sunshine_2105

Hello!
I am a UK citizen training to be a teacher and looking to move to California in the next few years to be with my boyfriend who is a US citizen. We've been together for almost 3 years and the travelling back and forth is getting very tiresome and sadder each time one of us has to leave. So we have recently decided that one of us needs to move and we're thinking I'm the one to do it I'm not going to lie, the weather is a huge influence on this decision! I have spent a lot of time over there recently and love the place.
We have looked into different types of work visas but from looking around the internet and this forum it looks like teaching isn't the best way of getting a visa? Correct me if I'm wrong. So now I'm looking at the fiance visa and any advice I can get on the process. I would need to be in the UK at least another year or so to complete my training and I know it takes time to get the process going so I'm looking at when we should start and if there's anything I could be doing in the meantime that could help my application.
Also, if and when I'm eventually allowed to work in America, I'm looking for advice on whether my degrees will transfer over and what type of extra training I might need to do. I have had a look at different information but I would love to hear any similar personal experiences.

Beaverstate

Sorry no help for your questions just welcome!

Beaverstate

sorry that was a pathetic post, I started one here a week or two ago and I'm sure you will find several knowledgeable members coming along to help in the coming hours. Again welcome.

Sue

Hi sunshine and welcome to BE.

I've moved your post into our USA forum for you. I think we have a member or two who is a teacher so maybe they will be able to share some pointers and experiences for you.

In the meantime take some time to browse the other threads in this section and get to know everyone.

Welcome again and I hope you enjoy being part of our little community.

rpjs

To be honest getting a work visa for a field like teaching will be very, very difficult. Public (i.e. state) schools have been laying teachers off all over the country and so even the ones that are hiring have plenty of choice of American candidates and no budget to pay for a visa for a foreigner even if they like you. You might have an outside chance if your teaching speciality is very in demand or you have a degree from a very prestigious university (i.e. Oxbridge) that might appeal to a snooty private school, but I wouldn't hold up my hopes.

Realistically your best route to the US is marriage to your boyfriend. I could quite understand if you and/or him feel you're not ready for that yet, but it may prove to be your only viable option.

Have a look in the US immigration sub-forum and the BE wiki for Pulaski's ways to see what options you have.

Good luck and welcome!

Michael

Besides the K-1 visa route (finance visa), there is also the CR-1 visa (spousal visa). With the K-1 visa, you have 6 months to enter after the visa is issued and 90 days to get married upon entry to the US and after that you need to file for adjustment of status to get your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in hand allowing you to work. With a CR-1 visa you can immediately get married in any country and then file for that visa and once it is approved, you have 6 months to enter the US after the visa is issued and when you arrive, you immediately become a LPR and will be eligible to work immediately (you'll receive the green card in the mail in about 2 weeks).

Because the CR-1 visa allows you to work immediately and are not landlocked until the Advance Parole (APR) arrives some opt for a small civil ceremony first and then have the church wedding later when the CR-1 is issued.

Both visas take about 8-10 months to be approved but the K1 visa may possibly have up to 6 months additional wait time before you can work after entry.

Bob

Congrats on the wedding. The wiki here is a good starting point on the whole process.

Though if you want to teach in the US and specifically in CA, why not finish your training there?

Your UK qualifications will mean pretty much jack shit over here anyway, especially without experience. And you will be competing for jobs against people who are state certified, have masters and have been teaching for years.

Sally Redux

Just a cautionary note, the state has a big budget crisis and teachers are feeling the squeeze. Our school district is soliciting parents for contributions to pay teachers' salaries, class sizes are up, they have 'furlough days' etc. In some private schools, you are employed each September and laid off in June.

Jerseygirl

Private schools are like that here too. Teachers have 9 month contracts and that it will be renewed for the following year. My friend is a teacher at a private school...if she needs time off during term time she has to pay the substitute teacher out of her own pocket.

penguinsix

Another option is to continue your studies here in the US on a student visa. You won't have to rush a marriage and you can get a US degree or a Masters degree which will be helpful in the job hunt.

As others have said, being a teacher right now is not really the road to riches. There are layoffs all over the country and plenty of folks with many years experience looking for work.

If you are not too far down your schooling, you might look at a joint degree in something you like and then also taking enough classes so that you'll be certified to work as a teacher. That way you could look for jobs in your degree field, whatever that might be (hint: science / math is good) and then pursue a career in teaching when you are ready for that.

caleyjag

Congratulations, you are moving to one of the best states in the union!

Unfortunately, as others have said, teachers face challenges here, however I have a number of friends who are qualified teachers here and I get the impression that they are enjoying their jobs.

If you can do the masters out here, I'd imagine that would make employment much easier to find.

Tblake1

I have been in us since 1994, first in h1 visa which became green card after two years. Then us citizen after five years of green card.
In my experience it is not so much about your qualifications as the competency of the lawyer you hire. The guy I used who is now retired was very proud of his ability to help people qualify for a visa. He once got a visa for a bloke whose only job had been managing a throw the dart stall in a fairground.
Search online for a us based lawyer. Mine was in San Diego which is immigrant nirvana so a good city to start with. as for qualifications, the us has a system that allows it to assess all your uk or other country education and formulate an equivalent us grade. The ins follows that system. Go to ins website and they show two companies to choose from. You fill out a form online and scan copies of everything including any course certificates etc. uK diplomas are considered equivalent to degrees here.

Bob

Immigration if Federal, so it doesn't really matter where the lawyer is based, also it's down to the company on who they use as they are the ones doing the petition, though one might want to have a consult with their own if they wish.

INS also hasn't existed for quite a few years now, it's USCIS.

Also doesn't really help the OP on getting a work visa because realistically, it isn't going to happen based on being a teacher. That isn't to say the OP can't get a student visa, or just bite the bullet and marry the other half.

That would be the easiest way of getting to the US. The difficultly would then still be finding a job whilst not being state certified or have any experience. Having a masters, especially from the US would help enormously and would give a great opportunity to network, especially if able to get some substitute teaching hours under the belt. Ability to sub would depend on the state and how they do it, some make it very easy and others not so much.

Tblake1

Agree where the lawyer based is irrelevant, but just trying to help someone who asked for help!

The lawyer makes a big difference. Getting a visa is not as black and white as you suggest, at least not in my opinion and I have hired lots of UK people over the years. I am frequently astounded at how unqualified some of the existing expats with green cards are. They all say same thing. Get an experienced lawyer. There are lots of US services that assess UK qualifications and give a US equivalent that INS recognizes (yes, I know it has changed but most oldies like me still call it INS). It just helps to know. Not everyone does

ian-mstm

Then it's time you joined the 21st Century. Respectfully, terminology is important... not to you perhaps, but there are many others who read these forums, and they might not be as... um, sophisticated as you are!

Ian