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Hi, I hope someone out there can help me put some order on all the questions I have buzzing around in my head! Boss is floating the idea of sending me to Miami for 3 months next year for work. I currently live in Spain and hold a US passport, I would go for work and my husband and child (will be almost 3yrs) would come with me but on tourist visas (as only for 3 months and husband wouldn't work).
So Boss is asking if I want to and leaving the ball in my court (while not making a firm financial offer for me to go on!) but I have NO idea what I should ask for...
- I would have to maintain all my at-home overheads while I am away so money I would have left for misc bills like utilities, food, transport, clothing other normal monthly spending would be about 2700$ - so about 675$/ week - is this ok? (may need to pay nursery for son)
- Boss will pay rent over there but I need to find it - what areas should I look in? I will work from home (so need 3 bedrooms) but we don't want to be stuck in suburbia, husband will want to be able to get out and do things on his own or with our son if he's to be a stay at home dad. And I won't want them around the house all day if I'm working. Of course we would like it to be safe etc.
- medical insurance - where do I start with this question??! Husband and son will presumably have travel insurance but I am not sure if I can take that out if I am going on a US passport to work??
- we live in a small city and are used to walking, biking and getting public transport. Is it inevitable that we will have to drive to get anywhere and is that a nightmare?
Sorry if this is jumbled, kind of like it is in my head right now! It seems like a big deal to uproot us for only a few months but potentially a good experience too - I just want to make a sensible decision. Any opinions/ advice really appreciated. Thanks.
I live in Spain, but I lived in Miami and know many people there.
If Boss pays the rent, then Brickell, nice, you can walk, near downtown and beach.
Not like living in a small Spanish city, but you can walk.
Medical Insurance, hire a Spanish medical insurance (Sanitas or Asistencia Sanitaria) and pay a Foreign Extension. Cheaper than contracting Medical Insurance there, though you would have to pay initially to be reimbursed later.
You'll find many nice people in this Forum and they will provide more information.
Thanks Leovigildo... the boss will pay the rent but not an unlimited amount sadly! So it's really a question of what prices am I looking at for not-too-out-of-the-way places? I have emailed a fair few estate agents and no one has got back to me so I'm getting nowhere fast with this at the moment.
Thanks for the advice re. medical insurance, I will look into it. Thanks for your time.
I just skimmed through some other posts and saw a few people mentioning Apartmentratings.com but that site hurts my head! This all seems really hard! Isn't there anywhere/anyone who can just give an idea of rough prices for a 3 bed in areas x, y or z?? (I don't necessarily mean on this site, but other sites or reputable agents??) I also tried craigslist but it was pages of the same ad 89$/3BED!! VERY GOOD QUALITY LOTS AVAILABLE TO SUIT YOU! type thing.
Hi, I hope someone out there can help me put some order on all the questions I have buzzing around in my head! Boss is floating the idea of sending me to Miami for 3 months next year for work. I currently live in Spain and hold a US passport, I would go for work and my husband and child (will be almost 3yrs) would come with me but on tourist visas (as only for 3 months and husband wouldn't work).
So Boss is asking if I want to and leaving the ball in my court (while not making a firm financial offer for me to go on!) but I have NO idea what I should ask for...
- I would have to maintain all my at-home overheads while I am away so money I would have left for misc bills like utilities, food, transport, clothing other normal monthly spending would be about 2700$ - so about 675$/ week - is this ok? (may need to pay nursery for son)
- Boss will pay rent over there but I need to find it - what areas should I look in? I will work from home (so need 3 bedrooms) but we don't want to be stuck in suburbia, husband will want to be able to get out and do things on his own or with our son if he's to be a stay at home dad. And I won't want them around the house all day if I'm working. Of course we would like it to be safe etc.
- medical insurance - where do I start with this question??! Husband and son will presumably have travel insurance but I am not sure if I can take that out if I am going on a US passport to work??
- we live in a small city and are used to walking, biking and getting public transport. Is it inevitable that we will have to drive to get anywhere and is that a nightmare?
Sorry if this is jumbled, kind of like it is in my head right now! It seems like a big deal to uproot us for only a few months but potentially a good experience too - I just want to make a sensible decision. Any opinions/ advice really appreciated. Thanks.
You need a combined salary of at least 4,000$ per month in order to have a decent quality of life in Miami.
