# Offer to relocate from UK to Philadelphia



## newbeginning (Sep 7, 2012)

Hi all,

I'm very new to the site and have spent the last couple of weeks dipping in and out of the forums collating information.

I have been offered by my existing employer a senior sales management position in PA which would require a relocation from UK to Philadelphia, and I would like to kindly ask for your advice/experience/knowledge regarding relocation packages. 

The company I work for do not have a standard relocation package as it is uncommon to relocate staff within our organisation. I have a meeting soon with HR and would like to have an idea of whether my preliminary relocation wants/desires are realistic or out of the ball park or if I have left anything out which I should consider. I suppose with any relocation, you aim to better your life and have a better standard of living and amongst other things this largely involves your disposable income. I live on my own in the UK and I'm currently renting a 4 bed detached and would hope to have a similar property in a semi rural part of PA, so that my children can stay when they visit.

So my preliminary thoughts on a package would be as follows:

ca$130k salary (incl. bonuses)
Company car
Medical insurance 
Holiday entitlement to match UK holiday entitlement ca20 days
Tax advice year 1&2 (to allow me to get use to the USA taxation system)
L1 visa application and associated costs handled by HR
Green card sponsored by company and handled by HR
Repatriation if needed
Relocation costs; £8k (within the UK allowance before being taxed)
Shipping of household goods to new home in PA
Air fare tickets for my children to visit me in yr 1&2 (I'm regularly in the USA on business so my outbound ticket is a given)

So questions regarding the above........

Q: Is the above over the top or average
Q: Is there anything else which I should include in the package
Q: What would approximately be the bring home pay for the aforementioned level of gross earnings
Q: Would the aforementioned salary give me a reasonably comfortable standard of living
Q: Do shipping costs have to come out of the £8k relocation allowance
Q: When renting in PA is the property tax (I believe this is similar to UK Council Tax) included in the rental
Q: Can you open a current account in the USA without a residential address/permanent address
Q: I have a poor credit score in the UK, is this likely to affect me in the USA
Q: How long does the L1 visa take to process
Q: Is it possible to rent a property in USA while the L1 is being processed, ie. live in the USA on the standard 3 month ESTA while the L1 is being processed

I apologise in advance if the answers to the above seem obvious or have been repeated on the site many times before. My company would look for me to relocate January/February of next year so I feel I have little time to get everything set up.

Thank you all in advance for your responses.

Kindest Regards, New Beginning......


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Good questions, all of them - particularly if your employer is not experienced in international re locations.



> ca$130k salary (incl. bonuses)
> Company car - could be a problem - US tax law really limits the sorts of employees who can claim a company car to those whose jobs require mobility, such as sales reps. If you're not in this category, perhaps some sort of one-time assistance in purchasing or leasing a car might be a better way to go.
> Medical insurance Again, tax law in the US pretty much requires that you are offered the same terms on medical insurance as the other employees.
> Holiday entitlement to match UK holiday entitlement ca20 days Perhpas for the first year or so, but again, terms for this type of benefits usually have to be uniform across the company within the US entity.
> ...


I'll let those who are currently resident in the US answer most of the rest of your questions. Just to note, though, your UK credit rating is pretty much useless in the US (which can be a distinct advantage).

Don't bother trying to set up a checking account (American for "current account") until you are on site. Your employer may be able to help with this if you are inclined to open an account in one of the banks your employer uses.

Do not try to move to the US until your L1 visa comes through. It complicates matters tremendously. Go for a month or so of "executive housing" on entry and do your house hunting after your official arrival. 
Cheers,
Bev


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## newbeginning (Sep 7, 2012)

Thanks Bev, really useful information.

I am getting more and more the feeling that the timeline will need to be readjusted, if I complete final discussions with my employer by mid October then January/February for relocation might be unrealistic.

Cheers, 

NB


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

newbeginning said:


> Thanks Bev, really useful information.
> 
> I am getting more and more the feeling that the timeline will need to be readjusted, if I complete final discussions with my employer by mid October then January/February for relocation might be unrealistic.
> 
> ...


