School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
#16
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: Issaquah, WA
Posts: 274
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
I hope we can still achieve it before he graduates HS. My PERM (PD 7/17/12) was approved today for EB-2 category
Next I-140 and then wait for EB-2/ROW to become current again. Do we have a chance?
Next I-140 and then wait for EB-2/ROW to become current again. Do we have a chance?
#17
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
EB 2 isn't that an investment visa? How long does GC usually take with this?
If so what happens if your kids get to 21 and you all still haven't got green cards? They'll never have had a job and have to leave the country.
I don't think the US is that great to do that to my kids.
If so what happens if your kids get to 21 and you all still haven't got green cards? They'll never have had a job and have to leave the country.
I don't think the US is that great to do that to my kids.
#18
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
OK, thanks Lisa. I don't want to make a move that would very difficult for him. If we were to move when he has completed his GCSE's, i.e. July 2014, where would he end up in the school system come Sept 2014 (aged 16 1/2). Also, in Sept 2014, my other son will be 11 1/2 and due to start UK senior school (year 7).
Long term plans, who knows, if the family like living there, then we would go green card and make the move permanent.
Long term plans, who knows, if the family like living there, then we would go green card and make the move permanent.
#19
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Joined: Apr 2010
Location: Issaquah, WA
Posts: 274
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
The EB-2 Green Card is an employment based one for Advanced degree or Exceptional ability.
Until July of this year, the EB2 GC category was current (and had been for many years I believe). It retrogressed to 1/1/2009 in July 2012, but some people believe this will change on Oct 1 2012.
I discussed this with my lawyers before accepting the relocation and they said we 'should' be able to get a GC for me and the family before our eldest hits 21.
I think we're still on track for that, but it would be nice to get him on a GC sooner, if that is his ticket to student loans.
I agree, having one or more of my kids only allowed to visit us on a 90-day tourist visa would be very bad.
But hopefully we'll all get a GC, and then we can apply for dual citizenship in the future, meaning we don't have to bother with Visas or GCs ever again!
My kids would then be allowed to work in both the EU and the USA.
Until July of this year, the EB2 GC category was current (and had been for many years I believe). It retrogressed to 1/1/2009 in July 2012, but some people believe this will change on Oct 1 2012.
I discussed this with my lawyers before accepting the relocation and they said we 'should' be able to get a GC for me and the family before our eldest hits 21.
I think we're still on track for that, but it would be nice to get him on a GC sooner, if that is his ticket to student loans.
I agree, having one or more of my kids only allowed to visit us on a 90-day tourist visa would be very bad.
But hopefully we'll all get a GC, and then we can apply for dual citizenship in the future, meaning we don't have to bother with Visas or GCs ever again!
My kids would then be allowed to work in both the EU and the USA.
EB 2 isn't that an investment visa? How long does GC usually take with this?
If so what happens if your kids get to 21 and you all still haven't got green cards? They'll never have had a job and have to leave the country.
I don't think the US is that great to do that to my kids.
If so what happens if your kids get to 21 and you all still haven't got green cards? They'll never have had a job and have to leave the country.
I don't think the US is that great to do that to my kids.
#20
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
The EB-2 Green Card is an employment based one for Advanced degree or Exceptional ability.
Until July of this year, the EB2 GC category was current (and had been for many years I believe). It retrogressed to 1/1/2009 in July 2012, but some people believe this will change on Oct 1 2012.
I discussed this with my lawyers before accepting the relocation and they said we 'should' be able to get a GC for me and the family before our eldest hits 21.
I think we're still on track for that, but it would be nice to get him on a GC sooner, if that is his ticket to student loans.
I agree, having one or more of my kids only allowed to visit us on a 90-day tourist visa would be very bad.
But hopefully we'll all get a GC, and then we can apply for dual citizenship in the future, meaning we don't have to bother with Visas or GCs ever again!
My kids would then be allowed to work in both the EU and the USA.
Until July of this year, the EB2 GC category was current (and had been for many years I believe). It retrogressed to 1/1/2009 in July 2012, but some people believe this will change on Oct 1 2012.
I discussed this with my lawyers before accepting the relocation and they said we 'should' be able to get a GC for me and the family before our eldest hits 21.
I think we're still on track for that, but it would be nice to get him on a GC sooner, if that is his ticket to student loans.
I agree, having one or more of my kids only allowed to visit us on a 90-day tourist visa would be very bad.
But hopefully we'll all get a GC, and then we can apply for dual citizenship in the future, meaning we don't have to bother with Visas or GCs ever again!
My kids would then be allowed to work in both the EU and the USA.
#21
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
EB 2 isn't that an investment visa? How long does GC usually take with this?
