JerseyBoy

I love the content of this post almost as much as the signature...

Duncs

there is not really an American culture you know, its different in different places. Which books did you read? about where? your neighbour goes to which state? i like lots of things about the USA but its no utopia. It has lots of problems as a society and its a tough place. you are on your own a lot more here than in europe. The culture is different here. I am in the deep south where 2/3 dont believe in the theory of evolution and where 65% are fierce church goers. if you love jesus this a great place but if you are more skeptical, like me, its a bit weird. Other places are different. I love Boston because i could so easily find irish influences and it reminded me of ireland. the place you end up in will determine what american culture you get. Nobodys trying to dissuade you but i would knock a few scales off your eyes before you make too many life choices.

regards,

Duncan

Sparkster

sorry sorry as i said I type fast and have no time to read through what I've put I mean a librarian. and before you ask I got an A in and 3 B's in English that includes lit lan and speech.

But please back to helping me out here, I've got determination but I havn't got the knowledge of how all this works and so I need as much help as possible.

I seem to be getting mixed vibes here. One person is saying get married to someone and get a visa that way, then I get told that that is a bad way of doing it. Then someone says go to uni get a degree in something that America needs and get a transfer, then someone else says that from the UK that won't work.

there must be someway for me to get a Greencard, some of you have done it, how did you do it?

Sparkster

You make a good point, my neighbour has been all over and I mean all over. I've heard about the sky lines of new york the deserts in Arizona the Zeolots of the south. The two main states that I like the idea of are Ohio and Indianna. To your comment of how America is different all over, that I agree with and becuase of that some states I have knocked off as possibilities. For example I'm not religious so I knocked off alot of the sourth. Also I don't like hot climates too much so Arizona and the rest of the south I knocked off. I don't like big major cities which took away NY city (Not all of it just NY city) along with Seeatle and the other major cities.

As for been on your own more than in Europe thats one of the things I like, I like a bit of down time in Europe its hard to get peace, I spend most of my time at the cinema or having a night of the town, of which I don't object to but it becomes frustrating, and if you say no then for some reason people get the impression your blowing them off.

Believe me all my life I've been thinking of this and I've spoken to many people about it, I've looked at the pros and the cons and I've done my research, I wouldn't be so determined if I hadn't, and I don't rush into things I always think them through and when people suggest things to me I always take them into consideration.

And as for America been no Utopia. that I can agree with every country has its problems, but you've got to weigh them up and I have now I'm putting thought into action.

dudleydowg

The majority of us on this forum are married to US citizens and therefor find ourselves moving to the USA or wherever, it is not just a matter of living somewhere more exciting but is a comromise you make when you are in love with someone, same as the K1 fiance visa route, none of the ways of getting legal status in the USA is easy and it doesn't end happily ever after for some. Just remember, living elsewhere especially in the USA is no better or worse but just different.
Good Luck

Duncs

You cant beat the Pulaski list:

There are basically six ways (seven if you have a close relative who is a USC and is willing to sponsor you) that you can get a visa to live and work in the US:

(i) Marriage (or engagement in anticipation of marriage) to a US citizen.
(ii) You have skills that are in short supply in the US e.g. IT, scientific or medical training. (The list of qualifying occupations is actually quite long, but visas are very limited for 2004 going forward, making it a difficult route to follow, and you have to have the backing of an employer, which isn't easy as employers are likely to take a local employee before going to the trouble and expense of helping an immigrant obtain a visa.)
(iii) You have an employer who is willing to transfer you - but even the employer has to make a good case for you - so you have to be a manager unless you fall under category (ii), above.
(iv) get a greencard in the diversity lottery (UK citizens, except N.Ireland are not eligible)
(v) You own a business (does not get you permanent resident status i.e. no greencard, likely minimum investment $100,000)
(vi) You are an "investor" i.e. you have at least US$1m in assets to bring with you.

The most straightforward(but not easy) is (a genuine) marriage to a US citizen. Not a sham visa marriage as if you get found out its deportation time. however if you meet the woman of your dreams and she is a USC then you are in business.

