View Full Version : Moving to Amercia - UK Family Here!
vaughan.jones82
21-10-2004, 00:17
Hi
Me, my wife and our 2 children (11 & 1) are thinking of emigrating some time in the next few years. I know things can change regardign the law etc but hopefully someone can help with some questions/advice
I am studying for my International History degree and am wishing to train as a teacher. I feel my skills would be useful in any setting. My wife does not work at the moment having recently had our child. Our daughter will be 16 by the time we are thinking seriously about moving
Our questions:
What are the requirements for entry into the USA?
What factors may hinder any application we make?
Will my degree be helpful at all and my chosen career (teaching)
How will our sons schooling be affected(He will be 5 ish)
Are there any things we should be aware of?
What sort of property should we be looking for?
Is there any capital we should make a provision to take with us (money etc)
Any help appreciated
Thanks
Moderators please move to the correct forum!
Well you can qualify as a teacher in the UK and then try and get labour certification for an H1B visa, to do so there would need to be a shortage of international history teachers in the US, could well be the case as they dont seem hot an anything international dare I say. But having seen the difficulty one of my friends is having in getting her UK qualifications accepted and validated in the US, it might be better to come over here to do the teacher training on F1 student status and get a US teacher training qualification, slightly easier to get a job afterwards also.
Teaching is probably better than most professions, nursing is the best.
At 5ish you son will just be starting school. Everyone is entitled to free schooling irrespective of visa status. At 16 your daughter will go into high school probably as a sophomore. The school will credit her with whatever she has done in the UK leaving her so many credits to achieve before graduating high school at 18. She will need to carry on in education to be able to stay here until 21. At 21, she needs to change from your dependant to F1 student status and then get a job on H1B unless by then you are lucky enough to have applied for a green card.
Money. LOADS. It costs a mint to set yourself up here. No credit rating for quite a while so no access to credit. You can get a mortgage but only the same as anyone in the UK buying a villa, ie high deposit and high interest rate. Property, well what you can afford!
vaughan.jones82
21-10-2004, 01:11
How much approx are we talking in terms of set up costs???
Back in the old days..... 1985 When we moved to the States. As soon as I got there I opened a bank account with Barclays in New York. I had been with them over in the UK.
Credit cards were not a problem as Visa and Mastercad would send my statements to the states at no extra cost.
Then it was just a slow process of getting some credit history. We had to get a US drivers licence as well EASY OR WHAT!
But as I say that was a long time ago.
Getting the permit was a lot harder.. even then. Sponsership and a good lawyer. A whole bunch of money... And a letter of recommendation from Lord Snowdon helped!! They were impressed with that.[msntongue]
Deposit on a house ( look at 30%) or bond and/or deposit on rental. Cost of purchasing vehicles, car insurance ( no previous record so high) health insurance, deposits for everything ie all utlities, mobile phone ( that is $250-600) as they dont trust you as no credit rating, health insurance, furniture, working capital. We went through $130,000 like falling off a log and that didnt include the cost of our business. We also had horrendous workers compensation and liability insurance bills also ( a business thing so you wouldnt have that). Anyone at college needs $220 average per credit hour in tuition fees.
How to Live and Work in the USA
There are basically SEVEN ways that you can get a visa to live and work in the US:
(1) Marriage (or engagement in anticipation of marriage) to a US citizen.
(2) You have skills that are in short supply in the US e.g. scientific or medical training. A degree is normally a must. Or you have superior specialist skills with at least 12 years experience.
(3) You have an Employer who is willing to transfer you - but even the employer has to make a good case for you - so you have to be a manager unless you fall under category (2) above.
(4)You may get a Green card in the diversity lottery (UK citizens, except N.Ireland are not eligible) (foreign parentage may help)
(5)You own or buy business (does not get you permanent resident status i.e. no green card)
The business must have a minimum value of around $100k (more the better) bearing in mind you will need somewhere to live and with any startup business you will need at least 2 years living money as back up. So a figure of $300k would be a nearer minimum
(6)You are an "investor" i.e. you have at least US $1m in assets to bring with you. And your background will be investigatedto the hilt.
(7)You have a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister and no further) who is an US citizen who would sponsor you, approx time this take 2-12 years…
Recruitment agent will not take you seriously if you are not already in the US. Writing for jobs is really a waste of time; likewise US employers have no idea what foreign qualification are or mean (except Degrees) it may pay you to get your qualification translated into a US equivalent, there are Companies that do this ..
But if you are getting a visa under (2) above then you need a job offer before you can get the visa. Your Employer will be your sponsor this will cost them upward of $3k. So you can see you have to be offering something really special to get considered They may also have to prove to the Dept of labor that there is no American who can do the job if the position is to be permanent
Fun isnt it, Ray, and getting HARDER not easier as measures brought into force after 9/11 start to bite.
(4)You may get a Green card in the diversity lottery (UK citizens, except N.Ireland are not eligible) (foreign parentage may help)
Thats the one that gets me going! And all my American pals....
There is a move to abolish the green card lottery, Quite strong support on the ground but who knows.