Emigrating to the US

neocon · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:17

its obvious that what you need is a green card, because you have children to look after, but thats the most difficult thing to get

i dont think that a work visa is such a bad thing, i mean you might hate it over there after a few years and want to come home

Megz2007 · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:28

Spawn said:
Thats the problem unless you have a skill or professional qualification then there isnt much hope. The Americans work on a points based system in which they assess whether or not you can have permanent residence. People like Doctors, lawyers, scientists etc etc have a much better chance of gaining citizenship in America than say someone who hasnt got a professional qualification.

Going through the lottery is just that..its a lottery, you might get lucky and you might not...the emphasis on being you might not get lucky.

The best person on here probably is Curio, who emigrated to USA with his american born wife but from what i remember it still took over a yr or so before he got his permanent residency.

The lottery system works unless you were not born in the UK. A family friend's daughter wanted to go and live in America permantely. However, she had to apply the green card via her parents who are African because she was born in England. She successfully got a green card through the lottery system and been living there for the past five years. Its possible if you are from the countries allowed to apply for the green card or you parents are.

Its hard to get a Green Card especially since 9/11. Another family friend just got her green card after 5 years when it was suppose to be a year. She is from Slovenia and she married a american and had a child. She was also not allowed to leave the country, so she couldn't go and see her family, which was heartbreaking. Good Luck with it.

Yas786 · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:30

Megz2007 said:
The lottery system works unless you were not born in the UK. A family friend's daughter wanted to go and live in America permantely. However, she had to apply the green card via her parents who are African because she was born in England. She successfully got a green card through the lottery system and been living there for the past five years. Its possible if you are from the countries allowed to apply for the green card or you parents are.

Its hard to get a Green Card especially since 9/11. Another family friend just got her green card after 5 years when it was suppose to be a year. She is from Slovenia and she married a american and had a child. She was also not allowed to leave the country, so she couldn't go and see her family, which was heartbreaking. Good Luck with it.

Ahhh right got ya, sorry my bad...didnt realise that if your from the UK you cant apply for the green card lottery. Cheers for clearing that up

CliffyG · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:30

Lottery is out of the question, looks like you can't apply for the next one if you are from England

.

[DOD]Asprilla · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:31

Megz2007 said:
The lottery system works unless you were not born in the UK.....She successfully got a green card through the lottery system and been living there for the past five years.

I don't think UK citizens can currently enter the Green Card Lottery. There used to be adverts for it on the tube with a disclaimer at the bottom stating that only foreign nationals in the UK could apply.

The rules are changed on a regular basis, but I think this has been the case for about 3 years.

CliffyG · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:33

From what i read it's if more then 5000 people (may be 50000) from your country have emigrated to America in the last 5 years then you can't apply or something like that.

noob · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:34

CliffyG said:
Lottery is out of the question, looks like you can't apply for the next one if you are from England .

Very difficult to get a job and a visa over there. I worked in the US for a while and IT professionals are ten a penny. Canada, OZ, or NZ would be your best bet.

[DOD]Asprilla · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:35

CliffyG said:
From what i read it's if more then 5000 people (may be 50000) from your country have emigrated to America in the last 5 years then you can't apply or something like that.

That makes sense, I though the rules changed every 5 years, but it must be this quota system which makes the changes occur.

Fraggr · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:36

So if you are born in a country they accept people from, but have English parents, born in the UK, would you be able to get in?

neocon · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:41

Fraggr said:
So if you are born in a country they accept people from, but have English parents, born in the UK, would you be able to get in?

you'll need citizenship of that other country i think

neocon · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:42

lets face it, for 99% of people this a total pipe dream!

[DOD]Asprilla · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:52

neocon said:
lets face it, for 99% of people this a total pipe dream!

Personally, the idea of living there is a crackpipe nightmare, but each to their own.

Fraggr · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:54

[DOD]Asprilla said:
Personally, the idea of living there is a crackpipe nightmare, but each to their own.

Why?

The only reason I can think of that would make me hesitant to move to America is their non-free healthcare, but you can just buy health insurance (or get it from your employer).

neocon · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:56

[DOD]Asprilla said:
Personally, the idea of living there is a crackpipe nightmare, but each to their own.

one part of me really wants to live in the US , i've grown up being brainwashed by their tv so its inevitable, shame its not like tv though

neocon · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:58

i really want to move away, but to somewhere a bit more welcoming like asia

Megz2007 · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:58

neocon said:
one part of me really wants to live in the US , i've grown up being brainwashed by their tv so its inevitable, shame its not like tv though

Its definitely a shame. I could work there for a number of years though I couldnt permanentely move there. Hell No.

CliffyG · 21 Jul 2007 at 16:59

There is definately a route through the EB-3 thingy if i'm lucky enough to find the right employer. Maybe the lottery after next will allow English people in again too.

Fraggr · 21 Jul 2007 at 17:00

neocon said:
one part of me really wants to live in the US , i've grown up being brainwashed by their tv so its inevitable, shame its not like tv though

You mean with all the government hunting down its citizens and explosions everywhere?

Cause I think it's a good thing that doesn't happen...

neocon · 21 Jul 2007 at 17:00

CliffyG said:
There is definately a route through the EB-3 thingy if i'm lucky enough to find the right employer. Maybe the lottery after next will allow English people in again too.

lottery is for diversity. maybe if you wish hard enough you will turn into a african

[DOD]Asprilla · 21 Jul 2007 at 17:03

Fraggr said:
The only reason I can think of that would make me hesitant to move to America is their non-free healthcare, but you can just buy health insurance (or get it from your employer).

There are other places I've been that appeal to me much more, the UK being one of them. Personally I'd prefer to live in Scandinavia, Asia or Africa since in their own individual ways they have more to offer of what I want from life than the US.

There isn't anything about the US that impresses me (although I do want to visit Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon), generally I'm indifferent to the cities I've visited there and the country as a whole.

The US isn't like it is on TV, nor is it like it is if you go on holiday there.

Conversely, why would you want to live there?