Hathers

Hi all
My wife and I love the states and have talked many times over the years about we could move / live there but honestly have no clue how to even start looking into it , Ive looked and so many web site and read so many posts at this point that my head is spinning
Any tips on how we could start the process would be gratefully received
Thank you

Jerseygirl

Welcome to BE.

Take a read through the following...if you fit into any of the categories you may be in with a chance. Please bear in mind the US is one of the most difficult countries for a Brit to move to.

Pulaski's Ways: How to Live and Work in the USA : British Expat Wiki

Pulaski

So that rules out one possibility. ....
Do you have an employer willing to move you, and job (technical/managerial) worth moving you for?

Do you have a technical, high skill job that is in short supply in the US and employers would cough up $10k in fees for a visa and wait 12-18 months for you to be ready to start. If you're in academia then the wait time would be cut to 2-3 months.

The only really likely other route is if you have, realistically, $200,000+ to invest in a business, and another $100,000 to get you started (rent, cars, shipping, appliances, etc.), and to provide a bit of a buffer. Bear in mind that many jobs and occupations in the US require a license and certification to be allowed to offer services to the public - in virtually all occupations, your UK qualifications are worthless.

That's the link that JerseyGirl posted a link to, in a nut shell. ... Read it and let us know if you have any questions, but in truth, the US is very hard for most people to immigrate to and most people will never come to the US as anything other than a visitor. .... So enjoy coming and spending time here because your 5-6 weeks annual holiday is 2-3 times what most Americans get!

Twinkle0927

I would also think long and hard about what it is you 'love' about the US. The things that most tourists love about here, are not a reality for those of us who live and work here. It's very easy to love a place that you have only seen as a tourist without the stresses of work, taxes, bills, repairs, politics, 'at-will' jobs, health care fiascos... If you really enjoy your holidays here, it might be best to keep this as your escape and let it always have the romance and mysticism of holidays. Enjoy the happy memories.

penguinsix

Hi and welcome,

The first thing, as people have mentioned, is that you need to find a legal way to live and work in the United States, otherwise this is nothing more than idle daydreaming. Unfortunately, finding a visa to the United States is incredibly difficult, one that derails probably about 99% of people who 'want to move to the USA' before they ever get started.

Take a look at the link provided and go through it with a fine tooth comb and see if there is anything that sounds even remotely possible, or something that you may be able to find a way to meet. It may take a few years of retraining or working for some other employer but it might be possible in the end if you can find the right path.

The second issue is more of a general 'warning' for lack of a better word. "The grass isn't always greener", "rose colored glasses", "be careful what you wish for" are some of the cliches that come to mind. I think I'd basically say that as an expat you eventually realize it's not necessarily "better or worse" but more often than not simply "different" -- life in the United States is necessarily better or worse than life where you live now, but it is 'different' and some of those differences you will like and some of them you will hate. It's hard to tell exactly given each person's wants and desires, but I think probably everyone here would caution you to be aware of these differences and to enter the expatriation process with a solid, realistic view of what you will encounter.

But that's a debate for another time, when the reality that confronts you right now is the first step. Please take a look a that link and see if you can find a way. If you can, or have any questions, we're happy to give you some guidance on timelines and processes and then help you start to answer some of the other questions that will come up.

vikingsail

Come on a visa for 6 months - rent a RV or drive and stay at hotels get it out of your system (possibly) that way. My suggestion may seem silly but in this global world it is really practical. You retain the benefits and practicalities of everyday life you have grown accustomed to in the UK and get to explore which imho is the root of most peoples desires to travel and live somewhere else.

Many others do it the other way having learnt the hard way - this site is littered with people who maintain a presence in the UK including myself. Money, is what usually precludes most of us thinking of exploring. When you consider the tangible and intangible costs of uprooting and moving overseas I suggest its not all plain sailing and you could easily finance an extended stay somewhere else rather than moving lock stock and barrel?

Pulaski

If Hathers and his wife are VWP eligible, and not yet retired, it is unlikely that they would be approved for B-1/B-2 visas.

MarylandNed

Consider Canada if it looks like you're having difficulties moving to the US. The lifestyle in Canada is similar to the northern US which it borders. Later you may find an opportunity to move from Canada to the US e.g. through networking, an intra-company transfer or, if you become a Canadian citizen, you may be able to take advantage of the TN visa to work in the US (as long as NAFTA stays around). Much depends on your occupations though.

Englishmum

I don't think the O/P will be back....has only made one post....

Jerseygirl

He was browsing the forums today.

cxx

That hasn't been my experience, but it may depend where you live in Canada. It costs a lot to move to Canada, and it takes a long time to get citizenship, then there are no guarantees that you will get an opportunity to move to the US so I would prefer to put that time and energy into finding a better path to the US.

Hathers

Hi all,
Thank you all for all the info and advice so far , it seems like we have a fair bit of work and research still to do if this is going to happen
We’ll keep digging as it were , hopefully we can find away

Hathers

The other thing I’m struggling to get a clear answer on is the applying for green card situation as on can we apply apply for them at any point or do we need offers of employment first , I know that probably sounds silly but trying to find a clear answer isn’t easy
Thanks again

mikelincs

Again, you don't apply for the Green Card, that is also down to your employers., so you need to discuss it with them, once you have got a job and visa.

Hathers

Right ok thank you , that does actually make sense