Krakow's Main Market Square at night with the Cloth Hall lit up
Guide Poland → The USA · moving · checked 1 Nov 2026

Moving from Poland to the USA

A plain checklist: what to sort before you go, and your first weeks in the USA.

Photo: Pexels
First: can you move?

You need a visa for the USA

To live and work in the USA you need a visa or a green card. The usual routes are a job with an employer who sponsors the visa, study, family, or the green-card lottery (Diversity Visa) if Poland is on the list that year.

Just visiting? Since 2019 Poles can visit the USA without a visa, through ESTA, for up to 90 days. You can't work on such a visit.

Which route fits you: travel.state.gov. We don't give visa advice.

Before you go

Your checklist in Poland

  1. Your visa or green card approved.
  2. A valid passport.
  3. Documents in one folder: birth and marriage certificates, diplomas, driving licence.
  4. Money for the start: a deposit, the first rent and a few weeks of living costs. Deposit rules depend on the state.
  5. Health insurance: care in the USA is expensive, and most people get insurance through their employer.
  6. Set up Polish TV before you go, so it works from day one (how to watch Polish TV in the USA).
A cosy living room in the evening with a TV and warm shelf lights
Day one in the USA

Polish TV, ready from day one

The first weeks abroad are the hardest. The news from home, your series and the kids' cartoons in Polish make the new flat feel like home faster.

How to watch Polish TV in the USA →
Advertisement: almost 400 Polish channels live with VOLTIX →
Photo: Pexels
Your first weeks

Your checklist in the USA

  1. Social Security number (SSN): needed for work and tax.
  2. Bank account: with your passport and address.
  3. Phone: prepaid or a contract.
  4. Driving: rules depend on the state; once you live there you usually need a licence from your state.
  5. TV fee: the USA has none.
Quick answers

Questions people ask

Do I need a visa to live in the USA?

Yes. Living and working in the USA needs a visa or a green card. Check your route on travel.state.gov.

Do I need a visa to visit the USA?

No. Since 2019 ESTA is enough for visits of up to 90 days, without work.

What is an SSN?

Your Social Security number, needed for work and tax. You apply at the Social Security Administration.

Can I watch Polish TV in the USA?

Yes. Our Polish TV in the USA guide shows every option, from the free TVP Polonia channel to all-in-one subscriptions.

More for Polish people in the USA

Guides for you

Polish TV in the USAEvery Polish channel, live, and how the official apps compare.The Polish community in the USAHow many, where people live, Polish Mass and schools, and where people meet online.Moving from Poland to the USAA plain checklist: before you go and your first weeks.
Sources