You and your husband must own a vehicle.
The public transportation system in Miami is not good. There is water under the city and it is impossible for us to have a subway system. Miami is not a walkable city.
I recommed you "Doral". It was ranked as the 2nd best city to live well in the U.S. The schools are all "A Rated". The condos are beautiful and there are good shopping malls (Dolphin mall> the best in Miami in my opinion, and the International Mall), small businesses, major companies headquarters, golf courses, restaurants, etc.
Doral is very safe, it is also very close to MDC (Doral campus) and FIU (University Park Campus). The city is mainly populated by U.S. Nationals (with Latin Backgrounds). Spanish is the most common language used in the area, and most of the people are bilingual.
The city is located 15 minutes away from the MIA airport.
As Leovigildo said, Brickell is also a good choice. I like better Doral because it is closer to the malls and there is a Walmart in Doral as well (you will save tons of money).
Brickell and Doral are both great options.
Brickell is more walkable and closer to the beach . On the other hand, Doral is closer to the shopping malls, and Walmart.
Listen, you are a dual Spanish/U.S. American citizen. If you file a petition for your husband he will obtain a social security number and work permit in 3 months after you submit the paperwork. He can work as well.
2 years after you submit the application, he can receive his green card.
He is exempt from the residency requirement as long as he is married to you...what does this mean? hehe let me explain you...
In the future, in case you want to go back to live in Europe, he would never lose its green card because he is married to a U.S. National (you). On the other hand, other green card holders that are not married to U.S. citizens would lose its green card if they stayed outside the U.S. for more than 6 months. Your husband is exempt from that rule as long as he is married to you...that`s very important... he would never lose his green card while living overseas, asi viva for years in Spain without visiting the U.S.
Your child is an automatic U.S. citizen, even though he was born overseas he is your son and has the blood right to be a U.S. National (basically he became a U.S. national at birth). I strongly suggest you to reach one of the INS offices ASAP in order to get him a U.S. certificate of citizenship or passport. It will take you 2 weeks to get him a passport, and probably less time to add him to the social security database, etc.
Both USA and Spain allow dual citizenship
I am trying to help you ok...
This is the address of the INS office in Miami
7880 Biscayne Boulevard Miami, FL 33138. USCIS Customer Service Center The Information Office is located at : 6445 NE 7th Avenue Miami, FL 33138. Forms Office The forms office is located at: 7880-B 79th Street Miami, FL 33138
Good luck and welcome back to the U.S.
Last edited by Eduardo983; 05-25-2009 at 03:16 AM..
Let's see. Crisp is here the expert, let's see if he's around.
If you live, let's say, in Madrid, Barcelona or any neighbouring city, Miami is far cheaper.
There are many posts about Brickell in this forum.
I remember that I just read that a good apartment in Brickell with two or three rooms goes for 2.000 euros. (An apartment well above the standards found in any Spanish city).
In Brickell you can walk. Since you'll be working in your home, you won't need to use your car a lot.
Brickell is safe, multicultural.
You can walk to nearby bars, restaurant and terraces.
Last edited by Leovigildo; 05-25-2009 at 04:44 AM..
Thanks guys. Have finally managed to get in touch with an apparantly very nice estate agent who is willing to help guide me in matters of property.. from what I have read on here I had Brickell in mind but also Coral Gables and Coconut Grove.
Eduardo - sadly I can't pass on my citizenship to my son because I got mine through my dad. I myself have a 'birth of a us national abroad' certificate! And as I have not lived in the US long enough I don't qualify to then pass it on. I will however look again at the green card for my husband. It all seemed like a very complicated process to go through for him to just lose it under the residency requirement a year later. So if that doesn't apply that is great news. Thanks for the tip!
Money seems like it might be ok. Waiting for my boss to advise on the tax situation i.e. will she employ me on a contract or will I be self employed for tax purposes etc so still not sure how much take home pay I will have...there's still a lot to be negotiated so I may be back with more questions yet!
Thanks guys. Have finally managed to get in touch with an apparantly very nice estate agent who is willing to help guide me in matters of property.. from what I have read on here I had Brickell in mind but also Coral Gables and Coconut Grove.
