Saradeebee

Hello everyone—I've been trawling through the many informative posts here, and would be hugely grateful for any advice, no matter how brief.

I'm a British, single, 43 year old graphic artist, earns around £50K working from home, with clients dotted all over the globe. I am represented by agencies in the UK and the USA, but my status here in the UK is that of self-employed/sole-trader.

In short, I would like to relocate to the USA, and continue a life there. What are my chances? Could I retain any sort of basic self-employed status, working from home like I do now? Am I living in a complete dream world, or could this be realistically achieved?

Thank you to anyone who might want to chip in...

Duncan Roberts

You need a legal status to live and work in the US. Based on what you posted you have no shot at anything other than a tourist.

Noorah101

Here is the thread you need to read. Be sure to click on the links inside the thread, that will give you all your options. If you fit any of them, let us know and we can provide more information.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=585898

Rene

Saradeebee

Many thanks for the responses, very much appreciated.

Saradeebee

Hello again,

I wonder if I would be able to present a 'specialist skills' case perhaps?
My work is published in books and magazines worldwide, and I am, I suppose, a recognized 'name' in my particular field. (Sorry, not great at blowing my own trumpet)...

I earn a living from doing quite an individual thing: would the 'unique' work I do hold any water if presented?

I'm quite happy to muck in and pay all my taxes and everything!

sir_eccles

Are you the marrying type?

ian-mstm

Perhaps!


You need to fully blow your own trumpet if you want to succeed. This is not the time to be humble. Look at an O-1 visa.


Unique is good.


You say that as though you'd actually have a choice!

Ian

Saradeebee

Thank you Ian for that glimmer of hope. Certainly I'd pull out all the stops if it looked like I stood a real chance.

Taxes I know... as if.
Now, if I was running things I'd take attributes like 'enthusiasm', and a 'genuine intention to contribute' into serious consideration, as well as the usual job title/marriage-right/birth-right malarkey.

Very much the happily-divorced kind, thank you Sr Eccles.

fatbrit

You have a multitude of options, but not a single one that fits like a glove.

At this stage I usually suggest a US immigration lawyer. Many of them are such showers, though, I'm reluctant to do so.

Don't think the O is much use as I believe you have to be employed. But similar criteria to the O will get you an immigrant visa (green card) directly so you can be self-employed.

Then there's a way of buying the green card directly. Require $0.5M down, so you may need to save for a while.

Failing that, I suppose there's an E2. You don't advertise kids, so that's good.But you'd need to employ someone, and buy some swanky offices.

Bob

How specialist though?

Graphic design/artist are dime a dozen, so it would really need to be unique for someone to bother with a work visa.

Saradeebee

Sure, I appreciate that. I've done front covers for the big international newsweeklies, I have a regular spot with the UK edition of a well-known magazine, I did a series of kids books which has been sold across north Europe in 4 languages. Lots of stuff like that.

And I imagine I'd be able to get references from the folk at these well-known publications I work for.

Saradeebee

Thanks for that info Fatbrit, much appreciated.
No, no kids to advertise, one already grown up and gone.

Sure wish I had that sort of money, I've got about maybe a quarter of that amount, and that's before I even begin to start the emigration ball rolling.

babybyrd

hi sarah

i am no expert here but i imagine a stumbling block you MAY come across is that you probably dont have to be in the same country as the person youre illustrating for

understand that im looking for issues here and trying to foresee difficulties
but
arent you able to fax or email yur work? you dont have to be right at the publishers office to create your art

do you see where im coming from?

not sure uscis look at it the same way - just playing devils advocate

Saradeebee

Thank you babybyrd, I see where you're coming from. Very true that my working for a company abroad can be done from home, or from anywhere with broadband for that matter. But nearly all the work, no matter where from, is invoiced through one London agency (who also have a US office) so it's all fairly 'tidy' in that respect. In my ideal dream-world scenario, I'd be able to do all billing through the US office instead, and basically carry on as I am now: working, earning, and paying my way.

Flabound oneday

L1 ????