Hi all,

After my postings last year on a potential job in San Francisco I never gave up despite that one going the way of the dodo. After all the changes within the company I kept making noise about wanting to move to the US (after all the planning and thinking and talking with my wife we had it stuck in our head) and I was told some nice things and that it would probably be an option this year.

So round and round I went not knowing what was going to happen. Finally last week I was told that there would be no budget approval for international relocation this year. Again a nice kick in the plums especially as this is a huge global company. I can understand as I have had massive budget issues lately and getting anything approved is difficult at times. So I had some conversations where I have been told that I can move to the US on my own dime. They will sort the visa's and there would be a very very limited relocation package (no flights, no money for furniture etc) which would include accommodation for when we get there and help from their relocation department. Essentially they will get the visa's and thats it. I would be getting the same package a US citizen would get if they moved from New York to LA. I am a bit annoyed as I thought I was good enough to get moved and get a good package but whatever. I am Sr. Manager right now and I would be going on the L1A visa as a manager transfer.

This gives me a few options now as I can go for the original job in San Francisco (which is still available in a way) or I can actually choose to live in a few other places - Philadelphia, Atlanta, Phoenix near a major office or I could pick anywhere and work remotely (My wife mentioned Boston).

We want to move to the US and I suppose the option is still there but paying for almost all of it out of my own pocket is something I hadn't considered. If we were to go with this option I would still try negotiate a very good salary to try make up the money (My UK salary will convert at around $140k at the moment - I would want at least another $20k on top of that). Also where to live is the new one. Do I still go for San Fran seeing as that's where we have been focusing or pick somewhere else?

Not getting offered a relocation package is worrying me. Has anyone else had to pay for themselves to get to the US to get a job?

cant help about where to live, you will get 101 different opinions and a lot is based on your circumstances.
kids, schooling,lifestyle etc do you want to be in a big city, in the sticks, near a beach, near winter sports etc etc

moving in itself isn't a huge expense, or it can be...we left everything behind came with 8 suitcases biggest cost was the dog
but then we already had a house here

you COULD live very comfortably on 140k (and on an L1 the missus can also work) if theres 2 of you and you don't go crazy
if you have half a dozen kids its harder

if it were me I would be more focused on making sure a good medical package was included rather than a couple of flights

Thanks for responding mate.

It would be my wife and 2 kids (7yr and 2yr). We are selling our house anyway and we wouldn't have much to bring anyway as we are not bringing furniture.

The company medical package is very good from what I have read but that would have been a negiotating point anyway.

then really its down to what sort of lifestyle you want. the great thing is the US can accommodate anything pretty much

I would say schools and what sort of home you can get for your money might be the biggest factors

im not a city person so LA/SAn fran or any other big city would be out for me, plus its far more expensive ............

we love where we are but there are lots of Florida haters...........

lots of research ahead................ps city data has great forums where you can get advice on schools/housing

The big question I have is where you could live if you negotiate the $160k you're hoping for? In Atlanta that would support a very nice lifestyle, whereas in greater NY, greater DC, Boston or San Francisco things would be a lot tighter. Personally I'd take $120k in Atlanta over $160k in the other cities I mentioned.

We are coast people and would prefer to live close to the sea on either coast.

The problem is we were completely focused on the San Francisco area and now it's sort of been thrown open to anywhere we want.

My wife wants to live in a city (which is unrealistic if she wants a house with garden) but she wants the "bohemian" feel. We used to live in Crystal Palace in SE London and she wants to replicate that place. A town in spitting distance to the big city but has nice bars and restaurants in the town with the city being a train journey away. We currently live just outside Brighton in East Sussex and we love being by the coast and we love Brighton as it's a "little" big city. My does not want to live in "commuter town hell" or "small town Hicksville" - her words not mine. Personally I want to move somewhere with good people where I can join the softball team and live the dream

Basically I can choose to go to the west coast and hope to negotiate a salary which will allow us to live comfortably or go for another role and choose to live anywhere with good internet.

personally, I would rule out the Atlantic side....sea is too cold most of the way and I don't like east Coast Florida either

that would leave the Pacific of the Gulf

as Pulaski says you need to fit your budget plus what you can afford on a home (if buying outright)

I have never lived in san fran so really couldn't comment but I would say you could survive ok on the Gulf side of Fla. but that does tend to rule out a yard ............

I wouldn't live in San Francisco if you paid me. Been there many times. Horribly expensive, full of tramps and winos and the place smells of piss. The local good folks are never done taking to the streets whinin and a moanin about everything under the sun. The place is just too far up its own arse.

Other thing you need to keep in mind is you are 8 hours behind the UK and getting back is a 12 hour flight. Ive lived in the Midwest for 10 years and it's OK, but love the east coast. Would move to Georgia/South Carolina in a heartbeat. Your cash will go a lot further there.

Is this intended to be permanent? If so, the only safe way is the Immigrant Visa option. A self-funded move without the security of a green card on arrival is not a good idea.

JAJ's advise is, IMO, the most important advice given on this thread. If your employer won't sponsor a GC you are about to make a potentially very expensive mistake.

So far as your reply to me, you need to have a serious conversation with Mrs Funstuie about what you "want", and what you can afford, because despite what some people think, you can't afford it all, even on $200k. And given the demands your wife appears to be making you are in serious danger of having all the things your wife wants "on your doorstep" but not be able to afford to "do" any of them.

On the money you're talking about I'd look at cities in the SE, that are within a 2-3 hr drive of the coast, and then expect to fly to DC and NY for long weekends fairly regularly. Personally I'd say Atlanta is a good compromise, or perhaps VA in the greater Richmond area, which would make DC driveable on the weekend, and even commutable.

BTW. You're aware that the coast/ beach in the US is rarely anything like the coast in the UK, except at the trashy Blackpool/Myrtle Beach end of the scale, aren't you?

GC sponsorship will be part of my package or we won't be going. I am not upping sticks and moving to the other side of the pond with only a 2yr guarantee. Ultimately I can take the hit and pay for all the moving expenses but there will have to be something from the company in return. Visa and gc being the minimum.

Again this is one of those posts that it's all just wishes and wants.

The idea of going to the U.S. on an L1-A visa and then getting sponsored for GC at a later date is also not a good idea if you are self-funded. Once again, the only safe option for a permanent move is to forget any temporary visa and get sponsored for an Immigrant Visa. You don't need to have the L visa to get an immigrant visa.

Why do you want to move to the US - seriously? Brighton is great and you will not be able to replicate it here.

+1. If you can find anywhere with the same vibe as Brighton & Crystal Palace, please let me know! We're in NJ, the only places out here with a similar feel would be Brooklyn, Hoboken, TriBeCa, Soho. We're living in the equivalent of Weybridge in Surrey. I'm from SW London (Wandsworth) originally and have spent that last 15 years in NW London. Brighton is about the only coastal area we would ever consider moving to.

"My does not want to live in "commuter town hell" or "small town Hicksville" - her words not mine. Personally I want to move somewhere with good people where I can join the softball team and live the dream "

Good luck with that. It's just a slightly different shade of green here