Melanie_

I am looking into moving to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I currently work for a company in the UK where the head office is based in PGH. I have already made enquiries and they would be happy for me to transfer to the US office but they cannot sponsor my visa because the job I have could be easily done by a US citizen.

My partner of 10 years and my 2 dogs would also be moving with me.

I have been trying to do some research and from what I understand even if I apply for a visa to work in the US there is no guarantee that I would be granted a visa.

Does anyone have any advice?

Jerseygirl

Welcome to BE.

Unfortunately you cannot apply for a work visa...the company must do it and pay for it. Depending what type of visa they apply for...it could take many, many months. Also your partner would not be able to get an accompanying visa...you would need to be married.

Take a read through the following...it outline the types of visas available.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Pulask...ork_in_the_USA

Melanie_

My company suggested that the best option would be for me to apply for a visa to live and work in the US regardless of I were to transfer, is this correct?

Jerseygirl

As I said above you cannot apply for a work visa. The company you intend to work for must apply and pay for it.

There are other categories other than work visas...these are outlined in the link I gave you.

Pulaski

Unfortunately we see requests like yours several times a year, from people who have been "offered a job" in the US but there is no way for them to obtain a visa to take up the offer.

There are very few options for people who are not sponsored by an employer, and are almost entirely confined to either (1) sponsorship by a family member (parent, sibling, or child), which takes 12-14 years unless it is sponsorship by your spouse or by your child aged 21+, which take 6 months - 2 years respectively, or (2) investing typically $200k -$1million in one of two investor visa schemes - anything less than $500,000 means investing in a business that you will be owning and running. If you close, or sell the business, or appoint a manager to run it, the visa is voided and you must leave the US, in other words you cannot retire in the US on such a visa.

Noorah101

Is your partner a US citizen?

Rene

Melanie_

No, we are both British citizens.

Melanie_

If neither of these options are feasible does that mean that moving to US would not be possible?

(Sorry, it is just so confusing)

Pulaski

Probably. There are other options, but they are for various specialist niches, such as "religious worker" (priest/missionary), sports professional, elite scientist (has published articles, spoken at conferences etc.), government agency worker (diplomat or embassy attaché), etc. You'll see the other options in the link that Jersey Girl posted for you in post #2, above.
With all due respect it isn't confusing, but it may be disappointing because you are finding it impossible to do what you had incorrectly assumed would be fairly easy. This reaction is usually what we see - people describe the process as "confusing" because it is inconsistent with the perception they have gained from TV and the media. Media, whether drama, "reality TV", or news reporting, including print media, typically glosses over, or entirely ignores the fact that someone/a family was able to emigrate to Florida because either they (one of them) is a US citizen, or they are millionaires able to blow $500k on an iffy "investment" to buy the right to a green card. Of course with pure drama productions they can ignore the practicalities of immigration to the US entirely!

Rete

Yes, unless you have the educational degrees and work in an industry that would sponsor you for a H1-B visa. It doesn't appear though that either you or your partner have that level of education and experience in a field that is covered by H visas.

You might want to go back to school and change professions. Note, however, that the H visa does not allow your spouse to work. And yes, you have to be married, not just partnered.

Or perhaps you can earn a degree that will allow you to work in a managerial position in your present company and then they can offer you a transfer under the L visa for their US office. Again, there is no derivative visa for a partner, only a spouse.

Twinkle0927

Even if the company were able to sponsor you and arrange the visa, unless your partner and you get married, there would be no option for him/her to join you on the same visa. The best a non-married partner can hope for is a B-2 cohabiting visa which is a glorified visitor visa (no work permitted).

Unless you qualify for a visa through family or investment (as described above), your only real option is through your employer. It is not possible for you to apply for a work visa as an individual and then pick an employer to work from although other countries offer such visas.

Why do you want to move? You've picked one of the most difficult countries to get into, unfortunately. If it's a change of scenery you are after, have you looked into EU countries? No visas required.

md95065

Yes, in the sense that what the company is saying to you is, effectively:

"We, the company, aren't going to apply for an employment based visa for you so you are on your own and, if you want to live and work in the US you will need to find a way of getting a visa that will allow you to do so".

Unfortunately, in your particular situation, such a visa probably doesn't exist since the only obvious alternative would be an immigrant visa based on marriage to a US citizen and that does not appear to be an option for you.

scrubbedexpat099

Just thought I would mention that this as a general statement is simply not true.

Very few people who are transferred would otherwise qualify.

Pulaski

I am not sure why you'd say that because an L-1, which is the visa for transfers, necessary implies managerial, technical, or company-specific knowledge or experience that wouldn't be readily available in the US by hiring locally.

scrubbedexpat099

L1 does not require evidence that the job could not be done by a local.

Now why somebody would be transferred if there is no need is another issue.