misswitch2

Hello,
I'm looking for some advice. I am starting to look at the possibilities of moving to Long Island to be with my boyfriend. Can anyone offer any advice on how it would be possible to stay in the country. I need to be able to work and marriage is not a possibility. Does anyone know what visa's i may be able to obtain in order to do this?

BritGuyTN

H1-B or L1 visa are the only two real possibilites.

with the L1 you have to be employed with the uk office of a US compnay and for then to transfer you over. if this is not you situation then no go

H1-b is highly unlikely also, even if you could find a job that no american in long island is qualifed to do, you need to find a job that requires a degree that you have the relevent degree-level qualifications or 12 years experience to do.

if marriage is currently not a possibility then its worth waiting till it is. you can then file a fiance visa and then within 3 months of entering the country, get married

Ray

No chance... Find a new boyfriend nearer home ...

dbj1000

I'd add that the chances of an H1B are next to nothing even if you do have a skill that nobody else in Long Island has. Since the H1B quota was cut by 75% two years ago, the H1B cap is typically hit within less than a day of next year's visas becoming available. Applying for an H1B has become just another lottery, as far as I can see.

Here's Pulaski's 7-Ways (tm) to give the OP a full picture of the situation. Option (2) is the H1B route, but that's pretty much a no-go now.

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 may get a Green card in the diversity lottery (UK citizens, except N.Ireland, are not generally eligible unless you, your spouse or parents were born abroad or held a different citizenship.

(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 (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

(6)You are an "investor" i.e. you have at least US $1m in assets to bring with you. And your background will be investigatedto 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.
© Pulaski

Manc

find a new fella then.

NC Penguin

As you probably know, you can visit your boyfriend on a Visa Waiver but can only stay for 90 days maximum. Of course, this gives you visitor status only.

If you're not ready to marry, then you cannot live and work in the US.

Have you looked at the matter in the opposite direction? Could he not move to the UK and work? He may be eligible to apply for a work permit based on his skills/quialifications/experience. Please look at the UK Home Office and Immigraton website.

You would also be better off reading the US Visas and US Immigration forums on British Expats. This forum is not for visa related questions.




NC Penguin

emmals

very constructive!

snowbunny

Not ready or not able? If one of you is still married then .... from personal experience? don't try it until you're both free.

If on the chance you are male.... well, unless you can find a way to get in on your own, which is hard to do.... then you're limited to visiting, him moving over to the UK, or both of you living in a country like Canada.

snowbunny

Yeah, hard enough to find Mr Right one time around.

Ray

I have to say its obvious that you don't use the visa and Immigration forums ..they are Usernet dominated by all sort of weirdos..
As a BE member I believe if the OP want to use this area I cannot really see what the problems is .. she is certainly getting replies .. and a lot of people here have had this type of experience .....

emmals

I agree Ray....she obviously want s to know something which she thought people in the usa forum could help her with....thats not so strange is it...she's new how was she to know you'd get a strop on about it

misswitch2

Well thankyou to all those that offered constructive advice...it's much appreciated. It's an initial enquiry and i thankyou for your help

NC Penguin

Clearly you must have blinkers on because I read and post to the US immigration forums too, sometimes in the same threads that you have posted on.

You think usenet is full of wierdos and BE isn't?

The majority of members/posters with knowledge and experience of US immigration read and post to the US immigration forums/newsgroups. The OP will certainly get information on this forum but he/she would gain far more (and probably more up-to-date) info from the aforementioned US visas and immigration forums/newsgroups.




NC Penguin

Manc

whilst that may be true, it's not your decision to dictate the audience the OP wants to address.

Ray

That is just so much Bullshit and crap ...half the posting on those Forums are right wingers telling us how they can solve all the world problems...no damn help to anybody ...

Far too much of this moving posts around at a whim ...