Ljm1110

Hello,
I am hoping someone will be able to give me some advice please.
I am a UK trained teacher, and aiming to get a job in a british international school in the USA for a September 2016 start. On the condition that I get the job, I assume that I will be going there on a h1b visa. I have a partner and son (not married). We have dreamed of moving to the states for a long time, and knew it wouldn't be a simple move, but did not truly realise how difficult it seems to be! Not so much for myself if I can get a sponsored job out there, however am I correct in thinking we would need to marry first for my partner to be able to get a h1 visa to even move to the states with me, but would then not be able to work? He is a qualified gas engineer and air conditioning mechanic in the UK, but this doesn't appear to be enough for him to get a job with a h1b visa in the states. So what I am hoping to find out is, is there any way at all that we can get around this? Or do we need to give up our dream of moving to the states? We could not afford to live on just a teachers salary supporting the 3 of us. It seems so absurd to me that it will be so difficult for him to be able to work in the country under the situation we would be moving! Any advice/help would be greatly received.
Thank you.
Laura

Pulaski

Are you related to RyanConniff? ..... Your story appears to mirror his very closely.

RyanConniff's thread got moved over to the immigration and visas subforum where all your questions have already been answered.

Jerseygirl

Looks very much like they are partners.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/us-im...advice-854500/

ian-mstm

If you get an H-1B visa, your partner and son would get H-4 derivative visas. You must be married, yes... and he would not be able to work, yes.


Not really, no. Generally, there are 3 routes to the US: family, employment, and investment. Start here. If there is no visa for which he is eligible, he won't be coming to the US as anything other than an H-4 beneficiary. If that's not financially feasible for you... then that's pretty much the end of the road for you both, I'm afraid.


I don't suggest you give up the dream... I do, however, suggest that you make it a long-term goal.


The solution, if possible, is to alter the situation. If, for example, you were able to get a J-1 visa, then he would get a J-2 visa and be eligible to work. Different visas have different rules. Keep in mind that I've no idea if you're eligible for a J-1 visa... that was just an example. The link I provided above should help you get started. FWIW, the H-4 visa is known as the "visa from hell" precisely because of its restrictions.

Ian

scrubbedexpat099

I thought he was Australian?

Pulaski

It turned out that he wasn't, nor was his partner.

scrubbedexpat099

Australia is warmer than Canada.

Ljm1110

Thank you for all of your replies, I'll check out the j1 visa.

Orangepants

What about considering the Cayman Islands - they are always looking for teachers and also your husband would be eligible for a work permit. They need their AC technicians. !
As you have a child, be aware they have to go to private school but you might get a break on the fees if you teach there.

Ljm1110

Thank you for this suggestion - I did see a job in the Cayman Islands about 2 months ago and thought it looked great but was put off by the high cost of renting there so didn't look into it any further, but it's something we'll definitely look into further now we know that AC jobs aren't too difficult to come by. Thank you

london_calling

Have you considered Australia or NZ? A friend graduated in nursing, went to the French Alps for a few months then off to NZ where she has remained. She specialised in sports injuries, obviously.