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, Long Beach 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
Open the utility accounts in the right places
Long Beach is unusual: water, sewer and gas come from Long Beach Utilities, the city's own department, while electricity comes from Southern California Edison. That is two separate accounts with two separate deposit policies. Neither is optional and both may want a deposit without a credit file — but the coastal climate keeps the bills small, which is one of the genuine financial advantages of living here.
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 around $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 the week you arrive rather than the week a letting agent asks.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
6
Assemble a paper case for landlords instead of a score
The workable substitutes for a credit file here are an employer offer letter stating salary, several months of bank statements, a co-signer, or advance rent. California caps the security deposit at one month's rent for deposits taken from 1 July 2024, with a narrow two-month exception for small landlords who are natural persons — so advance rent, which is a different thing, is where a nervous landlord's demand actually lands. Name it correctly in the lease.
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 Long Beach address
Employer offer letter, accepted by many banks, lenders, letting agents and utilities as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

California capped security deposits at one month's rent in 2024, and agents still quote the old norm.

For deposits taken from 1 July 2024 the cap is one month's rent, furnished or unfurnished, with an exception allowing two months for small landlords who are natural persons owning no more than two rental properties totalling four units. Southern California letting agents spent decades asking for two months and many still do. It is worth knowing, because on a USD 2,300 flat the difference is USD 2,300.

Source: California Attorney General — tenants' rights

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: FDIC — Customer Identification Program requirements

Your utility bills here will be genuinely small, which offsets some of the rent.

Long Beach's coastal climate needs almost no heating and, on most of the city, very little cooling — the marine layer keeps summer daytime temperatures far below inland Orange County or the San Fernando Valley. A one-bedroom's combined electricity and gas typically runs under USD 170 a month against USD 250 or more for an equivalent inland flat with air conditioning. Factor it in when comparing a cheaper inland rent against a Long Beach one.

Source: community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Accepting a two-month deposit demand from a landlord who is not a qualifying small owner.
Setting up only one utility account and discovering gas and electricity come from different providers.
Waiting for an SSN before trying to open an account, when a passport often suffices.
Applying for flats one at a time and paying a screening fee for each rejection.
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.