Before you start

Passport, with visa and I-94 where applicable
A US 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 in week one
Bring passport, Arizona address and SSN or ITIN if issued. The federal Customer Identification Program rule explicitly permits a passport number and country of issuance instead of a taxpayer number for non-US persons. A refusal on that ground is branch policy, not law.
In personWho: YouWeek 1
2
Budget for a utility deposit at APS or SRP
Arizona's electricity providers commonly require a deposit from customers with no credit history, and in a metro where a summer bill can reach several hundred dollars that deposit is not trivial. It is refundable after a period of on-time payment. Ask what it will be before you sign the lease, so it does not arrive as a surprise alongside the rent.
OnlineWho: YouMove-in week
3
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 — raising it at the counter can move your banking forward by weeks.
In personWho: You
4
Set up direct deposit immediately
Give payroll your routing and account numbers. Direct deposit waives the monthly maintenance fee on most US checking accounts, which is the simplest saving on this list.
Via employerWho: You and your employer
5
Open a secured credit card in month one
Post a refundable deposit, typically $500, and receive a card with a matching limit that reports to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Length of history counts as much as behaviour, so start the clock immediately rather than when a landlord or a utility asks.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
6
Get a credit union pre-approval before you shop for a car
Financing with no credit file means a large down payment or a rate several points above market. Arizona has an active credit union sector, several tied to the aerospace and semiconductor employers. A pre-approval turns the dealer's finance desk from your only option into a competitor.
In personWho: 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 Arizona address
Employer offer letter, accepted by some banks, lenders and utilities as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

The electricity deposit is the credit-file cost that nobody warns you about.

In most US cities a utility deposit is annoying. In Phoenix, where a summer electricity bill for a one-bedroom flat with refrigerated air can run to $250 or more a month, the provider's deposit for a customer with no credit history is sized accordingly. It lands in the same week as the rent deposit and the car down payment. Ask APS or SRP what it will be while you are still choosing between flats.

Source: community-reported

Arizona caps residential security deposits at one and a half months' rent.

The Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act limits the security deposit to one and a half months' rent, and any non-refundable fee must be described as non-refundable in writing. A landlord who wants three months up front because you have no credit file cannot lawfully ask for it as a deposit. Most US states have no cap at all, so this is a genuine protection worth knowing about before you negotiate.

Source: Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act

No credit history is treated worse than bad credit history.

American underwriting scores a file, and a file that does not exist cannot be scored at all. A well-paid newcomer can be declined for an apartment, a phone contract and a car loan in the same fortnight while holding a spotless twenty-year record at home. Nothing crosses the border — not the mortgage, not the decade with the same bank.

Source: community-reported

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, and branch staff frequently do not know it. Being refused is common and is not a legal outcome. Print the CFPB guidance, ask for a manager, or try a credit union — waiting weeks for a number you may not be eligible for is the avoidable mistake.

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

Common mistakes to avoid

Not budgeting for an electricity deposit on top of the rental deposit in your first month.
Accepting a security deposit demand above Arizona's one-and-a-half-month statutory cap.
Waiting for an SSN before trying to open an account, when a passport often suffices.
Financing a car in month one with no credit file and accepting 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.