sleeplessrowan

Hi guy's, my girlfriend (50) & myself (47😲) are contemplating "the big move" .Would any of you good folk care to throw in a good point/ bad point list ?
My girlfriend is an administrator in an office & I'm an HGV driver .
.....your thought or comments would be most welcome. Many thanks

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE.

Lots of good and bad points, but I'd imagine they're fairly country dependent so give us a clue - where are you thinking of?

Good luck with it.

sleeplessrowan

Hi! .....Well we are "sort of" aiming for the Carolineas.
Plan is to travel for a few months later this year to explore the more Southern
State's before making a final choice .
We like warmth without excessive heat & we seam to of given up our partying but it might be nice to have a local "bar/hangout"

christmasoompa

So the USA? I'm assuming those are the Carolina's you're referring to anyway!

In which case, the biggest thing on the 'bad point' list would be that the US is nigh on impossible for most normal folk to move to, and neither a HGV driver not administrator would qualify for any kind of work related visa. But hopefully you're already citizens or have another route to a visa, so that won't be an issue for you.

I'll move your thread to the US forums, where the good folks there will be able to advise you better on your pros and cons list, best of luck.

lansbury

Start by reading this: Pulaski's Ways: How to Live and Work in the USA : British Expat Wiki

Noorah101

The first thing we all need to know is what visa you'll be using to move to the USA?

Rene

Nutmegger

And remember that, unless you plan to get married, you will each need to qualify for a visa on your own merits.

Pulaski

To summarize: (i) you have family to sponsor you, (ii) you have an employer will to shell out $5,000-$8,000 for you, and wait up to 18 months before you can start, or (iii) you have several hundred thousand dollars to invest in a business.

Each of the above has several variations. In any case you will definitely need to be married for whichever one of you who does not get the primary visa to stand any chance of working. The "trailing spouse" of some visa categories can't work anyway.

Duncan Roberts

If you want warmth without excessive heat, probably best to avoid the south. However, based on the limited info you posted it doesn't sound like you have any chance of moving so it's kind of moot.

sleeplessrowan

Hummmm.....Seem's the damper has been put on things "slightly" lol....People said it was a new years "whim" but it's not a new idea ....It's only just become affordable with the need to support our self's for upto a year & the possibility of our inability to get a mortgage for several years we would buy outright. But here's hoping 😊

SultanOfSwing

Did you read Pulaski's ways yet? Do you even have a route to a visa?

I'd be worrying about satisfying those conditions first before you get too far ahead of yourselves. Perhaps Canada or Australia (or mainland Europe within the EU) are options for you if you really want to leave the UK. All more sensible options for a British citizen with no obvious ties to the US.

NatashaB

'Hoping' won't get you a visa

SultanOfSwing

We went through that one a few years ago. Got called a sad little bunch for being honest. Some people ...

Pulaski

FIFY

There are four countries in the EEA that are not in the EU (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein), and all thirty two countries in the EEA have free movement of people/labour.

Bob

Unfortunately, if neither of you are US citizens, your skill set isn't going to get you a visa to move here, unless you've got buckets of cash for a business or want to go to university and study.

The world is a big place though and there are plenty of places where you either don't need a visa, or a visa might be more achievable, of which a couple suggestions have already been made.

Good luck and welcome to BE though