Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My boyfriend and I are planning to leave the U.S. and are considering somewhere in Europe, Japan, or Canada. It seems the hardest part about moving away from the U.S will be getting citizenship elsewhere. With every government website I've looked at it seems that it will be almost impossible to get out of the U.S within two or three years. Both my boyfriend and I are planning to have an associates before we move and will have roughly $25,000-45,000 saved up before we make the move- closer to 45k if I sell my car. Would it be impossible for me to move to another country with only an associates? Or would it be best to stay here for four years and finish school and then make the move? Any opinions or comments on what it's like to move out of the U.S would be much appreciated.
I would say it would be close to impossible to move abroad with just an associates degree. It's still near impossible with a bachelors. What do you both do for employment currently? What do you hope to accomplish with your associates degree?
I'd plan on either moving on a student visa to study abroad in a technical field to get your bachelors/masters and then try to obtain legal residency that way.
Canada does not even use the term "Associates Degree ".
In order to qualify as a Immigrant here, you need to be EITHER a University graduate, from a 4 year program, in a field that is "In Demand In Canada " OR a skilled trades person, with 5 years of actual work experience, and a US State issued trade certificate.
The application process takes about two years to complete, and there is no guarantee that you will be accepted. You will be competing with hundreds of thousands of other applicants, from all over the world.
Being an American does not get you any extra points on your application, except that you speak English, sort of.
The process goes like this. Apply for Immigration approval. Be approved, and be granted Permanent Resident status, in Canada. Move to Canada, get a place to live, find a job, and settle down. Live in Canada for a minimum of four years, and then you can apply to become a citizen. The citizenship process takes about a year to unfold, including a personal interview with a Citizenship Court Judge, who will question you about why you want to become a Canadian Citizen. If you pass that interview, you then take the written tests about our country's history, geography, and political system and laws. IF you pass that test, you will be called to a "swearing in ceremony " where you will take the oath of citizenship.
Voila, you are now a Canadian Citizen, and it only took about EIGHT YEARS to get it. If all goes well, that is.
Not like moving from Maine to Rhode Island, is it ?
I suggest too that you go to the immigration sites of the European countries in which you have an interest - and Japan's - to learn about their immigration policies. Unless you are very wealthy and can enter a country as a business investor immigrant, the amount of money you have saved to make a move isn't relevant. As stated above, the immigration path to actual citizenship is a lengthy process in any country, just as it in the US. Good luck.
Currently we just have minimum wage jobs. He works in a grocery store and I'm working restaurant. I will look into the student visas, thanks (: If not I guess we will have to stay here for at least four years. We are both 20 by the way.
And that is such a long process and yet Canada is only four hours away from me! I honestly thought it would be easier to move to Canada than it would be to move to Europe. I understand why it has to be that way though. (: I guess I have a lot more research to do than I thought. Thank you for your input!
I strongly recommend bypassing the associate's degrees (which are worthless even in the US unless in a specific certification program) and getting bachelor's degrees somewhere cheap. Target a country that has low-cost masters programs for international students (I found even the UK was cheaper than the US) and find out which degrees/careers are "in demand." These should be listed on the individual country's websites.
Both of you should focus on getting stellar grades, research experience, and internships in your bachelor's program, and keep saving money. Apply for foreign masters programs in low cost of living areas - for instance, if you were to go to the UK, you would be better applying to unis like University of Stirling in Scotland, University of Bradford, or schools in other lower cost cities or rural areas versus living in more expensive areas such as London, Oxford, Salisbury, Edinburgh, or Cardiff.
The UK is one of the top places on my list. (: Is that where you're studying? Thanks for the school suggestions. If I study abroad somewhere, will that better my chances of getting citizenship?
The UK is one of the top places on my list. (: Is that where you're studying? Thanks for the school suggestions. If I study abroad somewhere, will that better my chances of getting citizenship?
The short answer is no. How do you plan to finance getting a degree in the UK - cost of living, flights, enrollment/labs/fees, visa?
45k wouldn't be enough to start for cost of living, flights, and enrollment/labs/fees? Paying for school won't be a problem. I would also move somewhere where I would be able to work while going to school-which a lot of places it seems you can only work 20 hours. Also I wouldn't move anywhere until I had at least two or three years of schooling under my belt.. So I don't see how the answer would be no..
Dream on. Do your homework. Every country has different laws governing immigration, work, residence and citizenship. Almost all (all in the EU, for sure) are tightening their laws, including the UK.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
