# Wanting to emmigrate, feeling confused!!



## Curlyswirly (Oct 3, 2008)

Hi All,

Wondered if anyone could give me some advice about emmigrating to the USA. I have tried to look into different Visas etc but not sure what they all mean and whether i'd be eligible for any.

At the moment, i am 20 and training to be a primary school teacher. Ideally, i would love to emmigrate in about 4 years, when i am qualified and have a couple of years teaching under my belt. 

What are my chances as a single female of UK origin applying for a visa? Could i get one as a teacher?

Would i be atall elegible for the Diversity Lottery visa?

Sorry for all the questions but i am trying to research it all early so i know what my chances are as i have no idea how long applying for a visa etc takes.

thanks so much for your help
Curly Swirly x


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Curlyswirly said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Wondered if anyone could give me some advice about emmigrating to the USA. I have tried to look into different Visas etc but not sure what they all mean and whether i'd be eligible for any.
> 
> ...



Chances are low....but some have made it using this route. Look at getting a master's before anyone will take you seriously, and also at state licensing requirements -- there are 50 states and a few odds and sods, so there are that many rules and regulations for licensing. Your route will be H1b. Getting a school to hire you (with the hassle, expense, and mismatched timetable) will be an uphill struggle of Everest proportions.

Eligibility for the DV is based on where you were born, where your spouse was born, or possibly in strange circumstance where your parents were born.


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## arsenal9 (Oct 1, 2008)

*hi*



Curlyswirly said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Wondered if anyone could give me some advice about emmigrating to the USA. I have tried to look into different Visas etc but not sure what they all mean and whether i'd be eligible for any.
> 
> ...


first of all its nice hearing that you are intrested in America. since you are a british and i am assuming you have a british pass getting a visa is not a problem at all. once you get here you can apply and change your tourist visa to a work or student visa where if you apply for work visa your employer should give you something that you can show as proof. once that is done you will go to immigration office and apply for work permit which would go hand in hand with your work visa then you would take your passport with your visa in it and your work permit once it arrives in mail which takes 3 to 4 weeks since the day you applied to the social security office and get your social security number in the mail in about two weeks. you must have the work permit and a valid work visa to get a social number which is very important in this country. It sounds hard and alot of work but trust me one you get the addresses of these offices is very easy. *[Moderator's note: The first part of this post is simply incorrect. Moving to the US, Brit passport or not, is not a matter of just coming over and applying for a work permit. As usual with these types of posts, there is a distinct lack of detail about the process and a suggestion that the writer possesses secret knowledge. Readers are warned that following such advise is possibly illegal and will probably end in tears!]* i am 33 years old and live in NYC but moved here 22 years ago so i went through all of that with my family. somethings have changed but i recently helped a friend through the same thing as u and thats why i am telling all these things. i give you my email (email removed). but now let me ask you? before you come here please and i say please because i have seen it all here and this country is not what it was 5 or 10 years ago. opportunities are much less, demand is higher, everything is more expensive and pay is stayed the same that is even if you find a job. the economy of the U.S right now is garbage to be straight with. so before you come here check out other countries like canada, australia, holland, switzerland and weigh your options. if u need help i will gladly help you but i be here for only another couple months since myself am moving out of the country to start a new life where there is less stress and more time to enjoy life . sorry if scared u but just want to be honest. good luk keep in touch


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

arsenal9 said:


> ..assuming you have a british pass getting a visa is not a problem at all. once you get here you can apply and change your tourist visa to a work or student visa where if you apply for work visa your employer should give you something that you can show as proof. once that is done you will go to immigration office and apply for work permit which would go hand in hand with your work visa then you would take your passport with your visa in it and your work permit once it arrives in mail which takes 3 to 4 weeks since the day you applied to the social security office and get your social security number in the mail in about two weeks. you must have the work permit and a valid work visa to get a social number which is very important in this country. QUOTE]
> 
> I removed the email address from the above reply. Putting your email address in a public forum is not a good idea, unless you are fond of spam, or, even better, cyber stalkers.
> 
> ...


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## Curlyswirly (Oct 3, 2008)

Thanks for your help everyone.

Do you think i could possibly move through my church?? I don't know if that's an option, but maybe i could get sponsor ship through my church to one in the USA?



Can i buy a holiday home in the USA if i don't live there full time??

Thanks x


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

We have this concept called separation of church and state. Your church has no standing to sponsor you. You may have read about churches sponsoring people, but those people are refugees, and they are sponsoring people who are already coming to the US and are offering them support.


