Austin

From Foreignliving

Revision as of 19:24, 26 December 2006 (view source) 70.112.213.59 (Talk) (→Driver's License) ← Previous diff		Current revision as of 22:35, 16 May 2007 (view source) Admin (Talk | contribs)
(23 intermediate revisions not shown)
Line 1:		Line 1:
-	''Note: most of the US-related pages are stubs for now. Help out by filling information or asking someone you know to contribute''.	+	<br><br>
-	This page is part of a broader series of information pages aimed at helping the Pakistani/Muslim community in the US. Here you will find Austin-specific information only, for general information on living in the US, see [[USA:_Current_Residents|Living in the US]].	+	This wiki has moved to <font style="font-size:150%">'''http://www.foreignliving.info'''</font>. Please update your bookmarks.
-	Austin is the capital of Texas, and home to the University of Texas at Austin, better known as simply UT Austin.	+	You can locate the current page under the same categories on the new site. In case of problems, email help[[image:at_black.png]]foreignliving.info.
-	Austin is known as the live music capital of the world.
-	The most famous place in Austin and Makah of all the students, residents and visitors of Austin (leave geeks and nerds out) is the 6th Street. This is the most happening place in Austin where you can party all night long, even all semester long. You have to dress well and smell well if you want the 6th street magic to work for you. The preferred and most liked club by local Pakistani community on 6th street is Exodus where the girls are easy, music is good and entry is cheap.	+	<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
-		+
-	Austenite take great pride in being different and eccentric.  "Keep Austin Weird" has become the city's motto but only very few Pakistani try it out for the fear of communal ridicule.	+
-		+
-	==Essential Paperwork==	+
-		+
-	===Social Security===	+
-	(Office location and instructions go here. Who's eligible and who's not. Can you get SSN if you dont work? What if you're on a scholarship)	+
-		+
-	The social-security cards assigned to non-resident aliens say "For work authorization only". As such, they are often rejected by many services that usually ask for social security numbers, such as when applying for a credit card at Bank of America.	+
-		+
-	Even if you do not plan to work, it is a good idea to get a social security number because it helps you build your credit history which is a necessity in US.	+
-		+
-	Below is the address of the Social Security Office.	+
-		+
-	Social Security Office	+
-	1029 Camino La Costa	+
-	Austin, TX 78752	+
-	512-206-3700	+
-	Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.	+
-	For more information, you may visit the Immigration and Social Security page online, or call:	+
-		+
-	* General Information: 800-772-1213	+
-	* TTY: 800-325-0778	+
-		+
-	For bus routes to reach this site you may use capmetro bus service online website http://www.capmetro.org/	+
-		+
-	===Texas State ID===	+
-	Highly recommended. Helps avoid carrying your passport everywhere, and ringing alarm bells whenever someone sees as Pakistani ID. Note that if you get a driving license instead, then there is no need for a Texas ID.	+
-		+
-	Getting a Texas ID is very trivial. It just costs 15 dollars.	+
-	Following is the contact information and addresses for the issuing offices.	+
-		+
-		+
-	Driver's license customer service phone: 512-424-2600	+
-	Driver's license e-mail: License.issuance@txdps.state.tx.us	+
-		+
-	Austin North Lamar (Closest to UT. Take 1L or 1M bus from Guadalupe)	+
-	6121 N. Lamar Blvd.	+
-	512-424-2076	+
-	Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesday 8 a.m.-7 p.m.	+
-		+
-	Austin South	+
-	4719 S. Congress Ave.	+
-	512-444-5241	+
-	Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday 8 a.m.-7 p.m.	+
-		+
-	RENEWAL AND DUPLICATE LICENSES ONLY	+
-	Austin Capitol	+
-	1500 N. Congress Ave.	+
-	512-936-2100	+
-	Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.	+
-		+
-	Austin Northwest	+
-	13730 Research Blvd.	+
-	512-335-8131	+
-	Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Wednesday 8 a.m.-7 p.m.	+
-		+
-	===Driver's License===	+
-	Highly recommended. Will help reduce insurance premium a few years from now, even if you don't drive in the meantime. The office locations are the same as mentioned in the Texas ID section.	+
-		+
-	*(where to get it from? The general procedure)	+
-	*(online link for the texas drivers handbook)	+
-		+
-	==Banking==	+
-	(It would be nice if someone could import information from the International Office's one-page handout on opening bank accounts, which specifies which of them require a SSN and which of them don't, etc.)	+
-		+
-	===Opening a Bank Account===	+
-		+
-	====Bank of America====	+
-	Pros:	+
-	*Does not require social security number.	+
-	* Allows online transfer to other Bank of America customers (although this feature doesn't work for most people)	+
-	* Free unlimited teller services (at branches which provide such services)	+
-	* Free unlimited online transfers within your own checking/savings accounts	+
