins

The checklist

The US Resume: A Complete Rewrite Guide for Indian Professionals

12 steps

1. 1Delete photo, birth date, marital status, full address, and declarations
2. 2Cut to one page (the usual US convention for early-career), reverse-chronological, with standard section headers
3. 3Use a clean single-column layout that ATS software parses
4. 4Rewrite every bullet as action verb plus quantified outcome

The checklist

Salary Negotiation in America: Data, Rules and the Visa Question

12 steps

1. 1Accept that polite, data-backed negotiation is expected here
2. 2Pull BLS wage data for your role and metro; if blank, widen the area
3. 3Check posted salary ranges and H-1B disclosure data
4. 4Decline to name a number first; ask the budgeted range

The checklist

Laid Off on H-1B: The Complete 60-Day Playbook

12 steps

1. 1Get your official employment end date in writing
2. 2Download your current I-94 and check its expiration date
3. 3Collect pay stubs, I-797 notices, LCAs, and green-card paperwork
4. 4Consult an immigration attorney in week one

The checklist

Parents Visiting America: The Complete 22-Point Checklist

22 steps

1. 1Complete each parent's DS-160 truthfully in their own words
2. 2Book biometrics and interview officially; check waiver eligibility for renewals
3. 3Prepare ties-to-India evidence: property, pension, bank records, family at home
4. 4Write the invitation letter: relationship, purpose, duration, stay, funding

The checklist

Visitor Medical Insurance for Parents: How the Products Really Differ

12 steps

1. 1Decide between fixed-benefit and comprehensive plan architectures
2. 2Compare plans against a worst-case hospitalization, not a normal month
3. 3Read the acute-onset pre-existing clause against their actual conditions
4. 4Verify policy maximum, deductible, network access and direct billing

The checklist

Green Cards for Parents (IR-5): The Complete Sponsorship Guide

12 steps

1. 1Confirm you are a US citizen; naturalize first if needed
2. 2Start the conversation with how your parents want to live
3. 3File a separate Form I-130 petition for each parent
4. 4Assemble birth certificates, citizenship proof and name-variation affidavits early

The checklist

Utilities, Internet and Essentials: The 20-Point Day-One Setup

20 steps

1. 1Schedule electricity from move-in day; compare full disclosures where deregulated
2. 2Open the gas account; ask which appliances run on gas
3. 3Set up city water, sewer and trash — often needed before keys
4. 4Verify internet serviceability at your exact address before signing the lease

The checklist

The US School System, Explained for Indian Parents

12 steps

1. 1Check the district's own website for calendars, cutoffs and programs
2. 2Gather enrollment documents: lease, utility bill, birth record, translated transcripts
3. 3Reconcile Indian immunization records against the state's school requirements
4. 4Know enrollment cannot be denied over immigration status or missing SSN

The checklist

Settling in America: Should You Rent or Buy a Home?

12 steps

1. 1Estimate honestly how long you'll actually stay in this metro
2. 2Price the full round-trip transaction costs of buying and selling
3. 3Weigh H-1B mobility and green-card-queue uncertainty into your horizon
4. 4Shop several lenders; visa holders can buy, underwriting policies differ

Key points at a glance

OCI Card FAQ: Everything Indian-Origin Americans Ask

14 key points

1. 1OCI is a lifelong multiple-entry India visa, not dual citizenship
2. 2Lifelong visa, no FRRO registration — research, journalism, restricted areas still need permission
3. 3Rights follow a specified parity list; agricultural land stays off-limits
4. 4No voting, government office or Indian passport comes with OCI

The checklist

Everything You Need to Know About India's e-Arrival Card and Air Suvidha

12 steps

1. 1Check the Bureau of Immigration and Air Suvidha portals before every India flight
2. 2Determine the requirement separately for each traveller's nationality, passport and OCI status
3. 3Foreign nationals, including OCI cardholders: follow the current e-Arrival Card instruction
4. 4Air Suvidha instructions direct all international arrivals to file; recheck the live notice

The checklist

Returning to India Permanently: A 22-Step Checklist

22 steps

1. 1Book a cross-border tax consultation months before the move
2. 2Green-card holders: analyze exit tax before filing Form I-407
3. 3Decide each retirement account's future: keep, roll over, or withdraw
4. 4The landing date alone does not decide RNOR status; model each tax year with your CA

The checklist

Owning Property in India as a US-Based NRI: The Complete Rules

12 steps

1. 1Know residential and commercial purchases are freely permitted
2. 2Avoid agricultural land, plantations, farmhouses — and benami arrangements
3. 3Move purchase money only through Indian banking channels
4. 4Keep remittance certificates and bank trails permanently

Key points at a glance

Inheritance Across Borders: The Complete India–US Playbook

12 key points

1. 1India has no central inheritance tax; inherited property is generally not taxable income
2. 2A valid will governs; without one, the deceased's applicable succession law applies
3. 3Probate, letters of administration or a succession certificate apply only where required
4. 4Mutation updates land records; it is not conclusive proof of ownership

The checklist

Travel FAQ: The Questions Every NRI Asks Before Flying

12 steps

1. 1Check every traveler's visa stamp validity for the return date
2. 2Verify I-20/DS-2019 travel signatures for students
3. 3Confirm passports are valid well past the return date
4. 4Email your attorney before booking if anything is pending

The checklist

Emergency FAQ: Who to Call in America, for What — Save This Page

12 steps

1. 1Save 911 for police, fire and medical emergencies
2. 2Request an interpreter by naming the language in English — most centres can connect one
3. 3Never delay ER care over insurance; EMTALA guarantees screening
4. 4Save the 988 crisis lifeline for mental-health emergencies

Key points at a glance

Life in America FAQ: The Everyday Mechanics Nobody Teaches

12 key points

1. 1Sales tax appears at checkout, not on the price tag
2. 2Tips count toward servers' minimum wage in many states; table service runs 15–20%
3. 3The credit file is checked well beyond lending — build it early
4. 4Unauthorised app transfers are covered by Regulation E; a payment you sent a scammer yourself is a different problem

The checklist

Applying to US Universities from India: The Complete Roadmap

11 steps

1. 1Build the master calendar backwards from your target intake
2. 2Shortlist 8–12 universities across ambitious, realistic and safe bands (a planning rule of thumb)
3. 3Verify every school on the official SEVP-certified list
4. 4Plan English and standardized tests from each school's own policy

The checklist

Education Loans for US Study: Collateral, Co-signers and the No-Cosigner Route

12 steps

1. 1Compute the true funding gap from official cost-of-attendance pages
2. 2Exhaust scholarships and assistantships before sizing any loan
3. 3Compare all three worlds: banks, NBFCs, no-cosigner lenders
4. 4Decide the currency question from your honest post-degree plans

The checklist

Funding Your US Degree: Scholarships, Assistantships and the Real Cost Math

12 steps

1. 1Price each school from its official cost-of-attendance page
2. 2Chase funding in order: university aid, external scholarships, campus work, loans
3. 3Find every shortlist school's international scholarship page and deadline
4. 4Research which departments actually fund international students

The checklist

SAT, ACT and Your Testing Plan: US Admissions Tests from India

12 steps

1. 1Build the requirements grid: which tests each shortlist school needs
2. 2Check the test provider's current ID rules for your exam and country — ID is checked on test day, not at registration
3. 3Register only through official accounts — never through agents
4. 4Match your registration name exactly to the ID you will present on test day