What actually changes
Four things have real deadlines or real money attached, and one of them catches almost everyone.
| Social Security number | On an immigrant visa, tick the Social Security box on your DS-260 and the card is mailed to your U.S. address about 7 to 10 business days after you land. No office visit. On a work visa (H-1B, L-1) you apply in person at a Social Security office after you arrive. |
| Social Security taxes | The U.S. has no totalization agreement with the Philippines. U.S. Social Security and Medicare come out of your pay from the first paycheck, and those contributions cannot be combined with your SSS record. |
| Taking money out | You may carry up to 50,000 pesos out of the country without prior authorisation from the Bangko Sentral, and more than that can be confiscated. Foreign currency over $10,000 has to be declared on the way out, and again to U.S. customs on the way in. |
| Bringing a dog | The Philippines is on the CDC's high-risk list for dog rabies, which triggers the full protocol: an ISO microchip implanted before the rabies shot that counts, a titer blood test at a CDC-approved lab, and arrival only at Atlanta, New York JFK, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia or Washington Dulles with a reserved slot at the animal care facility there. Start six months out. |
| Professional licences | A U.S. licence is granted state by state, not nationally, and healthcare licensing in particular runs on its own months-long timetable. Start with the board in the state you are actually moving to before you book anything. |
| Driving and credit | There is no national U.S. licence. Each state sets its own deadline once you become a resident, and a Philippine licence with an International Driving Permit only covers you briefly. Your state's clock is in the app. Your Philippine credit history does not travel. Expect to start from zero: a secured card, or a card from a bank that underwrites new arrivals. |
Rules here change often. Confirm current requirements at the official source before you act. (reviewed Aug 2026)
Your Philippines to USA timeline
- 6 months outIf a dog is coming, start now: microchip first, then the rabies shot, then the titer test. In that order, or the vaccination will not count. If a professional licence is involved, open that file now too.
- 3 months outCollect PSA documents, transcripts, employment certificates and medical records. Getting them from abroad is far slower than getting them now.
- 6 to 8 weeksBook shipping. Sea freight takes weeks, so anything you need in your first month travels with you, and the inventory is what proves the one-year ownership rule for duty-free entry.
- 4 weeksPlan how money moves: the peso limit applies to what you carry, and holding more than $10,000 abroad once you are in the U.S. means an FBAR the following year.
- Landing weekCustoms declaration, Social Security card, U.S. phone number and a bank account. The first address you give is where the SSN card is mailed.
- First 30 daysHealth insurance enrolment, driver's licence, schools if children are coming, and the state deadlines that started the day you arrived.
Kids, pets, which visa, which U.S. state, your actual move date: answer a few questions and every task above lands in a week-by-week plan you can check off and share. Free.
Common questions
How much money can I take out of the Philippines?
Up to 50,000 pesos in cash without prior Bangko Sentral authorisation, and carrying more without it risks confiscation. Foreign currency above $10,000 must be declared when you leave and again when you enter the U.S.
What does bringing a dog involve?
The Philippines is on the CDC's high-risk list for dog rabies, so the full protocol applies: microchip before the rabies shot, a titer test at a CDC-approved lab, and arrival only at one of six airports with a reserved animal care facility slot. It needs about six months.
Will my professional licence transfer?
Not automatically, and not nationally. Licensing is done by each state's board, healthcare especially, and the process usually starts months before the move.
When do I get my Social Security number?
On an immigrant visa, request it on the DS-260 and the card is mailed about 7 to 10 business days after you land. On a work visa you apply in person at a Social Security office after arrival.