If so what happens if your kids get to 21 and you all still haven't got green cards? They'll never have had a job and have to leave the country.
I don't think the US is that great to do that to my kids.
If so what happens if your kids get to 21 and you all still haven't got green cards? They'll never have had a job and have to leave the country.
I don't think the US is that great to do that to my kids.
#23
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
I guess I started a good thread with lots of interest and input from all, thanks to one and all. Certainly the whole green card issue would need to be applied for immediately on entry (if poss.), my company is multi-national and do this process all the time, so see no concern. When it comes to uni, I would imagine by then he would want to stay in the US.
#24
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Joined: Jun 2007
Location: UK-Indonesia-US
Posts: 1,828
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
I guess I started a good thread with lots of interest and input from all, thanks to one and all. Certainly the whole green card issue would need to be applied for immediately on entry (if poss.), my company is multi-national and do this process all the time, so see no concern. When it comes to uni, I would imagine by then he would want to stay in the US.
#25
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
I guess I started a good thread with lots of interest and input from all, thanks to one and all. Certainly the whole green card issue would need to be applied for immediately on entry (if poss.), my company is multi-national and do this process all the time, so see no concern. When it comes to uni, I would imagine by then he would want to stay in the US.
When we moved, our kids were 10, 12 and 16. It was not easy at all for the older 2, the youngest was the one that settled in to school the easiest. She had a meeting with the school, to ascertain which grade she should go in to, and she ended up with kids the same age, which I think helped a great deal. She was slotted in to 5th Grade in the Elementary school for the last few months of the school year, and it worked out great for her. Our middle daughter struggled a bit and didn't have a lot of friends for the first couple of months. After that, it seemed to get better, but it all came to a head at the beginning of this year, and the move has obviously had a greater affect on her than any of us realized. I'll not go in to details, but she has had issues. She's on the mend now and has recently started her Sophomore year in High School, and has a large circle of friends, but her grades have suffered terribly and she has a lot to make up this year. I can't help but feel that us, as her parents, are responsible for all this, since the move was our decision, but I'm hoping that we've turned a corner, and she's a good kid, so fingers crossed.
The oldest is a different story. When we attended the High School on our arrival, there was a lot of confusion as to where she should be placed. She had already finished her 4th year exams back home. After a lot of debating by the School Head, he decided to get her exams transcribed in to the US system, and the results several weeks later, came back that she had the equivalent of graduated the school system here She never went to High School here, and on hindsight, that was a big mistake on mine and her fathers part, but she was adamant she did not want to start school here at that point. Instead, we got her in to the local Paul Mitchell School for hairdressing and cosmetology, and she's done exceptionally well there. But her prospects are obviously on hold, as she can't get any work without the GC's, and it has been really tough on her, and still continues to be.
I suppose what I'm saying is, think very carefully. Every kid is different and you know your son better than anyone. I don't regret moving here, we have a decent life for the most part, but now, if I was to do it again with my kids the age they were, I'd have to think very carefully. I think the younger the kids are, the better they settle, that's just my opinion. And in saying all of the above, if you were to ask my middle daughter if she wants to move back to the UK, her answer is a definite NO, which I found quite surprising, so it's swings are roundabouts. If you decide to make the move, try and work out what the timescale would be for you to get your GC's, as the not being able to work does become a nuisance, not so much for the adults, but for the teenagers, who can't get any sort of weekend job, after school job, or anything, and can't start to earn any sort of pocket money for themselves.
Good luck with whatever you choose, and I hope I haven't put you off, because we do enjoy living here, through all the ups and downs
#26
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Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
We're on an H1-B/H4's. Our GC application has been in since before 2007, in the EB3 category, and obviously, we're still waiting.
When we moved, our kids were 10, 12 and 16. It was not easy at all for the older 2, the youngest was the one that settled in to school the easiest. She had a meeting with the school, to ascertain which grade she should go in to, and she ended up with kids the same age, which I think helped a great deal. She was slotted in to 5th Grade in the Elementary school for the last few months of the school year, and it worked out great for her. Our middle daughter struggled a bit and didn't have a lot of friends for the first couple of months. After that, it seemed to get better, but it all came to a head at the beginning of this year, and the move has obviously had a greater affect on her than any of us realized. I'll not go in to details, but she has had issues. She's on the mend now and has recently started her Sophomore year in High School, and has a large circle of friends, but her grades have suffered terribly and she has a lot to make up this year. I can't help but feel that us, as her parents, are responsible for all this, since the move was our decision, but I'm hoping that we've turned a corner, and she's a good kid, so fingers crossed.
