Before you start

Passport, with visa and I-94 if applicable
A Florida 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, Florida 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
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
4
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
5
Get a windstorm quote and check the evacuation zone before you offer
Roof age, roof shape, impact glazing and the wind mitigation inspection report all move a Florida premium substantially, and the lender will escrow it. Check the FEMA flood zone for the mortgage requirement and the county evacuation zone for the surge risk — they are different maps and both matter.
OnlineWho: You
6
Ask the sinkhole question explicitly
West-central Florida is the state's sinkhole belt. Insurers must offer catastrophic ground cover collapse cover, but broader sinkhole cover is a separate optional endorsement and many policies exclude it. Past sinkhole activity and any remediation are disclosable on a sale — ask for the disclosure and the engineering report, and get specialist advice if a property has been remediated.
In personWho: You
7
Apply for the homestead exemption once you own and occupy
Florida's homestead exemption reduces the taxable value of your permanent residence and, more importantly, activates the Save Our Homes cap limiting annual assessment increases. It must be applied for with the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser by the statutory deadline in the first year — it does not arrive with the deed.
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 Florida address
Employer offer letter, accepted by some institutions as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

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

A wind mitigation inspection is the cheapest money you will spend on a Florida house.

Florida insurers give substantial credits for roof shape, roof-to-wall attachment, roof covering age and opening protection, but only against a completed wind mitigation inspection form. It costs a couple of hundred dollars and routinely returns that many times over in the first year's premium.

Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation

Sinkhole cover is a separate endorsement, and this is the belt.

Florida law requires insurers to include catastrophic ground cover collapse but lets them sell broader sinkhole cover as an option, and many buyers assume the first is the second. In Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties this is not an academic distinction — it is the single risk that most distinguishes this market from South Florida's.

Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation

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.
Making an offer before getting a windstorm quote on the specific address.
Assuming catastrophic ground cover collapse cover is the same thing as sinkhole cover.
Confusing the FEMA flood zone with the county evacuation zone — you need to know both.
Assuming the homestead exemption is automatic — it is applied for, with a deadline.
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.