NYREADERS.COM - If you plan to stay for months in the United States, the choice to stay in a hotel will cost you a lot. Have you ever considered renting an apartment? Although the process might be time consuming, renting an apartment will save you more money than staying in a hotel (or even in Airbnb).
As a foreigner on a visa, you might want to know if by law you are eligible to rent an apartment in the U.S. First thing to know and you can be happy for this, under the U.S. Federal law even though you are on a temporary visit, you are protected from housing discrimination.
As stated in the Fair Housing Act (FHA), all people living in the U.S., regardless of whether they're citizens, green card holders or a tourist/business visas, are protected under FHA, which prohibits housing discrimination based on national origin, race, color, religion, sex, disability or family status.
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Documents needed
Before you start applying for renting, prepare official documents to show your official ID (government-issued photo ID) and your financial ability. These requirements are applied both to foreigners and citizens. In the U.S., to assess your ability to pay rent, the citizens will just need to show their credit scores. For foreigners, since you do not have credit scores, you can show your banking statement, proof of income, proof of employment and or ask someone with a healthy credit score to be your co-signer.
A co-signer means a significant other (family members, friends) who can guarantee that the rent is paid when the renter is unable to pay.
Besides that, the landlord will also diligently do a criminal check and employment history. You will be asked to file a form for an FBI criminal background check purpose.
Find a place online
There are thousands of options for apartments to live in all states across the U.S. Google will take you to websites like apartments.com, apartmentlist.com, apartmentguide.com and many more. After you find your choice, the next step is to contact the property management!
In some countries, an apartment is managed directly by individuals or landlords. But in the U.S. most apartments are managed by property management or corporation. Property managers are hired by landlords to manage their property on their behalf.
Before filling out the application form and submitting your documents, ask for an "apartment tour" so you can observe and have a closer look on every detail of the facilities offered.
Are you now ready to apply? The registration is not free though! The fee ranges $40-50 per person and is non-refundable. There is no guarantee that your application is approved, depending on your background check.
Pay a Security Deposit!