The oldest is a different story. When we attended the High School on our arrival, there was a lot of confusion as to where she should be placed. She had already finished her 4th year exams back home. After a lot of debating by the School Head, he decided to get her exams transcribed in to the US system, and the results several weeks later, came back that she had the equivalent of graduated the school system here She never went to High School here, and on hindsight, that was a big mistake on mine and her fathers part, but she was adamant she did not want to start school here at that point. Instead, we got her in to the local Paul Mitchell School for hairdressing and cosmetology, and she's done exceptionally well there. But her prospects are obviously on hold, as she can't get any work without the GC's, and it has been really tough on her, and still continues to be.
I suppose what I'm saying is, think very carefully. Every kid is different and you know your son better than anyone. I don't regret moving here, we have a decent life for the most part, but now, if I was to do it again with my kids the age they were, I'd have to think very carefully. I think the younger the kids are, the better they settle, that's just my opinion. And in saying all of the above, if you were to ask my middle daughter if she wants to move back to the UK, her answer is a definite NO, which I found quite surprising, so it's swings are roundabouts. If you decide to make the move, try and work out what the timescale would be for you to get your GC's, as the not being able to work does become a nuisance, not so much for the adults, but for the teenagers, who can't get any sort of weekend job, after school job, or anything, and can't start to earn any sort of pocket money for themselves.
Good luck with whatever you choose, and I hope I haven't put you off, because we do enjoy living here, through all the ups and downs
When we moved, our kids were 10, 12 and 16. It was not easy at all for the older 2, the youngest was the one that settled in to school the easiest. She had a meeting with the school, to ascertain which grade she should go in to, and she ended up with kids the same age, which I think helped a great deal. She was slotted in to 5th Grade in the Elementary school for the last few months of the school year, and it worked out great for her. Our middle daughter struggled a bit and didn't have a lot of friends for the first couple of months. After that, it seemed to get better, but it all came to a head at the beginning of this year, and the move has obviously had a greater affect on her than any of us realized. I'll not go in to details, but she has had issues. She's on the mend now and has recently started her Sophomore year in High School, and has a large circle of friends, but her grades have suffered terribly and she has a lot to make up this year. I can't help but feel that us, as her parents, are responsible for all this, since the move was our decision, but I'm hoping that we've turned a corner, and she's a good kid, so fingers crossed.
The oldest is a different story. When we attended the High School on our arrival, there was a lot of confusion as to where she should be placed. She had already finished her 4th year exams back home. After a lot of debating by the School Head, he decided to get her exams transcribed in to the US system, and the results several weeks later, came back that she had the equivalent of graduated the school system here She never went to High School here, and on hindsight, that was a big mistake on mine and her fathers part, but she was adamant she did not want to start school here at that point. Instead, we got her in to the local Paul Mitchell School for hairdressing and cosmetology, and she's done exceptionally well there. But her prospects are obviously on hold, as she can't get any work without the GC's, and it has been really tough on her, and still continues to be.
I suppose what I'm saying is, think very carefully. Every kid is different and you know your son better than anyone. I don't regret moving here, we have a decent life for the most part, but now, if I was to do it again with my kids the age they were, I'd have to think very carefully. I think the younger the kids are, the better they settle, that's just my opinion. And in saying all of the above, if you were to ask my middle daughter if she wants to move back to the UK, her answer is a definite NO, which I found quite surprising, so it's swings are roundabouts. If you decide to make the move, try and work out what the timescale would be for you to get your GC's, as the not being able to work does become a nuisance, not so much for the adults, but for the teenagers, who can't get any sort of weekend job, after school job, or anything, and can't start to earn any sort of pocket money for themselves.
Good luck with whatever you choose, and I hope I haven't put you off, because we do enjoy living here, through all the ups and downs
Darren
#27
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
You're welcome, hope it helps you out in some way Darren
#28
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 49
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
Darren, we are in a very similar situation.
My husband was made redundant here in the UK back in March and the only job propsects that we currently have are in the US. We have some savings from redundancy payout but these wont last long and it's getting to the point where we will have to take the first job offered. He has an interview in California next week!
Our kids are 16,16, 13 and 11
We are not too concerned about the younger 2 but are desperatley worried about our twins who have both just started their A levels here in the UK.
One option we have is for my husband to relocate to the States ahead of us (assuming he gets the job) and for me to follow with the kids once the girls complete their first year at College. They should sit exams in May and will at least come away with some AS levels which I believe can be used as some form of credit towards their High School Diploma (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong)
Another option is for us to leave the girls here to complete their A Levels and then go to a UK university. It breaks my heart to think about splitting up our family but I am equally as scared about screwing up the girls education.
One small crumb of comfort is that we would go over on an 01 visa (employer sponsored extraordinary ability visa) which can then be converted to a greencard fairly easily (so I'm told although I have my doubts) although we would probably have to sponsor this ourselves (EB1), a number of my husbands colleagues have sponsored their own EB1's although not via an 01.