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## arsenal9 (Oct 1, 2008)

*really*



synthia said:


> arsenal9 said:
> 
> 
> > ..assuming you have a british pass getting a visa is not a problem at all. once you get here you can apply and change your tourist visa to a work or student visa where if you apply for work visa your employer should give you something that you can show as proof. once that is done you will go to immigration office and apply for work permit which would go hand in hand with your work visa then you would take your passport with your visa in it and your work permit once it arrives in mail which takes 3 to 4 weeks since the day you applied to the social security office and get your social security number in the mail in about two weeks. you must have the work permit and a valid work visa to get a social number which is very important in this country. QUOTE]
> ...


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

arsenal9 said:


> synthia said:
> 
> 
> > First of all i am not trying to sell anything just simply helping her. Also I dont know where you live and could care less but NYC is full of immigrants who have work permits and have gotten them through their employer but they need a social first. so dont come in here accusing me of selling some **** to her. and a work permit is not given twice a year it is good for two years only then you have to renew it. (SNIP)
> ...


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Curlyswirly said:


> Thanks for your help everyone.
> 
> Do you think i could possibly move through my church?? I don't know if that's an option, but maybe i could get sponsor ship through my church to one in the USA?
> 
> ...


There's a non-immigrant visa known as the R1....but I'm not sure whether you have to be more on the preach side rather than the teach one. What I do know is that it is a visa with a high fraud rate, so your case has to be water-tight with the t's and i's well taken care of. Might be worth investigating if there's a branch of your church here in the US.

No problem buying a holiday home if you're a foreigner, but you have no right to live in it. At a young age, you're probably stuck with the VWP and max 90-day visits. Older and with independent income, you could look at "snowbirding" with a B2 visa. You must spend at least as much time out as you do in. Depending on the area, house prices are falling nicely at the moment but I don't think they've bottomed out. You can forget a US mortgage in the current climate unless you put serious money down.


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## Curlyswirly (Oct 3, 2008)

thanks for your help everyone 

Looks like my chances are pretty slim ( Better go find an American Husband!! ) hehehe


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

Maybe you should give serious thought to Canada or Australia, if you want to emigrate to an English-speaking country. Look through the stickies in the Australia forum (it's right below this one). You'll find a link to the Australian immigration web site. That site has a test you can take to determine if you are eligible to immigrate. Going through that should give you an idea of your chances. One of the advantages is that you don't have to find a job before you can go.


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## fivestar (Sep 27, 2008)

*wanting to emigrate,feeling confused*

hi i'm interested in the way arsenal9 way of getting a visa as i have heard of this way but it didnt give much details and would be keen to get more info as i really want to move to the states but i'm confused with all the visas

fivestar


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

fivestar said:


> hi i'm interested in the way arsenal9 way of getting a visa as i have heard of this way but it didnt give much details and would be keen to get more info as i really want to move to the states but i'm confused with all the visas
> 
> fivestar


We wait with bated breath! Remember that unless he opens it up to peer review, it's most likely a con.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

That way simplly doesn't exist. If you want to waste your time, feel free. Did you not notice the red insert in his post?


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## coolbadger (Sep 17, 2008)

*Is this guy for real?*

Be very careful about claims of 'easy visas'. It's a bit like the boiler-room scams that promise you thousands on their share tips.

Look at the background of the person promoting this route.

He is listing on various forums telling people he is about to move to:

UK
Thailand
Dubai
Spain
Italy
Egypt
Cyprus 

We ALL want an easy route into the USA. I have family there and even this is a tortuous process.

I have a friend who has lawers trying to get him a visa with no success, and he has resources of around $400k - $500k. 

Remember, if it looks 'too good to be true'..... it normally is.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

You write that you are training to become a teacher. What does that entail in the UK?

Yes, teachers can go the H1 route - 4 year college, US certifications, employer willing to sponsor visa and pay at least 95% of going US wages, visa can be extended to 6 years.


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## fivestar (Sep 27, 2008)

*wanting to emigrate,feeling confused*

well it might be a scam but i've found a few stories on the internet saying they used a similar way to what arsenal9 said but they never give a instuctive way on how you can do it on your own so. so if arsenal9 possible explain how to do it it would be very welcome



fivestar


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

fivestar said:


> well it might be a scam but i've found a few stories on the internet saying they used a similar way to what arsenal9 said but they never give a instuctive way on how you can do it on your own so. so if arsenal9 possible explain how to do it it would be very welcome
> 
> 
> 
> fivestar



Can you please post this in plain UK or US English? There is not a mousehole in the current immigration law. Rest assured rumors and old wives' tales are well:>)

This it it!!!
USCIS Home Page


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## Tiffani (Dec 4, 2007)

and anyway, the authorities don't smile upon people travelling to the US on a visa waiver and then applying for a change of status. It's a violation of the waiver.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Tiffani said:


> and anyway, the authorities don't smile upon people traveling to the US on a visa waiver and then applying for a change of status. It's a violation of the waiver.


It's possible in one circumstance only. And that's currently been severely restricted while everyone hods their breath after a Ninth Circuit ruling that ruled you could not adjust after the expiry of an I-94W. Everyone's waiting to see what the goons at USCIS will do with this one.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

A good way to tell if it is a scam is to check an official website of the US government. There are some sites out there, according to the US State Department, that try to look like government sites, so you should probably start with U.S. Department of State - Home Page, and navigate or search until you find documentation of types of visas, methods for applying, green cards (permanent residency), and methods for applying for those. If you don't find arsenal's method it is because it does not exist. If it doesn't exist, no company or agent can use it, and therefore anyone offering to get you a green card or visa by using a non-existent method is perpetrating a scam.


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## JohnSoCal (Sep 2, 2007)

I read an article a few days ago that there is a tremendous shortage of teachers here in the US and many school districts are in fact hiring teachers from other countries. I do not know the mechanics of how they get here but obviously they are obtaining some kind of visa. You should have an advantage coming from the UK as there won't be a language barrier. I suggest that you do a search on the Internet for info regarding foreign teachers in the US. Here are some some liinks that I found by searching for "Foreign teachers in the US":

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/06/eveningnews/main1689748.shtml

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/15/america/teach.php

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-09-14-importing-teachers_N.htm

Note: The first one takes some time to load so be patient.


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## stevejohnson (Oct 1, 2008)

There are some sites out there, according to the US State Department, that try to look like government sites, so you should probably start with U.S. Department of State - Home Page, and navigate or search until you find documentation of types of visas, methods for applying, green cards (permanent residency), and methods for applying for those.
=========================================
steve
(SNIP)


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## lorendowner (Oct 16, 2008)

*don't do it*

don't do it curly! america sucks. i'll trade you my american citizenship for your british (just kidding -- i'm sure that's impossible.) if you wanna try though we could call the state department. lorendowner at yahoo dot com

i'd prefer france but i'll settle for uk. no offense guys.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

lorendowner said:


> don't do it curly! america sucks. i'll trade you my american citizenship for your british (just kidding -- i'm sure that's impossible.)


No need to trade -- you can hold both!


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## lorendowner (Oct 16, 2008)

*query*



Fatbrit said:


> No need to trade -- you can hold both!


i'm a little new to this process. how exactly does one hold both?


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

lorendowner said:


> i'm a little new to this process. how exactly does one hold both?


Hold citizenship in two countries that permit dual citizenship. Both the US and UK allow it.


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## fivestar (Sep 27, 2008)

*wanting to emigrate,feeling confused*

may i ask how someone would get a duel citizenship to the usa and uk


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## Curlyswirly (Oct 3, 2008)

If i was to buy a home in the USA ( Like a holiday home) How much of the year could i live there?


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

fivestar said:


> may i ask how someone would get a duel citizenship to the usa and uk


Assuming your current citizenship is British, "all" you have to do is get yourself naturalized as American. Usually takes a period of legal residence in the US, then you file the paperwork, take the test and despite the bit in the oath that says something about "forsaking" all others (or maybe that's when you get married - there's something in the citizenship oath about giving up prior allegiances), you are a dual national.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Curlyswirly said:


> If i was to buy a home in the USA ( Like a holiday home) How much of the year could i live there?


Depends what sort of visa you have. 
Cheers,
Bev


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## Curlyswirly (Oct 3, 2008)

I guess it would be just a regular holiday visa.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Curlyswirly said:


> I guess it would be just a regular holiday visa.


Up to 180 days depending on the immigration officer at port of entry.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Curlyswirly said:


> I guess it would be just a regular holiday visa.


Up to 90 days with a VWP. 180 days with a B2. Don't apply for a B2 lightly -- a rejection takes you backwards rather than forwards.

* On any tourist visa, the day you arrive and the day you leave count towards the days.
* Try to spend at least as much time out as you do in.
* You have no right of entry and there is no judicial review -- it's up to that nice officer in the booth.
* As you build up a long-term history of long periods spent here as a tourist, the chances of being turned away increase.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

fivestar said:


> may i ask how someone would get a duel citizenship to the usa and uk


Lots of ways. Some are lucky enough to be born with it. Most start out with one and then add the other. Common requirements for naturalization in most countries would be a period of time spent in the country under some sort of permanent status, usually.acquired through work, money or familial relationship.


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