What is unrealistic about 3-4 months to pack up and move with a complete package?


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## newbeginning (Sep 7, 2012)

Fair point. Just seems rather daunting, though I expect that feeling will pass once HR have clearly defined their support in organising the logistics and legalities.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

IRS.gov will give you everything there is to know about US taxation. Count on 20-25% as rough estimate without knowing your individual circumstances.
130k includes bonuses. How do you know you will hit the mark? What is actual gross pay?
There is no way to say if it will suffice. We do not know your needs and wants. 
Have you looked at a map? Google Earth is a good start. You say you will relocate to Philly and want to live in a rural area.


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## newbeginning (Sep 7, 2012)

I will check out the IRS website, thanks. When I say Philadelphia I was referring more to the region and not the city. Semi rural not rural would be my ideal place to live - but as advised I will take a look at Google earth before I start any exploring. Thanks for your advice and information.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

twostep said:


> What is unrealistic about 3-4 months to pack up and move with a complete package?


It kind of depends on how quickly the employer can get the visa situation sorted out. With some employers, an L-1 visa is a no brainer and they can almost print them off for you. But it depends a bit on their record with the Immigration people and the abilities of their legal staff.
Cheers,
Bev


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## hellsbadger (Aug 26, 2010)

I would suggest that you request that the company pay for accommodation for at least the first 6 weeks if not longer so that you don't have to worry about finding somewhere to live immediately - we were put up for 90 days at the company's expense so that we could have a good look around the area and get to know the place before we arranged to rent a property. I think you should also check the tax implications of having a company car rather than having your own car and claiming mileage (not a fan of the IRS and their ability to money-grab....). If you are going to have your own car, get your company to pay for a hire car for the first month so you have time to figure out licence requirements etc. Our relocation package didn't have a pre-determined lump sum, the company just agreed to pay for particular expenses (airfares, shipping, legal costs of selling our property etc) which made things less stressful as we didn't have to worry about going over budget.

We packed up and shipped out within 2 months of getting visas, but we didn't know we were moving at all until a month before we got the visas! I don't see why you couldn't do the same if your company will pay for a reputable relocation agent.


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## newbeginning (Sep 7, 2012)

Thanks Hellsbadger,

When you say use a reputable relocation company, are you referring to a an international removals company or a company which is handling all aspects of the relocation; visas, tax advice, sourcing rental property etc..

Would be grateful if you can recommend a company with you have a good experience with.



Thanks and Best Regards,

New Beginnings


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## hellsbadger (Aug 26, 2010)

Hi newbeginnings,

We had dealings with Weichert Relocation and Dwellworks - between them they arranged international moving (using a company called Arpin), sorted out our initial temporary accomodation, rental car, offered advice on all the bureaucracy like obtaining social security numbers and driving licences etc. They didn't help with visas, we used an immigration attorney that was set up by OHs company. Dwellworks were especially helpful as their local consultant was more than happy to drive us around the area and provide all the contacts we needed for sorting out the important paperwork.

If you need any more info please ask!


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## Jrge (Mar 22, 2011)

newbeginning said:


> Hi all,
> I'm very new to the site and have spent the last couple of weeks dipping in and out of the forums collating information.
> 
> I have been offered by my existing employer a senior sales management position in PA which would require a relocation from UK to Philadelphia, and I would like to kindly ask for your advice/experience/knowledge regarding relocation packages.
> ...


I worked in Philly (Market St.), and lived in Collegeville. Yes, it was 1 hour drive to/from my office –sometimes longer- without hitting traffic on the Schuylkill Express. However, I had 3 airports nearby, Philly, Lehigh Valley and Reading; was 3 hour drive from DC and Ocean City-MD, 2 ½ from NY, 1 hour from rural PA, tons of attractions nearby such as, King of Prussia Mall, Golf Courses, Philadelphia Premiums Outlets, Dorney Park, and yet was able to enjoy the peacefulness of suburbia. 



newbeginning said:


> So my preliminary thoughts on a package would be as follows:
> 
> ca$130k salary (incl. bonuses)
> *Then your base salary needs to be circa $80k, as your bonus is going to come from your team’s performance.*
> ...



