Moving to Texas from Canada! (San Antonio, Howe: credit rating, Home Depot, purchase)

[just_adorable]

Originally Posted by Paul56

Old thread folks... back to 2007.

It was an old thread Paul but our reality is coming through this October. What I was concerned about was banking, Driver Licence, car Insurance, buying Medical Insurance, establishing a credit rating, dealing with utility companies...etc.

[skeet09]

Originally Posted by just_adorable

What I was concerned about was banking, Driver Licence, car Insurance, buying Medical Insurance, establishing a credit rating, dealing with utility companies...etc.

Medical Insurance - If you will be working full time with a company, most will have medical, dental for their employees after 90 days of employment.
Credit Rating - That's a tough one since you don't have any established credit cards and the like in the US. I would get the bank account first (preferably a credit union) and then get a secured credit card to build your credit file.
Utility companies - Electricity was about $150 for a deposit for our home and $75 for the apartment. Water was about a $35 deposit. After about a year of service, you can sometimes get the deposit refunded on your account.

[Paul56]

Originally Posted by just_adorable

It was an old thread Paul but our reality is coming through this October. What I was concerned about was banking, Driver Licence, car Insurance, buying Medical Insurance, establishing a credit rating, dealing with utility companies...etc.

Certainly.

I can help. I am a Canadian who moved down here on an L1-B work visa
last June and have adjusted nicely to Texas and enjoying the experience.

Your company should be able to provide some measure of assistance with
the move to smooth things over for you.

Medical insurance... there should be a group plan at your company. Discuss the possibility with them of coverage from day one. There is usually a waiting period but I did not have one. Do not come down here without medical insurance unless you are prepared to pay.

Accommodations... again your employer should be able to assist with that as well and perhaps get the ball rolling before you are down here. You will need to fill out the usual applications. I strongly recommend renting before purchasing.

One of your first tasks will be to apply for a SSN (Social Security Number).
Here is the office I went to...

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/Controller

...when you go bring all your id including your passport with the I-94 slip that you will receive from HomeLand Security when your Visa is approved. Also you should have established where you will be living so you can provide them with an address. The process was painless.

If you bring your vehicle down... do not do what I did. I crossed and was allowed entry but forgot to ask them to give my vehicle the once over and provide me with the completed form certifying it was good for operation in the States. As a result of not doing that I had to trek down to the San Antonio Airport and have customs do the inspection there. You will need that to get title of your vehicle here. There is no vehicle registration here as in Canada... it is title. You will also need to have the state inspection done on the vehicle before you can get plates.

Driver license... I went to the office on Pat Booker Road in Universal City...
1633 Pat Booker Road, Universal City, TX. Bring a letter from your employer stating you work for them and again all your identification including your Canadian Driver license. You do not have to pass another test. They will confiscate your old Canadian license even though it may still be valid.

Car insurance... I went with State Farm. You will find the rates much higher here in Texas. You will need insurance before getting plates.

Utility companies... not a big deal. Just provide them with your id.

Establishing credit... unfortunately, your credit rating will not cross the border with you and it will take some time to establish credit here.

I purchased a new vehicle down here and was prepared to pay cash but to see if I could start building credit via a loan I went through Honda Finance. I provided them with several documents... including a copy of my credit report from Canada. It was approved so now I'm paying monthly and building credit via that.

For a credit card I went with State Farm and fortunately was able to get an unsecured card. I think it helped that I went through my State Farm insurance agent for that.

Some of my colleagues who are also from Canada did not get so lucky and needed to establish secured credit cards.

You may find the hardest part of the move is becoming acclimated to the Texas climate... the summer heat mainly.

If you have any specific questions on the process... ask away and I will help if I can.

[GEM-Texas]

I used to live near the Canadian border and visit there quite a bit. So welcome. My advice is to try to fit in to TX fun things.

I've seen Canadians freak out. One at work was horrified that you could get a pistol permit here.

Another set asked me to take them to the range and show them how.

Now you don't have to shoot or ride a horse but try not to pine for things we don't have. I've moved cultures a few times and you just find what works rather then try to stay in a bubble.

Enjoy.

[Paul56]

Originally Posted by GEM-Texas

I've seen Canadians freak out. One at work was horrified that you could get a pistol permit here.

I'm looking forward to attended concealed handgun classes.

I'm more freaked out about the lack of my favorite beverage... Sleemans Cream Ale.

Everything else is all good.

