Before you start

Passport, with visa and I-94 if applicable
A Wisconsin residential address
An SSN or ITIN if you have one; a passport number if not
An opening deposit, which varies by institution

Step-by-step

1
Open a checking account in branch
Bring your passport, Wisconsin address and SSN or ITIN if issued. Federal Customer Identification Program rules explicitly permit a passport number and country of issuance instead of a taxpayer number for non-US persons.
In personWho: YouWeek 1
2
Mention a pending ITIN if you have no SSN
Banks may open accounts for people who have applied for but not yet received an ITIN. File IRS Form W-7 and keep the receipt.
In personWho: You
3
Start with a Wisconsin credit union, not a national bank
Wisconsin's credit-union sector is one of the strongest in the country and includes very large institutions with broad membership eligibility. They are consistently more flexible on thin credit files and price car loans better. For a newcomer this is a bigger practical advantage here than in most US cities.
In personWho: You
4
Set up direct deposit
Give payroll your routing and account numbers. Direct deposit waives the monthly maintenance fee on most US checking accounts.
Via employerWho: You and your employer
5
Open a secured credit card in month one
Post a deposit, typically around $500, and get a card with a matching limit that reports to the credit bureaus. Age of history matters as much as behaviour, so the clock is the thing you are buying.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
6
Budget the winter heating bill as a monthly average, not a monthly bill
Milwaukee's housing stock is old and variably insulated, and the heating season runs October to April. A January gas bill in a poorly insulated upper duplex can be several times a September one. Ask the utility for budget billing, which averages the year, and ask the landlord or outgoing tenant for the actual January figure for that unit before you sign.
OnlineWho: You
7
Ask about utility protections before winter
Wisconsin restricts disconnection of heat-related utility service during the winter months for residential customers. It is a genuine consumer protection worth knowing exists — but it does not cancel the debt, and the arrears become payable in spring. Treat it as a safety net, not a plan.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport, with country of issuance serving as the identifying number if you have no SSN or ITIN
Visa and I-94, where applicable
SSN card or ITIN letter, if issued
Proof of a Wisconsin address
Employer offer letter, accepted by some institutions as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

Go to a credit union first here, not second.

Wisconsin has one of the deepest credit-union sectors in the United States, with several very large institutions whose membership criteria are far broader than their names imply. Thin-file applications that a national bank's automated underwriting declines are routinely approved by a person at a credit union, and the car loan rate difference is material.

Source: National Credit Union Administration

Federal rules let a bank take your passport instead of an SSN.

The Customer Identification Program rule accepts a passport number and country of issuance for non-US persons. Branch staff often do not know this. Escalate politely, or try a credit union, before concluding you must wait for the SSN.

Source: FFIEC BSA/AML Examination Manual — Customer Identification Program

Ask for budget billing on the gas account in your first autumn.

The heating bill in an old Milwaukee duplex is not a small seasonal variation — it is the difference between an unremarkable month and a difficult one. Utilities offer budget billing that spreads the annual cost evenly, and setting it up in September rather than in January is the whole trick.

Source: community-reported

Carrying a balance builds interest, not credit.

Scores respond to on-time payment and low utilisation, not to interest paid. Paying in full each month builds history identically and saves a rate above 20% APR.

Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — credit cards

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting for an SSN before trying to open an account, when a passport is often enough.
Going straight to a national bank when Wisconsin's credit unions are the better first stop.
Under-forecasting the January gas bill in an older, poorly insulated unit.
Financing a car in month one with no credit file at a punitive rate.
Paying an avoidable monthly maintenance fee by never setting up direct deposit.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.