So questions regarding the above........

Q: Is the above over the top or average
*For a senior position? What field? Pharmaceutical = Low; Services = Average *
Q: Is there anything else which I should include in the package
*What do you sell? What’s your field? Manufacturing, technology, medical, etc *
Q: What would approximately be the bring home pay for the aforementioned level of gross earnings
*Your tax bill will be based as single. So, expect higher deductions. The IRS has a handy tax withholding calculator on their web-site, but is not available at the moment IRS Withholding Calculator*
Q: Would the aforementioned salary give me a reasonably comfortable standard of living
*For as long as you are discipline and keep a budget, yes.*
Q: Do shipping costs have to come out of the £8k relocation allowance
*It shouldn’t. Relocation = air fare, temporary accommodation (normally 30 days), car rental, meals, etc*
Q: When renting in PA is the property tax (I believe this is similar to UK Council Tax) included in the rental
*Landords are responsible to pay all applicable taxes (Property, school, etc) But, your portion is already included within your rent.*
Q: Can you open a current account in the USA without a residential address/permanent address
*Difficult, but not impossible. Ask your employer to handle that*
Q: I have a poor credit score in the UK, is this likely to affect me in the USA
*No*
Q: How long does the L1 visa take to process
Q: Is it possible to rent a property in USA while the L1 is being processed, ie. live in the USA on the standard 3 month ESTA while the L1 is being processed
*Yes, but not advisable*



newbeginning said:


> I apologise in advance if the answers to the above seem obvious or have been repeated on the site many times before. My company would look for me to relocate January/February of next year so I feel I have little time to get everything set up.
> 
> Thank you all in advance for your responses.
> 
> Kindest Regards, New Beginning....


Enjoy Philly! Make sure you like the Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB), Flyers (NHL) and 76ers (NBA)


Animo
(Cheers)


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## newbeginning (Sep 7, 2012)

Wow what great information, thank you so kindly!

Our office is in Camden, NJ, most of the guys in the office are living in the Bucks county region, which I believe is a good 1hr drive to the office when the traffic is ok and of course longer during rush hour. I will be travelling across the US each week on business so will not be travelling to the office on a daily basis.

The accommodation side of things is the one which I think I will battle with the most. I plan to give notice on my rental house in the UK. If I bought all new furniture in the US, there would still be some items that I would like to ship from the UK to Philly (sentimental). 


So my preliminary thoughts on a package would be as follows:

Medical insurance 
Already been answered. But, find out what percentage you will have to pay. Also find out about deductibles and out of network expenses/coverage 
Q: what do you mean by out of network expenses/coverage?

Q: Is the above over the top or average
For a senior position? What field? Pharmaceutical = Low; Services = Average..........Sales Director, the sector is industrial capital equipment

Q: Is there anything else which I should include in the package
What do you sell? Whats your field? Manufacturing, technology, medical, etc...........as above 

Q: What would approximately be the bring home pay for the aforementioned level of gross earnings
Your tax bill will be based as single. So, expect higher deductions. The IRS has a handy tax withholding calculator on their web-site, but is not available at the moment IRS Withholding Calculator...........thanks I will check it out

Q: Do shipping costs have to come out of the £8k relocation allowance
It shouldnt. Relocation = air fare, temporary accommodation (normally 30 days), car rental, meals, etc..........thanks

Q: When renting in PA is the property tax (I believe this is similar to UK Council Tax) included in the rental
Landords are responsible to pay all applicable taxes (Property, school, etc) But, your portion is already included within your rent..........If this is included in the rental cost then the rental houses I have been looking at in the Bucks county Doylestown/Warrington area are well priced, far more real estate for your money than what you can get in the UK

Q: Can you open a current account in the USA without a residential address/permanent address
Difficult, but not impossible. Ask your employer to handle that..........thanks


Thank you,

Kindest Regards, New Beginning....
Enjoy Philly! Make sure you like the Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB), Flyers (NHL) and 76ers (NBA)........I am so looking forward to watching the Eagles and and Phillies.