Otherwise its work based so the advice is get a degree/skill and look for sponsorship by an employer. Or start saving up a million dollars.

The straight answer is there is no easy method sorry if thats a dissapointment.

personally i met my wife while she was a masters student at Uni in Ireland we got married in the Uk then for various reasons decided to move to the USA and she sponsored me for a perm resident visa. took around 6 months to obtain through DCF at London embassy(as my wife was a non visitor Uk resident we could use this system). Lots of hoops to go through and needed financial sponsorship from my parents in law. I would not say it was easy though.

Ifc you absolutley want to do it you will but it wont be easy or quick the most valuable things in life dont come easy and you will just need to resign yourself to a few years of hard work and organising to get set up to do it.

regards,

Duncan

Sparkster

that is a true peril of wisdom, but live all people I have a dream and I think it is every mans fate to try and fullfill his dream, you only live once and I refuse to give up becuase of the hardships involved.

Although I dissagree with what you said aobut it been no better or worse just different. Everywhere is different and some people are different, so some people fitt in other places better than others. I may never have been to America but I've read and been told about it from people who have. And I feel that I would be happier there. I maybe wrong but if I don't do it I'll never find out.

And anywhere has got to be better than this god Forsaken hell whole over a drunk town.

dudleydowg

Threres nothing wrong with Rotherham, there is a nightclub there where you pay something like £20 and you can drink yourself into oblivion, theres no way you can do that on American beer

Sparkster

In response to Duncan

I agree the best things in life don't come easy at no point did I ever expect it to be. Although its nice to here someone finally say if your determined to do it you will, that gives me hope which has been hard to find. I've copy and pasted what you said into a word document as you listed the seven ways of doing it.

Of course if other people can also give help and guidance its still well appreciated, after all theres always two sides to evey coin.

It does annoy me that I'll have to go to Uni, I was hoping to avoid going and save my money for when I got to America. Looks like I'll have to sell the house then which is a shame. although I might be able to get some backing from the Goverment with my Dad been a single parent, but I hate the idea of having to borrow money from someone. But if it'll help me get over to America then I guess its worth it.

So people fill me in, once I get a degree/skill in an occupation which is in short supply then what, then do I just apply for a greencard or do I first need to get work. or do I first get a work visa then go over there get a job and then apply for a greencard. This I could do with knowing.

Sparkster

You don't need to go to no nightclub, just go the the Rhino (Club) its a 1£ a pint, so for £20 you get 20 pints.

Thats why Rotherham is a good forsaken hell whole of a drunk town.

Duncs

Firts you find an employer who values your skills enough to be willing to sponsor you. Most likeley not for a greencard by the way just for a work visa, H1-b or something. This is not a perm residents visa and usually expires after a certain number of years. plus if you job ends so does your visa and you must leave. to get a greencard through work your employer would need a labour certificate from the dept of labour saying you have special skills that no american can match ie you add something unique and valuable to the US. thats a pretty tall order and i dont think many people get it. maybe if you have a nobel prize or a star actor, theres only one Anthony Hopkins so hes unique etc.

realistically it would be get a skill, find an employer to sponsor you, get a work visa, live work in US for few years, hope to meet girl of dreams who is USC, get married, get greencard, get citizenship.

Its a long haul and it relies on some elements of chance but if you are totally determined it can be done.

by the way why sell your house if its owned debt free rent it out and live on the income while at uni.

regards,

Duncan

Sparkster

I live in Rotherham, if I rent out a house it'll be torched in minites of me leaving. The only reason why I didn't want to sell it is becuase my dad intends to leave the country and live in Spain, but he want's to be able to come back now and again. But has he says if I need the money then he'll sell it and just not bother coming back.

Just let me give you some insight into Rotherham.

Brecks where I live is okay as is Wickersley Dalton Listerdale ect.

However there are the 6 planes of hell that continue to expand

First you have

Fibre - this area isn't that bad, its the typical area that you walk through quickly becuase of gangs of youths on street corners that looking menacing

Secondly you have

Clifton - Walking through here is dangerous is has you typical troubled families and drug addicts. Kids that spend more time in court rooms than at school

Thridly you have

Rowmarsh - women look like men, and men look like pictures due to the amount of tattoes on them. People don't go out at night they have to set up barcades to stop the street gangs from breaking in.