-	* ATMs located throughout Austin, several on or near UT Campus.	+
-		+
-	Cons:	+
-	*For UT students: The campus (bevo) branch is quite impotent: does not have teller services and cannnot resolve most issues without referring to one of the main branches at Lamar or in downtown.	+
-		+
-	====University Federal Credit Union====	+
-	Pros:	+
-	*Does not require social security card.	+
-	*For UT students: Guadalupe branch is a stone's throw from the UT campus.	+
-		+
-	Cons:	+
-	*Only two teller services within a calendar month are free. Subsequent teller-visits incur a $2 charge, although such visits are generally not needed. Visits to the branch with general questions do not count as teller visits.	+
-		+
-	*ATMs on campus, but not throughout Austin in general.	+
-		+
-	===Credit Card===	+
-	Getting a credit card is the first step towards building your credit history. Without a credit history, you're screwed, and will have to make deposits in hundreds of dollars for every contract you make with the telephone company, cable service etc. Newcomers given a "secured credit card", which requires a deposit equal to the amount of your credit limit before issuing the card, essentially working as a debit card. This does not build your credit history. Students are recommended to try for student credit cards instead.	+
-		+
-		+
-	====Bank of America====	+
-	Not recommended. Secured credit card does not help build credit history, requires extra cash to submit as the deposit amount. Long process, unreliable online service.	+
-		+
-	(add external link here)	+
-		+
-		+
-	====University Federal Credit Union=====	+
-	Provides normal (not deposit-based) credit cards to students. New graduate students get a credit limit of $2000. Approval usually comes through in 24hours. Assessment of online service not known.	+
-		+
-	(add external link here).	+
-		+
-	==Things to do in Austin==	+
-	* 6th Street (People have preferred UT over GA tech and Stanford just because of this street ... YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT IT)	+
-	* Zilker park (add details).	+
-	* Live music (where? urls?)	+
-	* Lake (add details)	+
-		+
-		+
-	==Housing==	+
-	* http://www.apartmentguide.com/College-Apartments/	+
-	* http://austin.craigslist.org/	+
-		+
-	==Doctors and Health Insurance==	+
-	Insert recommendations and general advice here.	+
-		+
-	==UT Austin==	+
-	Longhorns! Add info here!	+
-		+
-	Does anyone know how many Pakistanis are studying at UT, or any other interesting stats?	+
-		+
-	UT computer science graduate program was ranked 7 by US News in 2005/6 but is rumored to have slipped to 9 or 10. Add other rankings here.	+
-		+
-	===Finding TAships/RAships===	+
-	(Advice on finding TAships and RAships)	+
-		+
-		+
-	===Getting Internships===	+
-	(mention career center links)	+
-		+
-		+
-	===Salary and Tax related paperwork===	+
-	(this section needs more info)	+
-		+
-	A US-Pakistani tax agreement waives taxes on the first $5000 or earnings. The appropriate from can be obtained from the Payroll Office (in the main tower building) and must be attached to the [[Form 8232]] at the time of submitting tax documents. For non-resident aliens, many of the tax-forms need to be fined each year, so it is advisable to make a copy once you have filled out the forms in order to facilitate filling them the next year.	+
-		+
-	If it takes time for your social security card to arrive, you can ask the university to assign you a temporary social security number in the meantime. (where to go and who to ask? how does it work?)	+
-		+
-	===Student Resources===	+
-	* UT library (needs external link)	+
-	* Laptop check out service (from PCL and FAC libraries)	+
-	* [http://z.cs.utexas.edu/wiki/gracs.wiki] UT computer science wiki (a work in progress)	+
-	* UT legal department, helps students with legal disputes such as car insurance, landlord/tenant disputes.	+
-	* UT Health Center (add details)	+
-		+
-	==Internet==	+
-	Most Pakistanis subscribe to Time Warner's Cable Internet (RoadRunner) (external link needed), which offers a discounted rate of $29.95 per month for the first six months.	+
-		+
-	AT&T also has a special discounted package for UT students (http://www.att.com/U). AT&T is a DSL service.	+
-		+
-	==Cable/Satellite TV==	+
-	Enter recommendations or general advice here.	+
-		+
-	==Telephone==	+
-	(How important is it to have a cell phone? Cell phone vs. land-line).	+
-		+
-	Most cell-phone providers charge by air-time (in minutes), whether you initiate or receive calls.	+
-		+
-	Major providers in Austin are: T-mobile, Cingular, Sprint, Verizon (external links needed).	+
-		+
-	(Pros and cons of each package? Or user experience and general advice?)	+
-		+
-	==Grocery Shopping==	+
-	(Where to go and how to get there?)	+
-		+
-	==Getting a Car==	+
-	(Why or why not? Where from? What is needed? Insurance and other stuff)	+

---

Current revision as of 22:35, 16 May 2007

This wiki has moved to http://www.foreignliving.info. Please update your bookmarks.

You can locate the current page under the same categories on the new site. In case of problems, email helpforeignliving.info.