moving to LA, need some advise :) (Santa Monica, West Hollywood: apartments, to rent, credit score)

[chris183]

Hello dear forum people.
So here is the thing, me and my mate, both in early 20's from Norway are planning to move to California
Most likley LA area. We need a change in senery some heat and great adventures.

The reason we think LA, is simply becouse its big, so there have to be alot going on, and things to do right?

So the plan is to go down there right after christmas and use the fist month to find an apartment, but it's so big that we could use some advise witch areas to start looking for apartment when we get there.

Myself got work offshore so i will be 1month on and off so i got work, but my mate is gona try find work over there,
As i see it, it's not easy but posible, but he got saved up about 10k dollars so how long could he last on that?

Sorry for a messy post but hope i got my point trough and hope for some positive feedback.
In advance thanks.

Chris.

[nightlysparrow]

You know that foreigners just can't move to the USA and work, right?

If not, check the Legal Immigration forum here:

//www.city-data.com/forum/legal-immigration/

[dvduval]

It would be good to talk about what you are looking for in an apartment or area. Indeed LA is a big place. I would think $10,000 would last a more than 2 months, maybe up to 4 months but not likely. It depends on his choices and lifestyle.

[ImtheBrilliantest]

When you say LA area, you should research which part of LA specifically that you want to go to. There's parts like West Hollywood, Downtown, Koreatown, Santa Monica, etc etc. That's just some of the more popular areas.

[chris183]

I am fully aware that you cannot just move down there and work, have talked to the embassy and know how to get he paperwork part of it ok.

And i have seen how the city is devided into small citys or what you call it.
But its witch of them thats the queston. I would like an area where there is young people, and decent places in the close area to eat and drink. and prefer not a super expensive and posh area.

[Cheektowaga_Chester]

Originally Posted by chris183

find an apartment, but it's so big that we could use some advise witch areas to start looking for apartment

What do you expect your budget to be?

[chris183]

maximum 2000 dollars a month for apartment but then it need to be 2 bedroom.

[atenant89]

How are you just going to move to USA? You know you will be an illegal immigrant?

[quixotic59]

Originally Posted by atenant89

How are you just going to move to USA? You know you will be an illegal immigrant?

Originally Posted by chris183

I am fully aware that you cannot just move down there and work, have talked to the embassy and know how to get he paperwork part of it ok.

.

Let's read the posts before we respond to them.

[GatsbyGatz]

Will you have a visa prepared? No one is going to rent a non-resident an apartment if you don't have a visa...
Do you have a way to present your credit score?
Would you even have a credit score?

I'm sorry to be a downer, but as someone who worked for an immigration law firm in LA, people don't just POP into LA and rent an apartment. There are few places that'll bother with a non-resident except for the occasional craigslist add that rents out properties under the table... And for the apartments in the nice or even decent parts of the city, they're not going to go through the risk of renting to non-resident, non-visa carriers. I really don't understand how you will ever manage on moving to LA without seeking an attorney to manage your immigration status, and that, unfortunately, will be very very expensive and time consuming. Assuming that you immigrate to LA legally and legitimately, it could possibly take you over a year an some cash to go through the whole process.

California has a big waiting list for people trying to immigrate. Heck, we have millions waiting IN LA trying to immigrate.

Good luck.