Buying a home doesn't by itself give you a visa, a green card or the right to live or work in the US, so settle your immigration path with an immigration attorney first. Then line up three things early: a place to rent, a US credit history and, once you're a resident, a California driver's license. For a sense of cost, HUD's fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in San Diego County is $2,823 a month, including utilities. It's HUD's estimate for modest homes, not an average or a typical asking rent.
General information only, not legal, tax or immigration advice. See the note near the end of this page.
Sort out your visa before you move
Owning a home in the US doesn't by itself give you a visa, a green card or the right to live or work here. Talk to a US immigration attorney about your path before you plan a move around a purchase. For how the investor visas treat a home, see does buying a home give you a visa or green card?
Renting first without US credit
The California Department of Real Estate's 2026 tenant guide lists what a rental application usually asks for. That includes current and past employers and landlords, references, criminal history, a tax identification number (which may be a Social Security number) and a driver's license number. If you're new to the US:
No Social Security number or US license? The guide says you may offer a government-issued photo ID, such as a passport or a foreign driver's license, instead. It doesn't say every landlord must accept it.
No US credit? Landlords usually check credit. Tenants can sometimes show rental history with proof that they paid rent on time, and show they can afford the rent with proof of income.
Immigration status is off limits. Outside some federal housing programs, landlords may not ask about your immigration or citizenship status, though they can verify your identity and finances. National origin, citizenship, immigration status and primary language are all protected under California housing law.
Security deposits: California's one-month limit (AB 12)
AB 12, signed October 11, 2023, limits security deposits to one month's rent for deposits collected on or after July 1, 2024, furnished or unfurnished. Older articles that say two months' rent unfurnished or three months furnished, for any landlord, describe the law before that date.
Topic
California rule
Most landlords
No more than one month's rent
Small landlords (individuals, or LLCs whose members are all individuals, with no more than two rental properties and four rental units in total)
Up to two months' rent (one month for a service member)
What counts toward the limit
Most money paid at move-in other than the first month's rent and the screening fee, including "last month's rent," pet deposits, key fees and cleaning fees
Getting it back
Within 21 days after you move out, the landlord must return the full deposit, or return what's left after deductions with an itemized statement of what was deducted and why. Deductions over $125 need copies of the invoices or receipts.
Building US credit from scratch
US landlords and lenders look at US credit reports, so start a US credit history soon after you arrive:
Open a bank account. The FDIC says many banks let non-citizens open an account, and you might need a foreign passport, a consular ID or an ITIN. Each bank sets its own ID rules.
Get a secured credit card or a credit builder loan. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) says those payments are reported to the three nationwide credit reporting companies, which then create a credit report for you.
Ask to have your rent reported. The Department of Real Estate's tenant guide says that since 2025, California landlords, with some exceptions, must offer to report on-time rent to at least one nationwide credit reporting agency. The fee can't be more than the landlord's actual cost or $10 a month, whichever is less. Many owners of buildings with 15 or fewer units are exempt.
A visitor over 18 with a valid home-country license may drive in California as long as that license stays valid. Once you become a California resident, you must get a California license within 10 days. The DMV says you're a resident if you intend to live in the state six months or more in a year. Renting a home here as your primary residence and having children in school here are two of its examples.
To get a California license, you follow the steps for an out-of-state license, including identity and residency documents, a vision exam and a knowledge test. With a license from another country, you also pass a driving test, show proof of insurance and bring an accompanying driver to and from the test. If you have or are eligible for a Social Security number, it goes on the application.
Temporary status. Your California license expires on the same date as your US legal presence document.
AB 60. California offers driver's licenses to all residents regardless of immigration status. AB 60 licenses are for residents who can't prove legal presence, and they can't be REAL ID.
REAL ID. Since May 7, 2025, you need a REAL ID to board domestic flights with your license. For a lawfully present non-citizen, one accepted document is an unexpired foreign passport with a valid US visa and an approved I-94 form. The DMV's REAL ID page for non-citizens lists the others.
Your car. A car registered in another country must be registered here within 20 days of becoming a resident or bringing it into the state.
Insurance minimums. The California Driver's Handbook lists $30,000 for a single death or injury, $60,000 for death or injury to more than one person and $15,000 for property damage.
