| Moving to the USA? 23:10 - Nov 4 with 5067 views | thame_hoops |
I know a few here are ex-pats living in the US now, Mark in Baltimore to spring a name.
How easy is it to move to the US, get a visa etc ?
I met a girl in Fort Worth recently and I’ve been over twice to see her, just wondered what others have experienced etc?
I know Google is free but people here are always a fountain of knowledge and experience |  | | |  |
| Moving to the USA? on 23:20 - Nov 6 with 1473 views | GaryT |
I want to applaud the restraint on both sides to avoid diving into another never ending Trump debate. It's the last thing Clive wants and we all know (having participated in a few of them) neither side will move an inch. So for my part I will not be mentioning his name again and hope everyone respects Clive's wishes and we stick to the football and any other random shit that comes to mind. |  | | |
| Moving to the USA? on 00:45 - Nov 7 with 1393 views | Boston |
| Moving to the USA? on 23:20 - Nov 6 by GaryT |
I want to applaud the restraint on both sides to avoid diving into another never ending Trump debate. It's the last thing Clive wants and we all know (having participated in a few of them) neither side will move an inch. So for my part I will not be mentioning his name again and hope everyone respects Clive's wishes and we stick to the football and any other random shit that comes to mind. |
Shame you felt the need to mention it when most felt it was inappropriate. |  |
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| Moving to the USA? on 00:49 - Nov 7 with 1390 views | Boston |
| Moving to the USA? on 23:00 - Nov 5 by acricketer |
Once went to Fort Worth on business. Went out for a meal by myself and ordered a bottle of wine. They refused and then proceeded to serve me 6 individual glasses of wine. Go figure.
The next night I was meeting a group from the company I was doing work for and the first to arrive at the restaurant.
I was asked to sign a waiver taking responsibility for everyone's drinking! Texas eh!? |
Actually, it's to do with the legal profession. | |
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| Moving to the USA? on 00:58 - Nov 7 with 1377 views | SydneyRs |
| Moving to the USA? on 00:45 - Nov 7 by Boston |
Shame you felt the need to mention it when most felt it was inappropriate. |
Indeed. We don't need to go down that road again on here. | | | |
| Moving to the USA? on 11:46 - Nov 7 with 1224 views | Orthodox_Hoop |
| Moving to the USA? on 00:58 - Nov 7 by SydneyRs |
Indeed. We don't need to go down that road again on here. |
As many quite rightly pointed out at the time, that debate escalated into the polarised mess that it was because it was the close season - now that the season is well and truly underway (unfortunately so in our case) people are much more focused on what's going on with the Rs. No need to resurrect it; although if Harris had miraculously won I'm pretty certain there'd be a wave of schadenfreude from certain elements of the crowd. It's over, he won, we move on - and it would be unfair to derail the original post of how to move to the US. I'm genuinely interested in how it's done too. |  | | |
| Moving to the USA? on 12:09 - Nov 7 with 1175 views | charmr |
Heed wise words [Post edited 7 Nov 12:15]
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| Moving to the USA? on 12:19 - Nov 7 with 1165 views | BklynRanger |
I think the obvious route is probably the one to keep plugging away at Thame, i.e. having a good google of something along the lines of 'work with visa sponsorship usa', seeing what's closest to your skills and interests.
I started on an 18 month J-1 visa, which I'm not sure even exists anymore. Got along well with one of my managers and was kept on to move onto an H1 visa (3 years). That's where you'd want to start I think if you do go that route. In those days once you got onto your third H1 visa you could apply for your green card. So not a quick process.
The post-9/11 years didn't help me - the list was moving backwards for a couple of years at one point. But the advent of zoom etc will improve your options greatly as far as interviews etc I'd have thought. |  | | |
| Moving to the USA? on 14:50 - Nov 7 with 1120 views | GaryT |
| Moving to the USA? on 00:45 - Nov 7 by Boston |
Shame you felt the need to mention it when most felt it was inappropriate. |
As I said, I was impressed at the restraint shown on both sides but when I saw that charmr had responded with “Project 2025, fancy that where you live?” to Sonofpugwash post “Can't help laughing after last night and all the lefty tantrums and meltdowns. Got a nice bottle of bubbly on ice for tonight's celebrations. God bless America.” (The two posts immediately preceding mine so easy to miss). I immediately grabbed my popcorn and settled in for another 35 page wánkfést but then I said “Oi! No! The Guvnor don't want none of that politic stuff in this gaff, take it outside!”.
