BenH1991

Hi everyone,

New to this site but hoping to get some info from people about requirements/experiences etc.

I’ve visited America a few times and I absolutely love it, so much so that I’m considering moving there. My girlfriend has also said she would love to but I don’t think ever in a serious manner (maybe just a dream). I’m 26, she’s 24, I have a decent job in Marketing here, she’s currently finishing a course to become a teaching assistant. Ideally we’d love to move to LA, we’ve both been and fell in love with the place. I know there’s a huge difference between visiting somewhere and then living there permanently but it’s something I’ve decided I really want to do.

Does anyone have any advice or has been in a similar situation? I’m not entirely sure where to start with any of it.

Thanks I’m advance!

Noorah101

Hi and welcome to BE. First, go to our wiki guide and read the article called "Pulaski's Ways...". That lists all the possible visas to the USA. After reading that, and deciding if any of those paths sound like a possibility, come on back to discuss.

Very basically, there are 3 ways to the USA. Marriage to a USC, Work, Investment. Since you have a non-USC girlfriend, we can rule out a marriage visa. Marketing and Teaching are not very straightforward careers for a work visa. At ages 24 and 26, I'm guessing you don't have the funds for an investment visa.

One of the most popular paths to the USA is by working for an employer in the UK that has offices in the USA, and getting a transfer.

Hope that helps as a start.

Rene

Noorah101

Also, if one or the other of you gets a work visa to the USA, you will have to be legally married in order for the other person to get a derivative visa. Some allow the trailing spouse to work, some don't.

Rene

Guindalf

The USA is one of the most difficult countries to emigrate to. Realistically, pretty much your only hope is to find a company with US offices that is prepared to spend the thousands of dollars to obtain a visa for you to represent them over here.

That is, of course, unless you have several hundreds of thousands of dollars to effectively 'buy your way in'.

In real terms, I doubt you'll be coming here as anything other than a visitor.

Twinkle0927

Love what about it? The cost of healthcare? The lack of annual leave? The cost of living? I hate to burst the bubble but what you know nothing about day-to-day living here and the things you "loved" on holiday you won't have if you live here.

tom169

I don't blame you for aspiring to move here - USA is a great country overall.

Have a good enough job and earn enough money then healthcare and annual leave are comparatively fine.

Cost of living is high in California compared to the UK, but again if you have a big enough income shovel it won't be a problem.

That said, you probably want to make this a 5-10 year plan, closer to 10 if you haven't yet got a bachelor's degree.

Rete

The above statement does nothing to answer your question on how to emigrate to the US. Yes, you have fallen in love with the US, just as I would love to be able to live in Europe. At present, there is no clear path for either you or your gf to do so, just as there is none for me to live in Amsterdam, I city I have fallen in love with.

Rene has offered you what paths there are for you to fulfill your dream. Being young you still have time to change careers, get an education in a field which might enable you to obtain a work visa.

Explore those possibilities. No country is without problems. Good luck.

Twinkle0927

It wasn't meant to be visa advice, but food for thought. It does make me smile that people think everyone can just go to university, get a degree and then apply for an H-1B. Not everyone has the right aptitude for university, let alone the financial means. And considering the H-1B programme is massively oversubscribed even fir those that can get themselves through university. I just don't see the point of getting oneself into a massive debt, on a course that they are not suited for, to apply for a job they don't want to do just to live in the sunshine in a country they know nothing about. There are easier ways to get better weather - especially with a passport that allows freedom of movement across 27 countries.

You don't need to agree with me, though. Just as I don't need to agree with you. That's not what I come here for.

BenH1991

Thanks everyone for the advice, I always knew this was going to be a long term plan rather than a quick turn around. I was only after advice as it’s a dream of mine to jump over to the other side of the pond, it was never ever going to be easy. I appreciate there are a lot of differences between the UK and US living, which is why I wanted the advice. Just because you have bad experiences or don’t like living where you do (Twinkle) is no reason to instantly try and cripple someone’s hopes of making the move, I know you tried to give a reality check but it was very harsh. Things like that can put someone off making their dream move which could change their life.

Nutmegger

In all fairness (and this comment is YMMV), a post like that can also help to educate someone so that they don't waste their lives dreaming about something that doesn't actually exist and make a nightmare move that could ruin their life.

Pollyana

If some of us had actually read and believed stories of other migrants on here before taking that final step,we would not have found ourselves in various miserable situations. Forwarned is forarmed and the so-called negative posts are just as valuable as the success stories.

notaclue

It was a dream of mine too, that came true.

LA is wonderful on holiday but I've been multiple times now and hate the place. Once you start getting down to the nitty gritty of day to day life you realize that these places have the mundane daily life as you did back home. I recall reading an article yesterday that showed bankers, grads and nurses living in their cars as property prices in LA are so exacerbated. Then add in the fact you are coming over with no job, credit and probably not a boat load of cash.

My advice: Keep coming over and learning about the country, it is a HUGE culture shock. I never imagined I'd be doing CPR or giving out Narcan to people on Christmas day (Paramedic) it is a totally different culture compared to the UK - But that's alright; thats what has drawn you to this point.

As far as your emigration ability you'll need to focus on a work method (Being a manager in an international company etc) or, come over as a student and meet the woman of your dreams like I did.

It took me 10 years of wondering before I made the jump. I came over broke as a pane of glass with a $1000 car. Now I'm married, with a wonderful family, in a wonderful house, considering building a new one, a brand new Mustang in the driveway and I get to ride around in a big red fire truck as my job. The American dream can happen if you put in the effort.

Mustangruss

Hello everyone,

I am new to this website and forum and the post by BenH1991 is the first one I have read. I first visited LA when I was 22 in 1990 and I can understand his dream and enthusiasm to want to live in LA. I have been 7 times since, the last time was November 2017.

I have read the replies in interest because I am looking into emigrating to LA myself. At the age of 50 from the replies here it's not looking good but I never say never and I have a network of friends out there, both in business and otherwise. I do however need advice, hence why I joined this website.

SanDiegogirl

..... Choose a visa:

- work visa (sponsorship by employer)
- marriage visa (sponsorship by wife)
- family visa (sponsorship by close relatives)
- investment visa ($200K + ??)
- diversity lottery (not applicable to Brits and most Europeans)

vikingsail

I agree the advice was direct. However, not to pick an argument. If you come here looking for advice you have to be able to sift through the advice conscientiously and take the rough with the smooth. With respect, if 'things like that put someone off making their dream move' then it probably was not a good move anyway. Because one thing I can assure you is that a little verbal/ written directness pales into insignificance when compared to the things you are likely to face when embarking on moving to the US. Just the directness you will receive from the US Embassy in London will be far more 'offputting' than a few words on a blog.

Having said that I wish you luck on what is likely to be a medium to long term solution.