emigrating in 7 weeks - to do list??

[GirlWithTheMouseyHair]

We're moving to California really frigging soon!! Does anyone have a to do list to hand I can put against mine to make sure I've not forgotten anything essential? We're renting our 2 bed flat, being put up in temporary accommodation for few months til we find our own place, and it's me, DH and 2DC (2months and 3years)

Also, what do you think is essential to take with you, in suitcases or shipped? Marmite, tea bags, duvet covers on the list!

We've kept our UK bank accounts for the same reason. We chose Bank of America as we'd heard you didn't need Social security numbers before opening the accounts. Not sure what the other banks do.

ah, brilliant! did you then transfer money over once you'd opened your account?

/on that note, I guess we ought to tak out some dollars?!

A few more ideas and comments on above, based on moving to Hawaii 3 yrs ago.
NHS - I went back to visit family recently and advice I got was that as I wasn't resident I was not eligible for NHS services (though there is probably some discretion if you go to previous doctor etc) so I made sure I got travel health insurance.
Banking - when you arrive in US, your previous credit history counts for NOTHING. Assuming you'll be in Cali a while and will want a credit card, do everything you can to establish a credit history - sign up with cellphone contract as soon as you can, get a secured credit card (tied to savings account), make sure your name is on utilities if possible. We even ended up getting a small loan we didn't need and paying it back just to build up a credit score. I kept my co-op account and they've been great. Online banking rocks. Unfortunately online baking in the US sucks - banks don't 'talk' to each other so things like online transfers are difficult. Also great to keep a UK account for online shopping for gifts for people back in the UK.
Medical - also get any over the counter meds you use. Some things you can get over the counter in the UK you can't in the US, and vice versa.
Stuff - if you're leaving things on storage or with friends, have a very detailed inventory. Very helpful if you need someone to find something and send it out.
DVDs - you can buy multiregional DVD players here. We got one, not too expensive, just have to check the model you buy carefully. No point having 2.
Cars - get local driving license ASAP. You'll need it for ID, and to prove you're local, plus insurance on a foreign license costs about twice as much. Probably can't get it till you've got an address and SS though.
Documents - keep all important docs with you when you travel. Some places don't accept copies, so you will probably need original birth certs, marriage cert, etc etc.
Hmm can't think of anything else right now. Good luck and enjoy Cali!

Great list Aloha.

Yes you have to have SS before you can apply for a driving license. We were lucky that our insurance is willing to wait for us to provide the details but the deadline is approaching when we need to give them - otherwise it will go up.

Top tip for applying for SS (which we only learnt later) is to wait 10 days after arriving before going to apply. It gives time for the I-94 that you get when you arrive at immigration to make it's way onto the systems and then apparently you get the number much quicker (a friend got hers in 48 hours). We had to wait 4 weeks which was a pain!

On money - yes we transferred some. And we bought out the maximum ($10,000) in cash.

As Aloha said - banking is a bit bonkers when it comes to paying for bills, rent etc online. Expect to use a lot more checks here. Bank of America has this thing called Bill Pay where they write the check and send it for you! Wouldn't standing order be so much easier?

argh my head is spinning - have heard about the rigmorale surrounding driving licences etc - I actually still need to learn (I know, I know!)

How do you know things like WHERE to go to get your various numbers etc?

Ugh pain in the arse about the online banking, makes life so so much easier! So, Bank of America you don't need credit history to open an account? Do you need an SS/SSN (I have no idea what these are!) numbers? SO we won't have an American bank account literally until we arrive, so we ought to bring lots out in cash instead?

On the plus side we've been sent the details of the apartment they're putting us up in til we find somewhere to live - 20blocks from ths beach in the heart of Santa Monica, yay! AND DH checked his airmiles and he has enough (+£152 which we can claim back from his company) to bump us all up to business on the flight over, AMAZING!!! I have never flown business, so excited!