Thanks for reminding us all that no good deed goes unpunished. | | | |
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| Moving to the USA? on 15:39 - Nov 7 with 1065 views | charmr |
Apologies. | | | |
| Moving to the USA? on 16:04 - Nov 7 with 1034 views | Boston |
| Moving to the USA? on 12:19 - Nov 7 by BklynRanger |
I think the obvious route is probably the one to keep plugging away at Thame, i.e. having a good google of something along the lines of 'work with visa sponsorship usa', seeing what's closest to your skills and interests.
I started on an 18 month J-1 visa, which I'm not sure even exists anymore. Got along well with one of my managers and was kept on to move onto an H1 visa (3 years). That's where you'd want to start I think if you do go that route. In those days once you got onto your third H1 visa you could apply for your green card. So not a quick process.
The post-9/11 years didn't help me - the list was moving backwards for a couple of years at one point. But the advent of zoom etc will improve your options greatly as far as interviews etc I'd have thought. |
J-1 & H-1 still exist.
I used to employ many a 'jay oner' when I was a larger concern, still take the occasional summer help on through this visa. | |
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| Moving to the USA? on 16:18 - Nov 7 with 1017 views | padstow |
I wanted to hike the triple crown of long distance hikes in the US (Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail), which are between 2,200 miles and 3,100 miles long and so couldn't realistically be done on a three month tourist visa. The next best alternative was the one you took out, which is a 10 year visa that allows you to stay in the country in 6 month stints (B1/B2). That meant I was able to come over in 2011, 2012, 2014 and then again in 2017 to go 'do my thing' in the mountains!
On that last trip in 2017 I happened to be introduced to someone and we fell in love (when you get to a certain age, as I am, when you know...you know, right?!). We very quickly knew that we were meant for each other and, as the end of that particular 6 month visa grew closer we became concerned at what happens next. We called an immigration lawyer who was great and basically said that we had two choices:
1) I fly home and then go to the US Embassy and apply for a Fiancee Visa. My other half would have to do the same at her end. The process is long (VERY) and our ability to see each other in the meantime would be very restricted because I wouldn't be eligible any more for a tourist visa. The VITAL thing she mentioned was that you can only enter the country on one visa and that visa must be based on your initial intention when entering the country UNLESS that intention changes once you're there. And that brings me to the second point;
2) I was there on a tourist visa doing touristy things. I could prove that I met my betrothed whilst there and as a result I could apply to go through a "Change of Status" if we got married before the visa ran out.
We got married, I put my application to change status in, and cancelled my flight home! Now, once that was acknowledged by Immigration (they simply send you a letter saying they've got it) you just wait...and wait...and wait. You are now without a visa (as you've told them you are no longer in country based on your initial intent so my visa is no longer valid) but the letter of acknowledgement serves to gives you a status that had to be created through the courts as there's no other Federal legislation that allowed for the visaless gap between you invalidating your entry visa and them finally getting round to processing your application and giving you a green card. That status is called "PRUCOL" (Permanently Residing Under Cover Of Law). It certainly made me nervous but my Lawyer was very good and assured me all was okay. She must have been right because I was able to use the term to take my driving test in the state of Georgia (where we were living at the time) and they gave me a Drivers License!
After four or five months I got two interim documents that were an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), which is a temporary Work Permit, and Advance Parole. The Parole gave me the right of entry back into the county if I left it at any time (prior to that being issued, if I'd have flown back home I'd not have been able to get back in!). It took just over two years before they got round to processing my Change of Status Application (I had to get all my biometrics taken a couple of months in but then it was back to waiting) and then we were both interviewed AT LENGTH about our marriage, how we met, where we live, what we do, etc. There were some quite personal questions too but we had to prove that we met AFTER I entered the country on a tourist visa and that our marriage was genuine. They then kept my Work Permit and Parole and a couple of weeks later got a Conditional Green Card in the mail.
If you have been married for less than two years you only get a two year Green Card, with the proviso that after two years, if you're STILL married and can go through the process of proving that you're still happily living a married life then you can apply to have the conditions removed and they issue you with a normal 10 year Green Card. The renewal of these every 10 years is a relatively simple process (in comparison) but don't forget to do it (many do!). Instead, after three years (if your green card was marriage based) you can apply for citizenship, which is what I did. I've now been here for 7.5 years and my wife and I just celebrated our 7th Anniversary with a trip to the UK! ;-) In fact it was our second trip back as I had the pleasure of introducing my wife to Clive in the Crown on our previous trip (thanks for the drink Clive. We still owe you a Peroni or two!
