Making the move...Well...Trying!
#16
Re: Making the move...Well...Trying!
Actually seeking work while in the US as a visitor, on the VWP or B-1/2 is permitted, but hypothetically if you find work, you then have to leave the US while your prospective employer coughs up $5k-$10k in visa and legal fees to apply for a visa for you. And the prospect of finding work as a soccer coach who needs visa sponsorship is likely to be extremely slim.
Last edited by Pulaski; Mar 18th 2020 at 5:53 pm.
#17
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 226
Re: Making the move...Well...Trying!
This part confuses it me. The UK certainly gives you more (in terms of healthcare, paid annual leave, sick leave, welfare, employee rights - google 'at will employment' if you want a real nightmare - parental leave - when the time comes) than you can ever hope to achieve here.
#18
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 946
Re: Making the move...Well...Trying!
While it's very unlikely that you will be able to get a visa to live here permanently, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the option of a J1 visa, which might enable you to get here, albeit temporarily, to teach at a soccer camp. There are many soccer camps and soccer schools that employ coaches and they really do value those coming from countries with a much more established soccer culture than they have here. Look into training schools and camps and see what you can find. Of course, right now everything is on hold so you might not be able to do anything until much later in the year at this point.
Just a random google around found a law firm in Florida specialising in visas for athletes and coaches (.Sports Immigration Visa for the USA. How to live and work in the US.). They mention P visas for 'culturally unique' teaching (giving examples of soccer coaches from Spain and Brazil. No idea if that covers UK too). Again though, they are temporary.
Just a random google around found a law firm in Florida specialising in visas for athletes and coaches (.Sports Immigration Visa for the USA. How to live and work in the US.). They mention P visas for 'culturally unique' teaching (giving examples of soccer coaches from Spain and Brazil. No idea if that covers UK too). Again though, they are temporary.
#19
Re: Making the move...Well...Trying!
I have been coaching "soccer" for the last 10 years and was looking down that route maybe.
I am thinking that you look around the UK commonwealth countries and other small countries with a view to contacting to see if anyone is interested in you for this.
Years ago MrBEVS , who is an old fogey, was offered to remain in Samoa as a rugby coach . In hindsight we should have stayed for a while.
I mention this as I do know a lad in his 20's currently coaching football in the Caribbean. Not that he is with this but there are also volunteer and internship positions .
CaribbeanCoaching dot org
* Coronavirus and the lock downs will be a factor.
#20
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2009
Location: Sarasota, Florida
Posts: 229
Re: Making the move...Well...Trying!
It was my lifelong dream to move to the USA, and I succeeded, purely out of luck. Back in 2014 I started working for an IT Research firm in London. in 2017 I discovered that there was a (hidden) need for people in my particular field to work out of our USA offices and support our American clients. After doing a lot of research on BritishExpats and other sites, I spoke with some people high up at my company and asked how they could make it happen (and 'sold' my experience to them as to why they should move me overseas). It was about a 9 month process but I managed to make the move to Florida at the beginning of 2018. The company sponsored my L-1B Visa (a visa used exclusively for staff transferring to a US office from overseas) and here I am. The company's immigration attorneys at the time (Fragomen) told me they were pretty confident in being able to apply for a Green Card for me (though the process would not be straightforward, nor quick).
It turns out I might not need that as I'm marrying my American fiancee who I met at the end of 2018. She is the best thing that ever happened to me and we're planning a family (I'm 35, she's 30 this year and it feels like the 'right' time). Most of her family would be thoroughly disappointed if we had children out of wedlock so we've decided to get married in Scotland in July (although with COVID-19 who knows what will happen).
The point I'm making is there is no 'sham' marriage. Because I got out there and made something happen, it started the process without me even knowing what the end result would be. Yes, it takes a bit of luck and a lot of open mindedness, but amazing things can happen if you take a leap of faith.
I will also say that there are a lot of cons to living in the United States. I am sure many people here will back me up in saying it took them a long time to get used to the 'pay for your own health' culture, the 'drive anywhere because nowhere is close' culture, the 'everybody I know has a gun' culture. You might think these are minor issues but they can turn into something very major, very quickly.
Don't let anybody put you off on the forums. Thing are possible but you will need to be incredibly creative (and a bit lucky) to make it happen.
It turns out I might not need that as I'm marrying my American fiancee who I met at the end of 2018. She is the best thing that ever happened to me and we're planning a family (I'm 35, she's 30 this year and it feels like the 'right' time). Most of her family would be thoroughly disappointed if we had children out of wedlock so we've decided to get married in Scotland in July (although with COVID-19 who knows what will happen).
The point I'm making is there is no 'sham' marriage. Because I got out there and made something happen, it started the process without me even knowing what the end result would be. Yes, it takes a bit of luck and a lot of open mindedness, but amazing things can happen if you take a leap of faith.
I will also say that there are a lot of cons to living in the United States. I am sure many people here will back me up in saying it took them a long time to get used to the 'pay for your own health' culture, the 'drive anywhere because nowhere is close' culture, the 'everybody I know has a gun' culture. You might think these are minor issues but they can turn into something very major, very quickly.
Don't let anybody put you off on the forums. Thing are possible but you will need to be incredibly creative (and a bit lucky) to make it happen.
#21
Re: Making the move...Well...Trying!
Actually, not sure what Scot47's post is strictly true. You can seek employment under the VWP. You just can't work. As for excepting employment, you will need a proper work visa and that the prospective employer has to seek for you. So you can interview and if they want you, it is in their ball court to start the visa process for you.
BTW your question is not an issue on this forum. That is one of the reasons why it has been setup. To help those seeking ways to live and work in the US.
I should have read the complete thread. Pulaski said the same thing earlier on.
Last edited by Rete; Mar 19th 2020 at 3:06 pm.
#22
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: bute
Posts: 9,740
Re: Making the move...Well...Trying!
100 years of restrictions and it has not sunk in yet ? Getting into the States is not easy !
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histor..._United_States
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histor..._United_States
#23
Re: Making the move...Well...Trying!
And yet the UK continues to send a significant number of immigrants to the US every year, and out of all proportion to the relatively small population of the UK.
#24
DE-UK-NZ-IE-US... the TYP
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,855
Re: Making the move...Well...Trying!
.... So many that the UK (excluding NI) are not eligible for a share of the 50,000 green cards a year that are given out in an annual lottery that last I checked only required you to finish high-school or 2 years work experience in certain jobs....