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## jsharbuck (Jul 26, 2012)

Having just lived in the. Philadelphia area before leaving and moving to New Zealand, may I give some helpful info? 
Renting homes vs buying. We lived in an area called Blue Bell, a north suburb. We rented an apartment first, paying $1,900 month. We later moved into a townhouse And paid $2,400. Philadelphia IS NOT SAFE with much more crime than is reported. Home invasions, murders and shooting. We even had a college student beaten to death across from Independence Hall. An average home runs $400,000 plus, most often requiring at least 20% down payment. Many of these are older homes that who
E beautiful are fraught with potential wiring and plumbing nightmares.

Camden is another horrible area for crime, drugs, gangs and more arson fires than you can imagine. The commute go a safe north Philly suburb can take 1 to 2 hrs to get to Camden . The main route into Philly, the Skukyll highway will drive you mad. Traffic. Will slow down to 15 mph for no reason.

Positives is that it is close to NYC, Baltimore and other major cities and there is a lot to see. People are very unfriendly and judge you on who you can say that you know. Might even looking into living in places such as Egg Harbour or some of the smaller New Jersey towns. I have lived all over the world and you could not get me to ever live in Philly again. 

If you have any questions on what areas to look into or any additional info, let m know


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## Jrge (Mar 22, 2011)

newbeginning said:


> Wow what great information, thank you so kindly!
> 
> Our office is in Camden, NJ, most of the guys in the office are living in the Bucks county region, which I believe is a good 1hr drive to the office when the traffic is ok and of course longer during rush hour. I will be travelling across the US each week on business so will not be travelling to the office on a daily basis..........


Hi, 

I clearly understand what those sentimental pieces of furniture mean; we have a few of them and they travel with us everywhere we go. 

*Q: what do you mean by out of network expenses/coverage?*
Insurance Companies have the market extremely segregate with the purpose to “force you” to go to the doctors within your network (mainly geographic areas). Since you are going to be on the road, you need to make sure you will be covered should you get sick in Cypress, Texas or Lake Buena Vista, Florida. And coverage, for things like: reconstructive surgeries, cancer treatments, air ambulances, etc. What for you is basic and common in the UK, in the US is billable!

Salary wise, personally I would say $130k (£80k) will be nice as a basic salary plus commission. But, size of the company, market share and sales volume at the end of the day, clearly define this. Nonetheless, $130k is something you can live with.

Anywhere in PA you get more real estate for your money than in the UK, and Doylestown is very nice. There are several golf clubs nearby, and you also are close to mayor airports like Philly and Newark Liberty (you get better deals here), and more importantly, you get to really enjoy suburbia life. The only downfall is when you have to drive 95 to go to work! Oh man, make sure to check Bob Kelly (CBS3) before you head out the door.

Animo
(Cheers)


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## newbeginning (Sep 7, 2012)

jsharbuck said:


> Having just lived in the. Philadelphia area before leaving and moving to New Zealand, may I give some helpful info?
> Renting homes vs buying. We lived in an area called Blue Bell, a north suburb. We rented an apartment first, paying $1,900 month. We later moved into a townhouse And paid $2,400. Philadelphia IS NOT SAFE with much more crime than is reported. Home invasions, murders and shooting. We even had a college student beaten to death across from Independence Hall. An average home runs $400,000 plus, most often requiring at least 20% down payment. Many of these are older homes that who
> E beautiful are fraught with potential wiring and plumbing nightmares.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the information Jsharbuck.

The commute would not be a daily one for me as I would be travelling across the USA on business, maybe once per week, or 3 times in a week (every other week) would be spent commuting to the office.

