Three Work And Location Questions.
My first post here on what looks to be a great resource, so perhaps a little
background would be a good introduction. I am 45 and have been travelling to the USA almost annually for the past 30 years and since day 1, have wanted to relocate. I had the application papers and a job offer 24 years ago, but then met my first wife in the UK, so walked away from that chance. These days I am a company director and visit on business once or twice a year for around 10 days at a time. I also normally take a two week vacation with my wife and daughter, so all in, I normally spend around a month Stateside. As I sit here once more having returned to the UK and wishing I was back in the US, I want to finally make a home there a reality, so am busy looking at a long term plan to make that happen. I have a good many friends there (akin to family), my cousin has a green card and lives if Florida, while I married my second wife in Indiana, so I have a good knowledge of day to day living and have also just ordered the book 'Moving to the United States of America and Immigration' by Mark Cooper. I don't see how I could relocate the business, so I would be looking at perhaps buying a home with just a 30 - 90 day vacation stay under VWP and in later life, the six months with a B2 Visa. My three questions at this stage are these. 1) I noted the comments about not working, but am not clear on these. Currently I visit with work on WVP and declare working (Tour operator) but if I were to live in 'my' home there and monitor the business with email from Europe about work for my UK based business, is this breaching the rules? If so, how is it different to me visiting under the VWP when I have to visit US hotels for meetings? 2) This is more general question to those who have bought a house there. As mentioned, I know many people there, especially in Florida, Indiana, Illinois etc, so would I be wise to buy a place in those areas to start with where I'd have local support rather than say Utah, where I have falling in love with, but have no close friends? 3) Anyone in Utah have any advice about home owenership pitfalls or laws / taxes etc that may vary to other States? Thank you in advance for any advice. |
Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Is your second wife a US citizen
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Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Originally Posted by Ray
(Post 6946244)
Is your second wife a US citizen
Sorry, I should have clariefied that - no she is English. We had the wedding in Indiana so we could have 30 of our US friends there and our families were more than happy to go to the US for the wedding, so we took over a beach house for them and then hired a small hotel for the wedding. |
Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Originally Posted by AtomicUK
(Post 6946249)
Hi Ray
Sorry, I should have clariefied that - no she is English. We had the wedding in Indiana so we could have 30 of our US friends there and our families were more than happy to go to the US for the wedding, so we took over a beach house for them and then hired a small hotel for the wedding. 1. technically yes ..but who would know .. your emailing a few associates 2. Buy a place wherever you like..there are no restrictions on buying 3. UTAH is too cold to mention... |
Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Originally Posted by Ray
(Post 6946259)
Well that was a poor choice ... should have found the US version
Originally Posted by Ray
(Post 6946259)
1. technically yes ..but who would know ..
your emailing a few associates
Originally Posted by Ray
(Post 6946259)
2. Buy a place wherever you like..there are no restrictions on buying
Originally Posted by Ray
(Post 6946259)
3. UTAH is too cold to mention...
It was high 80's when we left Utah a week ago and the same place now has snow - sounds good to me! :thumbup: |
Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Snow is over rated...it really is a ball ache to live with, once you've had to plough out a driveway or two.
Why can't you set up a office over here? how large is the business in the UK? Talk to a immigration lawyer that's experienced in businesses, they might be able to say if you could set up an office and do a L1 transfer, or set up fresh for the E visa. As for working, your allowed to hold meetings and go to tradeshows on the VWP, which is why you've not had a problem. Running the business from over here goes beyond just checking a few emails and talking to clients in a business meeting though doesn't it. |
Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Originally Posted by Bob
(Post 6946506)
As for working, your allowed to hold meetings and go to tradeshows on the VWP, which is why you've not had a problem. Running the business from over here goes beyond just checking a few emails and talking to clients in a business meeting though doesn't it.
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Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Originally Posted by Bob
(Post 6946506)
Snow is over rated...it really is a ball ache to live with, once you've had to plough out a driveway or two.
