Hi, new to this forum so apologies if I am asking things that have already been covered.

Myself and my partner are looking to emigrate to USA. No sooner than 12 months time but definitely within 3 years (I have a 15 year old daughter who lives with her mom and want to wait until she is at least 16)

I am a qualified solicitor with about 15 years experience. I believe that I can qualify easiest in NY or California in that my qualification is accepted there. I will need to do the local bar exam I understand.

My questions (amongst about 1000) are -

1. Roughly how long does this take? I accept it varies greatly but should we start now, I assume there is no risk of getting the Visa in less than 12 months?

2. I am not sure I want to practice law in America - just generally fed up and looking for a change of career. I appear to have 2 options, find a non lawyer job but then I lose the advantage of using my qualification and experience in my favour or find a lawyer job - the problem being I specialise in criminal defence and thats not easily transferable, most firms seem to want commercial or litigation lawyers. Which would be the easiest route and the most likely to succeed? Once I have a visa how long do I have to practice as a lawyer before I can change jobs and still keep my immigration status?

3. I am not married to my partner, can I still take her over as a spouse or do we need to be married?

4. My Partner is a self employed nutritionist and runs a network marketing business that she can run from USA, are either of these any help to us?

Many thanks

1. First!!! decide which visa
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Pulask...ork_in_the_USA

2. depends on one

3. Get married

4 No ....

There seem to be signs everywhere you go in the US saying "No Solicitors"

I'm really having a hard time trying to get my head around this leap into an apparent dark hole of logic! I think my brain is ready to implode.

Ian

1. Depends on which visa; some have annual quotas (which are now filled), some don't.

2. If your visa is tied to your job, you can't simply switch jobs. If you want to change jobs, the new employer must sponsor you for a visa. If you have permanent resident status (green card) then you can work wherever you want, but that would be years down the road.

3. If you aren't married, then she can't be your dependent. She would have to qualify for her own visa.

4. No.