I would look to rent maybe a town house until I had decided on my long term housing arrangement. I have been looking in the Bucks County region, but I suppose one town in a region could be a nice place to live and the next town along not so nice.

Any ideas on places to look would be great.

Thanks in advance,


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## jsharbuck (Jul 26, 2012)

Anyplace in Montgomery county, especially Blue Bell, montgomerville are nice. Montgomerville is right on the turnpike for easy access and there seem to be quite a few nice town homes that are new and available close to shopping malls. You can look on a program called Trulia and pull up properties available for rent. Often times they will provide photos so you can see what you would like. The area is expensive as far as America is concerned. We made about the same salary as yours and found that after taxes and ousting we were left with very little. A good bank is PNC Bank. Best of luck let me know if you need more info


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## newbeginning (Sep 7, 2012)

Thank you to all those who have fantastic information, it has really helped what originally felt like a daunting prospect to a an exciting and manageable one. So now I'm ready to spend some time searching for a rental house in the south Doylestown area. I've seen some properties in Macoby Woods, Pennsburg. Does anybody have any opinions on this area? No children, so the school system is not of interest, somewhere safe and semi rural. Not really needing lots of restaurants on my door step as I don't mind driving to get to such amenities.

Thanks in advance.....


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## Jrge (Mar 22, 2011)

newbeginning said:


> Thank you to all those who have fantastic information, it has really helped what originally felt like a daunting prospect to a an exciting and manageable one. So now I'm ready to spend some time searching for a rental house in the south Doylestown area. I've seen some properties in Macoby Woods, Pennsburg. Does anybody have any opinions on this area? No children, so the school system is not of interest, somewhere safe and semi rural. Not really needing lots of restaurants on my door step as I don't mind driving to get to such amenities.
> 
> Thanks in advance.....


Hi,

Pennsburg is west of Doylestown, about 45 minute to an hour away. If I am not mistaken, Macoby Woods is a sub-division (neighborhood) built by Ryan Homes. It would be a quiet living, and indeed semi-rural. However, you will be relatively closer to Allentown than Philly. (Dorney Park will be closer for the kids)

There’s Green Lane Park, where you can go fishing and boating when the kids come to visit and there are some golf courses – not than impressive, besides the one with a runway for small aircrafts and GPS on their golf carts- And of course, you will be close to the Poconos. That means skydiving, whitewater rafting, etc. 

It will definitely get you disconnected from the city life, but commuting to work will be long a challenging, especially in wintry conditions. 

Animo
(Cheers)


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## MarylandNed (May 11, 2010)

newbeginning said:


> Fair point. Just seems rather daunting, though I expect that feeling will pass once HR have clearly defined their support in organising the logistics and legalities.


With all due respect, it can't be the timeline that is daunting. 3-4 months for a single person to pack up and relocate is plenty of time. If it's daunting, maybe the move itself is what you're worried about. Maybe it's just not the right move for you.


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## newbeginning (Sep 7, 2012)

I've spent only 2 days in the UK in the last two months, as I've been on business trips outside of the UK. So yep, with only 1wk of house searching in the USA, no date yet when my visa will be ready, and the fact I have to be out of my uk rental property by the end of December (all furniture removed), then I don't think it is an unrealistic to say it is daunting.


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## Jrge (Mar 22, 2011)

newbeginning said:


> I've spent only 2 days in the UK in the last two months, as I've been on business trips outside of the UK. So yep, with only 1wk of house searching in the USA, no date yet when my visa will be ready, and the fact I have to be out of my uk rental property by the end of December (all furniture removed), then I don't think it is an unrealistic to say it is daunting.


Hi,

I couldn't sympathize with you anymore. Last year I had to pack a 6300 sf house house all by myself, and took me 4 months to do it. "So, it ain't no cake"

If I may suggest: 

* Get an update from HR in regards of your application
* Any chance you get, pack one room at the time
* Don't stress too much about housing in PA. Once you get there it will be a piece of cake. Unlike the UK, the rental market there is saturated with properties, and you might be able to move in right away. (I just extended for 2 years the lease on my house, otherwise I would've rented it out to ya.)