If we do go to America, it will be through neccessity rather than choice!
Sorry for thread hijack!
My husband was made redundant here in the UK back in March and the only job propsects that we currently have are in the US. We have some savings from redundancy payout but these wont last long and it's getting to the point where we will have to take the first job offered. He has an interview in California next week!
Our kids are 16,16, 13 and 11
We are not too concerned about the younger 2 but are desperatley worried about our twins who have both just started their A levels here in the UK.
One option we have is for my husband to relocate to the States ahead of us (assuming he gets the job) and for me to follow with the kids once the girls complete their first year at College. They should sit exams in May and will at least come away with some AS levels which I believe can be used as some form of credit towards their High School Diploma (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong)
Another option is for us to leave the girls here to complete their A Levels and then go to a UK university. It breaks my heart to think about splitting up our family but I am equally as scared about screwing up the girls education.
One small crumb of comfort is that we would go over on an 01 visa (employer sponsored extraordinary ability visa) which can then be converted to a greencard fairly easily (so I'm told although I have my doubts) although we would probably have to sponsor this ourselves (EB1), a number of my husbands colleagues have sponsored their own EB1's although not via an 01.
If we do go to America, it will be through neccessity rather than choice!
Sorry for thread hijack!
Last edited by clarity1971; Sep 13th 2012 at 9:03 pm.
#29
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
Darren, we are in a very similar situation.
My husband was made redundant here in the UK back in March and the only job propsects that we currently have are in the US. We have some savings from redundancy payout but these wont last long and it's getting to the point where we will have to take the first job offered. He has an interview in California next week!
Our kids are 16,16, 13 and 11
We are not too concerned about the younger 2 but are desperatley worried about our twins who have both just started their A levels here in the UK.
One option we have is for my husband to relocate to the States ahead of us (assuming he gets the job) and for me to follow with the kids once the girls complete their first year at College. They should sit exams in May and will at least come away with some AS levels which I believe can be used as some form of credit towards their High School Diploma (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong)
Another option is for us to leave the girls here to complete their A Levels and then go to a UK university. It breaks my heart to think about splitting up our family but I am equally as scared about screwing up the girls education.
One small crumb of comfort is that we would go over on an 01 visa (employer sponsored extraordinary ability visa) which can then be converted to a greencard fairly easily (so I'm told although I have my doubts) although we would probably have to sponsor this ourselves (EB1), a number of my husbands colleagues have sponsored their own EB1's although not via an 01.
If we do go to America, it will be through neccessity rather than choice!
Sorry for thread hijack!
My husband was made redundant here in the UK back in March and the only job propsects that we currently have are in the US. We have some savings from redundancy payout but these wont last long and it's getting to the point where we will have to take the first job offered. He has an interview in California next week!
Our kids are 16,16, 13 and 11
We are not too concerned about the younger 2 but are desperatley worried about our twins who have both just started their A levels here in the UK.
One option we have is for my husband to relocate to the States ahead of us (assuming he gets the job) and for me to follow with the kids once the girls complete their first year at College. They should sit exams in May and will at least come away with some AS levels which I believe can be used as some form of credit towards their High School Diploma (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong)
Another option is for us to leave the girls here to complete their A Levels and then go to a UK university. It breaks my heart to think about splitting up our family but I am equally as scared about screwing up the girls education.
One small crumb of comfort is that we would go over on an 01 visa (employer sponsored extraordinary ability visa) which can then be converted to a greencard fairly easily (so I'm told although I have my doubts) although we would probably have to sponsor this ourselves (EB1), a number of my husbands colleagues have sponsored their own EB1's although not via an 01.
If we do go to America, it will be through neccessity rather than choice!
Sorry for thread hijack!
Good luck to you & family, hope it works out for your husband at his interview. California, there are worst places
#30
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 49
Re: School: Moving a 15/16 yr old from UK to US school system
Darren, what is the likely time frame for your relocation? If it is not until the spring then would it be better for your eldest to stay on in the UK for a while and complete his GCSE's?
He would then start High School in the US and join kids in their third year.
I have friends who homeschool their children and they also use an online classroom system (not sure what it is call, need to find out) but they have online lessons with lots of other kids, mainly Americans! They have just relocated to America too but it has been a fairly easy transition with regards to schooling.
Do you know what Visa you be going out on?
He would then start High School in the US and join kids in their third year.
I have friends who homeschool their children and they also use an online classroom system (not sure what it is call, need to find out) but they have online lessons with lots of other kids, mainly Americans! They have just relocated to America too but it has been a fairly easy transition with regards to schooling.
Do you know what Visa you be going out on?