postie

Hi, this is my first time on this site so please bear with me!! Can somene give me some advice on moving to the USA? My situation is this....I am 46 years old. My wife is 43 and we have twin sons aged 18. We are all British and living in the UK. 3 years ago my wife finally found her American father and since then everything has been great except that they both want to try to make up for the 40 years apart and we'd like to move to the USA.
I am a fully qualified auto mechanic with 30 years experiance and spent 13 and a half years in the Royal Air Force.
My wifes fathers name is not on her birth certificate so I believe she can't apply for a family based visa. We thought we'd try for a work visa.
My wifes uncle (also an American) has his own small trucking company and is willing to employ me and also sponsor me and mine.
Any help and advice would be great. Love the site and enjoy reading everyones news.
Thanks a lot!
Postie

BrigieDarling

I wonder if a paternity test would solve any doubts because he isn't on her Brith Certificate?

Anyway... welcome to the board Postie!

postie

Thanks for the welcome. We've been visiting my wifes Dad for the past two years and there is no doubt that he's her father or that she's one of the family. My wife looks so much like them all!! What would a paternity test do? Would it help us to get any further with our plans? As you've probably guessed this is us at the beginning of a journey. One that will eventualy lead us to living in the USA. Nice to be in touch with so many people who share our plans!!

BrigieDarling

It's fairly easy to get one and it wouldn't hurt to have some kind of documented proof would it?

I am the last person to ask any kind of imigration questions... but ya never know!

Try here !

postie

Thanks for your help.
any help is good help!

BrigieDarling

Anytime mate! --You're welcome!

Pulaski

There are basically six ways (seven if you have a close relative who is a USC and is willing to sponsor you) that you can get a visa to live and work in the US:

(i) Marriage (or engagement in anticipation of marriage) to a US citizen.
(ii) You have skills that are in short supply in the US e.g. IT, scientific or medical training.
(iii) You have an employer who is willing to transfer you - but even the employer has to make a good case for you - so you have to be a manager unless you fall under category (ii), above.
(iv) get a greencard in the diversity lottery (UK citizens, except N.Ireland are not eligible)
(v) You own a business (does not get you permanent resident status i.e. no greencard)
(vi) You are an "investor" i.e. you have at least US$1m in assets to bring with you.

For most British citizens who want to come to live in the US the only realistic options they have are (ii) or (iii) in my list above, however in the relatively unusual sitution that your wife is in, I would guess that by far the most fruitful path would be to prove that her father is a US citizen and apply for citizenship herself. That should be quite possible as there are a good number of half-Vietnamese now in the US under similar circumstances - because of the peccadillos of their fathers.

Which ever way you try to do it, it is going to be very difficult, but if you really want to it is possible.

I hope this helps.

postie

Thanks for the advice Pulaski. I guess we should try for the paternity route then. My wifes Dad didn't have a problem with admitting responsibility when she was born and even sent money orders from the US to England to help support her when she was young. Unfortunately, with time and circumstances, her mother lost touch, got married and that, as they say was that!

whatever

Hello Postie and Wife - Welcome
I agree with Brigie and Pulaski. If your wife and her father had a paternity blood test and the results came back showing that indeed they are father and daughter, you could possibly use the document (official medical type thing... sorry, don't know what it would be exactly but it would have to be acceptable to the BCIS), as proof - like pulaski said, it wouldn't be the first time immigration had this kind of situation to deal with. If I were you, I would contact the US Embassy in London and ask them what the possibilities are.
The e-mail address is: [email protected]

Also if you look on the website: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/
scroll down you'll see Visa service on the left - you can search til' your heart is content, and find out what you need to do first regarding filing the correct forms.
I entered the US this year through a family based green card (different situation to yours though), and we also considered getting in through work but I am glad we took the GC route because having a green card, in my opinion, offers a little more stability, a few more options and more certainty about your future than entering on a visa... having said that - you would be employed by family so that's a different kettle of fish altogether! Very best of luck to you