Now you don't have to shoot or ride a horse but try not to pine for things we don't have.

Wait... isn't everyone pining for rain these days? Haha!

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by Paul56

I'm looking forward to attended concealed handgun classes.

I'm more freaked out about the lack of my favorite beverage... Sleemans Cream Ale.

Everything else is all good.



Wait... isn't everyone pining for rain these days? Haha!

I thought only US citizens could own guns here. Maybe I am wrong.

[Paul56]

Originally Posted by MattTx

I thought only US citizens could own guns here. Maybe I am wrong.

A colleague, also a Canadian, has purchased a gun and goes to the range on a regular basis. According to him the only requirement is a valid Texas driver license.

That surprised me and was something I thought would have been tightened up or made illegal for non-residents to own a gun... at least since 9/11.

In any case, I was joking about the concealed classes... unlike my colleague I have no interest in that.

I'm more concerned about the door ding I find on my new Honda earlier today... grrr...

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by Paul56

A colleague, also a Canadian, has purchased a gun and goes to the range on a regular basis. According to him the only requirement is a valid Texas driver license.

That surprised me and was something I thought would have been tightened up or made illegal for non-residents to own a gun... at least since 9/11.

In any case, I was joking about the concealed classes... unlike my colleague I have no interest in that.

I'm more concerned about the door ding I find on my new Honda earlier today... grrr...

Ugh door dings. So far I don't have any of those on my Subaru yet. Whenever I park far far far out in a parking lot it seems to attract a bunch of cars around my own. Like a cluster of cars in a middle of the empty part of the parking lot. It really baffles me why that happens.

I guess I could be one of those obnoxious jerks who double park in two spots. (j/k)

[GEM-Texas]

What is rain? I thought that was some Biblical or Babylonian myth.

Is it when frogs fall from the sky on the Egyptians?

They have rain in Canada?

[SabresFanInSA]

Originally Posted by Paul56

Certainly.

I can help. I am a Canadian who moved down here on an L1-B work visa
last June and have adjusted nicely to Texas and enjoying the experience.

Your company should be able to provide some measure of assistance with
the move to smooth things over for you.

Medical insurance... there should be a group plan at your company. Discuss the possibility with them of coverage from day one. There is usually a waiting period but I did not have one. Do not come down here without medical insurance unless you are prepared to pay.

Accommodations... again your employer should be able to assist with that as well and perhaps get the ball rolling before you are down here. You will need to fill out the usual applications. I strongly recommend renting before purchasing.

One of your first tasks will be to apply for a SSN (Social Security Number).
Here is the office I went to...

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/Controller

...when you go bring all your id including your passport with the I-94 slip that you will receive from HomeLand Security when your Visa is approved. Also you should have established where you will be living so you can provide them with an address. The process was painless.

If you bring your vehicle down... do not do what I did. I crossed and was allowed entry but forgot to ask them to give my vehicle the once over and provide me with the completed form certifying it was good for operation in the States. As a result of not doing that I had to trek down to the San Antonio Airport and have customs do the inspection there. You will need that to get title of your vehicle here. There is no vehicle registration here as in Canada... it is title. You will also need to have the state inspection done on the vehicle before you can get plates.

Driver license... I went to the office on Pat Booker Road in Universal City...
1633 Pat Booker Road, Universal City, TX. Bring a letter from your employer stating you work for them and again all your identification including your Canadian Driver license. You do not have to pass another test. They will confiscate your old Canadian license even though it may still be valid.

Car insurance... I went with State Farm. You will find the rates much higher here in Texas. You will need insurance before getting plates.

Utility companies... not a big deal. Just provide them with your id.

Establishing credit... unfortunately, your credit rating will not cross the border with you and it will take some time to establish credit here.

I purchased a new vehicle down here and was prepared to pay cash but to see if I could start building credit via a loan I went through Honda Finance. I provided them with several documents... including a copy of my credit report from Canada. It was approved so now I'm paying monthly and building credit via that.

For a credit card I went with State Farm and fortunately was able to get an unsecured card. I think it helped that I went through my State Farm insurance agent for that.

Some of my colleagues who are also from Canada did not get so lucky and needed to establish secured credit cards.

You may find the hardest part of the move is becoming acclimated to the Texas climate... the summer heat mainly.

If you have any specific questions on the process... ask away and I will help if I can.

Wow, that is a list. Glad I came here from Canada before I turned 18 and got my residency at around 18.