Forthly you have

Maltby - I'm sure you've heard the phrase "The house on the edge of hell" well we say "The house on the edge of maltby". Maltby is a nasty area in all senses there have been several teachers shot and stabbed in Maltby, recently there been one pupil who put a razor blade into the end of his shoe and went around kicking people, and then there was the pupil that went around with a sawn off shotgun and went rampant in the Exam room.

Fiftly you have

Woth - I had a teacher that lived in Woth he used to tell us stories of what it was like and seriously I just pitted him. I think the best way to picture Woth is to think of the film the Demolition man and think about the city at the beginning.

Finally you have

Canklow - You know your near Canklow by looking at the number of tires of cars, and closer to the centre you get to Canklow the fewer tyres there are on cars till eventually there on blocks. Canklow is hell incarnated I had to walk through it once and I swear I'll never go anywhere near it again. And as for what happens in the schools in Canklow, the better question is what happened to the schools in Canklow as there arn't any.

dunroving

I know someone said getting a degree in the UK is cheaper than US, but I'd suggest selling your UK house and studying in the States. Following every degree you study for in the States, you get 1 year OPT (permission to work for one year in a related job). It's almost like a 1-year internship, except you find a paid job and have pretty much automatic permission to work (must be a related job though - can't work at the local gym if your degree is in engineering).

There are several advantages to this. First, you are in the States, really experiencing the culture, at the same time as you are furthering your chance of eventually getting a work visa (i.e., by studying for a degree). Who knows, you may realize after all that you don't like the States (I know you've read books and talked with your neighbour and your relative in the South, but believe me, these second-hand experiences don't come near to the feel you get by being here).

Second, who knows, you may meet someone who falls for your Rotherham accent and marries you (you won't get some US model to marry you simply by saying "Any offers?" on this board).

I don't think there's a short-term, immediate solution for you, though I get the impression that's what you are looking for (just my impression, don't take offence). Studying in the States is as close to the best method I can think of for getting yourself here ASAP.

Third, while you are working under OPT, you are in the best situation to be looking for another job. Being in the UK and looking for a job in the US is very difficult.

Lastly, I'd ask have you DYOR? You talk about having read books, but have you visited the US Immigration Web site?

Sparkster

What does DOYR? as for going to the US immigration web site, oh yes looked at everything on it. I'm not exactly asking you lot to tell me what I need to do that I can find out, what I'm trying to find it is what are my chances? what can you who have already done it advised. I'm trying to get your knowledge that you got through experience. Although I'm actually interested in what your saying about studying in America, it may be expensive but it makes sense. The only problem I have with it is I'm not going to get a great deal from selling the house as my Dad will need most of it for his holiday home and living out the rest of his life in the sun. And if I go to America and do a degree there I won't be able to work part time which I could do with doing.

By the way as for asking for any offers on this board I was only joking and secondly I'd never go through with it its too dishonest for my liking.

and don't worry I won't take any offense to what you said but I will assure you that I'm not looking for any easy solution as they arn't any, I'm trying to improve my chances of making it by seeking your lots wisdom, that so far has been invaluable.

As I mentioned I like the idea you've put forward, but if I'm going to get a degree I'm going to need to be working part time as I do it, especially if its as expensive as you say it is to do it over there. I'd probably need to get a sponsorship or something, either that or a grant from somebody.

Sparkster

And as for first hand experience I fully agree I might not like it, but beleive me things would have to be bad for America to be worse than Rotherham. I'm trying to think of a way to describe Rotherham as a whole. Right I've got an idea.

If you've seen Judge Dredd, take the idea of the city that has you get lower down it gets worse. Well Rotherham is like that you've got your good areas but as you get closer to town and as you get closer to the edge that connects to Sheffield you've got your trouble spots. But unfortunatly these trouble spots spread and other areas are getting worse.