charlas

Oh right, didn't realise that! Spose it makes sense though.

What would she get if not married? And then when we do get married would it upgrade to an L2?

Owen778

She could potentially get a B2 co-habiting partner visa, which would allow her to come with you but not work. However, by far your best bet is to get married now in your local register office, and turn your planned ceremony next year into a Renewal of Vows (or blessing) ceremony.

kodokan

An L2 spouse visa is a fantastic visa for a dependent. She will be able to work, study, volunteer; she'll get a SSN; driver's license, etc. She'll be able to build a full life here.

As someone previously on an L2 (now GC) PLEASE don't bring your partner out on a B2. She'll essentially be a non-person here, like a long term tourist. The imbalance between your statuses would be awful, and potentially damaging to your relationship (moving overseas is challenging at times). I'm not even sure how she'd get healthcare, as she'd need to be your spouse to be included on your company insurance policy.

An L2 is largely automatically allocated; a cohabiting B2 might not be. Assuming it is, she'd have a terrible on-hold year in the US, potentially hating it here, then back to the UK for a wedding, then you'd have to work out how to adjust her visa status, with the associated expense and paperwork that the company may not be willing to fund.

I know it seems unromantic, getting married for the paperwork, and not what you have imagined, but it would be 100% the best thing to do in these circumstances to start your married life off on the best footing. Because after all it's the marriage that's important, not the wedding day.

charlas

Yeah makes sense, I'll bring it up with her, not like we need to tell anyone (besides the legal people) and as far as everyone else is concerned next year's wedding would be just that.

Oh for those wondering why Texas is higher up my order, I grew up in SA, and Texas 'feels' most like that to me whenever I'm there, nostalgic reasons I suppose, but hey. If we don't like it, sure we can move anyhow.

Question to anyone that's done this recently, what was your relocation package like, I've been told ours, and just weighing up how good it is? 10k travel, 30k moving, then 18k over 12 months relocation allowance, does that sound ok?

charlas

Seems like a lot of the rental properties are in apartment complex's, obviously popular at the moment I'm assuming?

Seems a decent idea though, with communal services like pools etc.

Rather have my own place though, have to do a little digging.

kodokan

Don't rule apartments out simply on the basis of 'not how it works in my country'. Find out where/ how people like you live, in whichever city you choose. Determinedly sticking with wanting a house might end you in the sprawling suburbs, miles from amenities and surrounded by families with children.

You'd undoubtedly pay more, too, for anywhere decent - not simply 'because it's a house', but because houses in nice neighborhoods are driven by the quality of the schools, which is a function of the property taxes your landlord would be paying. Families are prepared to pay a premium to get an address in a good school district; you'd be paying for the high quality of a service you don't need.

charlas

Yeah, hadn't ruled them out, some look lovely. Thanks for the info.

kodokan

No problem - we had similar housing culture shock when we moved from the UK to Switzerland, and switched to apartment living there. It's a case of identifying the new normal for the new area.

I, on the other hand, can't wait to move out of the (dull, sprawling) US suburbs to either somewhere remote and rural, or a city center apartment, but we're currently tied to picking accommodation based on school provision. Six more years...

charlas

Hehe, yeah, we're looking to have a little munchkin next year, so might have to think about it in a few years too!

Plus most of the apartments have gym's, cinema and pools etc, some even have doggy parks attached to them! Impressive stuff

petitefrancaise

Well, I read the badly informed post from the chicago dweller. One of the things I absolutely love about Austin is it's racial diversity. One of the other things I love about Austin is the food and restaurant choices - and that's coming from someone who lived in France for 11 years. Austin consistently gets put at or near the top of cities with great restaurants. We have a really good University in the city center and some of those buildings are lovely, my daughter lives in an honors quad that could be and Oxford or Cambridge college. Loads of nightlife, sporting stuff coming out of your ears....and yeah the F1 which isn't my cup of tea but certainly pulls in the crowds.

I had a quick look at housing within a couple of miles of downtown on Zillow, and it made my eyes water at the cost of it! Not San Francisco/New York rates but it has gone up quite a lot in recent years. You're now looking at about $2.5k a month for something decent.

Slightly cheaper is the area near the Arboretum, it's nice and has plenty of shopping and apartments in apartment complexes as opposed to high rise (better for a dog) to rent, if not houses. That's where Mopac and 183 intersect. Not too bad for getting downtown. When you are seriously ready to look for an apartment, give me a shout as I have some realtor contacts ( they don't charge you, they charge the landlord).

The area between Mopac and 360 just south of ladybird lake is really nice but you're paying for a good school district which you don't need. It is a nice area though. Figure out your budget...

Most apartment complexes will have gyms and pools, some better than others. Cinemas? Didn't knowabout that but Austin has some great cinemas - personal favourite is the Alamo (a few of them around town). The Alamo Cinema does an free outdoor screening of classics as a sing-a-long or quote-a-long just south of the river every summer which we really like. Austin skyline in front of us, beer music and food , kick back on a blanket.

Nutmegger

I have no personal experience of Austin, but friends whose opinion I respect lived there for a number of years, were just as enthusiastic as you about the city, and couldn't wait for the opportunity to return. Even while living here in the tri-state area, and taking advantage of all that NYC had to offer in the way of culture and dining, they planned to get back to Austin as soon as they could. (And are indeed now there!)

charlas

Appreciate the offer, I'll take you up on it. Work pay for a week out there before we move to start things off, and look around etc, so I'll keep those areas in mind to look at.

From speaking to people that work in Austin, seems there's almost always something going on in town, x-games was there not so long back, and had a half pipe in front of the government house.

I would probably like San Francisco, but everyone says it's extremely expensive if you stay anywhere near the city. And like I say, I grew up for the first 18 years of my life in South Africa, so the climate/lifestyle will probably suit well.

petitefrancaise

When it gets really hot in the summer, I loathe the place with a vengeance. I am bad-tempered, can't sleep (don't get me started on a/c blowing freezing air on me) . But I don't hate it as much as I'd hate freezing to death in Chicago. I go to Colorado for a few weeks holiday camping, I love it there and it means only about a month of having to put up with mega-temps in Austin.

charlas

The other half has only ever lived in the UK, so might be a shock to her system!

Got to be better than freezing here, and wet all the time though.

petitefrancaise

Come at the end of September.... it's just lovely then. Hottish during the day but the real fierceness of the sun isn't there anymore - you can go outside to hike/swim, hang out. the nights are cooler and just right to sit around outside chatting, eating and having a margarita!