smarty156

Wife has been offered a job in New York and we're about to start the H1B visa process. The company will make use of the premium service so hopefully won't take too long. They want her to start ASAP but we're both on 3 months notice here. Currently considering if we can both resign before getting the visa (risky I know but if it didn't go through work would certainly have me back and probably her too. We're both squeaky clean so hopefully no issues!).
Anyway, assuming we get the visas sorted out we want to plan a week's house hunting trip in the last week of October as the kids will be on half term here anyway and we've already got the holiday booked off.
Assuming we have the visas at that point, is there anything we need to be aware of in terms of being able to enter and leave the US for that week before taking up residence at the end of November? Are we free to come and go as we please or do we need to get any sort of permission?

This is a fantastic forum by the way. Loads of great information. Without it we wouldn't have been able to make our decision in the time it has taken.

Chapmandan

Hiya Smarty - spooky I was wondering the same thing this morning. Also what if you're travelling whilst your visas are being processed and you enter on an ESTA. When they ask for the purpose of the visit i'm guessing you'd have to answer pretty carefully :S
We'll find ourselves in a similar situation later this year i think...

Pulaski

You're talking about renting, right? The rental market often moves very fast, so unless you're prepared to start paying rent almost immediately, you might want to hold off on looking for a home until you're ready to move in.

Often people come and stay in a hotel for a few days after they arrive until they find a place.

Chapmandan

True and all that but planning a trip more as an orientation and looking at potential areas rather than specific house hunting still has merits (and likely more of a reality as you say).

The question is more about visa status i think?

smarty156

We have 2 kids (9 and 5) so we'd want to get something sorted sooner rather than later. As well as paying all relocation costs the company is giving us an amount of cash (after tax, which they will account for) which would more than cover a months rent. The plan is to sort out a place at half term and if necessary start renting from 1st November (the Friday of that week that we'll be there) and move in probably last week of November.
We'll both get tax refunds as well so we can use that to buy beds etc as well.

The bigger issue is the travelling requirements/restrictions (if any).

Orangepants

The visa allows you to come and go so there will be no issue with coming in and getting a stamp and leaving the following week. The first entry they'll ask to see your approval notice etc

Is the position cap exempt which is why you can apply for a H1-B now?

Nutmegger

Are you talking about New York city or state? If city, there are lots of big decisions to make -- do you want to be in Manhattan, the boroughs, commute from Long Island, Westchester, NJ or CT? Does your employer have a tame "relo" person who has worked with their staff before? Worth asking them. By the way, you will probably need to put up three months rent initially -- first month and last month, plus one for security deposit. Don't forget that the street address governs which school the children will attend. Good luck.

smarty156

Thanks.

Yes, cap exempt and can start any time.

smarty156

Job is in Manhattan. They flew her out for 5 days a couple of weeks ago and I managed to get an estate agent to give her a tour round of a couple of areas we'd already researched online in Westchester. Job is right by Grand Central station so easy commute from Westchester. So hopefully one step ahead already.

If we can't find anything at half term we're also planning on having the first week out there free and in a hotel so we get a second chance to find something or if we have found something time to get it furnished (well, at least beds sorted).

Nutmegger

Sounds good! There are some lovely areas in Westchester and the commute to GCT is indeed a civilized one.

Macca67

Have you checked out Zillow.com?

MMcD

Speaking of Zillow, bit of a thread diversion - but look:

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/07/...r-3-5-billion/

smarty156

Have been checking out Trulia and the agent is supposed to be setting us up a rental portal too (they already set us up a buying portal).

Bob

Edit: never mind, cap exempt.

padmapper.com and the app would be a good site to see, it pulls info from all those other sites mentioned.

smarty156

Thanks all. Will take a look nearer the time.