Itchy Feet

I hope I'm on the right thread. I'm nearly 30 years old. A British citizen. It's been a dream of mine to live in America since I was a kid. I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how I'd go about doing this? I don't have any immediate family living there (only a first cousin and aunty) so would the best thing be for me to go over on the Visa Waiver Programme. Believe you can stay in the US for 30 days and look for work. Is this true?

Ivonne

On the Visa Waiver Program, you can stay 90 days.
And yes, you can look for work. But you have to be careful at the Point of entry. when BCBP suspects, that you are looking for work, they might deny entry. So, don't take anything with you, that gives a hint (like resumes etc...)
Once you found an employer, he has to file a petition for you at BCIS, which has to be approved (for example H1B). From a Visa Waiver, you can not change your status, which means, after 90 days, you have to return home and wait there for approval and then have to get the according visa.

mark19964

You said you have an auntie !!

Then you have a blood relative who can sponsor you, problem solved. if she's willing to sponsor you and you can use any assets you have and any she may have no problem.

Itchy Feet

Oh I didn't realise that an Aunt was a close enough blood relative to sponsor you? What do you mean when you say using assets? Thanks.

Itchy Feet

Thanks Ivonne. Are you a Brit who's made the move to the States then?

Pulaski

As far as I'm aware an aunt is not a close enough relative to sponsor you for quota-free immigration.

It may be possible for her to apply for you as a relative through the quotas available for blood relatives. For example a US citizen can sponsor a sibling, but I heard recently (posted here on britishexpats) of some one who's brother applied for her in 1990 and she has just come to the top of the list to get a visa!!!

Otherwise there are basically six ways 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.
(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)
(vi) You are an "investor" i.e. you have at least US$1m in assets to bring with you.

It is not easy to get even a recruitment agent to take you seriously if you are not already in the US, but if you are getting a visa under (ii) above then you need a job offer before you can get the visa. It's a chicken and egg situation.

I would strongly recommend that you don't come to the US to seek work without a visa as no reputable employer would take you on as an employee even if there was work to be had, but as the US is, by most accounts, effectively in recession you are unlikely to find any work at all. And it is not just a matter of finding an employer to sponsor you for a visa - it has to a job that he can't expect to fill with an existing US citizen or permanent resident.

If you enter illegally and they catch you you will be deported and banned from returning (for ten years I think).

If you want to come to live in the US then, as a British citizen, the only realistic options you have are (ii) or (iii) in my list above.

Which ever way you try to do it, it is going to be very difficult, but if you really want to it is possible.

I hope this helps.

mark19964

Pulaski,
we're gonna have to check that out about the Auntie, with regards to emigration.

The only reason I mentioned this on the post was when we attended the embassy for our permenant residence visas, there was a family from pakistan who were emigrating and they were taking along one of there nieces on there visa as part of the family application !!

I'll check this out and come back with the answers.

Pulaski

The rules may be different for minors. I know, for example, that unmarried children upto age 21 can join their parents if their parents get a visa to emigrate to the US. I wonder if there may be something similar for other minor-relatives - or maybe the girl was an orphan, or otherwise adopted?

Itchy Feet

Thanks for all your informative replies. They're all very helpful.

whatever

YS that was me - My sibling filed an I-130 in 1990 and I am just about to embark on the AOS journey now.

Ivonne

An aunt can not sponsor you!

Itchy feet, Im not from GB, I am from Germany and my husband was transferred here on an L1 (I have L2).

Ivonne

steppke

Hi,

This is how I did it - in 2001 after 20+ years in my profession I decided to go back to school and to apply for an MBA course at a US university. Applied to about 3 schools in California, came over on VW for interviews, got 3 offers and accepted one to start in 2002 (you would need to show you can pay for your tuition and living expenses).

During my time in California looking at schools I had made a few contacts and one offered me a 3 month consultancy contract (perfectly legal, I was paid into a UK bank account and worked for my UK consulting company) so I took it to fill in the time before my college course started. After 2 weeks they offered me a full-time job with H1-B sponsorship, I accepted and cancelled plans to go back to school. I met my now husband, a USC, changed status and now have a green card.

That's how I did it, all perfectly legal and above board. I did have the benefit of several years savings which I was prepared to use to finance my tuition if necessary, but luckily things worked out and I now have a great job, wonderful husband and live in San Francisco. All that said, we will still go back to the UK in a few years time.

Good luck, my only advice to you is play straight and don't risk future success by working illegally, overstaying or in any way comprimising your future immigration record.

kevbhoy

Hi there,
I don't think sponsorship by auntie will work. I am a US Permanent Resident (Green Card). My folks emigrated in 1993. I did not get my GC until 2001. By the time I got it I was five months away from getting married. My wife (Scottish) and I went over, despite her being refused for a B1 tourist visa (at that time allowed stays up to six months - now thirty days I believe). We went over anyway, with her going on a visa waiver. She got accepted into a college there but State Dept in London refused her student visa twice more because of my permanent resident status (intent to stay was the reason given). I wrote to all senators and a number of congressmen, contacted media, etc, but had no luck fighting city hall. I was in a full time job in the States (IT network engineer) and proved we had sufficient funds for her to study. In addition, my folks provided an additional affidavit of support (my mother became US Citizen in 2000) to try and help her stay legally. Her visa was refused again. She has no criminal record, bad health, or anything detrimental to her application other than being married to a permanent resident. Now if I had been on a student visa OR if we weren't married, she would probably have got her visa???? I had a 'heated discussion' with Ted Kennedys immigration rep stating I believed this law encouraged illegal immigration (as we were in the US at the time). Despite tremendous support from family, friends, colleagues, and strangers who got our story from the press, the powers that be could not see the injustice or immoral situation they placed me in - being with my natural family in the US apart from my wife, or for my wife to keep legal and me being with her outside of US apart from my family.
We left in the summer of 2002, absolutely distraught and disgusted at their system (I had fought with it for 8 years before getting my GC) and applied to emigrate to Oz. We have just done our medicals and hope to get PR visas for Oz within two months. My folks plan to leave the US and join us when we get settled.
If you cannot get over on a student visa or a H1 type visa, I would recommend doing it illegally and playing the system until the next amnesty or until you are caught. Sorry I can't sound more upbeat or positive, I'm still very bitter over my experience with them.
Good luck
Kevin
BTW - Immigration law there does change regularly so you may just get lucky...

Itchy Feet

[QUOTE]Originally posted by kevbhoy
Hi there,
I don't think sponsorship by auntie will work. I am a US Permanent Resident (Green Card). My folks emigrated in 1993. I did not get my GC until 2001....

Thanks for all that. Very helpful. It does seem like a complete nightmare to try to get into the States. Think might go the visa waiver route and take a chance. Sorry to hear about the mare you've had.

we've put thoughts of immigrating on the backburner for a while. My boyfriend and I are going travelling for a year or so and then we'll see. We've got year working holiday visas to the Australia, so we'll see what it's like there. Although have to say, it's always been a dream of mine to live in the States. Just love it!

By the way, people talk about all these different types of visas, is there any easy guide describing each type of Visa?

Ta. Good luck with Aus!

Itchy Feet

doctor scrumpy

Just out of interest, wht is it that we are not eligible for the green card lottery in the UK ?