UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

Hi all,

I have an opportunity to move to California for a new role being offered with an E2 Visa, its also with a new company. Firstly, has anyone made the jump to the San Fransisco area recently, whats life like out there for an expat, how bad in reality are the living costs?

The main issue I have at the moment is my partner cannot come with me to work unless we are married (her Aunty being a citizen in California for 40 years is quite a strong enough link!). We are both UK citizens and want to know what if any options are there. Should she chose to come initially on a tourist visa, would future marriage mean it can be transferred to an E2 Spouse visa?

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

Hi, welcome to BE. It would be worth doing a search of the forum to find other threads about the cost of living in the Bay Area, there have been quite a few that would be worth a read. Essentially it seems you need a fairly good salary to live there comfortably from what I can gather, but a read of some threads should give you some more info and precise figures.

Yes, if married she could then get a derivative visa.

Best of luck with it.

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

Welcome.
Can I just add to my own body of knowledge?..If you don't mind.

Is the company your company? Isn't that what your E2 visa is for? Or invested in someone else's company?
Do you feel there will be a path to permanent residency and if so how?

SF is very high in terms of living costs, mainly because of property costs.
You do often require a very high salary.

Here's an idea.
Sales: https://www.zillow.com/san-francisco-ca/
Rentals: https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_rent/

Many people commute from places like Dublin, to the east, or even further.
Dublin: https://www.zillow.com/dublin-ca/
Tracy: https://www.zillow.com/homes/tracy-ca_rb/

And...as a business owner, I'm always curious about the types of business. Do you feel SF is the best place for it?
Again, not being nosy. Just interested.:)
Good luck!

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

Not quite sure what you mean by this, but it certainly isn't for immigration purposes.

I don't why you would not get married. The sooner you do, the sooner she can joint on a derivative visa and apply for an EAD so she can work. On a B2, she will be sat around the house all day.

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

As in, its a shame that relationship doesn't help the Visa process!

It is not my company no, its already set up and I would be entering as a "E-2 Employee – Supervisory/Managerial/Executive".

There could well be a path to residency but I am expecting this to be a 2-3 year posting before returning to the UK.

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

That's impressive.
Good luck!

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

Well you can be earning $100k and classified as low income, if the money is right and for a couple of years why not?

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

Is this quite a rare occurrence to be offered this particular type of visa?

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

No

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

Not rare but one of the biggest issues is a lack of a direct route, to a Green Card, via the E2.
A Green Card is one of the highly desired goals in order to live here permanently.
(I thought I was coming for 6 months but that was 20 years ago...)
And you need to maintain the conditions under which you came. If the work is secure and you'll be making a lot it can be considered to be a worthwhile experience.
Got some pitfalls though.

You say you have an opportunity? Has the E2 been approved?
If so I just wondered if the approval process went smoothly and if you had to provide a lot of substantiating evidence.

Just educating myself here.

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

They, or he , is coming for a couple of years so GC not really an issue.

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

I know. Not currently.
I wish them well.

SF is an expensive place.

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

This is all pending my acceptance of the offer which will then be dictated by me passing the requirements to get my E2, only part of the way there!

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

Not sure an E2 Employee is that hard to get, make sure the deal is good enough, things like Heath Care is covered, a good relocation allowance, trips home paid etc.

Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
 

Agreed, $100k is going to net around $75k, and about half of that will probably go in rent. I don't think I live extravagantly, but wouldn't move to the SF area for less than about $200k minimum under any circumstances, and to maintain my current standard of living in a low cost part of the US it would probably take $400k in/near SF. In fact some aspects of my living arrangements are probably not achievable in the SF area even with that income - such as size of home, size of garden, etc.