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🇺🇸 San Francisco · Before you go

Packing list in San Francisco

A packing checklist for San Francisco, filtered by the season you arrive in. Ticks are saved on this device, so you can come back to it.

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For San Francisco

Season you arrive

Documents

Passport, with at least six months left on it
Visa or residence paperwork, printed and saved offline
Health or travel insurance documents
Certified copies of birth or marriage certificates, if family is coming
Your I-94 and visa approval notices, printed
Degree certificates and transcripts, originals (employers and consulates ask for them)
International driving permit, if you will drive

Tech

An unlocked or dual-SIM phone
Power bank
Laptop and charger
Type A/B plug adapters (flat pins, 120V) (check chargers are rated 100–240V)

Apps

Venmo and Uber installed

Health

Prescription medication for the first three months, with the prescription
Antihistamines and a basic first-aid kit
Three months of medication, in original packaging (refills need a US prescriber)
Dental and eye check-ups done before you fly (both are usually separate insurance here)
Sun cream for the clear autumn days

Clothing

Light layers
Shoes you can walk a city in
One set of interview or office clothes
A warm layer and a windproof jacket, even in July (summer fog drops the temperature fast)
Comfortable shoes for steep hills

Money

A card with no foreign transaction fees
Enough local cash for the first day
A letter from your previous bank or card issuer (some US issuers will consider a foreign credit history)

Home

Your lease, flat photos and landlord contact saved offline
A small space heater, or the budget for one (older flats often have weak heating)

Packing for San Francisco · Autumn0/270% packed.

Documents0/7
Tech0/4
Apps0/1
Health0/5
Clothing0/5
Money0/3
Home0/2

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