so how did you get in?
Mar 15th 2007, 9:22 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 12
so how did you get in?
Well it seems quite difficult to legitimately get into the US, so how did you folks do it and where abouts did you go?
Mar 15th 2007, 10:42 am
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Maitland, FL
Posts: 137
Re: so how did you get in?
Married on 7 years ago, now taking her home to FL...
Mar 15th 2007, 1:22 pm
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: so how did you get in?
On Mar 15, 5:22 am, millers <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Well it seems quite difficult to legitimately get into the US, so how
> did you folks do it and where abouts did you go?
>
> --
> Posted viahttp://britishexpats.com
F1 student visa is the way I came in, but I agree marriage is the
right royal way in, full rose petals'n carpet and all.
wrote:
> Well it seems quite difficult to legitimately get into the US, so how
> did you folks do it and where abouts did you go?
>
> --
> Posted viahttp://britishexpats.com
F1 student visa is the way I came in, but I agree marriage is the
right royal way in, full rose petals'n carpet and all.
Mar 15th 2007, 2:24 pm
#7
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 24
Re: so how did you get in?
What a mess to read
[/quote=optom3;4521668]
came over on E2,spent 1.7 million on business(not bragging) wanted to tell you that even spending that amount and employing now 22 people it was a real hard slog.It still is. I know you might think people here are negative but it really is difficult. We waited 8 months for our visa and that actually isnt too bad.Our first application was refused as we had the money in escrow,so we had to hand the money over and close on the business. We were still living in U.K in rented house and we had a business in Sarasota(lovely place) that we could do nothing with. We had to really trust the previous owner not to run it into the ground while we waited another 3 months for our visa. I can tell you its very scary beyond anything you can imagine.
We had no idea if our 2nd application would be approved.We only got a 2 year visa so we are now about to renew it again so at the moment half our life is spent thinking about visas. We are also trying to apply for a green card and that is nigh on impossible. We are trying 2 routes one is the million dollar investment EB5,not easy and as I have 2 science degrees I am looking at a family friend to sponsor me for a work visa ,via his company,he is a US citizen.
We will see if either routes work but I am not holding my breath. Because the business we bought is not new we can only qualify for the EB5 by expansion or restructuring which means increase the nett worth by 40% or the staff numbers by 40% and an additional 10 staff as well.
The only way we can do this is to build (more money) 3 more shops and put the extra staff in there. I am truly not trying to put you off just to honestly advise. Do we love it here in Sarasota, yes. The kids (8,9,and 12 ) love it too.In fact 2 of them have been accepted into the gifted school here. Is it worth it,some of the time.Is it stressful, unbelievably so.In my opinion you have to be made of very strong stuff to have any chance.You cannot do it on a shoestring and you cant cut corners.
Friends of ours have just had their visa refused on a business of 350,000 and now they have a business here and cannot live here to run it.Do we have a better life, I think so ,we are much more active because of the weather. However that does not come cheap either.Tennis lessons,gymnastics,soccer,etc it all comes at a price.However much money you think you need,double it. If you live in a good area and a gated community the taxes are extortionate,as is insurance and health care and as for dentists prepare to remortgage. Some prescription drugs are triple U.k. costs. Would I do it again yes.
We had a lovely farmhouse in England in beautiful Chehire countryside but we spent half the year indoors because of the weather. Am I scared for the future ,yes ,becuse if we dont get a green card then we have a big problem when the oldest hits 21. However we are working very hard on the green card at the moment and if all else fails the oldest will have to try for his own visa . If necessary we will give him the money for an E2 in his own right,if that is what he wants. If you want the name of the attorney we used then mail me. He is not cheap and he is also very cautious,but that is what we wanted. We did not want someone promising the earth and cutting corners with half cocked schemes. We wanted someone who would be realistic with us and he was. He thinks we have a reasonable chance of a green card but we are going to have to work unbelievably hard to attain it.
With that in mind I would advise if you really want to try then proceed with caution and research ,research,research. I spent months on the internet and with the attorney before we took the plunge. In fact I still do.We chose our area very carefully because of the schools ,in particular the gifted school,which is top 10 in the country and is free!!I looked at crime figures,lifestyles,activities,culture,you name it . I researched the demographics of the business and we bought in the end a supermarket established 30 years and sat on 3 acres of land,with permission to build up to a maximum of 7 more shops on the land. i contacted the council about that,before we bought to check as well didnt take the sellers word for it. Even down to checking we would have enough parking spaces and what current building codes are. Having said that I would have checked all of this in U.K as well.So another piece of advise,check and check again. If someone can lie to you,they will. They dont care,after all you will be in U.K and may not even get a visa so they feel they can do what they want. Even doing all of that we have just got rid of the debt collectors(very scary)as some of the equipment we bought with the store had been subsequently leased.
