Before you start

Passport, with visa and I-94 if applicable
An Oklahoma 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, Oklahoma 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 to show at the counter.
In personWho: You
3
Use a local bank or credit union as well as a national one
Oklahoma has a deep community banking sector and a strong credit-union presence. They are frequently better than a national bank on car loans, on a thin credit file and — if you buy — on a first mortgage where a national underwriter would balk. Open the national account for convenience and the local one for credit.
In personWho: You
4
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
5
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 what you are buying — and here that clock is plausibly running towards a mortgage rather than towards a better flat.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
6
If Tulsa Remote is paying you, understand how
Renters receive the $10,000 in monthly instalments; homebuyers may take monthly disbursements or a lump sum after closing, on condition the home is their primary residence for a year. Payments start only after you have secured housing, completed the move and attended orientation — so it does not help with the deposit and first month's rent, and you should not budget as though it will.
OnlineWho: You
7
If you are buying, price the wind and hail terms before the rate
Ask any prospective insurer three questions: what is the wind and hail deductible as a percentage of dwelling coverage, is the roof settled at replacement cost or actual cash value, and what is the roof's age and material. A 2% deductible on a $300,000 dwelling limit is $6,000 you fund yourself. Lenders escrow the premium, so this lands inside your monthly payment.
OnlineWho: You
8
Keep an emergency fund sized for a deductible, not for a month
In most cities the emergency fund is about job loss. Here it is also about a hail event putting a five-figure deductible in front of you with no notice. A household that can fund its own wind-and-hail deductible in cash has a genuinely different risk profile — and can deliberately choose a higher deductible and a lower premium.
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 an Oklahoma address
Employer offer letter, accepted by many local 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, and the FDIC's own guidance says so. Branch staff often do not know this. Escalate politely, or try a credit union, before concluding you must wait for the Social Security card.

Source: FDIC — Customer Identification Program requirements

In Tulsa the credit file is a mortgage question sooner than elsewhere.

House prices here are low enough that a professional household can realistically buy within two years of arriving — a timescale that is fantasy in San José or Anaheim. That changes what you are building credit for. Start the file in month one and keep utilisation low, because the underwriter you are eventually talking to is a mortgage underwriter.

Source: community-reported

The Tulsa Remote money arrives after you have already paid to move.

Payments begin only once you have secured housing, completed the relocation and attended orientation, and renters receive it monthly. It is a real $10,000 and it is not a relocation float — budget the deposit, the first month and the moving costs as though the grant did not exist.

Source: Tulsa Remote — programme details

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

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting for an SSN before trying to open an account, when a passport is often enough.
Using only a national bank and never asking a local credit union about car finance.
Budgeting the Tulsa Remote grant as though it arrives before the move.
Comparing homeowner premiums without converting the percentage deductible into dollars.
Financing a car in month one with no credit file at a punitive rate.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.