I paid dearly for the mistakes in my move to the US. Here are 60 mistakes you don’t have to repeat
The guide I wish I had read before boarding: 300+ pages with the mistakes that cost the most and the practical tips that save time and money and keep you safer abroad. From the visa to ICE, from health insurance to taxes, from the first month to citizenship, with an official source for every immigration fact. Written by someone who’s already been through the move.
This English edition is written for newcomers from any country. Also available in Portuguese and Spanish.
The paperback ships from Amazon in the U.S.
How to get the book
The book is now sold on Amazon, in two formats.
Kindle
US$ 9.99 on Amazon.com, delivered instantly to the Kindle app on your phone, tablet or computer.
Paperback
US$ 24.99 on Amazon.com, 300+ pages, shipped to your address.
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Practical tips that save you time and money and keep you safer in another country
Knowing what not to do is half the way. The other half is concrete steps, checklists and what I would do today in your place.
Save time
A master checklist, the right order for getting your documents on arrival, and a step-by-step for the first 30 and 90 days.
Save money
What a shipping container really costs, how not to lose money on transfers and exchange rates, how health insurance works (ambulances are billed) and how to build credit.
Stay safer
What to do if ICE shows up, the difference between overstaying and crossing the border, how to avoid “notario” scams and what your I-94 date really means.
For anyone thinking about moving — or who's already decided and doesn't want to stumble
Living in the United States looks simple from the outside. In practice, there's a whole list of decisions, paperwork, and customs that catch almost every newcomer by surprise — and some of these mistakes are costly, delay plans, or cause headaches that were completely avoidable.
Fourth edition, revised in October 2026. The book was rewritten in a lighter tone and gained new chapters on visas (B1/B2, F-1, work visas, EB-2 NIW and O-1), asylum, ICE (including overstay, border entry and what to do if approached), US healthcare (plans, copays, ambulances and the Marketplace), immigration scams, documents to handle on arrival, everyday English and a day-to-day survival manual: tipping, pharmacy, gas stations, delivery apps, furniture and services. A new Part VIII covers leaving your home country for tax purposes, US income tax, the green card lottery, marriage and the 2-year green card, and US citizenship including the English test.
Before you leave
Planning and paperwork mistakes that cause problems down the road — many of them invisible until they happen.
In the first few months
From the credit system to renting an apartment — what nobody explains and everybody discovers the hard way.
To really settle in
Long-term mistakes that slow down your life in the U.S. — work, taxes, routine — and how to avoid them.
3 mistakes already in the book
A sample of what you'll find inside — direct, practical, no fluff.
Shipping your whole home in a container. Reusing your furniture sounds cheaper, but freight, insurance, fees and storage often cost more than buying again in the U.S. And a lot of it won't fit the outlets, voltage or measurements of your new home.
Renting your first home on impulse. In a rush to settle, it's easy to overpay for a place you don't yet know fits your routine. A high rent shrinks your margin for surprises right when you need the most breathing room.
Paying cash for a car without understanding U.S. credit. Paying cash feels like the smart move, but with no credit history it gets harder to rent a better place, get a good card or buy insurance on the terms you expect.
These are just 3 of the 60 — the rest is in the full book.
Written by Andrea
Andrea Gimenez is Brazilian and a Spanish citizen with international experience in technology, sales and partner management, including time at Microsoft and Meta. In 2023 she moved to the United States on a work visa and wrote this guide from the mistakes she made and what she learned along the way. She also built Se Habla Mucho, a language-learning app, and runs RushRush.
Why you can trust this guide
No big promises: here are the real reasons, one by one.
Written by someone who lived the move
Andrea moved to the United States in 2023 on a work visa. The mistakes in the book come from real experience, not theory.
Immigration facts with official sources
Information about visas, rules, and documents is based on official government sources, with the sources listed so you can check them yourself.
Fourth edition, revised in October 2026
Rewritten in plain language, with new chapters on visas, asylum, ICE (including overstay, border entry and what to do if approached), US healthcare (plans, copays, ambulances and the Marketplace), immigration scams, and documents to handle on arrival.
Practical, not just theory
65 chapters with illustrations and checklists. Each of the 60 mistakes comes with what to do to avoid it.
Clear about what the book is (and isn't)
It is general information and organization for your move. It does not replace an immigration lawyer.
Simple, safe purchase
Through Amazon: Kindle instantly or the paperback shipped to you (U.S.). Bought the PDF here? Request it again or message me on WhatsApp.
Andrea introduces the book
Video is in Portuguese.
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Read for free before you decide
The topics people search for most when they want to live in the US, explained with official sources. In the book you will find the complete step-by-step.
- How to Get a Green Card: The Main Paths
- Green Card Lottery: Can Brazilians Enter?
- US Visa Denied (214(b)): What It Means and What to Do
- How to Get a Social Security Number (SSN) as an Immigrant
- US Taxes: Are You a Resident or a Nonresident?
- Credit Score in the US: What It Is and How to Build Credit
- Do Not Tell Everyone Your Story: ICE Reports, Extortion and How to Protect Yourself
- Owning a Car in the US: Why You May Need One and What It Costs
- How to Rent an Apartment in the US With No Credit History
- Health Insurance in the US for Immigrants: Emergency Care, Costs and Options
- Informal Work in the US: Risks, Your Rights and What to Do If You Are Not Paid
- First Weeks in the US: 10 Common Problems and How to Avoid Them
Ready to not repeat the same 60 mistakes?
300+ pages, 65 chapters. Kindle US$ 9.99 or paperback US$ 24.99, on Amazon.
Kindle — US$ 9.99 on Amazon Paperback — US$ 24.99