[blueivu]

Hi,
I'm only starting my search into moving from Ireland to Vermont so please forgive my ignorance if I ask silly questions.
My partner is America and living here in Ireland at the moment, but we are thinking about moving to Vermont, she works in IT and I work in research. I have 13 and 11 year old sons from a previous relationship. We are planning to get married and are wondering if myself and the boys will be able to avail of residence visas from the marriage.
Also, where the best areas for school for my sons are and where the highest level of IT employment.

Thank you for any advice you can give.

[joe moving]

Not a ton going on for IT but jobs do exist, I would check Burlington, Middlebury college, every other college, and I would check Green Mtn Coffee Roasters (Williston & waterbury I think) and craigslist.org.

In terms of where you would want to live...what are you looking for and what brings you to VT.

As for visas, I have no clue but I hope that you have no problems with that. I feel like you should be able to bring them.

[Dippylou]

Hi Blue,

I'm from London and live in VT. For immigration purposes the best answers would be at visajourney.com. It's a lengthy and expensive process and as kids are involved it may be difficult depending on whether the mother has given permission etc. Do not expect it to be an easy ride, but it can be done. Start saving now and start reading visajourney where lots of people like you are in the same boat.

Good luck and feel free to message any time if you want a European prospective of VT.

[adriatic]

If your American girlfriend marries you, then she can sponsor your immigration and that of your two children (if you have custody or otherwise have permission from the mother if needed). If you are married while your girlfriend is living in Ireland and if she is resident in Ireland (not just a tourist there for a couple months) then she may be able to take the initial first step of filing the immigration petition at the US Embassy in dublin, rather than filing it with one of the DHS service centers in the US. (she might have to have been a resident for 6 months or so). It gets approved much faster if you are able to file the petition overseas.

Once the petition is approved, you will have to collect a number of basic docs (birth, marriage and divorce certificates, police certificates, etc.) get medical exams (overseas) for you and the kids, and your new wife will have to provide proof of her job in the US (or fine another person to sponsor you financially if she doesn't have a job yet in the US). She will have to submit her last tax returns. Once you have all the required docs together, you tell the Embassy you are ready for your visa interview. Then you and your sons have interviews at the Embassy and get your immigration visas. When you enter the US with your immigration visas you will be a resident (conditional for the first two years and permanent after that), meaning you will have your "green card" and you can do everything an American citizen can do, except vote. Meaning you can work and the kids can go to school. It's not hard...you just need to follow the instructions step by step and there are fees which are slightly pricey but not terrible. After all, you get to move to America and live and work there forever, so it shouldn't be free. You don't need to waste money on a lawyer. Just follow the instructions and if you don't understand something, you can always contact the immigrant visa section of the Embassy and ask the experts there. You can find out more info by looking at Embassy Dublin's website: Immigrant Visas | Embassy of the United States Dublin, Ireland or going to general information about visas to the U.S. at www.travel.state.gov. Good Luck.

[Annie Metal]

You might be better off if she moves to Ireland.