San Anglais

Hello there!

This website is brilliant. I've been having a look around for the last couple of days and all I can say is thank god for the internet, because I'd have no idea where to find the answers to my questions without it!!

I have the opportunity to move to America next year and am trying to weigh up the pros and cons, and I'm not making much progress!

I currently work for a company in England that need somebody to go out to America next year and run things from that side of the pond. I'd still be employed and paid by my British company, I'd just need to live and work out there. Therefore I guess I wouldn't have any problems with a visa?

I keep thinking that there should be a list of serious considerations to be made before making such a huge, life-altering decision. But all I seem to come up with is 'hmmmm, yeah' or 'hmmmm, nah'

I'll be 26 by the time the move will happen. I've been single for about six months now after a long-term relationship, so I don't have any ties from that point of view.

I lived in America for a year on an exchange program while at university, so I know I'll be fine with the culture and lifestyle etc out there. I'm not someone who tends to miss people. That might sound quite cold, but I mean I always just get on with new things and meet more people, and while it would be nice to see old friends now and then, I don't really suffer if I don't.

I'm not especially close to my family, and from a distance anway. I live 250 miles away from them and only see them a handful of times a year anyway.

I've never suffered from homesickness in my life, and this would be the sixth time in my life that I've relocated somewhere where I don't know anyone, and I've always settled well before. Although, I know that does get harder as you get older.

So basically, I'm struggling to come up with reasons not to go. It's not that I don't want to. I do. I just want to make sure I've given proper consideration to any potential down sides before dropping everything and jumping on the plane.

I think I'd still be paid in £ from my company in England, so I think I should do quite well out of the exchange rate... although I don't know how the financial side of things works. I had an American bank account while I was at uni there, and remember it was a right pain to get money from a UK account to the USA account. But there must be an easier way?

I should be alright with a visa. I know the health insurance is something that comes up. Is it possible/sensible to just get the most basic coverage in the US and fly home to the NHS is anything serious goes wrong with me?

It also wouldn't necessarily have to be a permanent move. It quite easily could be, but there would be nothing stopping me returning to the company in the UK in a couple of years time if I so desired.

I'm not sure yet where I would be living. The company has an office in southern California (just south of Long Beach) but I don't know that I would have to live there. My work isn't location specific, so I could in theory live anywhere I wanted. And the potential to do a few months here, there, and everywhere is quite appealing - a good way to see more of the country.

My job would involve a lot of travelling though, but from what I remember internal flights in America are quite good.

Is there anything I haven't thought of that I should be considering? Anything that people who have moved there have come across that they didn't think about beforehand?

And what sort of things is it realistic to ask my company for if I'm moving abroad? Some sort of relocation allowance to buy/rent new stuff out there? Asking them to pay for a couple of flights a year back to the UK to visit?

Any advice offered will be much appreciated!

augigi

Hah! You may want to do some more reading. Before thinking about a single other thing, you need to work out very clearly which visa you are eligible for (sounds like an L visa). Whether or not you have any problems with the visa depends partly upon your background.

Sounds plain stupid to me. Would you like them to send you home after a serious car accident? Getting hit by a bus? Keep in mind that several conditions mean that you cannot fly for a start.

There are tons of threads about relocation benefits, including one started 1-2 days ago which has a lot of info. Sounds like you may need to do some more reading.

dbj1000

You need a visa, so clearly you haven't really read very much about what's involved. Without knowing what visa you'll be on, the rest of your questions and concerns are pretty much meaningless.

You may like to think that the move "could be permanent", but that's not your choice to make. USCIS will decide that, based on whether you apply for, and get a Green Card sponsored by your company. Better start reading up about that too. If you're on an L2 visa, for example, you could be in for a very, very long wait, if you get one at all.

You need health insurance, and it should be provided by your employer. They're the first people to ask about benefits paid to US employees.

Start with how you're going to get out here, looking beyond the simple "my company has an office in the US", and then go from there.

