Thread: Help - we want to move to Florida!

Hi All,

This is my first post, so I might babble on just a bit.

My boyfriend and I and our 2 children have always discussed moving abroad.

Florida has always been the first option, I have been there several times and think it is fantastic, from walking the streets to grocery shopping, its less stressful and a better way of life for all of us, especially our children.

Both my boyfriend and I work and have done since we left school, some 15 plus years ago. My boyfriend is Italian and has dual nationality. We both left school with GCSE's and my b/f also has O/A levels.

He was previously a customer services manager in the Public Sector and now does project work on Revenue Collection.

I have been a Complaints and Quality Assurance Officer for 5 plus years, previously doing project work on ICT and Business Process Re engineering. I deal with the public on a day to day basis and have knowledge of Freedon of Information and Data Protection Acts.

We both have an accreditation (ILM) Institute of Leadership and Management, all certificated.

I have heard it is really difficult to get into the US, can someone please advise based on the informnation above, what our chances are please?

The above is just a little bit about us and what we could potentially offer.

Your feedback would be really grateful.

Thank you

Angie

Hi Angie,

First of all you may want to visit www.uscis.gov which is the official US Immigration website, to determine what your personal circumstances may qualify you for and what options you may have as far as moving to the US is concerned.

I'm assuming that you want to move here permanently? If so you'll probably need more than just the qualifications you have listed to allow you to move here on a work related visa, unless for some reason either of you are able to get a job transfer with the company you work for there to an office in the US. It's really going to depend on whether your particular skills are specialized and in not available here.
If you have a decent amount of money you could look into the option of buying a business.

Just as a side note, it was up to 100 degrees here over the weekend and yesterday with a heat index of 110 degrees, even native floridians were staying indoors, it's not always fun and games outside. If you're moving here for the "relaxed way of life", unless you're retired, you'll find it's not that laid back either, as some would say, a holiday is a lot different than living here. ;)

Good luck with your venture though, if you do plenty of research you will see that there are a decent amount of avenues to explore as far as getting into the US is concerned, marriage to a US Citizen (obviously that's not applicable to you), work related visa, buying a business (if you have money to invest), family, etc etc.
Really just liike all of us that are here now, it will all pretty well depend on your personal circumstances. Please do post again once you have got more information on your options though, and I (along with all the others) will happily offer any words of my limited wisdom that I can.

I deleted my post since it seemed to get mixed in with Purple's last post. As I said, I agree with Purple 's last post, --- heat and humidity are a big factor in choosing to relocate. When I first came to Canada 52 yrs ago, I went to Alberta, the Prairies, where it was very hot, but not humid,, in fact, dry; therefore it did not feel so bad.

I am presently in Ontario, where the weather is just as hot, BUT, we also have a high humidity factor, which makes things more difficult. Often . in Summer, there are no children playing in the street, --- too hot and humid.. Also, in Winter, it is bitterly cold.

Please check out your location of choice, before deciding to relocate.
I don't want to discourage you, but want you to make a decision, with eyes open
Good Luck

Liz

It's certainly not easy to get in and even once you're here, they continue to make life awkward. I'm currently in Tampa, FL and have been here for three years (I came on a K-1 visa and married my American wife). I'm not entirely sure what the big attraction of Florida is. Have you only come in the winter months? The summer is certainly not too enjoyable. When you're not sweating from all the heat and particularly the humidity, you're keeping an eye out for hurricanes.

I can't say I'm the greatest fan of either Tampa or Orlando, however, I have been to Jacksonville briefly and thought that had a much nicer feel.

Have to agree with you Dave, can't see the attraction to either Tampa or Orlando. I spent about 18 months living in Tampa and when we left it to move out into the country a bit, I was so pleased to be out of the place. all that concrete and crappy traffic? No thanks.
I'd never want to live in Orlando either, that has no attraction to me. Who needs Mickey Mouse?

Penninsular Florida is flat and boring for the most part, there's little in the way of landscape to enjoy, so I'd have to say that England is definately nicer.

On the rare occassions that I'm up there, I never actually thought that Jacksonville was anything special either. St Augustine is nice in the historic part, but its got it's junky side too.
TBH I kind of prefer it up in the Northern part of the country.

Hi I have just read your email about wanting to move to Florida, i also feel the same way, me, my partner and 3 children are going to look into it, there is a website called Emergrate and they have a show on at Aintree race course(Liverpool) at the end of September we are hoping to get some advice on weather it is possible, i hear it is very hard to get a visa but i will give it my best as i love it over there.I will be gutted if they tell me there is no possible way i can get one.Please let me know how you get on,or anyone how would like to give me any advice that would be great.My partner is a vehicle technician and im a garment tech.Thanks Jacque

Hey Jacque,

Good luck with trying. Don't let some website that spouts on about being able to get you a fast track into the US (while they take your money) deceive you though.
Check out www.uscis.gov to see what you would actually qualify for first. That's the official US immigration website, and if you don't fit a particular criteria then you won't get in, period.

I can tell you just from living here in FL, that Florida (or probably any other state) is not short of vehicle techs or garment tech's, or anything else right now though. With unemployment running at its highest in 20 years, I'm sorry to say that you won't be offering skills that are in a specialised field or in high demand. If you were a SRN then you might stand a better chance.

If you have a substantial amount of money to invest then you could try the route of buying a business.

Anyway, no harm in trying the seminar, just be aware that there's a lot of scammers out there offering something that's realistically not very likely to happen.

Good luck.

Thanks for your reply,i hope i do have some luck! will let you know how i get on at the seminar.
My partners parent is a american citizen living in Britain, he also has a aunt that lives in Manhatten would that help us?

I have been here in the US (Palm Beach, FL) for the last 4 years. Here is the bottom line...

The economy is awful, worse so than many other states. Moving here based upon employment is proabbly a non-starter unless you are in a VERY unusual field. I am lucky enough to work in a sector that is unaffected by the recession but can tell you that trying to move here based upon having job skills is setting the bar VERY high.

Having an aunt or other relative wont help UNLESS it is a husband/wife or similarly close relative. Check out this link below which shows processing times for each visa type. Note they are now processing I-130 applications to bring in a brother/sister from 1999!! So applications mailed in ten years ago are now being looked at.

Click on "Service Center Processing Times" next to the California Service Center box.

https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processT...KC7pqb4obgc6ls

Having money to invest or being the owner of a company is probably the easiest route right now but I understand that wont work for many.

As for Florida I have lived here for four years and do enjoy it but the wife (from Virginia) and I are now looking to move somewhere with less humidity and four seasons. We are fortunate in that we live near the beach so have a breeze but aside from 4-5 winter months which are beautiful it is a little too much after a while. We are looking at Northern California or Oregon as we will then get some variety of weather and still enjoy some scenery.

Good luck with your research, the timing is just unfortunate.

Paul

Thanks for your reply i will get back with how i get on.
Jacque