Sorry for the long post, but unless you're planning on joining a caravan to cross the border from the south, then this is going to be a long and laborious process full of many potential pitfalls and stumbling blocks if you get it wrong. My advice would be to speak to a good immigration consultant and get your ducks in a row and make each step planned and deliberate.
Oh, the only other thing I can think of at this stage is I started my application in 2017, just as a new president was taking office that had a particular mandate on immigration. Regardless of political opinion (this isn't meant as one) my lawyer pointed out that all of her cases were taking much longer than usual because the staff at the immigration office (USCIS) were inundated with new legislation and/or procedures at an alarming pace and it meant that, each time that happened they had to suspend all work on new applications and review all existing applications to see how they could be affected by the new legislation/process. This happens each time there's a change of government, obviously, but it was quite extensive back then.
I don't need to point out (but will, just as a heads up) that this may now be something you also face if you plan to start your process over the next few years.
TL:DR It's a really long and complicated process that results in really long, dull posts on football forums. If you get through to the end still sane, then you can be like me and happily married whilst enjoying having the life ruined twice a week watching a bunch of guys in blue and white hoops on a screen forgetting what they've been told they're supposed to do with the small round white (sometimes yellow) thing. | | | |
| Moving to the USA? on 16:37 - Nov 7 with 994 views | BostonR |
I lived on and off (work related) for many years in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. I returned to the U.K. a couple of years ago to retire.
I really enjoyed my time in the US. I had a top job and was very financially successful and independent.
I felt the wind changing politically after Trump tried to storm the Capitol building in the US. Whilst the states I lived in were not prolific gun owners the gun lobby just exploded. There was a polarisation politically, that I hadn’t witnessed before and it was ugly - so time to come home.
It’s an amazing country with brilliant friendly people, but right now they have made a decision with Trump that they will have to own. It’s not going to be pretty and I sense that at some point the blue touch paper will be lit and then they will struggle to control a whole heap of different groups intent on violence. Trump will encourage it.
And don’t get me going on the huge influence the Christian right fruitcakes have on the country - it’s fecking scary! |  | | |
| Moving to the USA? on 16:48 - Nov 7 with 977 views | Boston |
| Moving to the USA? on 16:18 - Nov 7 by padstow |
I wanted to hike the triple crown of long distance hikes in the US (Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail), which are between 2,200 miles and 3,100 miles long and so couldn't realistically be done on a three month tourist visa. The next best alternative was the one you took out, which is a 10 year visa that allows you to stay in the country in 6 month stints (B1/B2). That meant I was able to come over in 2011, 2012, 2014 and then again in 2017 to go 'do my thing' in the mountains!
On that last trip in 2017 I happened to be introduced to someone and we fell in love (when you get to a certain age, as I am, when you know...you know, right?!). We very quickly knew that we were meant for each other and, as the end of that particular 6 month visa grew closer we became concerned at what happens next. We called an immigration lawyer who was great and basically said that we had two choices:
1) I fly home and then go to the US Embassy and apply for a Fiancee Visa. My other half would have to do the same at her end. The process is long (VERY) and our ability to see each other in the meantime would be very restricted because I wouldn't be eligible any more for a tourist visa. The VITAL thing she mentioned was that you can only enter the country on one visa and that visa must be based on your initial intention when entering the country UNLESS that intention changes once you're there. And that brings me to the second point;
2) I was there on a tourist visa doing touristy things. I could prove that I met my betrothed whilst there and as a result I could apply to go through a "Change of Status" if we got married before the visa ran out.
We got married, I put my application to change status in, and cancelled my flight home! Now, once that was acknowledged by Immigration (they simply send you a letter saying they've got it) you just wait...and wait...and wait. You are now without a visa (as you've told them you are no longer in country based on your initial intent so my visa is no longer valid) but the letter of acknowledgement serves to gives you a status that had to be created through the courts as there's no other Federal legislation that allowed for the visaless gap between you invalidating your entry visa and them finally getting round to processing your application and giving you a green card. That status is called "PRUCOL" (Permanently Residing Under Cover Of Law). It certainly made me nervous but my Lawyer was very good and assured me all was okay. She must have been right because I was able to use the term to take my driving test in the state of Georgia (where we were living at the time) and they gave me a Drivers License!
