Lolskut

Hi All,

New here so not 100% sure how all this works. However I am looking to move to the USA (Indiana) within the next 2 years. This is to live with my girlfriend who is a citizen and resides there. We have been together for over 5 years and have met many times (in both the UK and USA) and are now looking in to options for me to move there. I am 21 and she is 20. I have been working for over 4 years in IT and she is currently in University.

We would like to move in together without having to pursue the "Rushed" married in 90 days option if that is possible. I understand how hard it is to move on a work visa so I just wanted to check if anyone here had a suggestion of what I could do with increase my chances, or any other options that would suit me. I have a good amount of money saved up (by the time I move I plan it to be over 40k GBP).

I'm currently planning on getting my MCSA and ITIL Certification to improve my working knowledge and hire ability. Her family is aware that I would like to move and support this decision. Please let me know if there is any more information that would help with assisting me that I can provide. All help appreciated. Thanks you so much in advanced!

-Scott

Noorah101

At this point, you probably won't get a work visa, unless you can work for a company in the UK that has offices in the USA and after 1 year ask to be transferred (L visa).

Do you have a degree? If not, and without much experience, you probably won't qualify for an H-1B in the near future.

40K isn't enough money to invest or buy your way into the USA.

Realistically, I would say marriage is going to be the way for you to both live on the same continent.

Rene

tom169

Could plan a wedding on visa waiver program and then it wouldn't be rushed.

notaclue

Lolskut

christmasoompa

Your GCSE's may not even be considered secondary school completion. You might want to look at trying to get some post-secondary education, ideally a degree as a minimum.

Re: the marriage on the VWP, it just means you go over there, marry your gf and then return to the UK whilst your marriage visa is processed. It just means you can plan it at your leisure and won't be rushed, as you were worried about.

HTH, best of luck.

Noorah101

The Visa Waiver Program is the VWP that I assume you've been using all along to visit the USA. It does not allow you to live in the USA, as you know already. But if you and your girlfriend decide marriage is the way to go, you can plan something nice (so that it's not rushed), then use the VWP to get married in the USA. Then you return to the UK for immigrant visa processing. You will spend around a year living separate as a married couple, but you can still visit each other, until you get your immigrant visa in hand.

Rene

civilservant

Marriage is almost 100% your only option given your age. Visit on the VWP, get married, then come back to the UK for the visa processing. It'll take 12 months or so. It's expensive, but pretty straightforward as long as you have no convictions etc.

Noorah101

Keep in mind that if the USC is still in school, a joint financial sponsor will probably be needed.

Rene

scrubbedexpat099

Working backwards looking at 2 years to move, so get married next summer as others have said using the VWP amd then apply for CR1 which should be processed in about 2 years from now and you are good to go.

Jack8602

As a side note - still definitely work on your MCSA and ITIL - it'll vastly improve your chances of getting work quickly once you do move over

TheKingOfHearts

I'm a senior manager in IT for a major US conglomerate & originally moved here on a transfer (L1) but subsequently met my now wife and adjusted through that.

One thing I will say; I've done a lot of recruitment of folks in their early careers both in the UK & the US (I actually ran our IT leadership program for a while, of which I was a UK graduate) & IT here can be a very lucrative profession, however unless you're a world class developer with a proven track record almost all of the "good" IT jobs will require a degree, for the most part the university doesn't have a drastic impact.

For example, we pay our on shore support staff ~65k (This is mostly what kind of role an ITIL certification will get you) but we pay our grads working in product management/cyber roles around ~120. The grads have a further upward path available to them, the support staff have mostly reached their limits.

I'd honestly recommend (especially since you're only 21) you strongly considering doing an undergrad if career growth is something you see as a priority. Perhaps Open University or similar, part time before you head over here. The cost of college here can be eye watering.

Lolskut

Nutmegger

I don't see that anyone directed you to Pulaski's Ways in the thread (probably because it is pretty obvious that marriage is your only option, I'm afraid), so here is the link to all the ways to come to the US, no legal consultation fee required!

Pulaski's Ways to Live and Work in the USA