Moving to USA - Who's done it, what advice?

sid said:
I am doing a postdoc in San Francisco now actually.

She will get a J 1 visa and you'll get a J2 visa. You won't be allowed to work on that I'm pretty sure so I hope you have cheap hobbies or maybe kids to look after ??
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Would have thought post-docs would get an H1B but in anycase, the outcome is the same. Very unlikely the OP will get a visa that allows him to work. He would have to apply for separate HB sponsorship but he may not have the relevant skills.

OP, you you have an undergrad degree? 5 years work experience in a reasonably technical field (e.g., not stacking shelve in Tesco, but web-design or accounting etc.). If it is a no to both you will probably be a stay at home husband...
 
D.P. said:
Would have thought post-docs would get an H1B but in anycase, the outcome is the same. Very unlikely the OP will get a visa that allows him to work. He would have to apply for separate HB sponsorship but he may not have the relevant skills.

OP, you you have an undergrad degree? 5 years work experience in a reasonably technical field (e.g., not stacking shelve in Tesco, but web-design or accounting etc.). If it is a no to both you will probably be a stay at home husband...
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From what I've just read a spouse of a H1-B visa, which my other half has just confirmed it will be, are allowed to work.

I don't have a degree. Hence my bar work comment in the OP :)
 
Some of the replies in this thread are far from true (more to do with culture).

I moved over here about 7-8 years ago.
Coming from England it's pretty like for like in some respect. You seem like a smart person and you'll figure everything out. Of course you're going to miss certain things, mainly family and friends, you can't replace your childhood friends. Everything else you can get or arrange nowadays (maybe not 10-20yrs ago). The worlds is a much smaller place now days (logistics).
You'll love it and have a great time. If you don't.....at least you tried and you'll never regret that!

Any questions on anything please let me know. Healthcare is the only thing and you have that covered. You won't need a US license to drive, you can drive straight away just get your UK license and eventually might be able to get a US one (depending on visas etc). You can only work if you get a social security number and this can be a pain....or cash work. Or get a job you can do in England remotely (I had this when I first moved over here).
Yes you can get tea...Yes you can get decent bread...chocolate....crisps....etc hell I even can make roast potatoes!!
My toilet is exactly the same as the one in England :D water and all!!
Also it's much easier and cheaper to watch football (EPL etc) over here!!

One thing I can describe....US has extremes in all aspects....filthy rich areas, and filthy poor areas. People in super shape, people super overweight. Restaurants galore (last 3-5yrs it's all about individually owned places and less about franchises, which has some fantastic places and variety). Extremes when it comes to terrain, weather, travel etc.

Best of luck - just 1000000% check your visa status.
 
Clipsey said:
Some of the replies in this thread are far from true (more to do with culture).

I moved over here about 7-8 years ago.
Coming from England it's pretty like for like in some respect. You seem like a smart person and you'll figure everything out. Of course you're going to miss certain things, mainly family and friends, you can't replace your childhood friends. Everything else you can get or arrange nowadays (maybe not 10-20yrs ago). The worlds is a much smaller place now days (logistics).
You'll love it and have a great time. If you don't.....at least you tried and you'll never regret that!

Any questions on anything please let me know. Healthcare is the only thing and you have that covered. You won't need a US license to drive, you can drive straight away just get your UK license and eventually might be able to get a US one (depending on visas etc). You can only work if you get a social security number and this can be a pain....or cash work. Or get a job you can do in England remotely (I had this when I first moved over here).
Yes you can get tea...Yes you can get decent bread...chocolate....crisps....etc hell I even can make roast potatoes!!
My toilet is exactly the same as the one in England :D water and all!!
Also it's much easier and cheaper to watch football (EPL etc) over here!!

One thing I can describe....US has extremes in all aspects....filthy rich areas, and filthy poor areas. People in super shape, people super overweight. Restaurants galore (last 3-5yrs it's all about individually owned places and less about franchises, which has some fantastic places and variety). Extremes when it comes to terrain, weather, travel etc.

Best of luck - just 1000000% check your visa status.
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Thank you :)
 
R-evans said:
From what I've just read a spouse of a H1-B visa, which my other half has just confirmed it will be, are allowed to work.

I don't have a degree. Hence my bar work comment in the OP :)
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Not sure where you've read that but it's wrong. If you're the spouse of a H-1B visa holder you get a H-4 visa and you aren't able to work.
 
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Clipsey said:
My toilet is exactly the same as the one in England :D water and all!!
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Was trying to remember about that when I saw the post but I can't say I really paid attention - definitely didn't strike me as significantly different to our toilets here.

Clipsey said:
Restaurants galore (last 3-5yrs it's all about individually owned places and less about franchises, which has some fantastic places and variety). Extremes when it comes to terrain, weather, travel etc.
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One thing I did like was plenty of great restaurants with some really good food and good service.

Michigan as a gross generalisation wasn't a million miles removed from the UK - wandering about Ann Arbor was largely like wandering around say Bristol in a very general sense.
 
OllyM said:
Yes, I knew somebody would post that. It doesn't apply in the OP's case though.

It only applies to people who are filing for permanent residency and have an approved I-140 immigrant petition but can't adjust status because their priority date isn't current - it really only affects people born in a few countries like India, China and Mexico.
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I imagine that'll be what he's read though.
 
R-evans said:
From what I've just read a spouse of a H1-B visa, which my other half has just confirmed it will be, are allowed to work.

I don't have a degree. Hence my bar work comment in the OP :)
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Nope, you will get an H4 visa.

I know Obama has been campaigning to allow H4 visa holder to be eligible to work. i think so far if the H1B visa holder is applying for permanent residence then the H4 visa holder will be eligible, otherwise not:
https://www.uscis.gov/news/dhs-exte...g-employment-based-lawful-permanent-residence
 
OP you really should research yourself regarding your visa instead of just believing what your other half has been told by so and so.
 
A2Z said:
OP you really should research yourself regarding your visa instead of just believing what your other half has been told by so and so.
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There's nothing else to research now - if his spouse gets a H-1B he gets a H-4 and can't work. It's as simple as that.
 
OllyM said:
There's nothing else to research now - if his spouse gets a H-1B he gets a H-4 and can't work. It's as simple as that.
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There is the potential for getting a work permit with a H4 - though I think you need to be professionally qualified in a very restricted number of fields.

Potentially he'd be near Canada wonder what the situation would be with doing work there.
 
Rroff said:
There is the potential for getting a work permit with a H4 - though I think you need to be professionally qualified in a very restricted number of fields.

Potentially he'd be near Canada wonder what the situation would be with doing work there.
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No, H4 doesn't allow you to work for the most most part. They recently added an exception for those whose H1B spouse is in the process of applying for a green card. But that want be the situation for the OP's wife in the short term. Plus it sounds like the OP's wife might end up with a J1 student visa anyway.

The OP will have to apply for his own H1B visa I think.
 
You sure? coz I know a couple of people who are doing just that :S though I could be mistaken on the details.

EDIT: Even so it probably wouldn't be something available to the OP unless they fit specific criteria.
 
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