Animo
(Cheers)


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## pabrit (Dec 9, 2009)

I moved with my family from the UK to SE Pennsylvania just over 3 years ago. I know what you mean by daunting. I was very fortunate in that my wife (who wasn't working) organized a lot of things and made sure our daughter and I started school and work respectively, with comparative ease. 

The company I joined was a small start up, with no overseas business and no HR department, which actually made things easier, because we didn't have to work through rigid company policies. My advice would be to negotiate some flexibility in terms of what is reimbursable. You don't know exactly where your costs will be generated and how great they'll be. 

We used Pickfords to move us over from the UK. Frankly we moved far too much over. In particular, we moved furniture over hat would have been cheaper to buy over here and by the way, wardrobes are generally unnecessary in the US as most accommodation has built-in closets! I am sure you already know that most domestic electrical appliances are not convertible to 110v. Even if you buy a transformer for the voltage difference, you will suffer poor performance because of cycle differences (50 Hz vs 60Hz) which affect anything with a timer or motor) If you think there's a chance you might come back to the UK leave expense stuff like TVs with friends or relatives. Also, assume at least one item will get broken in the move. Every expat we hav talked to has lost something in their move...

I would also get familiar with taxable and non-taxable allowances. Look at the IRS.gov website. If you are going to be paid in dollars to a US bank, whether you like it or not you are a US tax payer. For the avoidance of doubt, you are on a non immigrant visa but for tax, you are a resident alien and will have exposure to tax on some relocation benefits.

We had a bank account with First Direct in the UK which allowed us to set up a US account with the Philly branch of HSBC. That meant we had a US checking account and credit card before we moved over. Very handy. Your bank may also have such an arrangement.

By the sound of your arrangements, you will need to be within an hour of PHL. You'd have to go up to NJ/Newark to be close to any other airport with regular schedules that cover the country as well at PHL

We are in the western suburbs of Philly which are nice, relatively safe and more expensive than many other parts of the Philly metro area. It is more affordable outside the so-called "Blue Route" -think M25-(see here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_476) and the blue route is relatively handy for PHL.

Among the few sensible decisions I made earlier on was to hire a tax accountant, and get educated on tax by him/her, especially allowances and taxable earnings. You could negotiate to get the fees covered by your company.

Another poster expressed mostly negative feelings for this region and I recognize a lot of the sentiments h expressed about the area. Our impression after 3 years is that the urban areas around Philly and Camden are awful. However, as a general rule, none of my family have regretted the move here from the UK just for the change and life experience point of view. The fact that you are sat between two easily accessible and fascinating cities such as DC and NYC is wonderful.

The first few months can be a bit rough in that you are comparing everything, from prices to the people you meet. That's inevitable, but ultimately futile as you would experience this if you moved from Edinburgh to Manchester!

This forum is a useful place to get answers to specific questions, but work colleagues, websites and professionals will also be useful sources.

One more tip. We were amazed to find that food (for home) is actually more expensive here. People here eat out regularly. If you are not much of a cook, go native!

As for the weather, Spring and Autumn are fantastic and similar to the height of summer in SE England. Winter is bitterly cold and summer is horribly hot and humid

Finally, bear in mind these are my experiences and opinions... YMMV

Good luck.


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## pabrit (Dec 9, 2009)

Additional thoughts: you can drive on your UK drivers license in PA for 90 days after which you will need to hold a PA license. PennDOT is the commonwealth's department of transport and will tell you how to apply. You ill need to sit a computer based test (multiple choice) and then you'll receive your learners permit and can schedule a road test. We prepped well for both by printing out the drivers manual from PennDOTs website and taking a lesson with a driver school.
Having this sorted out early is useful as it is one more form of ID. Also, check the expiry date on your UK license before you leav so you have at least 90 days left on it!
Another document to get early after arrival is your social security card. Another very handy piece of government paperwork. Be ready or long wits at both the DMV and social security office for both...


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