Twinkle0927

There isn't much digging to do. There are a few clear paths to being able to live in the USA. Either you qualify for one or you don't. I promise you there are no hidden tricks or secrets to coming here. For those that qualify, it's very easy to move here. For those that don't (and that is the majority of the world), it's pretty much impossible. It's quite black and white.

In short, to be able to live and work in the USA you must either:
- be married to or about to be married to a USC
- be married to a green card holder
- be an immediate relative (parent, child, sibling) of a USC - aunts, uncles, cousins, best friends don't count
- be an unmarried child of a green card holder
- have a healthy 6-figure sum to invest and more to fall back on
- work for a company that has offices in the USA that is prepared to transfer you
- work in a job that requires a degree and be fortunate enough to find a company prepared to sponsor you and be in the 25% of hopefuls that are selected for visa approval (the other 75% are rejected purely based on not enough visas being available). Your spouse would not be able to work.
- you may be eligible for the diversity visa (aka green card lottery). Those born in England, Scotland and Wales are not eligible but Northern Ireland is. If either you or your spouse was not born in England. Scotland or Wales then you may be eligible.
- there are a few very specialist categories - religious workers, extraordinary ability, refugees, that likely don't apply to you.

It looks like marriage, family and investment are out. So either you win the euro millions or you need to get a degree (if you don't have one) and work in that field or work for a company in the U.K. that will transfer you.

Think of it as a 10-year or 15-year plan.

christmasoompa

If you can give people some more info about your situation (i.e. what you both do as jobs, what your highest education level is, whether you work for multinational companies, any US citizen relatives, etc) then they can help you figure out a possible visa route if there is one.

Good luck.

Hathers

Thank you I just didn’t want to overwhelm or annoy anyone

I’m a civil servant working for the department for working pensions , I’m a case manager who handles pulblic benefit cases and decisions , I have a degree in CIPD which covers both HR and Training

My wife is an office and facilities manager for a large global solicitors She is currently updating and adding to her facilities education levels by working on a higher level degree

We have no children and don’t currentky have a mortgage , I have spent a some time living in San Diego many years ago and have friends there 1 whom emigrated himself from the UK 16 years ago

Both me and my wife have always loved the American way of life and I personally have always felt more comfortable there as a person if that makes sense

We have talked about making the move many times but now feel it’s time to really start looking into it

I’m 41 and my wife is 39 if that makes any difference

Again thank you all for the advice

christmasoompa

You won't do that at all, that's what the forum is here for.

I'm sure the forum pros will be along to help you work out if there is a visa that may be suitable later on.

Best of luck.

materialcontroller

Perhaps one avenue could be for your wife to get a transfer to the USA through her employer.

Hathers

Ah if only it was that straight forward , the 1 country they don’t currently have an office is the states

materialcontroller

Then you need to go back to the Pulaskis Ways link you were given earlier in the thread and see if another viable route is open to you.

Pulaski

Well family/marriage is not an option, and the jobs route seems like a non-starter to me, primarily for reasons of the occupation, not employer - I don't either Hathers or Mrs Hathers has the sort of job that an employer would move someone internationally for.

So that leaves self employment/ "investment", such as an E-2, and it has to be an active business, it can't just be a load of rental homes. Some people have managed to wing-it with a landscaping or pool maintenance business, but the economics are dubious in most cases, or you could buy a hotel or petrol station, but you would need a seven figure loan from a bank to add to your investment, for anything more than a small guest house or an off-the-beaten-track petrol station.

Of course Hathers could just buy a green card for $560,000 (including fees), but that would mean either investing in an under-developed part of the US, or trusting his money to a shark to invest it for him. But barring a fraud, of which there have been several, or a poorly performing investment, he would get his money back, .... eventually.

Beyond that, you're looking at niche visas, like "religious worker", or "sports professional".

Noorah101

Hathers,

How did you manage to live in San Diego many years ago? What visa did you have back then?

Rene

Ecto17

If your wife works in FM l would seriously suggest seeking a job with either another law firm that does have US offices (and lots do) or an alternative firm that does (try insurance). Personally l would stick with a mid sized firm where there is greater chance of influencing CEO level and therefore getting the chance of the move but still large enough that the cost of the move wouldn't be an issue.
Obviously this isn't an instant solution however it is realistic and could be achieved relatively quickly (3 yrs ish)
In the meantime I would suggest trying to get some pieces published in FM World (it is the BIFM's publication) and perhaps researching on areas that maybe of use in the US where Europe is leading, sustainability and Environmental impact springs to mind. Additionally she could look into fm project management, this might expose her to different employees and offices and increase the chances of influencing a move.
The US is the home of FM so what she does is well respected here and l hope that somehow helps.
Good luck with your plans.

scrubbedexpat099

I worked in Insurance and in the area that dealt internationally and it is extreme rare for anyone to be transferred to the US for very good reasons that I do not need to go into.

A friend's wife is a HR Director and was asked to move to the US, they did not actually go.

They have a condo in Florida and visit.

Ecto17

Not my experience with insurance which is why l mentioned it but it gives the OP and wife something to consider.

Hathers

Thank you all
You’ve reslly given us some ideas of what to do next

Pulaski

I agree. I have worked in two different industry seconds, both with many international connections, and relocating internationally was very rare in both of them. At best, a few people got a couple of years overseas, to gain experience, but then they were expected to go home and be a resource for international cooperation. One way tickets were like hens teeth.

So while we frequently glibly say "get your employer to transfer you", the reality is that for most people in most occupations, getting a visa would be the easy part, the problem is that your employer has no intention of relocating you!

FWIW I negotiated my own transfer once upon a time from London to my employer's affiliate in Chicago. My department head in London was supportive. The senior manager I would be reporting to in Chicago was supportive. My "toe in the water" visit went well. .... Then HR put the kibosh on it. The deal crashed to a halt. ..... And I didn't even NEED a visa! I believe that HR didn't know that I didn't need a visa, but by the time I found out, the deal had already crashed and burned.

Twinkle0927

I was wondering the same. And whether the same path could be walked again.