The International Student Office (ISO) assists students in maintaining their legal status in the United States, provides support for their dependents, and promotes interaction with and integration into the MIT community at large.
We suggest that you get the following documents in order before you arrive. Be sure to prepare official English translations in case English is not your home country's language.
• Family medical history and immunization/vaccination records
• Driver's licenses
• Passports
• Birth certificates
• Marriage Certificate
• Passports
• Visa documentation
Consider getting a U.S. mobile phone number to help you ease the process of setting-up a bank account, housing rental and any other transactions. If you are visiting for orientation, it may be a good time to accomplish this task.
Consider providers with bundled services such as Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile.
Once you have your U.S. mobile number, it will be easier for you to open a bank account. Consider using MIT Federal Credit Union, a convenient option, especially if your student has an FCU student loan.
Once you have your US bank account you can connect it to your home bank for international transfers.
Learn more about banking: https://iso.mit.edu/how_to_guide/banking/
Information on taxes: https://iso.mit.edu/students/taxes.shtml
Maintaining legal status: https://iso.mit.edu/maintaining-status/maintaining-immigration-status/
Medical Insurance: https://iso.mit.edu/maintaining-status/medical-insurance-requirement/
ID cards: https://iso.mit.edu/how_to_guide/obtain-a-state-id/
