RELOCATION TO NEW YORK

The song goes "If I can make it there I'll Make it Anywhere" and truer words were never spoken. With a population of over 19 million people the job market is fierce, rents are insane,schools are very hard to get into and food and cost of living is one of the highest in the world but still it is one of the greatest places to live. Relocation can be complicated depending on where you are coming from so we will try to offer the following suggestions to make the transition easier.

IF YOU ARE MOVING TO THE CITY ROM ABROAD
Be sure you have the correct visa in place and that you save your I-95 Entry card as it is often requested by INS/USCIS. Residency visas often fall into the following categories IR,F,EB,DV. In order to work "on the books" meaning you get paid on the payroll you will need a Social Security number or an EAD Card. Work "off the books" as we say or under the table is also available but can be harder to come by and has its own risks such as no protection in the event of injury and little job security however it is an option taken not just by people who are relocating it is also very common for students and younger people who are already living in the city so competition can be tough. Craigslist is a very useful resource for finding work as is the NewYorkTimes website and the Village Voice. Some people also contact a HeadHunter which is a person who specializes in finding jobs for different fields. They work on a commission basis and the fees can be quite high but they usually find you something in the end. It is a very competitive market but there is really something out there for everyone as long as you have the patience to wait and the money to support yourself while you look !
Opening a bank account is another thing that is very important and this can be done either online or in a branch office. You will need ID,a Social Security card and address proof such as a bill or lease along with other supporting documentation which can vary depending on your circumstances. Health Care is one of the more complex issues about relocating to New York. While we have fantastic hospitals and doctors it is almost impossible to get decent care without Insurance. All Hospitals have an ER or Emergency Room and an UrgiCare or Urgent Attention center which is a step down from Emergency the bill for which can be subsidized or sorted out via payment plans but can run into the thousands of dollars ether way even when reduced. Most jobs unless you work in the restaurant industry offer health coverage so usually people get their plan from there but if you do not have that option there are Government sponsored agencies as well as private companies who provide care. In NewYork State there is also the option of COBRA,FamilyHealthPlus or Child Health Plus which are low income plans that cover anyone who can not get or afford coverage regardless of any pre existing conditions which can be a deterrent when applying for private care. In the event you need care and do not have insurance there are many clinics throughout the city as well as in various pharmacies that can offer consultations and prescriptions to adults at a low cost on a walk in basis. We suggest that you consider getting insurance in your country that will cover you in the US as well until you can establish a proper plan. If you are looking for permanent housing there are many options but most of us find our apartments through either word of mouth,CraigsList or a real Estate Broker. There are many ways to rent but most common are the Fee,No Fee or Sublet/Share options. With No Fee you pay only the First,Last and Security Deposit to the owner or Property manager. Fee means you pay an additional months rent to the agent or broker who assisted with locating the rental. Sublet or Share means you have a room in a home which you either rent for the short term on someones existing lease or you rent a room in a home or apartment with other tenants. Any way you do it be sure to always have up to date copies of your residential documentation or lease on hand in case you need them to prove you are in fact living somewhere. Once you have sorted out your long term housing,health care,insurance coverage and bank account you are ready to settle in.

IN THE CASE OF FAMILIES RELOCATING WITH SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN
Mandatory Education begins at age 6 in the United States and New York City and its surrounding areas have free public( in most cases non uniformed) schools
Admission can be hard as waiting lists are very long in the city and is handled through the Department of Education or D.O.E. There are also public programs for gifted and talented students and special needs students as well. Admission for the Gifted and Talented is exceptionally difficult with only the top 1% or less being accepted. Admission to Special Needs programs can be either as a mainstream student or to schools which specialize in the different abilities of the child
The State of New York also provides Early Intervention programs from infancy till Kindergarten after which the student can obtain an Individualized Educational Plan called an IEP which allows the child to receive state sponsored services like interpreters,assisted hearing and vision technology,extra time on standardized testing and aides that accompany the child to all classes and activities depending on the needs of the child. We also have quite possibly one of the most expensive private school systems in the world with the average rate for 1 year being somewhere between $30 to 40 THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR PER CHILD !!!
So if you can afford that you are one of the fortunate few ! With regards to Nursery age children there is the State sponsored Head Start Program as an option but admission can be difficult and wait lists are long. Or the Private nursery or day care option which can run into the insane figures as well. Wait lists for private nurseries and Pre K programs are often done before the child is EVEN BORN….Seriously people really do it !!

IF YOU ARE RELOCATING FROM ANOTHER STATE
You know the drill…Post office,DMV,Utilities ect….don't forget to extend your previous address forwarding an additional 6 months just to be sure you still get whatever mail you think will come in 3 months but does not come for 6 or 9 !!! Insurance changes and anything else you think will be transferred because you requested it be done be sure to follow up on as most of the time it is not

USEUL NAMES AND COMPANIES

MAJOR NATIONAL PHARMACIES - CVS,Walgreens,Duane Reade

MAJOR SUPERMARKETS-Fairway,WholeFoods,MortonWilliams, Associated ,D'Agostinos,Key Foods,ShopRite

CABLE/ISP SERVICES-Time Warner or Verizon

MASS TRANSIT-MTA within the city, LIRR or Long Island Railroad to Long Island and the Hamptons, Metro North to Upstate NY and Connecticut,PATH to New Jersey

GARBAGE SERVICES-DSNY or Department of Sanitation is public and covers all trash and recycling on appointed days depending on your location. Private services are also available for hauling and carting larger goods and for personal needs

EMERGENCY SERVICES-911

CITY INFORMATION-311 or NYC.GOV

We hope this information is useful to you in your planning for relocation to NewYork
Best of Luck !