Markielock

Hey guys,

My name is Mark. I'm 20 (I turn 21 on the 13th of june) and I am a British student studying my final year of a BSc in Interactive Media Production.

I am passionate about moving to America, a lot of lifelong friends live over there including relatives and a lot of the work I'm after! I have begun to dig around and piece together the clues to form a solid 'Move to the USA' plan but I thought this would be a brilliant place to seek advice.

If you don't mind, I'm going to ramble a bit on what I have, what I know and then ask what you might suggest! I'm a total newbie, I'm not entirely sure where to begin so I better lay out all the facts and details about me in the hopes it will help.

Firstly, as I said earlier I am a BSc Degree student, studying Interactive Media Production, which means I do all the production side of music and multimedia in general. I shall be finishing this in June. I also have, prior to this, 4 years of education in Music Production (foundation degree) and Music Technology (national diploma), both scoring high grades.

I am working hard to also gain certification from companies such as Adobe, Avid, and various certification for programming languages to further prove my skills as a media production specialist from my degree. I am also looking to study a MA in media production in America and further that enter the teaching sector.

I have had general retail experience over the past 4 years, working around Uni and College timetables etc... always part time.

I'm a skint student! enough said on that point ha ha... But I have a supportive family behind me who would help me out, some of which live in America!

I am yet to learn to drive and am planning on learning upon moving to America. I am also planning on moving to the New Jersey/NYC area (not in the city, of course) as that is where my close friends live so I'd have the most support there at first.

I have done basic research on Green Cards (as I would like to be a permanent resident) but I am yet to research into Visas. I'm not entirely sure where to begin.

Based on my research it's left me with these questions:

- Do I seem qualified enough for a applying for a green card through a job offer?

- Would there be any credible companies out there looking to employ a fresh out of Uni student, never living in america before? Without the garuntee of a permanent residence?

- Should I aim a bit lower first? Find a general job in retail or a supermarket over there? would that be good enough to get a green card just to 'get me through the door?'

- Do I go in with a student visa first, if i'm applicable, and work on my MA first so I seem more credible and then find work to get my green card?
- Is there any funding available to help me in education there?

- Should I find a job first before studying, to get some money behind me and establish myself better in America first?

I'm very sorry for the long post, talking about myself and my confusions. Any help would be fantastic, I am ready to be enlightened!

Thanks a bunch,

Mark

TheCynick

Mods, please move to Immigration forum.

To the OP:

Welcome!

First off you should read this.

If you do not fit into any of those categories then you won't be moving to the USA any time soon.

Markielock

Thanks! and ah, i seem to have post in the wrong part then :P

avanutria

Hi Mark, welcome.

Are any of your US relatives immediate family members? (Parent, sibling...probably not child in your case.) If yes, are any of them US citizens or permanent residents?

Uncles, aunts and cousins will not be able to help you with immigration.

As to your questions, here's my opinions:

It depends on whether you can find a company willing to go through the time and expense of sponsoring you, while ignoring any US citizen who can also do the job. Since they have to prove there AREN'T any US citizens who can do the job in order to sponsor you, you'd have to be something really special to get in through work.

No. That doesn't mean there aren't 'visa companies' that will try to get you to pay them to do it anyway. They'll just take the money and not do it.

You can't get a visa for a low job. It's the whole "no US citizen can do it" thing.

You could certainly go the student route but you wouldn't be eligible for US government student loans. You might be eligible for UK loans. More than likely, unless you really WOW some employer while a student, you would have to go home again after your program ended.

Not if you go on a student visa. It might be a good idea to earn more money over in the UK first in order to afford an MA program, if that's what you decide you want to do.

Good luck! As you're finding out, it is a difficult and potentially impossible process, but that doesn't mean it never happens. You have to decide how much likelihood you have of making it happen and how much time, money and energy you want to put into it.

TheCynick

+1 to avanutria...I was just writing a similar set of answers!

Markielock

Thanks for the quick response, guys. This information is invaluable. Yes, this does seem highly difficult! But I like a challenge...

Unfortunately my relatives there are aunts, uncles, cousins etc... No immediate family members unfortunately.

Would you say the best possible course of action is to firstly, optimise my 'image' and CV for America in the hopes a company would wish to go through that process and secondly, look into funding and financing for an MA over there and work extra hard on getting a green card whilst over there on a student visa. etc..?

Any other ideas are most welcome!

avanutria

Personally, I'd say look at MA programmes and decide which one you like and want to go for...then look at how to finance it...then when you're there, just do your best to enjoy it and network. Maybe you will find someone to sponsor you and maybe you won't, but make sure to enjoy the experience of being over there and studying - don't lose sight of that. You can also work on networking with UK companies in your field who have offices in the US, aiming to get a transfer at some point in the future.

BTW, you would be working on getting sponsorship for a work visa, not a green card. Not all work visas lead to green cards, though it's certainly an option in some cases depending on what visa you get.

Duncan Roberts

I'll keep it short and sweet.

No.

No. Keep in mind they have to pay a significant amount of money to get you work authorization.

No, it doesn't work like that.

If you want to study in the US, this is the best idea. It will cost a lot of money and there will be no guarantee that you will be able to stay or work once you are finished though.

It doesn't work that way, you need work authorization.

Stop focusing on a greencard, unless you are married to a US citizen who files for you while you are still in the UK or win the greencard lottery it will take several years to get one, if you are eligible. You need a visa and based on what you say you don't have a shot at one via employment. A student one would be possible if you have the funds but it's for study with minor work privileges.

BILDER

Yeah, probably a student visa is the best idea. It will allow for 1 year (at the end) for working in a related field. This is called an OPT extension. The most important thing would be to network! Someone may want to sponsor you and then you are on your way.
Just as an addenda, you don't have to prove that NO US citizens can get/want the job, full stop/ end of story, you just have to show that in the employment area, there are no qualified employees. Don't worry about this just yet. Immigration lawyers can usually draft the advertising materials and can really show that no one is capable of taking the job.
You should focus on networking. The best way to do that is from the US. A student visa should allow you all the time you need.

As an addenda, you might consider starting your own business in editing/ production in the US. Look for E- Treaty visas. Only do this though, if you are confident in your skill set and business aptitude. Remember this can cost a lot of money ($100K) so you will need to get the funds yourself. If you own a house that can help. I doubt you do though.
And this is a temp. visa. It may be possible to from here to a green card but apparently it is rare.

Ray

Forget all this work nosense ..as a grad you have no chance
20 years experience then you have a chance ...

Just find a US wife .. you are in ...

If you are gay ...stay where you are ...

N1cky

Look into internships at some of the big studio's, Warner Bros, NBC, Disney... all offer internships and have experience of bringing in foreign students.

BILDER

Nice.

Duncan Roberts

Since gay marriage is not recognized by the government you can't get a spousal visa.

Markielock

Thanks for all the repsonse guys!

Student seems like a good potential, minus money issues. I'd have to work on that. I don't believe that I'd have to work and been outstanding for a whole 20 years to get into America, there just has to be alternatives. such as Internships! Which I hadn't thought of, thank you!

I am gay actually, but I'm not going to let a little thing like sexuality conquer my wanting to move to America he he.. I am also aware of the government position on binational coupling at present.

BILDER

Yes I know that! What a coincidence that he is gay?!