After four or five months I got two interim documents that were an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), which is a temporary Work Permit, and Advance Parole. The Parole gave me the right of entry back into the county if I left it at any time (prior to that being issued, if I'd have flown back home I'd not have been able to get back in!). It took just over two years before they got round to processing my Change of Status Application (I had to get all my biometrics taken a couple of months in but then it was back to waiting) and then we were both interviewed AT LENGTH about our marriage, how we met, where we live, what we do, etc. There were some quite personal questions too but we had to prove that we met AFTER I entered the country on a tourist visa and that our marriage was genuine. They then kept my Work Permit and Parole and a couple of weeks later got a Conditional Green Card in the mail.
If you have been married for less than two years you only get a two year Green Card, with the proviso that after two years, if you're STILL married and can go through the process of proving that you're still happily living a married life then you can apply to have the conditions removed and they issue you with a normal 10 year Green Card. The renewal of these every 10 years is a relatively simple process (in comparison) but don't forget to do it (many do!). Instead, after three years (if your green card was marriage based) you can apply for citizenship, which is what I did. I've now been here for 7.5 years and my wife and I just celebrated our 7th Anniversary with a trip to the UK! ;-) In fact it was our second trip back as I had the pleasure of introducing my wife to Clive in the Crown on our previous trip (thanks for the drink Clive. We still owe you a Peroni or two!
Sorry for the long post, but unless you're planning on joining a caravan to cross the border from the south, then this is going to be a long and laborious process full of many potential pitfalls and stumbling blocks if you get it wrong. My advice would be to speak to a good immigration consultant and get your ducks in a row and make each step planned and deliberate.
Oh, the only other thing I can think of at this stage is I started my application in 2017, just as a new president was taking office that had a particular mandate on immigration. Regardless of political opinion (this isn't meant as one) my lawyer pointed out that all of her cases were taking much longer than usual because the staff at the immigration office (USCIS) were inundated with new legislation and/or procedures at an alarming pace and it meant that, each time that happened they had to suspend all work on new applications and review all existing applications to see how they could be affected by the new legislation/process. This happens each time there's a change of government, obviously, but it was quite extensive back then.
I don't need to point out (but will, just as a heads up) that this may now be something you also face if you plan to start your process over the next few years.
TL:DR It's a really long and complicated process that results in really long, dull posts on football forums. If you get through to the end still sane, then you can be like me and happily married whilst enjoying having the life ruined twice a week watching a bunch of guys in blue and white hoops on a screen forgetting what they've been told they're supposed to do with the small round white (sometimes yellow) thing. |
Top post Padstow. | |
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| Moving to the USA? on 16:57 - Nov 7 with 938 views | charmr |
From my understanding when in the US you can only change your visa H and above. Js and tourist visas you have to leave and apply for a fiancé visa.
I came on an H2 visa and was able to change. Dishing out visas has got a lot tighter due to the tech industry taking advantage of the system and exploitation of workers. [Post edited 7 Nov 17:07]
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| Moving to the USA? on 22:02 - Nov 7 with 838 views | thame_hoops |
| Moving to the USA? on 16:18 - Nov 7 by padstow |
I wanted to hike the triple crown of long distance hikes in the US (Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail), which are between 2,200 miles and 3,100 miles long and so couldn't realistically be done on a three month tourist visa. The next best alternative was the one you took out, which is a 10 year visa that allows you to stay in the country in 6 month stints (B1/B2). That meant I was able to come over in 2011, 2012, 2014 and then again in 2017 to go 'do my thing' in the mountains!
On that last trip in 2017 I happened to be introduced to someone and we fell in love (when you get to a certain age, as I am, when you know...you know, right?!). We very quickly knew that we were meant for each other and, as the end of that particular 6 month visa grew closer we became concerned at what happens next. We called an immigration lawyer who was great and basically said that we had two choices:
1) I fly home and then go to the US Embassy and apply for a Fiancee Visa. My other half would have to do the same at her end. The process is long (VERY) and our ability to see each other in the meantime would be very restricted because I wouldn't be eligible any more for a tourist visa. The VITAL thing she mentioned was that you can only enter the country on one visa and that visa must be based on your initial intention when entering the country UNLESS that intention changes once you're there. And that brings me to the second point;
2) I was there on a tourist visa doing touristy things. I could prove that I met my betrothed whilst there and as a result I could apply to go through a "Change of Status" if we got married before the visa ran out.
We got married, I put my application to change status in, and cancelled my flight home! Now, once that was acknowledged by Immigration (they simply send you a letter saying they've got it) you just wait...and wait...and wait. You are now without a visa (as you've told them you are no longer in country based on your initial intent so my visa is no longer valid) but the letter of acknowledgement serves to gives you a status that had to be created through the courts as there's no other Federal legislation that allowed for the visaless gap between you invalidating your entry visa and them finally getting round to processing your application and giving you a green card. That status is called "PRUCOL" (Permanently Residing Under Cover Of Law). It certainly made me nervous but my Lawyer was very good and assured me all was okay. She must have been right because I was able to use the term to take my driving test in the state of Georgia (where we were living at the time) and they gave me a Drivers License!
