The Move Checklist — The Bay Playbook

You’ve decided to move — tickets booked or visa appointment taken. Your 1–2 SF contacts will tell you half of this. This page exists for the other half. Items are tagged [Friend will tell you] (common knowledge in your network) or Nobody tells you (the blind spots).

Jargon: OTP (one-time password — Indian banks text these to your Indian number, which is why roaming matters). IDP (International Driving Permit — a translation document for your Indian licence).

Stage 0 — Deciding

☐ Run the go/wait/don’t self-assessment — 5 questions, honest answers. Nobody tells you → Reality Check (03)
☐ Pick your visa path — B-1 scout now, then O-1 / H-1B / L-1; the path determines your next 12 months. [Friend will tell you] → Visa Paths
☐ Make the entity decision — Delaware flip vs fresh incorporation vs US subsidiary; hard to undo later. Nobody tells you → Entity Decision
☐ Consider a 2-week scout trip before burning the boats. Nobody tells you → Scout Trip (00)

Stage 1 — Before you fly (4–6 weeks out)

☐ Start your O-1 evidence folder — press, judging invites, revenue proof; collect from day one, not when the lawyer asks. Nobody tells you → Visa Paths
☐ Open a Mercury (or Brex) account remotely — passport + EIN, no SSN needed. Nobody tells you → Remote Setup (14)
☐ Enable Airtel/Jio international roaming so Indian bank OTPs reach you in the US. Nobody tells you → Remote Setup (14)
☐ Order a US eSIM (Tello/Mint/Ultra) so you have data at SFO arrivals. [Friend will tell you] → Remote Setup (14)
☐ Get your IDP through the RTO/Parivahan (~₹1,000, 1-year validity). Nobody tells you → Remote Setup (14)
☐ Build the documents folder — passport scans, transcripts, bank statements, India rental history. Nobody tells you → Remote Setup (14)
☐ Join SF founder WhatsApp groups before landing — ask your contacts to add you now. Nobody tells you → Community
☐ Book weeks 1–4 housing only — never sign a lease from India. Nobody tells you → Housing
☐ Buy travel insurance covering your first 60 days — bridges you to a US marketplace plan. [Friend will tell you] → Health Insurance
☐ Pack your meds kit with prescriptions and original packaging. Nobody tells you → Packing + Meds (23)
☐ Set international limits on Indian cards and tell your bank you’re travelling. [Friend will tell you] → Remote Setup (14)

Stage 2 — Week 1

☐ Activate the US SIM on day 0 — you need a US number for everything that follows. [Friend will tell you] → Remote Setup (14)
☐ Apply for your SSN — if visa-eligible, go in person; wait ~10 days after arrival so DHS records sync. Nobody tells you → SSN & ITIN
☐ Get a Clipper card (Bay Area transit card — works on BART, Muni, Caltrain). [Friend will tell you] → Getting Around
☐ Download the apps stack — Uber/Lyft, Venmo, Transit, DoorDash, Luma. [Friend will tell you] → Week 1
☐ Do the big grocery run — Costco/Trader Joe’s basics plus an Indian store haul. [Friend will tell you] → Week 1
☐ Save emergency contacts — 911, nearest urgent care, Indian consulate SF. Nobody tells you → Week 1
☐ Sort a stable US mailing address — a friend’s place or a virtual mailbox; half your paperwork needs it. Nobody tells you → Week 1
☐ Attend your first event within 7 days — momentum beats settling in. Nobody tells you → Community

Stage 3 — Month 1

☐ Enrol in a marketplace health plan within 60 days of moving — Covered California’s special-enrolment window closes at day 60. Nobody tells you → Health Insurance
☐ Decide your area — SF vs Peninsula vs South Bay vs East Bay; decide from the ground, not from India. [Friend will tell you] → Where to Live
☐ Build a rental resume and apply for a lease — landlords want proof you can pay without US credit. Nobody tells you → Housing
☐ Get your first US credit card using Indian credit history — Nova Credit partner issuers or Amex Global Transfer; check current partner list. Nobody tells you → Credit & Banking
☐ Apply for an ITIN if you have no SSN path (spouse, co-founder abroad). Nobody tells you → SSN & ITIN
☐ Start the CA driver’s licence process — book the DMV knowledge test early; the IDP is a bridge, not a destination. [Friend will tell you] → Getting Around
☐ Join one recurring community — a weekly run club or founder dinner beats ten one-off mixers. Nobody tells you → Community

Stage 4 — Operating

☐ Map corridor VCs vs US-native investors — know which funds actually write cheques to India-origin founders. Nobody tells you → Fundraising
☐ Settle your workspace pattern — home / cafe / coworking; decide before drifting costs you a quarter. [Friend will tell you] → Workspace
☐ Set an events cadence — cap networking at ~2/week and protect maker time. Nobody tells you → Community
☐ Build a visa milestone calendar — O-1 filing windows, renewal dates, travel blackouts. Nobody tells you → Visa Paths
☐ Give back — host a dinner, make intros, answer the next founder’s DM. It compounds. Nobody tells you → Community

Do this now

☐ Bookmark this page and tick your current stage
☐ Do the three items with hard deadlines first: roaming + eSIM before you fly, insurance for 60 days, marketplace enrolment by day 60
☐ Ask your SF contacts today to add you to two WhatsApp groups
☐ Put your visa milestone dates in a calendar before anything else fills it

Nobody tells you

The 60-day health insurance window is the most-missed deadline on this list — Covered California’s special enrolment for new residents expires 60 days after your move, and missing it can mean months uninsured.
Your Indian OTP problem is the sneaky one: every Indian bank, mutual fund and Aadhaar-linked service texts your Indian number. If roaming isn’t active before you board, you’re locked out of your own money from a US IP.
Nova Credit’s issuer partnerships change — the widely-cited Amex tie-up has reportedly ended — so check the live partner list the week you apply rather than following a 2023 blog post.

Sources & further reading

Social Security: FAQs for immigrant visa holders — SSA — official guidance on applying for an SSN after arrival.
Applying for an SSN after arrival — MMHPC — why you wait ~10 days for DHS records to sync.
Special Enrollment — Covered California — the 60-day qualifying-life-event window for new residents.
Nova Credit: India — translating CIBIL history into a US-readable credit file.
Mercury for non-US founders: 2026 requirements — Mizu Financial — remote account opening with passport + EIN, no SSN.
International Driving Permit — Parivahan (Govt of India) — official IDP application route.
B-1 Fact Sheet — U.S. Department of State — what a business-visitor trip legally covers.