# Wanting to move to America



## gixxerboy87 (Feb 20, 2012)

Hi my wife and I are thinking of trying to move to the states in a year or so we have friends in Texas who have said they would put us up for as long as necessary I would like to know is it possible to stay on a tourist visa for 3 months and try and find work in that time? Also if not successful in that period how long do you have to be away before coming back?

Thanks in advance 
Paul


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## gixxerboy87 (Feb 20, 2012)

Another question I have is does showing I'll have consistent income from properties being rented in the UK help any sort of visa application?


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## stormgal (Sep 30, 2009)

gixxerboy87 said:


> Hi my wife and I are thinking of trying to move to the states in a year or so we have friends in Texas who have said they would put us up for as long as necessary I would like to know is it possible to stay on a tourist visa for 3 months and try and find work in that time? Also if not successful in that period how long do you have to be away before coming back?
> 
> Thanks in advance
> Paul


Tourist visas are exactly for touring, not for seeking work. Some have tried, but employers will ask you for your papers and legal rights to work here, (social security, etc) which you won't have on a tourist visa. For you to work in the US, you'll have to look to be sponsored by an employer. 

For you to be sponsored by an employer, you'll have to have a science, technical or engineering background. I'm not sure what the other skills are, but they are up there. Alternatively, you can bring about half a million dollars into the US. Other than that, you can be a religious worker seeking to preach the good news.


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

The main work visa is an H1B
The minumum requirement is a degree with a master being better
you dont give your skills but the regulations define a "specialty occupation" as requiring theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge in a field of human endeavor including but not limited to architecture, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, social sciences, biotechnology, medicine and health, education, law, accounting, business specialties, theology, and the arts, and requiring the attainment of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent as a minimum


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## gixxerboy87 (Feb 20, 2012)

Ok so H1B would be my best bet but isn't there a cap to this visa?

What about a US citizen sponsoring us? Or does that only apply to family members?

In terms of qualification in about a years time I will have a degree level qualification in accounting so I suppose there's some hope but it doesn't sound easy.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

gixxerboy87 said:


> Ok so H1B would be my best bet but isn't there a cap to this visa?
> 
> What about a US citizen sponsoring us? Or does that only apply to family members?
> 
> In terms of qualification in about a years time I will have a degree level qualification in accounting so I suppose there's some hope but it doesn't sound easy.


why do you not work your way through the visa section of travel.state.gov to start your research?


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## gixxerboy87 (Feb 20, 2012)

I've had a look on there it seems looking on that website the easiest way for me to gain a visa would be to first get an employer to sponsor me, what i would like to know in that instance is which is easier searching for and applying for jobs whilst still in the UK or while in the states on a tourist visa?

I'm assuming there are people here who have gone through similar?


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## belgarath (Jul 15, 2011)

Take into consideration that an H1B visa requires either a degree or 12 years of experience on your part.

When you are past this obstacle, you need to prove to a potential employer that you are worth all the hassle & cost of sponsoring your H1B, compared to the US citizen labor pool already available.

If I were in your shoes, I'd complete my degree and start work in a multinational in UK, then look for transfer opportunities in a few years with some experience in my belt. 

If you or your wife are not UK-born, you can try DV as well.


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## gixxerboy87 (Feb 20, 2012)

Ok thanks for the help certainly gives me something to go on for now.


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

gixxerboy87 said:


> Ok so H1B would be my best bet but isn't there a cap to this visa?
> 
> What about a US citizen sponsoring us? Or does that only apply to family members?
> 
> In terms of qualification in about a years time I will have a degree level qualification in accounting so I suppose there's some hope but it doesn't sound easy.


yes it full already for this year ..next period when employers can file in next april for an oct start ..once you have your degree you will need to get 5 years experience behind you


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Davis1 said:


> yes it full already for this year ..next period when employers can file in next april for an oct start *..once you have your degree **you will need to get 5 years experience behind you*


What do you base this statement on?


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## gixxerboy87 (Feb 20, 2012)

Davis1 said:


> yes it full already for this year ..next period when employers can file in next april for an oct start ..once you have your degree you will need to get 5 years experience behind you


Ok i'm currently in work now working towards the accounting degree on my own time so am i right in assuming that the near 10 years work experience i'll have on completing the course will work in my favour?


