DUBS

Hi All, i'm not new to British ex pats but I am new to the American forum. Our story is we emigrated from Ireland to Perth, Australia 3 years ago. We are now having itchy feet and feeling Perth is no longer the place for us and our 3 children. We love it but need more out of life. My husbands half-brother lives in Chicago and he has asked us to think about moving there. Having pondered on it we are strongly thinking its the move for us. We have been on holidays to America quite a few times when we lived in Ireland.

But I have no idea were to start>> what visas I should be looking at? Is there a Migration Agent in Perth that can assist?? Any kick starts on the process of were I should start would be great, I have read a lot of the sites however prefer to get experiences from people either in the process or having done it.

All info grately received !!!

Cheers Yvonne
ps. never taught I'd be doing all this again...

fatbrit

So forget everything you know about OZ immigration because it does not translate to US immigration. Most folks given the will would make it to Australia as an immigrant. Few will make it to the US unless they fall into one of the narrow cracks available.

Is the brother a US citizen? Possible path there.....but a potential dozen years wait.
Have you got a million bucks? Or a PhD in nanotechnology? Possible paths here.
Don't forget to enter the diversity visa lottery this coming autumn.

DUBS

thanks for that,,,, yeah had a feeling wouldn't be the same as OZ.

His brother is not a citizen yet although he has married an american girl and has four children over there.

No don't have a million bucks and haven't a clue what the other PHD thing means so no thats not an avenue!!!

Doesn't look to promising eh! My husbands a bricklayer so that's not going to be on the "most wanted" list....

any other comments would be great.

DUBS

I forgot to ask you fatbrit how we enter the diversity visa lottery? thanks

fatbrit

Go to this page in November. I'm assuming you were born in Ireland.

DUBS

thanks, i've just been on a site for green card lottery USAGC.org I am assuming the site you advised me to onto in November is completey different. Yes myself and husband plus three children were born in Ireland. thanks for your help its a bit daunting at the moment. We are going into something we know nothing about except the country !!

meauxna

Are you sure?

Pulaski's Ways: How to Live and Work in the USA

Bob

FB's link is the direct link to apply for the diversity lottery...there's no need to pay anyone to do the application at any other dodgy scam site.

If your selected, slim chances, but it's free, so keep applying each year and once selected, then you pay fees.

JAJ

There is no "most wanted" list for the United States.

Reality check #1 : the main categories that can easily migrate to the US are:
- spouses of US citizens
- parents of US citizens aged 21+
- multinational executives and managers (transferred into the US)
- those who have reached the very top of their profession/sport, etc
- certain persons with advanced degrees or equivalent.

There are other possible ways but there may be a long wait for a green card (at best).

Reality check #2 : if you abandon your resident status in Australia, you may not get it back easily. There are various temporary routes into the US but they don't all lead to a green card so sooner or later you may expect to have to leave.

Reality check #3 : The US is not all that open to tradesmen, unlike Australia. The diversity visa lottery is a long shot, but it may well be your only shot.

Bob

Also there's pretty much sod all needs for a bricky over here as generally, homes are wood framed and if there's any brick, it's usually just a façade and not load bearing

fatbrit

Yep -- the site I gave you is the real site. The one you found is a scam.

DUBS

thank you all so much on your much appreciated help. everything that you have put down makes sense and thanks for the advice on the site was wondering why these guys kept on phoning us!!!

Jaj, you mention us abondoning our residence status in Australia but if we were citizens we can come back anytime we decide so is there anyway we can go to America for a period and work and see if we like it or not or is this not an option ??

Thanks again for all your helpful responses wish we had of done this on applying for Australia, that's why we want to do it correctly this time... if it is at all possible... cheers everyone keep the ideas flowing

JAJ

If you are citizens you can leave for as long as you like. But do bear in mind that when you become citizens you need to intend to remain, you can change your minds afterwards but not before.

fatbrit

That's probably your lot unless you give us new info like you know where Osama bin Laden is hiding.

TimFountain

Reality Check #4 : Tradesman are paid poorly as there is a large pool of un/semiskilled workers who will work for peanuts.

Reality Check #5 : Coming on vacation is nothing like living here. It is IMHO expensive - food, insurance, healthcare, etc. There's always someone dipping into your wallet for something.

Just a few home truths as I seem it, having been here for nearly 7 years now....

- Tim