Mortgage
 

Hello

My partner and I am planning to come over to Florida on an L1/L2 Visa

We would like to know;
1. If it is possible to get a mortgage, if you have an L1/L2 Visa
2. Do we need to keep a property in the UK as security?
3. Can anyone suggest a good mortgage adviser?

Re: Mortgage
 

I assume by partner you mean spouse, otherwise you are probably going to have problems.

1. Yes it is, although you will have no credit, so it will be useful to have a decent deposit to put down.

1a. Get a Amex card right now - it will help with credit in the US.

2. You don't have to, but if this is only a temporary move - which an L1 is unless you have a promise of a green card - it's probably a good idea. Even if you are likely to get a green card I would still hang onto the property for a few years in case you decide you want to go back. Then if you decide you are settled here and want to sell then you can.

Re: Mortgage
 

Hi,

My partner, soon to be hubby, will be on the L1. We plan to move over to florida for good. So we will be going for residency, not sure how to go about that at the moment.

We are in the process of selling our house in the UK, and we will live with inlaws until partner finds a job and gets transfer.

Re: Mortgage
 

Unless the company has promised to get green cards, I would not plan to make it permanent - and even then it can take quite a while.

Also have you spent anytime in the states before? A lot of people get here and then realise they don't like it.

I would be very careful about selling the house straight away, you may decide or have no choice to go back in a couple of years and could end up costing yourself a fortune and losing your position on the housing ladder.

Re: Mortgage
 

Hello,

We have not spoken to the company about green cards. This is something we would need to look into, being a bit green here.... Can we not come over on L1/L2 and then apply for perm status on our own???

Re: Mortgage
 

Is it L-1A or B

Note the company make the application for the visa ..not you
and ditto for the greecard

Re: Mortgage
 

Hi,

It will be a managerial position for the transfer.

Re: Mortgage
 

Doesn't partner ( soon to be hubby) already have a job? That would be the job that the company is doing the L1 for?

Re: Mortgage
 

Hi farmerwife.
My partner doesnt have job yet, we are still looking. Am i being silly....if we get an L1/L2 can we not then apply for green card off our own backs?

Re: Mortgage
 

Not to my knowledge, I believe the company has to do this for you. I think the general way it works with an L1 is that you get a 3 year visa, then they extend it for a couple more years and then apply for green cards.

I believe this can be done quicker, but would probably want to agree this with the company in advance - especially if you are saying you want to move permanantly.

You just have to be careful, the L1 means you are tied to that company, and if they layed your partner off you would have to leave. If you buy a house and then lose your job you can't hang around to sell it.

I came over on an L1b, and 6 months after getting here my company were sold and it was a bit dodgy for a while. As it happens its now two years later and I am still with the same company.

Re: Mortgage
 

OK, hang on, now you are confusing me. An L-1 means you are working for a company in the UK which has an office in the US and are willing to transfer you over. This would normally mean having worked there for a year (although could be as little as 6 months).

The company sponsors you to get the L-1 - you can't do it yourself.

Re: Mortgage
 

Hi Longy,

We both work for an International financial services co, JP Morgan, so no chance of being bankrupt etc.

Re: Mortgage
 

Ok, and they are offering your partner a job in the US? You can't move over and look for a job, you need them to offer you a job and sponsor you.

Re: Mortgage
 

Hi sorry for any confusion,
Partner (soon to be hubby) works at company, has been for 3 years, will get L1 transfer, we have always loved Florida, company has offices all over the world, with an office in Tampa. We want to live in the USA so would need to get green cards. Hope that clears it up.

Re: Mortgage
 

OK so if the company are willing to give him an L-1 then he should try and negotiate with them before the move to start the green card process as soon as possible.

Otherwise he is tied to that company and if they decide they don't want him or don't want to renew his L-1 after 3 years or get a green card you would be completely stuffed.

Re: Mortgage
 

Hi, thanks for the update

Can i just ask could he leave after say 1 year at company on the L1, or is he tied into the same company for ever?

Re: Mortgage
 

I am still a bit confused.... what does the "until partner finds a job" comment in post # 3 mean then?

Re: Mortgage
 

To my knowledge, he is tied to that company until he gets a green card.

I suppose he could get another job where they were willing to sponsor him on an H-1b, but this would make your situation much worse as you would not be able to work because this would make you a H-4 and you do not want that.

I just want you to be aware that until you get a green card I would not consider this permanent.

Re: Mortgage
 

Presumably he work for the company ..but not in a position that will lead to an overseas posting ..

Re: Mortgage
 

Your visa is tied to that company ..leave job ..leave the US ..

Re: Mortgage
 

The irony of posting that today is pretty funny!

Re: Mortgage
 

Unless he can get another company to sponsor them for an H1. I know several people who've done that, but it's relatively unusual.

