Emigrating to the States (look for a job, schools, colleges) - City-Data Forum

gemb · 09-07-2010, 02:44 AM

Hi im hopefully going to be moving out to the states soon. Any Brits on here that have done it that can shed any advice. Ill be a qualified RN and my partner is a teaching assistant who is also TEFL qualified. Ill also have my daughter with me who will be in full time school. Thanks.

ArlingtonAllison · 09-07-2010, 10:33 AM

Have you checked out britishexpats.com/forum/ ?

Cornerguy1 · 09-07-2010, 08:31 PM

And perhaps the City Data Legal Immigration forum?

BethanyMcG · 09-16-2010, 02:53 PM

I can say from an American with a British husband, that you won't find it particularly easy unless you are coming in WITH a job and visa already ironed out.

It took about 6 months for my husband with an AMERICAN wife to get his work permit. Be aware that you are only Legally allowed for 3 months into the country on your passport, not 6 like it is for Americans in Britain. You will need to apply for change of status pretty much immediately and you will need to show that you can support yourself (either by having a qualified U.S. citizen sponsor you or on your own) until your work visa can come through. It also cost us about 2k in fees just to file. (it was 6 yrs ago, it might have been more or less, but either way it's not cheap) And a whole ton of forms in triplicate (by hand) and a dr's exam to ensure fitness.

I'm not saying don't come over, but know that you need to be prepared. And it's not as easy as it once was. It took almost a year before my husband got his green card, and we had no real huge delays or red flags since we were married and had a son. If you CAN, find work first, and they can help you with the immigration process probably speed it along...since they can "sponsor" you and apply for your work visa through them I think.

Good luck!

chicagojlo · 09-16-2010, 03:39 PM

The site allnurses.com is a popular one for emigrating nurses.

My first recommendation is to do all your homework with regard to paperwork. Get a job offer that comes with an offer of visa sponsorship and green card sponsorship, make sure you have all the documentation in order that will be required to get the visa and eventual green card. In addition, make sure that the offered visa will allow your husband to also work. Several work visas don't.

My second recommendation is to fully research the cost of living in the area you intend to work in before accepting an offer. You shouldn't count on your husband earning much as a teaching assistant.

Oh and absolutely don't come here on a 90 day visa waiver and look for a job intending to 'just adjust status' as the PP mentioned. Not only is it legally impossible to get a work visa this way, it's also a quick ticket to a 10 year or even lifetime ban.

BethanyMcG · 09-16-2010, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicagojlo

Oh and absolutely don't come here on a 90 day visa waiver and look for a job intending to 'just adjust status' as the PP mentioned. Not only is it legally impossible to get a work visa this way, it's also a quick ticket to a 10 year or even lifetime ban.

I agree. It's not the way to go. And I was in no way advocating it. But I've known some who will come in for a couple months "vacation" so they can do research on the area, interviews etc. then return home, then once they've got the job offer and do the paperwork there before moving. It's way more expensive and it's NOT the way to go.

I didn't know about the ban though...I'll have to tell my pal he was lucky

BethanyMcG · 09-16-2010, 03:53 PM

I also don't know that much about employer sponsored GC's. So I wasn't sure if it was a matter of being hired and being able to change stat once you got here...I knew you had to be sponsored, just didn't know technically how to do so with job stuff..it's very different than w/ a marriage to a US citizen.

chicagojlo · 09-16-2010, 04:03 PM

Yes employment based GCs are a whole other ballgame. The current wait for the category a nurse falls into is over 6 years!

The ban is for overstaying your visa (or visa waiver). You can't just come and wait it out. It's also illegal to look for work when you're here as a tourist but it's hard for them to prove!

megonow · 09-18-2010, 02:08 PM

where are you coming from?

why do you want to come here?

this is not one of America's finest hours

there is viscious political fights; the right wing is trying to scare people and is full of anger

the culture...what culture? everything is dumbed down, just look at American tv - Idol and Dancing and the like

town centers are dead

sprawl is everywhere

there is no sense of community in most places

what attracts you to America?

AnthonyB · 09-18-2010, 05:54 PM

You might seek out Susan42 on the forum, she is a nurse who recently emigrated to the States to North Carolina. Her older posts are here and she posts on the immigration and Carolina forums.

Be warned, the demand for nurses in the US is dropping as the economy had worsened and many Americans have gone to nursing school, the colleges are pumping them out and they can't find jobs.

Not sure that TEFL will help much either. It won't allow him to teach in schools and there are tens of thousand of teachers out of work.

Susan would be able to provide immigration info though.