# Moving from Ireland to the US



## dynamic_aura (Aug 7, 2009)

Hi everyone... long time reader.... first time poster!!

I live in Ireland and my boyfriend lives in Al, USA. I am a mother of a 3 yr old boy and am going bak to college in sept for 2 yrs. it is our hope after i am done with college for my son and i to move over to my bf.

we wish to do it by means of the fiancee visa. My bf hopes to buy a house in the next year in the Al area. By the time we move over my son have started school. 

is there any advice that can be given with the moving and visa process and getting settled in and how to find a good school for my son?


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Where in AL do you plan to live?


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## dynamic_aura (Aug 7, 2009)

twostep said:


> Where in AL do you plan to live?



it will most likely be the Birmingham/Pelham area but we were also looking at Helena.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

I will stay on my side of town:>)
Helena is not taking the current economic downturn very well. It grew too fast and is now paying for it.
Pelham may be a better choice but in AL check on county locations. Jefferson County is in a major turmoil and may end up declaring bankruptcy. It just laid off 1000+ employees, has water board bond issues ... 
Who knows what the situation will look like in two years.
Please consider commute to and from work. Within what is considered Birmingham which encompasses the outlying towns you can spend three hours/day or more.

If you want to chat about AL you may want to do so by PM to keep the thread from becoming too boring for the others.


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## dynamic_aura (Aug 7, 2009)

Yea that would be great thanks!


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

I think you will need a certain number of posts to be able to PM.

Start reading the local news - Birmingham, AL Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - al.com


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## dynamic_aura (Aug 7, 2009)

ha ha ha so we'll be to'in and fro'in for a while! Are u livin in Al?


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

dynamic_aura said:


> ha ha ha so we'll be to'in and fro'in for a while! Are u livin in Al?


Quit texting, start typing and I will gladly answer.

Some more AL links:

ALSDE - Education Directory



Black & White


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## dynamic_aura (Aug 7, 2009)

twostep said:


> Quit texting, start typing and I will gladly answer.
> 
> Some more AL links:
> 
> ...


sorry bad habit really!


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

dynamic_aura said:


> we wish to do it by means of the fiancee visa.
> .
> is there any advice


The visa process is going to take 8 to 10 months. Once issued, the visa is valid for 6 months. Plan accordingly.


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## dynamic_aura (Aug 7, 2009)

Thank you very much that is really good to know!


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

dynamic_aura said:


> Thank you very much that is really good to know!


Makes it difficult to plan fancy weddings -- if you're into those -- since you've only got 90 days from arrival to do the deed. Don't lay out any deposits on wedding stuff until the visa is in actually your hand.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twostep said:


> If you want to chat about AL you may want to do so by PM to keep the thread from becoming too boring for the others.


A public chat about 'Bama would be much better. I promise to try not to say anything!


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Fatbrit said:


> A public chat about 'Bama would be much better. I promise to try not to say anything!


Miracles never cease to happen:>)

Birmingham offers everything a metropolitan area such as Atlanta does. From art, food, museums to shopping - you will find it. Downtown is like all old steel towns - dirty and in the process of rebuilding. Three big car makers, one of the largest steel mills, two major universities, banking still going strong and an international airport. It takes two to three hours to drive to the beach and 30 minutes to be in the final tip of the Appalachian Mountains. Grocery stores range from run of the mill WalMart to organic butchershops and Aldi. Nice hot and humid (right now 90F with 60% humidity) but a single snowflake causes town to shut down. 

It also offers horrendous traffic jams. Hwy 280 is famous:>( As town consists of a number of sometimes independent municipalities get used to distances. It is spread out which also means a lot of green everywhere. 30-50 mile roundtrip commute is considered normal.

Alabamians are direct descendents of the Great Mole. Construction is everywhere no matter what the news has to say about the crisis. 

Taxes vary considerably from county to county so do utilities. Unless your child goes to a private school check out schools before even looking at Helena. Your residence determines the school your child goes to. You have your old and established neighborhoods and lots of newer developer built rabbit warrens; sleep towns.

Get ready for some major sticker shock when it comes to cost of living. 

If you are not a fan of college football or Nascar - learn to live with it! The only worse thing is golf. Live rotates around these vices. FatBrit - do not call it Bama unless you mean Roll Tide:>)


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## dynamic_aura (Aug 7, 2009)

No there will no fancy wedding, just cheap and cheerful!


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## dynamic_aura (Aug 7, 2009)

twostep said:


> If you are not a fan of college football or Nascar - learn to live with it! The only worse thing is golf. Live rotates around these vices. FatBrit - do not call it Bama unless you mean Roll Tide:>)


Ha ha the football and Nascar i can deal with and i agree with the golf! When i was there in June i was really surprised to see how green it was.

My child wont be going to private school and i have looked at the links you have left. They have been a great help, thank you!


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

dynamic_aura said:


> No there will no fancy wedding, just cheap and cheerful!


You wanted to say inexpensive? Duck! No paper plates please. BYOB will be fine.

Where does your fiance work? Commute can be killer.
If you can look at the other side of town check out Greystone Elementary - Graystone Elementary


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## dynamic_aura (Aug 7, 2009)

twostep said:


> You wanted to say inexpensive? Duck! No paper plates please. BYOB will be fine.
> 
> Where does your fiance work? Commute can be killer.
> If you can look at the other side of town check out Greystone Elementary - Graystone Elementary


Ha ha you'll not get any cheaper then that!

He works for Sprint and can be in any of their stores. Most his commute would be about 30/45 mins or could be 10 mins depending on which store he is in.


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## dynamic_aura (Aug 7, 2009)

twostep said:


> If you can look at the other side of town check out Greystone Elementary - Graystone Elementary


that link is to a school in CA


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

dynamic_aura said:


> that link is to a school in CA


Use friend Google:>)



Greystone Elementary School - Hoover, Alabama/AL - Public School Profile

Pages - default


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