Originally Posted by Bob
(Post 6946506)
Why can't you set up a office over here? how large is the business in the UK? Talk to a immigration lawyer that's experienced in businesses, they might be able to say if you could set up an office and do a L1 transfer, or set up fresh for the E visa.
Originally Posted by Bob
(Post 6946506)
As for working, your allowed to hold meetings and go to tradeshows on the VWP, which is why you've not had a problem. Running the business from over here goes beyond just checking a few emails and talking to clients in a business meeting though doesn't it.
business, just to have contact with hotels around the world over rates etc and I have to do this when I am in the US now visiting US hotels on the VWP, this is where I find the confusion. :unsure: Perhaps as I can perhaps only spend a month or so in the US at this stage, it won't be an issue and by the time I can spend longer in 'our' house, I won't even need to be doing that. I'll certainly be able to prove I'll be returning to the UK as I will have the April - October season tours to attend. |
Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Originally Posted by AtomicUK
(Post 6946692)
A valid point, but even that has always appealed.
This is something we have talked about, but the company is still relatively new and not ready for that type of expansion. I don't need to take care of accounts, banking or any of that side of the business, just to have contact with hotels around the world over rates etc and I have to do this when I am in the US now visiting US hotels on the VWP, this is where I find the confusion. :unsure: Perhaps as I can perhaps only spend a month or so in the US at this stage, it won't be an issue and by the time I can spend longer in 'our' house, I won't even need to be doing that. I'll certainly be able to prove I'll be returning to the UK as I will have the April - October season tours to attend. What about your daughter's schooling? |
Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
(Post 6946752)
If you're planning on being in the US April to October you won't be using the VWP will you? Sure sounds like you'll be working to me...but really non of our opinions count. The only opinion that counts is that of the USCIS. From what you've already said they are aware that you are a travel agent and have been here visiting hotels in the US.
What about your daughter's schooling? No I would be always be in Europe April to October to do tours and right now, I could not be in the US November through March, but as I move closer to retirement (and less work) perhaps I could, but that's a good few years away. Right now, I think a month or six weeks would be the most I could spend Stateside. My daughter will be moving towards University or work in the next couple of years, so she will be flying the nest and doing her own thing. |
Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Sorry I forgot to welcome you....welcome to BE. :)
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Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
(Post 6946832)
Sorry I forgot to welcome you....welcome to BE. :)
It really seems a very helpful site (busy reading other's experiences) so I'm looking forward to spending quite a lot of time here. :) |
Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
I thought that the type of 'minor/light' work that was allowed on the VWP (ie attend meetings etc) was the same as was allowed on the B visas.
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Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Originally Posted by AtomicUK
(Post 6946692)
A valid point, but even that has always appealed.
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Re: Three Work And Location Questions.
Originally Posted by Bob
(Post 6947523)
It really doesn't last long, the appeal, and it gets worse when you get older...plus the humidity in the summer....for retirement type locations, could think of better spots...but then it all depends on what you fancy doing I suppose.
We are not 100% fixed on Utah, but a big appeal is being near places like Zion and Bryce as we are getting into hiking and I love landscape photography. Not looking for huge amounts of snow as I'd want to get the Corvette out in all seasons. ;) While Florida is nice and I have family and friends there, it doesn't really have too much of the right kind of attraction for us and normally none of the cold white stuff, while even though we love being in Illinois and Indiana etc, again, they don't come close to the beauty of the National Parks in Utah. I've visited most major US Cities as I used to tour with rock groups, but we are looking for a quiet place, not too far from civilisation, but also close to mother nature and places like St George and Washington seemed to tick those boxes, while access to direct UK flights is still required and Vegas gives us that. Jury is still out at this stage and I doubt we'd purchase in the next 12 months, so still happy to consider other places, perhaps in Colorado etc, I used to visit Crested Butte (before it became the Ski resort) and loved being around there, we also like Kentucky and California, but the latter seems to be too costly. So very much an open mind at this stage. :) |
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