After four or five months I got two interim documents that were an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), which is a temporary Work Permit, and Advance Parole. The Parole gave me the right of entry back into the county if I left it at any time (prior to that being issued, if I'd have flown back home I'd not have been able to get back in!). It took just over two years before they got round to processing my Change of Status Application (I had to get all my biometrics taken a couple of months in but then it was back to waiting) and then we were both interviewed AT LENGTH about our marriage, how we met, where we live, what we do, etc. There were some quite personal questions too but we had to prove that we met AFTER I entered the country on a tourist visa and that our marriage was genuine. They then kept my Work Permit and Parole and a couple of weeks later got a Conditional Green Card in the mail.
If you have been married for less than two years you only get a two year Green Card, with the proviso that after two years, if you're STILL married and can go through the process of proving that you're still happily living a married life then you can apply to have the conditions removed and they issue you with a normal 10 year Green Card. The renewal of these every 10 years is a relatively simple process (in comparison) but don't forget to do it (many do!). Instead, after three years (if your green card was marriage based) you can apply for citizenship, which is what I did. I've now been here for 7.5 years and my wife and I just celebrated our 7th Anniversary with a trip to the UK! ;-) In fact it was our second trip back as I had the pleasure of introducing my wife to Clive in the Crown on our previous trip (thanks for the drink Clive. We still owe you a Peroni or two!
Sorry for the long post, but unless you're planning on joining a caravan to cross the border from the south, then this is going to be a long and laborious process full of many potential pitfalls and stumbling blocks if you get it wrong. My advice would be to speak to a good immigration consultant and get your ducks in a row and make each step planned and deliberate.
Oh, the only other thing I can think of at this stage is I started my application in 2017, just as a new president was taking office that had a particular mandate on immigration. Regardless of political opinion (this isn't meant as one) my lawyer pointed out that all of her cases were taking much longer than usual because the staff at the immigration office (USCIS) were inundated with new legislation and/or procedures at an alarming pace and it meant that, each time that happened they had to suspend all work on new applications and review all existing applications to see how they could be affected by the new legislation/process. This happens each time there's a change of government, obviously, but it was quite extensive back then.
I don't need to point out (but will, just as a heads up) that this may now be something you also face if you plan to start your process over the next few years.
TL:DR It's a really long and complicated process that results in really long, dull posts on football forums. If you get through to the end still sane, then you can be like me and happily married whilst enjoying having the life ruined twice a week watching a bunch of guys in blue and white hoops on a screen forgetting what they've been told they're supposed to do with the small round white (sometimes yellow) thing. |
That’s amazing. Thank you. Yes, when you know you know ha ha. Well, I’m going back out just before thanksgiving for a week. Let’s see how things go. | | | |
| Moving to the USA? on 22:54 - Nov 7 with 807 views | Boston |
| Moving to the USA? on 22:02 - Nov 7 by thame_hoops |
That’s amazing. Thank you. Yes, when you know you know ha ha. Well, I’m going back out just before thanksgiving for a week. Let’s see how things go. |
Word of caution though thame old chap, entering the United States as a man can lead to one becoming a hysterical woman.  | |
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| Moving to the USA? on 11:19 - Nov 8 with 596 views | Sonofpugwash |
Always wanted to do Route 66 in a '59 Corvette.
Anybody here done the drive? |  |
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| Moving to the USA? on 11:39 - Nov 8 with 574 views | ted_hendrix |
| Moving to the USA? on 11:19 - Nov 8 by Sonofpugwash |
Always wanted to do Route 66 in a '59 Corvette.
Anybody here done the drive? |
Yea done bits of It, I stopped overnight In a Motel In the town of Williams Arizona, the main road through the city still has an original Route 66 sign, so I went to get my camera out and realised like a pillock that I'd left It at home In England.
Done a Texas road trip too, Texas Is absolutely huge, we stopped In Austin Texas for a few nights, 6Th Street In Austin Is legendary Friday/Saturday nights for clubs/bars/fighting/debauchery/pimps/and all round good time, and It was. |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Moving to the USA? on 08:09 - Nov 23 with 211 views | thame_hoops |
Back in Fort Worth TX for 10 days, things are moving quick hahaha | | | |
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