Bill_S

Hello, San. Welcome to BE. You get 10 out of 10 for enthusiasm, but as others have noted, you are getting ahead of yourself. Your #1 priority must be the visa. It's more than a formality; no visa = no home and no job in the US. How/where you will hypothetically be paid, health cover, etc. all are secondary to the visa. How long have you worked for this employer? In what capacity? Have they secured US employment visas for other workers? The employer must get some legal advice to find out what visa would be appropriate for this situation, and to find out if you are eligible for such a visa.

lisa67

I totally agree with all the previous posts....need to sort visa out first with your company. Then if that sounds ok you should definitely go for it....it sounds like you're the sort of person who could fit in anywhere and I think you'd regret not giving it a try.
Good Luck

pejpm1

Same response every time...

Octang Frye

Get the visa and then go for it! You'll never regret the things you did do - only the things you didn't.

BTW, you've already made up your mind. You just haven't acknowledged it overtly to yourself. You just want people to reinforce your decision.

Bob

If they company is able to sort out a transfer and get you the L1 visa, go for it, it's a great opportunity to give it a go.

Read through the medical insurance threads to get a better idea of what's involved, and the thread on the package to try and get.

Welcome to BE too

Sally Redux

At 26 i wouldn't worry about it getting harder to move as you get older lol. It sounds like it will be great once you have the practicalities sorted out.

kins

These are the only two points that jumped out at me. I did an exchange program while at university, then I later moved to a different bit of the US permanently. It was totally different and I was (for the first time in my life) very homesick and unhappy there. America is a big place - just because you like one bit doesn't mean you'll like everywhere. But you do sound like you have exactly the right attitude - make the most of it...

Also re the health insurance - the thought of coming out here with only basic insurance terrifies me. To put it into perspective, my FIL got sick in India. To get him back to the UK they gave him a huge blood transfusion, then transported him to the airport and onto the plane. Once on the plane the engines couldn't be started, and it all took so long that he was getting too sick to fly. So he was taken back to the hospital, given more blood transfusions, then flown home next day. He ended up dying - I'm sure the travelling while very ill didn't help. My MIL broke her back while horse-riding in Portugal, and needed a week in hospital in Lisbon, surgery, and a halo vest attached before she could be flown home, and then she needed a specialist nurse to fly with her and had to take up several seats on the plane. Her insurance covered it all.

I wouldn't go near the US without plenty of health insurance...

Sally Redux

Also you're not actually supposed to use the NHS if you're not living there, although I know many do.

MsElui

to be honest - if your firm doesnt provide decent health insurance then they are not who you want to be working for. In the US its an absolute essential. People in the uk find it hard to get their head around because of the NHS.

San Anglais

Ok, on reflection, my initial thoughts about health insurance might have been a little short sighted! But that's why I came here, to make sure I think about all the things I need to think about.

It sounds to me like my best bet is to get the company to pay my health insurance for me!

San Anglais

I appreciate the advice, even if it was delivered in such a condescending manner.

But the visa is the least of my worries. My company has a huge office in California an almost endless string of Britons have gone out to work there, doing the same job as me, with the absolute minimum of fuss.

They must be used to sorting out visas by now, and if it is a problem, then it takes away any dilemma I might have because I only need to consider going if my company can arrange me that job there. So if a visa can't be sorted, none of us have anything to worry about and I'll be staying here.

I'm thinking more about the factors that will influence my decision on whether or not I want to make the move, not whether or not I can.

San Anglais

Yep, I've changed my policy on the health insurance quite swiftly!

What you say about coming back after time there at university is something I'd thought about. I was very lucky with how well I fitted in and how brilliant a place I happened to go to. But the other thing is that I was surrounded by well educated, well travelled, wordly, people while I was at uni there, and - while not wishing to cause offense to the general population - the same can't be said of everyone in general society, off campus.

But I thought it would be a bit unfair to give any time of day to the stereotypes about America's general ignorance when I have first hand experience of that not being the case. I suppose I will just have to choose carefully where I live.