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## gixxerboy87 (Feb 20, 2012)

belgarath said:


> Take into consideration that an H1B visa requires either a degree or 12 years of experience on your part.
> 
> When you are past this obstacle, you need to prove to a potential employer that you are worth all the hassle & cost of sponsoring your H1B, compared to the US citizen labor pool already available.
> 
> ...


what if my company were based in say florida, if transferred with that company would i be eligable after a time to look for jobs elsewhere in the US?


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

twostep said:


> What do you base this statement on?


years of experience


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

gixxerboy87 said:


> what if my company were based in say florida, if transferred with that company would i be eligable after a time to look for jobs elsewhere in the US?


if you leave a job on an L-1 visa you are required to leave the US immediately 
a new employer would have to file for a new visa for you


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## gixxerboy87 (Feb 20, 2012)

Davis1 said:


> if you leave a job on an L-1 visa you are required to leave the US immediately
> a new employer would have to file for a new visa for you


ah i see, thanks for that it clears that up for me at least


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## gixxerboy87 (Feb 20, 2012)

Davis1 said:


> if you leave a job on an L-1 visa you are required to leave the US immediately
> a new employer would have to file for a new visa for you


Are you able to apply for naturalistion on an L-1?


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## vronchen (Jan 26, 2012)

gixxerboy87 said:


> Are you able to apply for naturalistion on an L-1?


you have to be a permanent resident (for 5 years unless you are married to a usc) in order to be eligible to apply for citizenship, however you may be able to get a green card through an employment offer


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## gixxerboy87 (Feb 20, 2012)

vronchen said:


> you have to be a permanent resident (for 5 years unless you are married to a usc) in order to be eligible to apply for citizenship, however you may be able to get a green card through an employment offer


What about the DV lottery? my wife's mother is from Trinidad does that make her eligible? i can't see any info anywhere


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## vronchen (Jan 26, 2012)

assuming you wife was born in england she would only be eligible if neither of her parents were born in an ineligible country and were not residents in england at the time of her birth.

quote from ftc.gov: You must have been born in an eligible country, or have parents who were born in eligible countries and who were not residents of your country of birth when you were born. For example, your parents might have lived temporarily in an ineligible country because of their jobs. Each year, the State Department announces the countries whose natives aren't eligible to apply during the registration period.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

gixxerboy87 said:


> What about the DV lottery? my wife's mother is from Trinidad does that make her eligible? i can't see any info anywhere


Both of the links given to you before give details about the Diversity Lottery. uscis.gov and travel.state.gov. If your mother is qualified she can play the lottery free of charge, were she to win it would be a Green Card application. Were she to meet the requirements she would have to move her center of life to the US within a given period. Five years later she would be able to apply for US citizen ship. You can read up on the current time frame for Green Card for sons/daughters of US citizens over 21 and sons/daughters for Green Card holders on the visa bulletin page of travel.state.gov.


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## EmmaKeegan (Mar 17, 2012)

I'm glad you posted that question. My family and I would also like to move to the USA but was told that unless I have family there, have a batchelors degree or equivalent or $500,000 then I can't go, basically, you have to be super clever and rich to move there! Thats a bit harsh isn't it! So thats it then, my dream is over, not happy.....


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## gixxerboy87 (Feb 20, 2012)

I know I am so disappointed its bizarre that 2 countries so close in so many ways make it so difficult to move but I will keep hoping because we really want to move over at some point


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## stormgal (Sep 30, 2009)

EmmaKeegan said:


> I'm glad you posted that question. My family and I would also like to move to the USA but was told that unless I have family there, have a batchelors degree or equivalent or $500,000 then I can't go, basically, you have to be super clever and rich to move there! Thats a bit harsh isn't it! So thats it then, my dream is over, not happy.....



Hi Emma - 

I am only curious - are you really in Oz? Just wondering if you think Oz is better than the US, and why. This is just for my personal information, as I'm kind of still having difficulty deciding if I should move out of the US myself


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