Financial Resource Guides for Newcomers to the United States

Please download the following Newcomer Guides in PDF format. For other publications from the CFPB, please visit http://www.publications.usa.gov/ and search using “cfpb.”

Ways to receive your money

Have you received a paycheck but aren’t sure whether to cash it or put it into a bank account? This guide provides information about receiving wages or payments. You can use this guide to compare the benefits and risks of getting paid in cash, with a check, by direct deposit, or on a card. [English| Español]

Checklist for opening an account

If you’re interested in opening a bank or credit union account, you can use this guide and checklist to make sure you have the required paperwork before opening your account. [English | Español]

Ways to pay your bills

Are you trying to decide whether to pay your rent by check or credit card? Take a look at this guide to compare the benefits and risks of paying regular and one-time bills by check or money order, by direct debit, online, or in cash. [English | Español]

Selecting financial products and services

If you’re trying to decide which financial services are right for you, this guide provides information about common transactions, including ATM cash withdrawals and debit card purchases. [English |Español]

2016 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Now Open

The Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program, also known as the Green Card Lottery, makes a limited number of immigrant visas available every year to people meeting certain eligibility requirements. If you have family members or friends living outside the U.S. who would like to enter the lottery, here’s what they should know:

The 2016 DV lottery registration period will run from October 1 to November 3, 2014.

To participate in the lottery:

Free Web Site Launched to Help Immigrants Learn English

The U.S. Department of Education today launched U.S.A. Learns, a free Web site to help immigrants learn English. The Web site, which is located at www.USALearns.org, provides approximately 11 million adults who have low levels of English proficiency with easily accessible and free English language training.

U.S.A. Learns offers the following features:
An easily accessible Internet learning tool;
Simple directions;
Free instructional materials developed to teach basic English skills and help adults improve their English proficiency; and
Learning modules that can be used outside a traditional classroom

Learn more http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2008/11/11072008.html

The Far East on Western Avenue

The Chinese Collection at Pine Hills Branch

In the Capital Region area, there are nearly five thousand Chinese and Chinese-Americans and more are joining our community every day. With this growing population in mind, the Albany Public Library has established a collection of Chinese materials at the Pine Hills Branch.

Librarian Xiaofei Li, who has worked at the Branch for the past four years, manages the collection of approximately one thousand books, sixteen magazine subscriptions and three hundred Chinese language movies. "This is the biggest popular collection of Chinese language materials in Upstate New York, and we are adding to it all the time," says Li. One of the most popular categories in the collection is the children's collection. "Parents who have adopted children from China are taking out the books, and so are people who speak Chinese fairly well but want to work on their Chinese."

Xiaofei hosts a weekly discussion group for immigrants called "Connecting With America." Attendees include immigrants from many countries including Korea, the Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Africa and India. The group meets every Friday at 4:30PM at the Pine Hills Library. For information, call Xiaofei at 482-7911 or visit the APL website.