Rich83

Heres one for ya. Currently my girlfriend lives in the US and I live in good ole England. Im thinking about moving out there, can anyone give me any tips for doing so.

So far I have little knowledge on what I have to do. I know that I need to get a green card but can anyone help me with what I need to know or what to do. Has anyone done it that could give me some idea ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Rich

FlyergirlUK

Here's two options for you:

If you and your girlfriend are *serious* then there's the possibility of getting yourself a 'K' visa.

If you're not then there's the possibility of a work visa.

Check out the US Embassy, London's website for further details on visas.

Those, as far as I know, are the two most common ways to get here and live, though I know there are others that frequent this forum who can list several more, (not so common) ways...

doctor scrumpy

Green card ? LMAO that is years in the distance !

Steff

We did the K-1 fiance visa, it's probably the easiest way to get over here (if you want to get married)! It took about 4 months to get the visa and about 7 to get the green card after my husband came over. Now I wonder if we should have gone to the UK instead...

AmerLisa

Wow, it takes that long? I suppose I'm pretty happy that we just bit the bullet 5 years ago and got married. However, marriage certainly separates the boys from the men. I moved to the UK and we got married and then I flew back and applied for my visa over in the States, I had it in 20 minutes. Flew back and we lived in the UK until we moved over here this past January (not the best move, but we're already here ) and it was quite easy getting hubs visa, green card, etc. Although we did have a problem with credit (stupid credit bureaus - Trans Union to be exact - not recognising his SSN) Anyway, all this moving about is not for the faint hearted. Good luck Rich83!

FlyergirlUK

I got my I-551 stamp, in lieu of the green card in four months after applying for my AOS, (through marriage)...

It only takes years in certain parts of the country.

rincewind

If you are serious and can't wait for the K1 visa, you can visit and get married whilst here and then apply for change of status.

This isn't a recommended way of doing things though as at POE they will ask you why you are here. If you tell them you are getting married, they'll probably deny you entry. But, if you lie and say you are just visiting, then that could come up and bite you later.

Either way, my wife and I married whilst I was on a tourist visa so it can be done. Just watch how you do it.

And, make sure things are serious before you do marry. My wife and I spent months with me travelling back and forth from the UK using the Visa Waiver program (only get pulled aside once when they went through my bag, wallet and asked all kinds of questions). But we wanted to make sure it was serious before we took the plunge.

We've been happily married ever since.

Pulaski

There are basically SEVEN ways that you can get a visa to live and work in the US:
(1) Marriage (or engagement in anticipation of marriage) to a US citizen.

(2) You have skills that are in short supply in the US e.g. scientific or medical training. A degree is normally a must, or you have superior specialist skills with at least 12 years experience.

(3) You have an Employer who is willing to transfer you - but even the employer has to make a good case for you - so you have to be a manager unless you fall under category (2) above.

(4) You get a Green card in the diversity lottery (UK citizens, except N. Ireland are not eligible).

(5) You own or buy business (does not get you permanent resident status i.e. no green card)
The business must have a minimum value of around $100k (the more the better) bearing in mind you will need somewhere to live and with any startup business you will need at least 2 years living money as back up. So a figure of $250k would be a nearer minimum. If you sell or close the business you must leave the country.

(6) You are an "investor" i.e. you have at least US$1m in assets to bring with you, .... and your background will be investigated to the hilt.

(7) You have a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister and no further) who is an US citizen who would sponsor you, approx time this take 2-12 years!

Recruitment agent will not take you seriously if you are not already in the US. Writing for jobs is really a waste of time; likewise US employers have no idea what foreign qualification are or mean (except degrees) it may pay you to get your qualification translated into a US equivalent, there are companies that do this. But if you are getting a visa under (2) above then you need a job offer before you can get the visa. Your Employer will be your sponsor this will cost them upward of $3k. So you can see you have to be offering something really special to get considered
They also have to prove to the Dept of labor that there is no American who can do the job.

There are a load of specialist Visas available that I have not mentioned (see some of them listed below): but the above applies to most of us.

Visas
There are about 80 visa's available all told, these are the common ones:
B-1 Temporary visitor for business
B-2 Temporary visitor for pleasure
E-1 Treaty Trader, spouse and children
E-2 Treaty Investor, spouse and children
F-1 Academic Student
H-1B Specialty Occupations,IT workers,fashion models Bridge designers
H-1C Nurses going to work for up to three years in health professional shortage areas
H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker
H-2B Temporary worker: skilled and unskilled
H-4 Spouse or child of H-1, H-2, H-3
J-1 Visas for exchange visitors
K-1 Fiance(e)
K-3 Spouse of a U.S. Citizen (LIFE Act)
L-1A Executive, managerial
L-1B Specialized knowledge
M-1 Vocational student or other nonacademic student
O-1 Extraordinary ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business, or Athletics
P-1 Entertainment groups
R-1 Religious workers
S-6 Informant of terrorism information

excpomea

You also need to speak Spanish to qualify for this visa.

Pimpbot

Yeah, this part!. LOL

Phoenix was still working on october 2001 last time I checked. Still, at least I'll probably get a 10 year card instead of the 2 year one.

Pimpbot

They've had a speed up!. Just checked and its march 2002 now. Yeah!, only another year and a half before they get to my dates.

FlyergirlUK

See, told ya someone would know 'em all!

Triumphrob

Dont... USA sucks. Stay in the UK

dbark

That's a bit harsh! Would you care to share your experiences?

Debbie

NC Penguin

Debbie,

That poster has got to be a troll. Note his/her location!

He/she wants to start a flame war and I'm not going to fall for the bait...