Study help. The DMV's "Words and Phrases for Class C Driving Test" (DL 80) comes in Portuguese. It's a vocabulary aid, not the test.
What it costs to live in San Diego: one number to start
HUD's fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in San Diego County is $2,823 a month, including utilities, effective October 1, 2026. It's HUD's estimate of the 40th percentile gross rent paid by recent movers for modest, standard-quality homes. It isn't an average or a typical asking rent.
Covered California says a move here from another country can open special enrollment, with 60 days from your move to apply if you qualify. Lawfully present residents may qualify, with some exceptions, and starting in 2027 only certain groups of immigrants will be eligible for financial help with monthly costs. Check Covered California's page for immigrants.
Enrolling your children in school
California requires children ages 6 to 18 who aren't otherwise exempt to be enrolled in school. Public school is free regardless of the student's immigration status or the parents' citizenship status (California Attorney General guidance, December 2025).
No immigration questions. Schools shouldn't collect immigration information and may not ask for a Social Security number at enrollment.
Proof of address and age. Districts must accept documents such as a lease, rent receipts or utility bills as proof of address, and you don't need every one. A passport or a certified baptism certificate can prove your child's age.
Vaccination records. Schools check them for every new student, TK through 12th grade. Bring your child's records from Brazil.
English test. If the Home Language Survey at enrollment shows Portuguese as your child's primary language, your child takes the Initial ELPAC. You get the results in writing within 30 calendar days of the first day of enrollment.
How to find your school district
A San Diego address doesn't tell you the district. San Diego Unified, for example, says it doesn't cover all of the City of San Diego. The county has elementary, high school and unified districts. Look up your address and your child's grade on the San Diego County Office of Education's School Finder, which has a School District Map and a District Directory. The guide to San Diego County's cities and communities links each area's own district boundary lookups.
Each district sets its own steps. San Diego Unified, for one, enrolls entirely online and asks for a birth certificate, baptismal certificate or passport showing the parent's name, proof of residency and an immunization record. For transitional kindergarten (TK), it says a child must turn 4 by September 1 of the school year. A child who turns 5 by then is age-eligible for kindergarten. Check your own district's rules.
Community resources
These offices and organizations are listed for reference only. This section isn't housing advice.
The Brazilian consulate for San Diego County
The Consulado-Geral do Brasil em Los Angeles serves San Diego County (jurisdiction page updated July 29, 2024).
Address: 6222 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 600, Los Angeles, California 90048-5100. In-person service is by advance appointment only, through the e-consular system (updated March 19, 2026).
Consular ID (Carteira de Matrícula Consular): free for Brazilian citizens who can show at least 3 months of residence in the consulate's area. It's issued in up to 15 business days after a complete application (updated March 25, 2026). Some banks accept a consular ID.
Honorary consulate: the consulate lists an honorary consul in San Diego. Honorary consuls aren't authorized to issue passports or visas or to perform notarial acts (updated August 4, 2026).
For Portuguese citizens
The Consulado-Geral de Portugal em São Francisco, at 3298 Washington Street, San Francisco, CA 94115, serves California. It holds periodic consular visits in San Diego hosted by UPSES (United Portuguese Sociedade Espírito Santo).
Learning, culture and faith
San Diego State University's Behner Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies, created in 2014, has a "Learn Portuguese" section. The Catholic Diocese of San Diego lists a monthly bilingual Mass in English and Portuguese on its Brazilian Community page. Schedules and contacts change, so confirm details on each organization's own page.
San Diego vs Florida: the rules that differ
This section compares lasting state rules, not prices. It's general information: ask a CPA about your taxes and a licensed insurance broker about coverage.
Topic
California (San Diego)
Florida
State personal income tax
Yes: 1% to 12.3% on the 2025 rate schedules, plus a 1% Behavioral Health Services Tax on taxable income over $1,000,000
None
Property tax
Proposition 13: a 1% rate plus voter-approved bonds. Assessed value rises no more than 2% a year and resets to market value only on a change in ownership or new construction. Rentals included.
Resets to market value the January 1 after you buy. After a home's first homestead year, increases are capped at 3% or the CPI change, whichever is less. Rentals and second homes: 10% a year cap, non-school taxes only.
