I want to move to America
#1
Thread Starter
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 5

Hi All,
I was wondering if I could get some general thoughts and maybe even ideas about moving to America.
I am 22 years of age and I am very keen to move to America and build my life and career. I want to do this now, or sooner rather than later as I feel it is the best time for me. I have no ties here in the UK other than close family, but they can visit right?
I want to at least give this a shot and I believe it will be good for me.
Right now I do not have a job to up and leave for in America so I am aware that just moving there and hoping for the best is not a good idea.
I'd like to know what British Expats feel were the upsides and downsides to up and moving to the U.S of A
Look forward to your guys and girls comments.
Thanks
Lewis
I was wondering if I could get some general thoughts and maybe even ideas about moving to America.
I am 22 years of age and I am very keen to move to America and build my life and career. I want to do this now, or sooner rather than later as I feel it is the best time for me. I have no ties here in the UK other than close family, but they can visit right?
I want to at least give this a shot and I believe it will be good for me.
Right now I do not have a job to up and leave for in America so I am aware that just moving there and hoping for the best is not a good idea.
I'd like to know what British Expats feel were the upsides and downsides to up and moving to the U.S of A
Look forward to your guys and girls comments.
Thanks
Lewis
#2
Have you visited the US before? If so, where and for how long?
Another question is what's your reasoning behind wanting to move there?
I'm sure some people way more clued up than me will reply shortly, but those are the question's I'd ask for sure.
Another question is what's your reasoning behind wanting to move there?
I'm sure some people way more clued up than me will reply shortly, but those are the question's I'd ask for sure.
#3
Hi and welcome to BE
You are one of many from the UK who long to live in the US. Unfortunately, my country is not the easiest one to obtain the right to do so. You will need a visa and depending on your skills, education or uniqueness, you are limited to the visas available for whatever niche you fill.
May I suggest that you go to our Wiki and have a read of a guide put out by a member. His name is Pulaski and believe it is called Pulaski's Guide ...
As I mentioned, I am a USC, not a Brit, but after 18 years I found that some of things that are liked about living in the US is the ability to own a home which is bigger and perhaps on a larger piece of property then is affordable in the UK, some women seem to love the accent
Some of things most disliked about living and working in the US is the lack of familiar foods, i.e. bacon, high taxes on all levels, i.e. city, state, federal, high cost of medical insurance, no job protection, lack of vacation time (limited usually to one or two weeks per year).
I'm sure that many Brits will be posting shortly to add to the list of pros and cons.
Good luck to you.
You are one of many from the UK who long to live in the US. Unfortunately, my country is not the easiest one to obtain the right to do so. You will need a visa and depending on your skills, education or uniqueness, you are limited to the visas available for whatever niche you fill.
May I suggest that you go to our Wiki and have a read of a guide put out by a member. His name is Pulaski and believe it is called Pulaski's Guide ...
As I mentioned, I am a USC, not a Brit, but after 18 years I found that some of things that are liked about living in the US is the ability to own a home which is bigger and perhaps on a larger piece of property then is affordable in the UK, some women seem to love the accent

Some of things most disliked about living and working in the US is the lack of familiar foods, i.e. bacon, high taxes on all levels, i.e. city, state, federal, high cost of medical insurance, no job protection, lack of vacation time (limited usually to one or two weeks per year).
I'm sure that many Brits will be posting shortly to add to the list of pros and cons.
Good luck to you.
#4
Did you read the link given to you in your last thread, and if so, which visa do you think you might be eligible for? No visa is likely to happen 'now', even if you have a masters and Phd, a job offer and an employer wanting to sponsor you (even then the earliest you could usually start work would be October 2017 - yes, 2017), so I wouldn't count on it being a quick process but if you can give people more info about you and your qualifications/occupation, then hopefully they can steer you in the right direction.
Good luck.
#5
Please take a look at the two Pulaski wikis in the USA section of the Wikis tab above, and look at the requirements to get a visa to live and work in the US. But I can tell you now it is very difficult, and I would almost say "not possible" if you don't have a very good educational background (a bachelors degree is a bare minimum in most cases) and/or extensive specialist experience.
Also, you CANNOT just "move to the US and hope for the best". You can come and look for work, but then you need to leave again while your prospective employer applies for a visa for you, which will cost the employer $5,000-$10,000 and take 12-18mths ..... when a local employee costs nothing and can start within a couple of weeks. In short seeking work the way you're suggesting really isn't going to happen.
Also, you CANNOT just "move to the US and hope for the best". You can come and look for work, but then you need to leave again while your prospective employer applies for a visa for you, which will cost the employer $5,000-$10,000 and take 12-18mths ..... when a local employee costs nothing and can start within a couple of weeks. In short seeking work the way you're suggesting really isn't going to happen.
#6
Forum Regular



Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 216
From: London -> New York











How was your progress following the advice you were given the last time you asked this question in April?
http://britishexpats.com/forum/us-im...aiting-875700/
http://britishexpats.com/forum/us-im...aiting-875700/
#7
BE Forum Addict






Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,238
From: Colorado Springs











Hi Lewis,
- Have you considered Canada? (Substantially more doors open to self sponsor.)
- Have you considered Canada? (Substantially more doors open to self sponsor.)
#8
If you don't have a job, why don't you go and travel a bit. Maybe look at Australia, I think it may be easier to get a temporary work visa. Maybe visit a few places in the US and Canada. Maybe even parts of Europe while you still can. If you don't have a degree, don't even think about trying to find work in the US, it's almost impossible.
#9
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2

Hey he changed the title if not the text.
#10
Hi All,
I was wondering if I could get some general thoughts and maybe even ideas about moving to America.
I am 22 years of age and I am very keen to move to America and build my life and career. I want to do this now, or sooner rather than later as I feel it is the best time for me. I have no ties here in the UK other than close family, but they can visit right?
I want to at least give this a shot and I believe it will be good for me.
Right now I do not have a job to up and leave for in America so I am aware that just moving there and hoping for the best is not a good idea.
I'd like to know what British Expats feel were the upsides and downsides to up and moving to the U.S of A
Look forward to your guys and girls comments.
Thanks
Lewis
I was wondering if I could get some general thoughts and maybe even ideas about moving to America.
I am 22 years of age and I am very keen to move to America and build my life and career. I want to do this now, or sooner rather than later as I feel it is the best time for me. I have no ties here in the UK other than close family, but they can visit right?
I want to at least give this a shot and I believe it will be good for me.
Right now I do not have a job to up and leave for in America so I am aware that just moving there and hoping for the best is not a good idea.
I'd like to know what British Expats feel were the upsides and downsides to up and moving to the U.S of A
Look forward to your guys and girls comments.
Thanks
Lewis
#12
#13
All we really know, over two threads, is that he wants to move to the US, he has never been back to his original thread, perhaps we didn't give him the answers he wanted, so he now has a second thread, just like the first, and he hasn't even been back to this thread.
#14
I have young family members that have asked the same thing. My advice to them is don'i even bother. Given chance to do it over, I wouldn't do it.
#15
Thread Starter
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 5

Hi all,
Thank you for all your thoughts, advice and comments. I appreciate that over the two threads I posted (yesterday and a couple of months ago) I have no done myself many favours nor really explained things fully.
I did mention in both that I am 22 and I am full time role with my university since graduating last year with my BA (Hons) Football Business and Marketing degree.
In all honesty I think some comments here are correct, even if I feel they were a little harsh and personal. I did hope to come on here and find the answers to all my problems about getting myself back to America after travelling the states last summer & fall. However, when returning to this site I could not find my previous thread and I am not completely sure how to use this website efficiently, as I have not used it since last time I posted so I decided to post a new one in hope for some maybe new information/guidance. I'd like to add that I did see some of the replies and answers last time around and I took them on board but we're down the line a little now and I wanted to try again.
I thank you all for taking the time with this, maybe one day it will all work out.
Thank you again,
Lewis Payne
Thank you for all your thoughts, advice and comments. I appreciate that over the two threads I posted (yesterday and a couple of months ago) I have no done myself many favours nor really explained things fully.
I did mention in both that I am 22 and I am full time role with my university since graduating last year with my BA (Hons) Football Business and Marketing degree.
In all honesty I think some comments here are correct, even if I feel they were a little harsh and personal. I did hope to come on here and find the answers to all my problems about getting myself back to America after travelling the states last summer & fall. However, when returning to this site I could not find my previous thread and I am not completely sure how to use this website efficiently, as I have not used it since last time I posted so I decided to post a new one in hope for some maybe new information/guidance. I'd like to add that I did see some of the replies and answers last time around and I took them on board but we're down the line a little now and I wanted to try again.
I thank you all for taking the time with this, maybe one day it will all work out.
Thank you again,
Lewis Payne





