# advice on how to move to the USA from UK



## clare hudson (Oct 9, 2010)

HI I am new here and would very much appreciate any hepl and advice you can give.
I am a uk citizen, but after many yers of thinking and now travelling to the states and canda on a long holiday I am seriously considering a move. I have no ties here no mortgage, kids etc so could go immediately. My profession is fitness. I am a very qualified instructor able to teach and instruct in many areas of fitness and health.
I would want to do the same over in teh USA or canada. So far I have emailed soem clubs in america and had a response from acompant saying they would forward my email and appllication to the relevent persons. Obviously visa/accomodation is vital.
So how and what is my best step now? Im really not sure how to go about any of the visa etc. Do I apply for a work/travel visa to start, then go over taking a chance and go to various fit clubs with all my quals etc and stay as a tourist in a hotel? Or do I apply for jobs and visa then go for interviews if successfull and tell them im awaiting visa clearence? I have thought a long time about moving overseas but always assumed that i would not be accepted and really never done anything about this. But after speaking to many travellers recently they all told me that with my experience and quals I would be accepted and also the the USA like the english? I am now taking a specific American online fitness qual to help more more so. if I have an american qualification on my C.V this also improves my chances and these training quals are actually very well recognised in UK.
Please can anyone help me with this. I am very keen and looking for as much support from people who have done this move and how you went about this. Or if you are working in the fitness sector in the states this would be very helpful or if you know anyone/contacts in fitness in USA I could email with my enquiry.
I hope someone does reply!
Thanks for your time
Clare


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Unfortunately your work skills are not going to secure you the right to live and work in the US. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

For an employment visa ...the employer has to file for it and pay the expensive fees 
with the current recession and unemployment in the US .. there is very little chance of that 

You could not have picked a worse time to think about this 
There is also no visa available for your trade


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## clare hudson (Oct 9, 2010)

Fatbrit said:


> Unfortunately your work skills are not going to secure you the right to live and work in the US. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.


Thanks for replying. A bit depressing really. People do move and work who are not neccessarily in a specific trade as I have often heard. So what if not USA are my other options on this? You hear of folks jacking in their job in UK and going off, getting work,and visa and living great lives??!
Thanks Clare


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## clare hudson (Oct 9, 2010)

Davis1 said:


> For an employment visa ...the employer has to file for it and pay the expensive fees
> with the current recession and unemployment in the US .. there is very little chance of that
> 
> You could not have picked a worse time to think about this
> There is also no visa available for your trade


Thanks for that. What are my options now? Surely this is not the end of the line. People do go off and get work abroard without issues and stay. If not the US then what are my alternatives? I do want to do this and am determined to find a way even if its not the US for example. Travel now is what I want, but need employment and a company that will employ me in my industry.
Thanks Clare


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

clare hudson said:


> Thanks for that. What are my options now? Surely this is not the end of the line. People do go off and get work abroard without issues and stay. If not the US then what are my alternatives? I do want to do this and am determined to find a way even if its not the US for example. Travel now is what I want, but need employment and a company that will employ me in my industry.
> Thanks Clare


Unfortunately it is....
They do indeed ...but they have Masters and PhD and are often head hunted because of their skills.. It can cost an employer thousands of dollars to get a visa for a overseas person ..and with the recession they will only go for the top in the business


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

clare hudson said:


> Thanks for that. What are my options now? Surely this is not the end of the line. People do go off and get work abroard without issues and stay. If not the US then what are my alternatives? I do want to do this and am determined to find a way even if its not the US for example. Travel now is what I want, but need employment and a company that will employ me in my industry.
> Thanks Clare


Unfortunately your wants and needs are secondary. It is an employers' market. Your UK qualifications do not apply. The question is - what do you bring to the table? Have you read up on visa requirments? Stickies at the beginning of the US forum threads, uscis.gov or just old threads. 

Nobody can tell you where you will find what you are looking for. It sounds like you have not put a lot of research into this issue. What is your actual educational background, what special designations do you have, how many years of what experience to you have? 

Yes, people move all over the world, take family/job/life with them. Most of them are highly educated, have experience in a niche field or are such purple squirrels that they can write their own contracts no matter where.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

clare hudson said:


> Thanks for replying. A bit depressing really. People do move and work who are not neccessarily in a specific trade as I have often heard. So what if not USA are my other options on this? You hear of folks jacking in their job in UK and going off, getting work,and visa and living great lives??!
> Thanks Clare


I always think most Westerners who ended up in the US do so by accident rather than free will -- spousal or employment reasons, mainly. 

Don't be upset about not fitting in one of these niches. It just puts you there with the majority of other UK citizens.


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## Hsimah (Apr 15, 2010)

Well your dream is not entirely dead, it just became a little more expensive. 

You could always look for a Gym or Fitness Centre business to buy. You would need to personally risk/invest atleast $150,000 and you would need to ensure you employed some US citizens. 

This way you could apply for and most likely be accepted for an E2 Visa. However, be warned

a. This needs renewing every 2 or 3 years, 
b. There is no garentee you will get re-newed no mater how sucessful you are.
c. If it is not renewed you have 60 days to sell up and leave
d. You should not really work for that business expect in a promotional/managerial role, though this seems flexible.

Have alook on something like bizmls for an idea of what is available, then get an atourney to help you.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Hsimah said:


> Well your dream is not entirely dead, it just became a little more expensive.
> 
> You could always look for a Gym or Fitness Centre business to buy. You would need to personally risk/invest atleast $150,000 and you would need to ensure you employed some US citizens.
> 
> ...


Where does 150k come from?


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## Hsimah (Apr 15, 2010)

If you are asking where Clare should go to get the $150K all I can say is not me. I have actually been told of someone being turned down because a proportion of the money they were investing was borrowed from an overseas bank and was not then considered to be personal risk for the investor.

"_The investor must have placed funds or assets at risk, or committed to placing them at risk, in the hope of generating a return. Loans secured by the assets of the United States operation or company cannot count toward the amount of the actual investment_"

If you are asking why I say she will need to invest $150K then really there is no definitive answer. There is nothing on the E2 application that states a specific amount must be invested only that is must be significant. In the same way there is nothing that states you explicitly have to employ US citizens or have a specific turn over or have a specific level of import or export.

Clare should also be warned that any time spent in the US under an E2 visa cannot towards a green card or permanent residency.


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## Hsimah (Apr 15, 2010)

Here you are. The basics

Treaty Traders and Treaty Investors

You would be looking at a Treaty Investor, if you where buying an established US business.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

twostep said:


> Where does 150k come from?


The $150k is on the low side. Some might say too low.


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## Hsimah (Apr 15, 2010)

If you where starting a business as a Treaty Investor you would cetainly need atleast $500,000 but I would never advise anyone to risk that kind of money on any US visa let alone an E visa.

$150,000 would be ok I believe, it would give you a fair shot of qualifying depending up on the business you buy. Also I would never advise anyone pay the full amount for a business, there should be a minimum of 30% of the price remaining to be paid based on the actual business performance or some such. And don't forget, non compete clauses are a waste of paper. You are not legally allowed to stop someone from earning a living.


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