Is that illegal,yes,does the previous owner care? NO! did the closing attorneys miss it,Yes. Did we finally get the previous owner to pay up,yes, 1 minute before the equipmment was removed!!! and after we had threatened to break every bone in his body!!!and some.So trust no one,have a large supply of Dizepam and good luck. If you want further info.mail me Do not approach it lightly , it is worth it but it is very very tough/almost impossible without being tenacious to the point of obsession and even then a little man/woman at the embassy could easily say no and believe me they do,often. I am sorry this is so long but I just wanted to give you as much info. as possible.[/quote]
[/quote=optom3;4521668]
We had no idea if our 2nd application would be approved.We only got a 2 year visa so we are now about to renew it again so at the moment half our life is spent thinking about visas. We are also trying to apply for a green card and that is nigh on impossible. We are trying 2 routes one is the million dollar investment EB5,not easy and as I have 2 science degrees I am looking at a family friend to sponsor me for a work visa ,via his company,he is a US citizen.
We will see if either routes work but I am not holding my breath. Because the business we bought is not new we can only qualify for the EB5 by expansion or restructuring which means increase the nett worth by 40% or the staff numbers by 40% and an additional 10 staff as well.
The only way we can do this is to build (more money) 3 more shops and put the extra staff in there. I am truly not trying to put you off just to honestly advise. Do we love it here in Sarasota, yes. The kids (8,9,and 12 ) love it too.In fact 2 of them have been accepted into the gifted school here. Is it worth it,some of the time.Is it stressful, unbelievably so.In my opinion you have to be made of very strong stuff to have any chance.You cannot do it on a shoestring and you cant cut corners.
Friends of ours have just had their visa refused on a business of 350,000 and now they have a business here and cannot live here to run it.Do we have a better life, I think so ,we are much more active because of the weather. However that does not come cheap either.Tennis lessons,gymnastics,soccer,etc it all comes at a price.However much money you think you need,double it. If you live in a good area and a gated community the taxes are extortionate,as is insurance and health care and as for dentists prepare to remortgage. Some prescription drugs are triple U.k. costs. Would I do it again yes.
We had a lovely farmhouse in England in beautiful Chehire countryside but we spent half the year indoors because of the weather. Am I scared for the future ,yes ,becuse if we dont get a green card then we have a big problem when the oldest hits 21. However we are working very hard on the green card at the moment and if all else fails the oldest will have to try for his own visa . If necessary we will give him the money for an E2 in his own right,if that is what he wants. If you want the name of the attorney we used then mail me. He is not cheap and he is also very cautious,but that is what we wanted. We did not want someone promising the earth and cutting corners with half cocked schemes. We wanted someone who would be realistic with us and he was. He thinks we have a reasonable chance of a green card but we are going to have to work unbelievably hard to attain it.
With that in mind I would advise if you really want to try then proceed with caution and research ,research,research. I spent months on the internet and with the attorney before we took the plunge. In fact I still do.We chose our area very carefully because of the schools ,in particular the gifted school,which is top 10 in the country and is free!!I looked at crime figures,lifestyles,activities,culture,you name it . I researched the demographics of the business and we bought in the end a supermarket established 30 years and sat on 3 acres of land,with permission to build up to a maximum of 7 more shops on the land. i contacted the council about that,before we bought to check as well didnt take the sellers word for it. Even down to checking we would have enough parking spaces and what current building codes are. Having said that I would have checked all of this in U.K as well.So another piece of advise,check and check again. If someone can lie to you,they will. They dont care,after all you will be in U.K and may not even get a visa so they feel they can do what they want. Even doing all of that we have just got rid of the debt collectors(very scary)as some of the equipment we bought with the store had been subsequently leased.
Is that illegal,yes,does the previous owner care? NO! did the closing attorneys miss it,Yes. Did we finally get the previous owner to pay up,yes, 1 minute before the equipmment was removed!!! and after we had threatened to break every bone in his body!!!and some.So trust no one,have a large supply of Dizepam and good luck. If you want further info.mail me Do not approach it lightly , it is worth it but it is very very tough/almost impossible without being tenacious to the point of obsession and even then a little man/woman at the embassy could easily say no and believe me they do,often. I am sorry this is so long but I just wanted to give you as much info. as possible.[/quote]
Last edited by Rete; Mar 15th 2007 at 4:17 pm. Reason: Tried to clean this up so it is readable.
Mar 15th 2007, 2:37 pm
#9
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: NW Chicago suburbs
Posts: 11,253
Mar 15th 2007, 2:57 pm
#11
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 12
Re: so how did you get in?
wow, thanks for the reply optom3. I think I need a lie down now.
I am under no illusions that it is a slog getting in, I run my own business in the UK whilst still being employed full time so am not affraid of hard work.
I am under no illusions that it is a slog getting in, I run my own business in the UK whilst still being employed full time so am not affraid of hard work.
Mar 15th 2007, 3:38 pm
#12
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 24
Re: so how did you get in?
I have just read my own post, SORRY, it's scary long and difficult to read ,not to mention distinct lack of paragraphs,punctuation etc,I guess hubby is correct,I write like I talk 100m.p.h. will truncate any future efforts and try to adopt less is more attitude.
Mar 15th 2007, 3:42 pm
#13
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 24
Re: so how did you get in?
Forgot to mention,codeine is impossible to get here even on Rx.Haven't had any problems with Diazepam.Maybe doc.gives in just to shut me up!!
Mar 15th 2007, 3:46 pm
#15
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: NW Chicago suburbs
Posts: 11,253
Re: so how did you get in?
They do prescribe Vidocin, Codeine, etc. for pain conditions, but are quite cautious about it. Same for tranqs.