Empowering immigrants in California with clear, verified information for settling into daily life.
Enter your own numbers to check deposits, bills, and eligibility.
Checklist of required documents for REAL ID / AB 60 and complete road test guide.
Calculate statutory deposit limits under AB 12 and track 21-day refund timelines.
Check income eligibility for 20-35% discounts on California electric and gas bills.
Full-Scope Free Medi-Cal (all statuses) and Covered California subsidy checker.
Status-blind free enrollment, grade placement, SB 277 vaccine checklist, and residency proofs.
Find 100% tuition-free Adult Schools and Community College Noncredit ESL programs funded by California.
City minimum wages, SB 616 paid sick leave (5 days/40h), and overtime rules.
County free curbside furniture pickup and SB 1383 waste sorting rules.
24/7 hotlines (211/988), county free legal aid, food banks, and Know Your Rights.
How each system works, and what to do first.
Same-day activation with no credit, how MVNOs work, keeping your home number, and the LifeLine discount.
Paying the fare, pulling the cord, TAP and Clipper cards — your legs for the carless first weeks.
How to open an account without an SSN — documents to bring, fee traps, and what to set up right after.
From a secured card to your first score — the second ID that opens apartments, phones and financing.
Used-car checks, costs beyond the sticker, and the insurance California requires (30/60/15) — starting with no US history.
What screening checks, passing with no credit, and filtering rental scams — from search to signature.
Primary care vs urgent care vs the ER, getting care without insurance, and your right to an interpreter — a map to read before you need it.
Where and how much, the auto-gratuity trap, and the tablet moment — a standard instead of guessing.
From what a W-2 is to VITA's free help and spotting scams — a map for your first spring.
Each guide below stands on its own, but the first months go smoother when you tackle things in order. Here is the path we recommend — every step links to the guide that walks you through it.
A phone is usually the first task — and prepaid activates same-day with no credit. If you plan to drive, start early. California expects new residents to switch to a California driver's license soon after moving in — sooner than most people expect. The DMV guide covers the deadlines, the documents to bring, and where REAL ID fits in. And since paychecks and rent both assume a bank account, open one in the same stretch — the banking guide covers doing it even without an SSN. Until the car arrives, the bus is how you move — the transit guide walks through the unfamiliar mechanics of a first ride. And once the account is open, plant the credit seed too — a first score takes months to grow, so starting early pays.
If the search itself feels opaque, start with the apartment guide — what screening checks and how to filter the scams. And before you sign a lease, know that California caps security deposits and sets a firm deadline for returning yours after you move out — knowing the rules is how you keep that money. Once you have keys, set up electricity, gas, water and internet, and check whether the CARE or FERA programs can cut your utility bills based on income.
Health insurance is the one thing not to postpone. Depending on income you may qualify for Medi-Cal, and Covered California handles enrollment for everything else. Separate from coverage, knowing which door to use when sick — primary care, urgent care, or the ER — spares you panic later. If you have children, they can enroll in public school regardless of immigration status — the school guide shows which paperwork actually matters.
Free or nearly free English classes run at adult schools and community colleges across the state. Learn the basics of California worker rights — minimum wage and paid sick leave apply to almost everyone. And two things that surprise newcomers most: the state's three-bin waste sorting rules, and who to call when it's urgent but not quite a 911 emergency. And tipping — the custom you meet at every meal out — gets much easier once you have a standard for it. And your first spring brings tax season — grasp the shape of it in advance and there is nothing to fear.