Your own home
A $7,000 homeowners' exemption off taxable value for an owner-occupied principal residence. Rentals and vacation homes don't qualify.
A homestead exemption of up to $51,411 for the 2026 tax year. Own the home and make it your permanent residence by January 1, then file Form DR-501 by March 1. Only the county property appraiser can decide whether a home qualifies. Renting it out can end the exemption.
Insurer of last resort
The California FAIR Plan offers basic fire coverage; a separate Difference in Conditions policy adds the rest of a normal homeowners policy.
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, created by the Florida Legislature in August 2002 for owners who can't find private coverage
Flood
In both states, most homeowners insurance doesn't cover flood damage. Flood coverage is separate, through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurer.
Earthquakes. California homeowners insurance doesn't cover earthquake damage, except fire caused by or following an earthquake. Your insurer must offer you earthquake insurance every other year.
California taxes residents on all their income, including income from outside California. Tax residency is a different test from the DMV's: you're presumed a resident in any year you spend more than nine months here, and a shorter stay can still make you a resident if it isn't for a temporary or transitory purpose. Keeping income in Brazil? Talk to a CPA and a Brazilian accountant (contador) before you move.
Florida's rules above are as of October 2026. Florida voters decide a property tax amendment (Amendment 3) on November 3, 2026, so check its homestead rules again after the vote.
When you're ready to buy
Karina Somenzari, REALTOR®, is a Brazilian real estate agent who calls San Diego home. She represents buyers and sellers across San Diego County in English or Portuguese, and she helps tenants and landlords find and lease homes. Contracts and escrow documents are in English. To plan a purchase, start with buying from abroad or without a green card and moving money from Brazil.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rent in San Diego without a Social Security number or US credit?
You can apply. California's Department of Real Estate says you may offer a passport or a foreign driver's license as photo ID, and that proof of on-time rent and proof of income can help. Outside some federal housing programs, landlords may not ask about your immigration status, but they can verify your identity and finances.
How much can a California landlord charge for a security deposit?
For deposits collected on or after July 1, 2024, most landlords can charge no more than one month's rent, furnished or unfurnished (AB 12). Small landlords (individuals or LLCs owned by individuals, with no more than two rental properties and four rental units in total) can charge up to two months' rent.
Can I open a US bank account if I'm not a US citizen?
Yes, at many banks, according to the FDIC. You might need a foreign passport, a consular ID or an ITIN as identification. Each bank sets its own ID rules, so ask the bank what it accepts.
Can I drive in California with my Brazilian driver's license?
As a visitor over 18, yes, as long as your Brazilian license stays valid. Once you become a California resident, you must get a California license within 10 days, and with a license from another country you also have to pass a driving test.
Is there a Brazilian consulate in San Diego?
Not a full consulate, only an honorary consul. The consulate that serves San Diego County is in Los Angeles (Consulado-Geral do Brasil em Los Angeles), with in-person service by appointment through e-consular. Honorary consuls can't issue passports or visas or perform notarial acts.
How much does it cost to live in San Diego?
It depends on your home and household. For rent, one official benchmark is HUD's fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in San Diego County: $2,823 a month, including utilities, effective October 1, 2026. It's HUD's estimate of the 40th percentile rent paid by recent movers for modest homes, not an average or a typical asking rent.
How is San Diego different from Florida on taxes and insurance?
California has a state personal income tax, from 1% to 12.3% on the 2025 rate schedules, and Florida has none. California's Proposition 13 caps assessed value increases at 2% a year, rentals included. Florida's homestead protections apply only to your permanent residence; for rentals and second homes, Florida caps increases at 10% a year, for non-school taxes only. Both states have an insurer of last resort. Florida's rules are as of October 2026, and Florida voters decide a property tax amendment on November 3, 2026.
Not legal, tax or immigration advice. This page gives general information about US federal, California and Florida rules as of October 2026, drawn from the official sources listed above. Rules, fees, figures and office details change, and your situation can change the answer. Talk to a US immigration attorney about visas and residency, a CPA and, if you have income or assets in Brazil, a Brazilian accountant (contador) about taxes, and a licensed insurance broker about coverage. Karina Somenzari is a real estate agent licensed in California, not an attorney, tax advisor or insurance broker.