GlobeQuest
Legal & ID🇺🇸 New York City, United States

Status, Social Security number and the ID you need to fly

There is no residence-permit step after arrival in the US: your I-94 admission record is your status, and there is no local registration office to visit. What you do need in your first weeks is a Social Security number if you are work-authorised, or an ITIN from the IRS if you are not, because almost everything else — payroll, banking, credit, phone contracts — keys off one of those two numbers. Since 7 May 2025 you also need a REAL ID-compliant licence or a passport to board a domestic flight.

Total cost
A Social Security card is free, and an ITIN application is free. New York driver licence and ID fees are set by the DMV and vary with the length of the document and your county — use the DMV's fee page for your exact amount. Immigration petitions filed with USCIS carry their own fees, which changed substantially in 2024 and 2025; use the USCIS fee calculator rather than any quoted figure.
Time needed
The Social Security card typically arrives within a few weeks of a successful in-person application. USCIS processing times for extensions and changes of status vary enormously by form and service centre and are published per-form on the USCIS website.
Validity
Your permitted stay is the 'admit until' date on the I-94, not the expiry date printed in your visa — the visa is only permission to travel to a port of entry. New York licences are renewed on their own cycle and are limited to the length of your lawful status for temporary visa holders.
Verified
August 2026
High confidence·Non-US citizens arriving to live in New York. Immigration is entirely federal — your status is granted by USCIS and the Department of State, not by New York. New York State does, however, control your driver licence and state ID, and issues them regardless of immigration status.

Before you start

  • A valid visa or other admission category granted before or at entry
  • An electronic I-94 record, retrievable from the CBP website after you land
  • Work authorisation from DHS if you want a Social Security number
  • A New York address for the DMV and for most account applications

Step-by-step

  1. 1

    Download your I-94 within a few days of arriving

    The I-94 is your official arrival record and admission class, and it is what employers, the DMV and SSA will ask for. It is generated electronically and retrieved from the CBP i94 website — nobody hands it to you. Check the 'admit until' date on it against what you were told; errors here are common and much easier to fix early.

    OnlineWho: YouWeek 1
  2. 2

    Wait about ten days, then apply for a Social Security number

    SSA checks your status against DHS systems, which lag entry by roughly one to two weeks. Applying immediately usually means being turned away. Complete Form SS-5 and bring it in person to a Social Security office with your passport, visa and I-94.

    In personWho: YouFrom ~day 10Free
  3. 3

    If you are not work-authorised, apply for an ITIN instead

    Spouses on dependent status and others without work permission cannot get an SSN. File IRS Form W-7 for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, which serves for tax filing and is accepted by many banks. It is not a work permit and does not confer any right to work.

    OnlineWho: You
  4. 4

    Get a New York State driver licence or non-driver ID

    You will be asked for a US photo ID constantly, and carrying your passport daily is a bad idea. New York issues licences and IDs regardless of immigration status under the Green Light Law. Ask specifically for a REAL ID or an Enhanced licence if you are eligible — see the driving guide.

    In personWho: You
  5. 5

    Understand what you need to board a domestic flight

    Since 7 May 2025 a standard state licence is no longer enough. A REAL ID-compliant licence, a New York Enhanced licence, or your foreign passport all work. From 1 February 2026 travellers with none of these can pay a $45 TSA ConfirmID fee and undergo extra screening, but a passport in your bag is simpler.

    In personWho: You
  6. 6

    Track your status expiry yourself

    Nobody will remind you. Extensions and change-of-status petitions are filed with USCIS and take months, so diarise the date on your I-94 and start well before it. Falling out of status is far harder to fix than staying in it.

    OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

  • Passport with valid visa
  • I-94 admission record, downloaded from the CBP website
  • Form SS-5 for a Social Security number, or IRS Form W-7 for an ITIN
  • Employment authorisation document or approval notice, if you have one
  • Two proofs of New York address for the DMV

Things most newcomers don’t know

The date in your visa sticker is not your permission to stay.

A visa lets you travel to a US port of entry; the officer there decides how long you may remain, and records it on the I-94. People routinely assume a five-year visa means five years of residence and fall out of status. The I-94 'admit until' date is the only one that governs your stay.

Source: US Customs and Border Protection — I-94 record

Applying for an SSN too early is the most common wasted trip.

SSA verifies immigration status electronically against DHS records that lag entry by one to two weeks. Arriving at an office on day two normally results in being told to come back. Waiting about ten days converts a two-visit process into a one-visit process.

Source: Social Security Administration — noncitizens and Social Security numbers

New York issues driver licences regardless of immigration status.

Under the Green Light Law, New York does not require proof of lawful status for a standard licence, though such a licence is not REAL ID-compliant and cannot be used to board a flight. This differs sharply from states like Florida and Texas, and it matters if your status is pending or lapsed.

Source: NY DMV — resources for non-US citizens

A New York Enhanced licence counts as a REAL ID and doubles as a land border document.

New York is one of only five states — with Washington, Michigan, Minnesota and Vermont — issuing Enhanced Driver Licences. They satisfy REAL ID for flights and are accepted for land and sea entry from Canada and Mexico. Eligibility is limited to US citizens, so it is a route for naturalised newcomers rather than visa holders.

Source: TSA — REAL ID acceptable identification

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Treating the visa expiry date as your permitted stay instead of the I-94 'admit until' date.
  • Going to a Social Security office in your first few days and being turned away because DHS records haven't synced.
  • Paying anyone a fee to obtain a Social Security card — the card is free and the fee is a scam.
  • Assuming a standard state licence is enough to fly domestically; since 7 May 2025 it is not.
  • Applying for an SSN without work authorisation instead of an ITIN, and losing weeks to a refusal.

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

Make it your personal checklist

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Sources

Last verified August 2026. Government processes change — always confirm critical details against the official source before acting.

More on settling into New York City

Driving
Exchanging a foreign licence at the New York DMV
Banking
Opening a US bank account and building credit from zero
Health
Health insurance in New York — and what happens if you have none
Telecom
Getting a US phone number without a credit history
Tax
Federal, state and city income tax — three bills, one salary
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