How to go about moving to america?
- Thread starter BenJ
- Start date
Depends how serious you are really. Put it this way it's not exactly the most straight forward / easiest of processes!
And if I'm honest I wouldn't get your hopes up
(sorry)The ways:
Investment
Job Employment (transfer from the UK to the States or require your specialized skills/services)
Marriage
Illegal (not recommended
)Going off your original post I'm sorry but doesn't look like you'll have much of a chance 
(having no specialized skill), I presume you can't invest a hell of a lot money (think its something like $100k) or start a business which employees minimum of 4 staff I think it is.
If you want to move there for a set period of time and relatively quickly your best bet is to go to college out there, then apply for your OPT (which will enable you to work up to 15months) and work for an American company then hope they will sponsor you OR get with an American girl.
(having no specialized skill), I presume you can't invest a hell of a lot money (think its something like $100k) or start a business which employees minimum of 4 staff I think it is.
If you want to move there for a set period of time and relatively quickly your best bet is to go to college out there, then apply for your OPT (which will enable you to work up to 15months) and work for an American company then hope they will sponsor you OR get with an American girl.
Sorry to rain on your parade, but getting a green card is extremely hard to do.
Working for a USA comapny over there won't get you a green card either, just an extended stay, I know been there done that.
There is only one guy I know who managed to get a green card. His wife was a nurse and went to work over there. That was a skill they really needed so a certain few got residency then a green card.
Just popping over there to live just is not going to happen. Expect to jump through many hoops and prepare to fall at the final hurdle.
To put it in perspective, there is an immigration green card lottery. It is closed and has been for a long time to member of the UK because there are too many of us out there.
BTW what is so appealing about the USA? I hope you are not looking at it through rose tinted specs.
Working for a USA comapny over there won't get you a green card either, just an extended stay, I know been there done that.
There is only one guy I know who managed to get a green card. His wife was a nurse and went to work over there. That was a skill they really needed so a certain few got residency then a green card.
Just popping over there to live just is not going to happen. Expect to jump through many hoops and prepare to fall at the final hurdle.
To put it in perspective, there is an immigration green card lottery. It is closed and has been for a long time to member of the UK because there are too many of us out there.
BTW what is so appealing about the USA? I hope you are not looking at it through rose tinted specs.
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As others have said it is very difficult to move there to live permanantly. Even if you have the offer of a job out there, it is still very difficult to get a visa. My brother moved out there ayear ago and was sponsored through the visa process by his new employer (One of the 5 largest companies on the planet).
He works in a very specialised area with probably less than 100 "experts" world wide. He had just completed a phd covering the area that his employer wanted him to work on yet he still had lots of trouble getting a visa. It took two attempts and about 9 months of effort. The second attempt involved several hours with a specialist immigration lawyer to prepare the application. Even after all this the visa he has is tied to his employer so he cannot change jobs out there without getting a new visa..
This probably isn't what you wanted to hear, but hopefully will give you someidea of the hurdles that you face...
Jonathan
He works in a very specialised area with probably less than 100 "experts" world wide. He had just completed a phd covering the area that his employer wanted him to work on yet he still had lots of trouble getting a visa. It took two attempts and about 9 months of effort. The second attempt involved several hours with a specialist immigration lawyer to prepare the application. Even after all this the visa he has is tied to his employer so he cannot change jobs out there without getting a new visa..
This probably isn't what you wanted to hear, but hopefully will give you someidea of the hurdles that you face...
Jonathan
It says on a us gov website that people from the uk can't get a green card, so I would imagine so.
May I offer an alternative solution?
Step 1: Move to Canada
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Profit
Seriously though, it would be far easier (and cheaper) to first move to Canada. We are granted a number of exceptions in terms of our close ties of citizenship with the United States. While a UK citizen can get leave to work in work a few years on a temporary Visa, a Canadian citizen can have greater rights as far as residency after a relatively shorter period of time. I don't think you'd be able to vote or run for office, but you'd still be granted permission to stay.
Otherwise, you'll have to marry someone and hope they don't catch you.
PS - Canada!
Step 1: Move to Canada
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Profit
Seriously though, it would be far easier (and cheaper) to first move to Canada. We are granted a number of exceptions in terms of our close ties of citizenship with the United States. While a UK citizen can get leave to work in work a few years on a temporary Visa, a Canadian citizen can have greater rights as far as residency after a relatively shorter period of time. I don't think you'd be able to vote or run for office, but you'd still be granted permission to stay.
Otherwise, you'll have to marry someone and hope they don't catch you.
PS - Canada!