Eduardo - sadly I can't pass on my citizenship to my son because I got mine through my dad. I myself have a 'birth of a us national abroad' certificate! And as I have not lived in the US long enough I don't qualify to then pass it on. I will however look again at the green card for my husband. It all seemed like a very complicated process to go through for him to just lose it under the residency requirement a year later. So if that doesn't apply that is great news. Thanks for the tip!
Money seems like it might be ok. Waiting for my boss to advise on the tax situation i.e. will she employ me on a contract or will I be self employed for tax purposes etc so still not sure how much take home pay I will have...there's still a lot to be negotiated so I may be back with more questions yet!
In many/most cases, a child born outside the US to a US citizen or citizens is a US citizen by birth (and, in the opinions of most legal scholars, qualifies as a "natural born" citizen eligible to become President or Vice-President).
You are not considered a naturalized citizen. You are a U.S. citizen by birth. Even better
A FOUND A WAY FOR YOUR PARENT (child`s grandparent) TO PASS ON HIS U.S. CITIZENSHIP TO YOUR CHILD
If the U.S. citizen parent did not live in the United States for the required period of time, how can a foreign-born child become a U.S. citizen?
A change in the law in 1994 enabled a U.S. citizen parent to apply for “expeditious naturalization” for a child.
- If the parent and child are residing abroad, the child may be eligible for expeditious naturalization if the child's U.S. citizen grandparent was physically present in the United States for a period totaling five years, and at least two years after the age of 14. The grandparent can be living or deceased at the time of the application. If deceased, the grandparent must have been a citizen prior to the child's birth and at the time of the grandparent's death.
If the parent is living abroad, can the child still apply for expeditious naturalization using the "grandparent" procedure?
Yes. You must file an application with a USCIS field office in the United States. The USCIS will determine whether your child is eligible. If the child is eligible, the USCIS will approve the application and forward you a letter and naturalization appointment date. You can present the USCIS approval and appointment letter to the U.S. embassy or consulate where you are living. The U.S. embassy or consulate will issue the child a B‑2 visitor visa. This process allows parents to visit the United States to naturalize their child as a U.S. citizen.
What are the time limits for the expedited naturalization application?
For the naturalization benefit to be granted, the application must be filed, adjudicated and approved by USCIS, with the oath of allegiance administered, before the child's 18th birthday.
U.S. citizens may apply for citizenship for their children by birth or adoption who do NOT regularly reside in the United States, if all of the following conditions are met:
U.S. citizens may apply for citizenship for their children by birth or adoption who do NOT regularly reside in the United States, if all of the following conditions are met:
The child is under 18 years of age; and
The child is not married; and
The child regularly resides outside the United States; and
The child is temporarily present in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission and is maintaining such lawful status; and
The child is in legal and physical custody of a parent who is a U.S. citizen; and
The child is the U.S. citizen’s legitimate child, or was legitimated before the child’s 16th birthday (stepchildren or children born out of wedlock who were not legitimated before their 16th birthday are not eligible for this procedure); and
If adopted, the child meets the requirements of section 101(b)(1)(E) or (F) and had a full and final adoption; and either of the following is true:
The citizen parent has lived at least 5 years in the United States, and at least 2 of which were after the citizen parent’s 14th birthday; or
If the child’s citizen parent has not lived in the United States for at least 5 years, 2 of which were after that parent's 14th birthday, the citizen parent currently has a parent (the child's grandparent) who:
is also a U.S. citizen; and
lived in the United States for 5 years, at least 2 of which were after the citizen grandparent's 14th birthday; and
is still living at the time of the adjudication of the application and the taking of the Oath.
And the fastest fastest way would be if you parent (the child's grandparent) travels with your son to the U.S.
Hope this helps
Last edited by Eduardo983; 05-25-2009 at 03:28 PM..
Leovigildo - well I won´t ALWAYS be working from home, I will be out and about a lot but when I have to do office type stuff, it will be from home.
Eduardo - great news! That is fantastic, I have already called to tell my sister as we´d taken for granted it stopped with us. We only lived in the US for 3 yrs as kids but it looks like even WE can pass it on to our kids if we live there another 2 years as adults, don´t even have to use the grandpa connection. Really really, thanks for all of those links, and both of you for all of your help. what stars!
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Bienvenida` Española
. On the other hand, Doral is closer to the shopping malls, and Walmart.