As to the original question, why the rush to buy property here? Firstly, you're on an L1 with all its attendant risks that have bene pointed out. Secondly, imo, it's preferable to rent a while until you really know an area well and are sure you want to buy. Thirdly, real estate in many parts of Florida is imploding, and things are gonig to get worse before they get better imo.

Re: Mortgage
 

Yep! Now JP Morgan has all those Bear Sterns people to amalgamate and the buy out to pay for they won't need to be importing people from the UK - or have too much extra money for immigration lawyers!

Re: Mortgage
 

Hi all
Can I confirm, if the company we did the L1 with applied for our GC, would my partner still be tied to them or could he leave for another job?

Re: Mortgage
 

Once you have your green card ..you are free to do what you wish ...
thats why companies are not so easy to apply for you ...

Re: Mortgage
 

Sweetie

I think you would be well advised to have a short converstion with an immigration lawyer. And I don't mean the one who works for JP Morgan. This is your future at stake - they will usually have the first chat for free.

Re: Mortgage
 

Thanks
Can anyone suggest any good immigration lawyers?
Thanks again for all the help.

Re: Mortgage
 

You'd be looking for one that is a member of AILA
http://www.aila.org/.

Re: Mortgage
 

Hi
Just a quick question, if I was to fall pregnant whilst on an L2 would the baby be a USA or UK citizen?

Re: Mortgage
 

well, they got BSC for a song and JPM ain't no BSC... but what made me chuckle was the idea that a job with an "international financial services co" made one immune to "bankruptcy etc". It's not quite working out like that...

Re: Mortgage
 

If you and/or your partner are UK citizens and the baby is born in the US, then both.

Re: Mortgage
 

If the baby was born in the US and you or your husband are UK citizens then I believe it would have dual citizenship.

You would probably need to register the birth with the British Embassy to make this official.

I think there has been a thread recently from someone in this situation so may be worth a search.

Re: Mortgage
 

In London ...

http://www.usvisalawgroup.com/
or
http://www.mpw-lawyers.com/

http://www.usvisalawyers.co.uk/index.htm

Re: Mortgage
 

JPM have a blanket visa for L1a's so the process should be quick and only requires 6 months prior working in the uk. My husband - who came over with jpm on an L1A, feels a little immune from redundancy at the moment compared to his american colleagues - because as an expat it would cost them a lot more to make him redundant than a yank. Thats because they would have to pay flights, to ship us/belongings all home, pay off any car leases etc, pay UK redundancy figures (think its one month per year as opposed to one week per year for us employees at jpm) etc etc.

that said - if the whole department was made redundant he would not be saved.

He is reluctant to ask them to apply for a green card right now as he wants to feel more secure in his role there - before losing this percieved 'immunity' although i would rather he asked now.

Re: Mortgage
 

Viks I don't mean this in a bad way, but your postings are all a bit vague and I worry about what you might be getting yourself into. You should not be thinking of buying property in the US until you understand your residency status and are sure you can live in FL.

How long have you known your fiancee? What do you both do? What exactly will you both be doing when you move to Florida? Your partner MUST have a job to go to connected with the visa.

Unless you have a US sponsor going from the L1 to a green card will be impossible so get it in writing form JPM that they will sponsor you for a green card. You juts can't get on a plane and move to the US, immigration is a minefield.

Re: Mortgage
 

Hi,

My husband also works for JPM and we are currently going through the L1 process for a move to Dallas - as you say MsElui, they have blanket L1 approval.

I think I would also be cautious about making the move from L1 status to Green Card as that would mean a move away from the UK employment conditions - including employee protection plus, of course, vacation allowance ;)

I guess there's a balance though - if you decide you want to stay and then leave it too long as an L1 to get the Green Card application going, could there be a gap between the L1 expiring and the Green Card being granted?

Cheers

Rebecca

Re: Mortgage
 

Hi Rebs,
Good to know someone else is going through the same process. I would love to be able to pick your brains on your current process, if you dont mind.

My partner and I have always wanted to live in Florida, we have previously lived in Spain, so moving from the UK is not an issue for us. And at the moment apart from a regular monthly salary and holiday my other half has no other company benefits. So he wont be missing out on anything.

FYI, NUN, my partner and I have been together for 9 years, soon to be married. 9 very good years, apart from the occasional odd nagging!!!

Re: Mortgage
 

Take it one step at a time. See how the job, the visa and FL go for a couple of years. I still don't see an easy path to PR for you unless your company wants to sponsor you. Also I'd warn you that PR should only be considered if you really mean to stay in the US. The US is getting pretty aggressive in the taxation of long term PRs who decide to move back to their home countries.

Re: Mortgage
 

Nun, Thanks for the advice.

Re: Mortgage
 

Very!:eek: