# Moving to the US



## daveca (May 16, 2016)

hello

i just registered in this forum because im planning to move to the states...

because of my dad i got a us citizenship even i grew up in germany..
im still living in germany , but the last time i was in the us i thought about moving there because i really have nothing left in germany and really like the amercian lifestyl alot better...

i already was in the states 4 times and have a big family in ohio and cali...
so it probably would be alot easier to move to ohio or to cali..
BUT i decided to got to oregon because its a little bit cheaper then cali also there is no tax  also i dont really want to boughter my dads family with helping me...

but since i dont know nobody in oregon its not so easy...
i already know alot of stuff what i have to take care off before leaving
but a few things are still unclear..

1- i never paid us income tax - there are so many diffrent threads online i really dont know i should have paid them or not... i know my dad pays them even if hes living here... he told me i never worked in the states so i dont have to pay it... 
whats right what should i do? 

2. if i start working in the us how much income tax do i have to pay?
if i work for example one year in a grocery store 40hrs s week with 10$ an hr?

3. is there a way i can rent a appartment or a house in the us from over here in germany?
this would save me alot of money... then i dont have to rent a hotel room?
3.1 if i arrive how can i rent a house or appartment if i have no job???
3.2 if i arrive how can i buy a car or make insurance for it if i have no job?

4.should i get social security in the states or before i get to the states?

most important questions:

5.im married to my wife for almost a year now. the problem is she dont has a us passport ,
what do we need to do so she can come with me does she gets a visa or a greencard? and how long does this last and would take to get?

6. my wiffe works as a medical assistant in germany... how much does it cost to switch it for the us syytem? is there some kind of test? 


sorry for all the questions


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

You're probably getting a bit ahead of yourself here. First of all, if you have your US passport through your Dad, there's a reasonable chance that you already have a social security number. If your birth was registered with the consulate at the time, they normally also process a social security number at the same time. So that might be the first thing you want to look into.

As far as your wife is concerned, you can sponsor her for a green card - however first you would have to backfile a few years of US taxes. (Your Dad is wrong, you don't need to have US source income to have to file. You have to file for any year when your worldwide income surpasses certain levels.) Then, you would have to become her sponsor or find a co-sponsor with the requisite amount of income and secure a place for you both to stay. That could make the idea of going to the area where your family members are located a bit more practical.

Those are probably the initial steps - keep us posted how you're progressing and as new questions come up.
Cheers,
Bev


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Bev - can you please post the link to filing taxes and back filing for US citizens overseas? Thank yiu.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Your wife will need a passport aka Reisepass. Go to the site of travel.state.gov and research spousal visa. It gives you everything from forms to fees. Frankfurt still processes DCF direct consular filing which is the quickest way for your wife to get a Greencard. She needs a Greencard to stay in the US and be able to work. You need proof of income or assets to sponsor her.

Medical Assistant is not the equivalent to Arzthelferin. What do you do work wise?

Oregon is nice if you like the weather. Without US credit history you will have to pay oftentimes hefty deposits for rentals and utilities. Car loan? Very iffy.

Why do you not move close to family to have a support system while you get established in the US?


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Providing copies of your recent tax returns is part of the procedure for filing an affidavit of support (I-864) https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/affidavit-support
Cheers,
Bev


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

daveca said:


> BUT i decided to got to oregon because its a little bit cheaper then cali also there is no tax


Oregon has no sales tax, but it has all other popular forms of state and local taxation: income taxes, property taxes, etc. And of course all federal taxes still apply.

According to Sperling's Best Places, and considering overall, typical state-level averages, Oregon has a cost of living (including tax considerations) about 16% higher than the national average. California is about 51% higher, and Ohio is about 12% lower than the national average. These are strictly cost of living assessments and do not take into account incomes and earning potential. All that said, if you're concerned about costs then Ohio certainly seems like a better bet as your initial landing spot in order to get established in your new (to you) country of citizenship.


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## daveca (May 16, 2016)

thx for your help,

im planning this stuff but planning to leave germany in about 3-4 years...



Bevdeforges said:


> You're probably getting a bit ahead of yourself here. First of all, if you have your US passport through your Dad, there's a reasonable chance that you already have a social security number. If your birth was registered with the consulate at the time, they normally also process a social security number at the same time. So that might be the first thing you want to look into.


i already have passport and a passport card.
but i never had a social securtiy number.
last time i was in the states was 2month ago.

about my wife i found out there is a visa called DCF ( Direct Consular Filing ) like twostep said 
it costs about 1000€ from what i read... we can try to do it here in germany (frankfurt)..
what do you mean by sponsor? 

about the tax i found so many diffrent posts online so im really not sure about that.. .some say only have to pay if lived there, some only if i ever worked there, and the irs page says u always have to pay...i think i will contact a tax lawyer or something in the near future..
what can i expect im 31 years old and i never paid? 
i worked for about ten years of my life each year had a income of about 12000€...
are there any fees or penalitys i will have to face?

@twostep how much assests should i have? i cant prove income if i dont have a job there already... also her job would probably is better then mine...
yes shes a arzthelferin after googeling it medical assisatant should be the closest there is to this job... 
the stories on forums i read online all of the women made their certificate for medical assistant when they moved to the states..

last time i was in the states i was in california i noticed all of these mexicans with out a passport, and thought hey if they can make it, i could too! i really liked it over there better.. but what scares me are the prices...i could go back to germany anytime if i get health problems or other problem etc... but until that happens, for me its almost the same in germany then in the states working for minimum wage... the diffrence is the lifestyle and the houses with the yards... in germany everything is packed theres not much green...

my cousin told me we should just come for a month to visit, and we probably could work everything out in this time ... but im not that optimistic i would like to plan my stuff...

but what bbc watcher said sounds good to me maybe its better to get to ohio for 1-2 years first to get the things rolling... but i dont know how they can help me? maybe for a few formal things... but in the end its all about money? or am i missing a few things?
the cheaper living in ohio is really the only thing got me thinking about going to ohio first...


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Social Security Number
Contact the US Embassy closest to you

Medical Assistant versus Arzthelferin
YoYo - certification is just certification

Sponsorship
Did you go through the spousal visa/DDCF info on travel.state.gov? You have to prove income of 125% above poverty level or assets of three times that.

House and lifestyle
It costs money

Mexicans without passport
Their life is something I do not wish upon my worst enemy

12000 Euro/anno sounds like unskilled labor. How do you plan to make a living in Oregon?


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

If you are looking for reasonable cost of living and excellent job prospects, I would suggest you give serious consideration to North or South Carolina. The auto industry in South Carolina is always hiring for well-paid jobs: Automotive Companies | South Carolina Automotive Industry


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

daveca said:


> but i never had a social securtiy number.


That's at least unusual if you got a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and a U.S. passport. If so, it's likely you got a U.S. Social Security number but your father never gave it to you. Have you tried asking your father (if he's still alive) to search through whatever paperwork he has for you? Otherwise, yes, as Twostep suggests you can contact the U.S. consulate. But they'll probably just tell you to fill out and submit SSA Form SS-5, answering Question 11 with "Don't Know" and answering the other questions as best you can.

You can petition for your wife now if you wish. Other than paying the filing fee, there are no financial tests when filing USCIS Form I-130 and its related attachments. However, after the petition is approved there is a financial test in order for her to obtain her immigrant visa (IR-1 or CR-1). There are three ways to pass the financial test. Assuming a household size of two (you and your wife):

(a) You must demonstrate a reliable U.S. income of about $20,000 per year or more;

(b) Failing that, you and your wife together must demonstrate reasonably liquid wealth available in the amount of about $100,000 or more;

(c) Failing that, a qualified financial co-sponsor who is willing to provide a financial guarantee, such as a family member who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, can help you meet either (a) or (b).

It's often difficult to meet the financial (and other) requirements without moving to the United States ahead of your wife, so just keep that in mind when the time comes.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

As far as getting a visa for your wife, start here: https://de.usembassy.gov/visas/family-immigration/family-immigration/

The very first step (when you click on the right arrow at the bottom of the page) is


> In general a foreign citizen must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen relative, a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident relative or a prospective U.S. employer and be the beneficiary of an approved petition. Therefore the first step is filing a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). For further information please see the USCIS website.


Follow the steps given in the sequence on the consulate website and you'll see what you'll need to do as well as get an idea how long some of this stuff will take. 



> about the tax i found so many diffrent posts online so im really not sure about that.. .some say only have to pay if lived there, some only if i ever worked there, and the irs page says u always have to pay...i think i will contact a tax lawyer or something in the near future..


Chances are, you won't have to pay anything. But even if you never lived in the US, you are expected to file a tax return if your worldwide income in the year in question was above a certain amount (depending on whether you're married or single, and whether or not you are filing with your spouse or on your own). 

As long as you don't owe anything there is no penalty for not having filed (or rather, the penalty is a percentage of what you owe, so any % of 0 is still 0). But you do need to file when it comes to becoming a sponsor for your wife's visa. (Even if you get your family in Ohio to co-sponsor.)

Read through the presentation from the Frankfurt consulate and then see what you think.
Cheers,
Bev


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

BBCWatcher said:


> That's at least unusual if you got a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and a U.S. passport. If so, it's likely you got a U.S. Social Security number but your father never gave it to you...


Depends upon his age which I don't believe he has indicated.

If I recall correctly, the issuance of social security numbers at birth only began in 1980'ish. Prior to that, one applied for a social security number prior to your first job - typically somewhere between age 14 and 20-something.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

accbgb said:


> If I recall correctly, the issuance of social security numbers at birth only began in 1980'ish.


In 1987 three states started issuing SSNs automatically as part of birth registrations, and nearly all (or maybe all) states now do that. But that's the only thing that changed, the removal of the separate form from the process. Prior to the state/local integration many if not most babies got SSNs at birth. Their parents just had to fill out a separate form, normally still as part of the birth registration process however their state or locality did it.

That was stateside, though. In this case we're talking about the CRBA process. CRBAs predate the Social Security Administration, as you might expect. However, even decades ago, I don't think parents were routinely leaving U.S. embassies and consulates without at least knowledge of how to get SSNs for their newborns. The major problem, though, was/is that SSA took/takes a long time to mail out SSNs, and U.S. citizen parents overseas were and are likely to be particularly mobile. It's very, very possible Daveca's father applied to get him a SSN but simply never got the return SSN card in the mail.

Anyway, the Social Security Administration will know the truth. But I wouldn't bet against Daveca having a SSN already -- not yet, anyway.


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## daveca (May 16, 2016)

accbgb said:


> Depends upon his age which I don't believe he has indicated.
> 
> If I recall correctly, the issuance of social security numbers at birth only began in 1980'ish. Prior to that, one applied for a social security number prior to your first job - typically somewhere between age 14 and 20-something.


im born 1985 i got my first job with 16 but in germany its called mini job you dont have to pay tax for it... with 18 i started my 3yr training since then i worked my whole life




twostep said:


> Medical Assistant versus Arzthelferin
> YoYo - certification is just certification


than whats the right name for it???



twostep said:


> Sponsorship
> Did you go through the spousal visa/DDCF info on travel.state.gov? You have to prove income of 125% above poverty level or assets of three times that.


im planning to go there with about 40000€... could my dad be a co sponsor even hes living in germany?




twostep said:


> House and lifestyle
> It costs money
> Mexicans without passport
> Their life is something I do not wish upon my worst enemy
> 12000 Euro/anno sounds like unskilled labor. How do you plan to make a living in Oregon?


1200 a month is a "normal" income for a salesperson over here probably would be about 24000 in the states... over here u need 3 years of training so im probably more skilled in my job then most salesmans in the states.... also i know hard work and ican work with my hands really good!! since u dont need a ausbildung in the states i will find something... theres always a mcdonald or something where i can start working until i find something better... i dont think making money is a problem.... problem is to make enough money to live the same standards i have in germany...
im 100%sure in ohio it should be no problem besides getting my wife there...
cali is prob too expensive but oregon sounds also really good and affordable if u find a cheap apartment or house to rent...


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

daveca said:


> im planning to go there with about 40000€... could my dad be a co sponsor even hes living in germany?


Such a brave volunteer is known as a "joint sponsor," and unfortunately no, your father would not qualify. A joint sponsor must be living in the United States when filing his/her affidavit of support.

It's hard to predict whether and how your sales experience in Germany will work in the United States, but I don't think many prospective employers will be too impressed, sorry to say.

Fortunately the income test is not _too_ tough. If you manage to land a steady, full-time job with a $10/hour wage or higher, that should be just barely enough to qualify as your wife's financial sponsor, without a joint sponsor. For perspective, the U.S. federal minimum wage is currently $7.25/hour. Ohio's is currently $8.10/hour (except for truly tiny employers that can still pay $7.25/hour) and is indexed to inflation. Oregon's is $9.25/hour, and California's is $10/hour rising in steps to $15/hour beginning on January 1, 2022.

As another consideration, fortunately Ohio, Oregon, and California all expanded their Medicaid programs, a fact that could be relevant and helpful to you but not to your spouse. Your spouse is not Medicaid eligible, and you would have to obtain medical insurance for your spouse either through your employer or through the Healthcare.gov exchange. Fortunately, at your likely initial income level, you can expect federal subsidies to help pay for her (and probably your) medical insurance if your employer does not provide insurance through the workplace. I do not recommend choosing a state that has not expanded its Medicaid program.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

BBCWatcher said:


> In 1987 three states started issuing SSNs automatically as part of birth registrations, and nearly all (or maybe all) states now do that. But that's the only thing that changed, the removal of the separate form from the process. _Prior to the state/local integration many if not most babies got SSNs at birth. _Their parents just had to fill out a separate form, normally still as part of the birth registration process however their state or locality did it.
> 
> That was stateside, though. In this case we're talking about the CRBA process. CRBAs predate the Social Security Administration, as you might expect. However, even decades ago, I don't think parents were routinely leaving U.S. embassies and consulates without at least knowledge of how to get SSNs for their newborns. The major problem, though, was/is that SSA took/takes a long time to mail out SSNs, and U.S. citizen parents overseas were and are likely to be particularly mobile. It's very, very possible Daveca's father applied to get him a SSN but simply never got the return SSN card in the mail.
> 
> Anyway, the Social Security Administration will know the truth. But I wouldn't bet against Daveca having a SSN already -- not yet, anyway.



Sorry, but that is simply wrong. I was born in the 1950's and I did not have a social security number until I applied for one at age 14 when I got my first real job. And I can tell you *exactly* when I applied (although I won't) because I have a copy of my SS application which I obtained from the SSA as part of my ongoing genealogy research.

Most of my friends were the same. Our school even helped us with the process as it was part of the "working papers" which were required in New York State for anyone under the age of 16 who wanted to work.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

To elaborate a bit, it is only fairly recently (1980's or thereabouts) that a parent who wishes to claim a child dependent deduction on his/her federal tax return must include the child's social security number. Prior to that you just listed the child's name and age.

A social security number was not required until such time as you did something which might generate federal tax liability. For most, that meant a first job. For some lucky kids, that meant having investment income from sources often given or willed to them by living or deceased relatives.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

accbgb said:


> Sorry, but that is simply wrong. I was born in the 1950's and I did not have a social security number until I applied for one at age 14....


Different era, different experiences. By the 1960s, after the Baby Boomer cohort, that changed in part due to the SSA's greater computerization by that point. In any event, the original poster was born in 1985.

The Tax Reform Act of 1986 introduced a requirement that children age 5 and older listed as dependents on a tax return must have SSNs. That age threshold was later dropped to two then zero. This requirement would have applied to Daveca's father starting circa 1990 if he filed U.S. tax returns.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Back to angels and pinheads here. Given that the OPs father was living overseas, if the OPs birth was reported early on (as the consulate encourages), the lack of a SSN might not have been an issue. And if we concede that the OPs father was filing tax returns from overseas at the time the laws went into effect, chances are that Dad had no need of declaring his dependents if he was taking the FEIE or had sufficient tax credits to reduce his tax bill to $0 anyhow.

Contact the Frankfurt consulate to inquire about how one goes about obtaining a SSN as an adult. I'm willing to bet they have some ideas on how the OP can check to see whether or not he does, in fact, have a SSN.
Cheers,
Bev


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

When he has his appointment in Frankfurt the SS Division will be able to confirm if he has a SS#. No information given, so let's speculate. Father Us military, birth in local hospital, ... no SS#.


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