You get 30 to 60 days to apply for a new state drivers license, it will vary based on the state.

However when I came over I drove for 2 years on my UK before getting a US one, as long as you aren't getting pulled over all the time it won't be an issue but you will find it hard to purchase a car without one, my Ford dealership are friends of my wifes family so I got in the backdoor when I bought my first car, they just told me to get a copy of my US license to them once I finally got it.

Think long and hard about the place you choose to live as each state is very different in it's political, religious and day to day views on life, tex mentions Austin which is an amazing place and is definitely somewhere I would love to live and experience but the rest of Texas is very different to Austin so you need to keep that in mind when looking for a place to call your new home.

I choose PA because cost of living is cheap and it is where the wife is from it also reminds me of my home town Sutton Coldfield but there is a ton of snow every year that make winter and pain in the butt.

Let me know if you need any help as I've been through the visa and greencard process as well as bought a house and car and all the other little things they make you do.

Texas
 

Texas is a great place to live if you can handle the heat. Dallas area gets snow once or twice a year so its not really all that cold fall and spring are nice. taxes arent too bad. we do have a lot of allergens so beware also a great place to live is right outside of dallas because the crime level there is high is kinda high so its nice to have acces to the city but the security and comfort of the outside area.:D

Missouri isn't bad. Neither is iowa.

umm, dont come to cali, the weather down south is kinda all crazy at this moment, its like thunderstorm one day, and 110 degrees the next day, kinda scares me

-6 for michigan. yes i said -
my problems with michigan is that it's COLD(35* or less) for 8 months out of the year,slightly warm for 3 and HOT in august.once sept. hits, it's back to COLD until may.
the last year i lived there i was in petosky and there was snow on the ground until july.

the other major problem with michigan is employment.
unless you're highly educated,you're working for minimum wage if you're lucky enough to be working at all...
if you want "safe" then you'de better be highly educated or atleast skilled in a trade,otherwise you're going to be in a trailer on the outskirts of detroit because the cost of living seems to be slightly higher then minimum wage pays.

don't get me wrong,all my freinds from school seem to be perfectly happy......but they're all broke...AND COLD..:lol:
the only ones that make any money are the ones that are still working the jobs they got in HS and just happened to climb the ladder by default.

I have to pretty much agree with you on the employment, not quite as bad in my circle but I hear yea.

But on the weather I disagree, its to **** hot 4 months out of the year and nice the rest.