hallri

Hi,
I'm looking to go to USA on an E3 visa with an umbrella company.
Basically they'll say I'm employed with them so I can get my visa and get in the country. then we'll start interviews for a real job that pays the umbrella company (agency) thus me.
My concern is that the real job could be anywhere in USA but I spose I'll need some kind of base to operate from until I know where to relocate to.

So the most flexible option would be to stay at a motel, maybe around Atlanta as that's quite a domestic airline hub.

As I'll be there for upto 2 months I should apply for a Gerogia driving license. Can I do this with a residential address of the motel?
And give a postal address of a rented mailbox forwarding service?

My plan is to request my SSN as soon as I get off the plan then go for the driving license test. Then I can buy a car (as renting for 2months I think would cost too much) & insure it (as insuring a USA car on a UK license seems very expensive)

all advice welcome,

thanks

lapin_windstar

I'm not trying to be smart here but if you don't know where you're going to end up...have you considered staying in a town that has decent enough public transport that you don't need a car (and don't need to buy/insure something when you don't know where you'll end up)? I was thinking of Chicago, SF, Boston, DC (and selected MD/VA suburbs), Philly, NYC (not Manhattan but outer boroughs and suburbs). Maybe even Denver (not so sure)? All of those have decent enough public transport and air (and rail in the case of those in the NE corridor) links that you wouldn't need to shell out for a car in the interim stage and take that cashflow hit.

Of course, Atlanta and suburbs probably have cheaper rent. But then it also depends on where your industry is.

In some states, you can exchange a UK licence for a local one, in other states you have to take the test. It depends where you end up. Also, some insurance agents seem to be able to work the system around car insurance not to ding you for being a blow-in, others can't or won't. There are legion threads on this.

meauxna

And so, the slide of the E-3 visa follows the H-1B.. bye bye to this visa begins now....


Good luck.

There are places called residential or long-stay hotels designed for what you want.

What's wrong with your Australian license?

mamasue

Hallri..... if you want a driving license in Georgia you will have to take a test... and give up your UK license.
When we first arrived in Georgia we stayed at InTown Suites, which is a long-stay motel group...
We used a PO box for mail (It was a Mail Etc. shop)... but it didn't have the words 'PO Box', but...


Suite XXX (was the PO box)
No. XXXX
1234 Wade Green Road,
Kennesaw GA 30XXX.

Perfect for our early immigration papers, as it looked like an apartment address.

Norri

Why would you give up your UK license

Ray

Stop smoking that funny stuff ...its not gonna happen anything like that

hallri

thanks all.
We thought San Diego as that's where we ideally would like to settle so seemed smart to start there but I appreciate your comments about other locations. that might be the route we take.
Our plan is that if we can't find acceptable IT Solaris work then we'll turn it into a vacation. we'll be homeless & unemployed so might as well make the most of it

I read quite a few posts prior to submitting this one, the all tended to say "don't hand in your uk lic" as you need to sit new tests (which I'm fine with. If I fail those I don't think I should be on the road anyway

thanks for the "Mail etc" info. that sounds perfect.

lapin_windstar

Some states take it from you when they exchange it for a local licence - you're not supposed to have two at once.

Yes, you're right to be , it's pointless when all a "nefarious" person would have to do is ask their driving licence issuer to send them a new one.

Norri

They don't exchange it for a local one, they would exchange another states license, but with a UK license you have to take the test, so you should keep your old uk license.

lapin_windstar

Depends state to state.

mamasue

When I got my GA license I was told I had to give them my UK license...
Not really a problem.... I can drive in the UK on my USA license.

Bob

I'd probably not recommend Boston, downtown would be great but would they really pay for a couple of months? I doubt it, way to pricey and out side, the public transport gets sketchy quickly.

Be able to drive on foreign license though as you'd not be resident in the state, but renting car and insurance won't be cheap.

Getting SSN, that'll be a problem unless you get the job squared away properly.

Norri

You may well have been told that, but you didn't need to do it