Tips For Moving Back To Usa After 12 Years

[argcalif2010]

Hello

I am making my move back to USA (Florida) I am a USA citizen and plan to leave in one year. I am trying to get myself back in the system in the USA. ( I closed all bank accounts in the USA, when I left 12 years ago). I have a temporary place to stay in Miami, with an address, but am finding it difficult (from Argentina ) to open a bank account, and to get a Florida driver licence or id card. Every avenue I chose needs me to be a resident....Does anybody know If I can be living in BS.AS. and still state legally that I am a Florida resident? I plan to visit this year September to get a jump start but I only have one week. Any advice on how to get myself going again??? Thanks for your time!!!!!

 

[ghost]

You gave up your drivers license but you still have a valid passport? And you moved all of your money into Argentine accounts? Hmmmmm.

 

[argcalif2010]

I dont have a drivers license and unfortunately I did not have very much money to transfer to Argentina. I moved here originally to help my mother (Argentine) she had Parkinson disease. Now with my girlfriend I want to move back.

 

[garryl]

You do not have to be a resident in Florida. You just need to be present in Florida to open a bank account and get your driver license, it's very easy, just show up and do it there. If you only have a week, try to make a reservation with DMV first, read the questions first and take a written and driving test. You can open a bank account in one hour with your passport, initially you can use your friend's address for opening the acc, later after you move to US, you can change it back.

 

[BaltRochGirl]

You don't need to be present to set up a bank account necessarily but you do need a US mailing address and a way to transfer in $ to open the account with. For your drivers license if you haven't had one in that state before or if you don't have a current one you will probably have to take a test which you would need to do in person.

 

[argcalif2010]

Cool tip....That is what I was researching...I didn't know that I could open a bank account with just my passport.....I am looking into the DMV policy in Florida, I is a pain with the fact of the resident portion. I have a social security number so this is a big help. My only challenge is finding a job at age 52.....I am confident that it will be a lot eaiser to find a job than here in Argentina at my age..LOL....Thanks

 

[garryl]

52 is not old. If you are interested in living other part of US, like Northern California/San Francisco area, there is a shortage of good employees now. It's much easier to find a job than Miami and the pay is way better than in Florida, which is considered a low wage state. Foreigners can easily open a bank acc with their passport. When you open an account, the bank have to examine your ID (passport) and make a copy. You can claim you are a resident if you have a mailing address.

 

[garryl]

You don't need to be present to set up a bank account necessarily but you do need a US mailing address and a way to transfer in $ to open the account with. For your drivers license if you haven't had one in that state before or if you don't have a current one you will probably have to take a test which you would need to do in person.

How do you do that, you call an US bank from Argentina, and fax your passport, and they open an account for you ? How do they know it's you ?
Or you have a power of attorney friend who brings passport to the bank to open an account for you ? Most of the banks are very careful, they have to make sure it's you.

 

[Crema Americana]

Getting your driver's license in Florida is not that easy anymore. You need proof of residence. I believe you need at least 4 forms of identification/residence proof. My neighbor had to go 3 times to renew hers after having lived there decades and previously having a driver's license. The good news is once you pass that process, you can renew online every other renewal.


I once looked into opening an account with a Florida credit union and it was done online, but I didn't go through all the way with it, so not sure of the complete process or how they verify your identity.

 

[Johnny]

How do you do that, you call an US bank from Argentina, and fax your passport, and they open an account for you ? How do they know it's you ?
Or you have a power of attorney friend who brings passport to the bank to open an account for you ? Most of the banks are very careful, they have to make sure it's you.

Much more so since the Patriot Act was enacted. Much more red tape.