Welcome to the US of A. Where the food is delicious and Netflix is captivating.

As a Canadian living in the US, there are plenty of things to get used to. The word 'toque' isn't a thing and people will literally point out every time you say the word "'Eh". Seriously. Every time.

(Also, they said the word 'Crayon' weird).

Here are a few things that I think would have helped me as a Canadian moving to the US:

How to set up a US Bank Account
Travelling between Canada and the US
Get a Nexus
High Rewards CC

1. How to set up a US Bank Account

There are 3 major banks that my fellow classmates get accounts at: US Bank, Wells Fargo and Bank of America. (Follow the links to find the local branches).

I have a chequing account at Wells Fargo. The reason I chose WF is because of its' proximity to UWS (and where I live), but ultimately it doesn't really matter. You will need a few things in order to take with you in order to set up your account:

Passport
F1 Visa
Drivers License (or secondary ID)
Debit Card from a Canadian Bank

I wasn't asked for a Canadian bank card, but I have had classmates who have been.

You will also need $2,000 USD to keep as a balance for just about every bank that I looked at. It is a pain but otherwise you will end up paying a monthly service fee. Many of the accounts have an option where they don't charge you this fee if you hit a certain number of purchases per month. However, since most of my purchases are via credit card (which I will talk about below) it wasn't viable a option. It also requires that you either constantly deposit more US cash or bring down a LOT of US cash to last you the semester.

2. Traveling between the US and Canada

The first time crossing back and forth with your new visa can be stressful. Here is what you need:

Passport
F1 Visa (WITH A CURRENT SIGNATURE, i.e. signed within 365 days of the last signature)

It isn't that complicated, but just make sure you have them.

Entering Canada: you only need your Passport

Entering the USA: you need your Passport and your F1.

Just be polite and organized and you'll be good to go. Know which dates you were last in Canada and when the next quarter starts.

If you have more specific F1 Visa questions send a message to our guardian angel Natasha French: nfrench@uws.edu

3. Get a Nexus

Nexus is the greatest thing for travel since sliced bread (because how else could you have sandwiches?).

It will save you TONS of time. The border guards ask fewer questions and let you thru more quickly. UNLESS.... your travel buddy doesn't have Nexus.... (which mine does not). In which case you need to pester them ceaselessly until they yield and apply.

Here is what the Nexus application process looks like:

Apply for Nexus on the US Customs and Border Protection Website.
Wait WAY too long.
Schedule an Interview

The process is slow and a bit costly but well worth it. After you apply for your Nexus it will take a few months before you receive an email back telling you how to schedule your interview. The email will have all the details you need for where and when to schedule.

THE NEXUS INTERVIEW: Make sure you read the email carefully for what you need to bring to the interview. Make sure you BRING YOUR F1 WITH YOU to the interview.... I MAY have forgotten to do that... which cost me a few hours when I had to go back a couple days later with my F1 in hand.

The Cost of Nexus: it is a bit pricey up front, but I think it is worth it.

$50USD Application Fee (for Online Application)
$179.99USD for Processing (that is the premium fee, which I recommend if you plan to get your card before you graduate. Otherwise is is $129.99).

There have been times before I got Nexus that I have been in the border line up for hours. I would have paid the $50 just to get out the line on any one of those days.

4. Get a High Rewards Credit Card

Getting a credit card that you can use in the US that doesn't charge crazy fees and gives you some pocket change back will got a long way over 3+ years.

I use the Chase Amazon Visa (thanks to a CLUTCH recommendation by my roommate and stud Anatomy Tutor Tim Kernahan), but they have currently closed applications for it. These things are often cyclic though, so keep your eyes on it in case they open it up again.

I recommend looking into the Rogers Platinum Mastercard and the Home Trust Preferred Visa Card. Both offer a 0% fee on foreign transactions, which means you only pay the current exchange rate.

By using a 0% foreign transaction fee card you can pay for your daily expenses using Canadian funds to pay the balance. The end result is hundreds (to thousands) of dollars in savings over 3 years.

WARNING: I am not a financial planner, banker, or accountant. Take everything I say with a critical eye and read through the applicable terms and conditioning.

If you ever have any questions about school, living in the US or literally anything else, hit me up.

I also encourage you to check out more about me here. Never hesitate to give me a shout.

- Mark

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