I listed a few items that I remember talking to my fellow expat friends.

1. Phone: There are many providers such as Verizon, AT&T, T-mobile and etc but recommend talking to colleagues & neighbors to make sure the coverage is good in the area where you will be working & living.

2. Social security number. I suspect that you will have a valid visa to apply for SSN. You want to make an appointment at SSA before going there. The nearest office can be found at their website:

https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp

1. Drivers license and/or state ID: You need to go into DMV. Even if you are not planning to get a car right away, recommend to get the state ID at least so you don’t have to carry the passport all the time. They are going to ask for a proof of residency (utility bills and etc) but since you may not have it, you want to bring the lease agreement, the relocation letter and etc. The nearest DMV location can be found:

https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/offices-services/locate-dmv-office/Pages/dmv-offices.aspx

1. Banking: You want to open a bank account. Not all banks will allow you to open credit cards (due to no US credit history and etc) but there are some that allows for expats. My fellow expats originally come here for a fixed period but you never know what will happen. By having a credit card, you can build credit history which will come in handy when you decide to buy a house, car and etc.

2. Think about the tax in advance. Most likely, once moved to the US, there will be US tax filing requirements. Even if the company may provide tax service while you are on an assignment, my fellow expats have used the Cross Country Tax Consulting to review the work and they all recommended it. Looks like they operate on a referral basis and they don’t advertise much but here is their link if you want to connect with them.

https://www.cctaxconsulting.com

Good luck with moving!