Thread: Desperate to move to America

I've always dreamt of moving to America. I'm fedd up with where I live, the weather, the close mindedness and the same old same old all the time. I crave something new and a challenge. Im in my last year of college studying a diploma in art and design (photography) and my boyfriend has a joint honours degree in English and history and has been doing supply teaching jobs. He has been looking at jobs in America and has found a few he is planning to apply to. We are worried about how we are going to get a visa. He has loads of family in the states, but not any instant family members and I think the closest family member he has there is his uncle.

I would love to work in a photography studio there, or with a magazine or a job in that field, but I don't know how reasonable this is.

any feedback and help would be so so so much help!! :smile:

Hi and welcome Smudge,

I don't want to ruin your dream but I think you need to address why you want to move first, the things you have described are the same everywhere, there is no grass is greener etc. In fact from my experience you have to work a lot harder here to make life even 'just as good' as back in the UK. EVERY single person I know who has moved to the US for a 'better life' hasn't achieved it and has either moved back to the UK are are still here depressed, hating it and are desperate to move back home but cannot afford too. So please please really have a think about why you want to move.

As for moving here, you have several options:

* Family you have ruled out, as you said you need immediate family to be in with a chance for that.
* Work option 1, you would need a minimum of a bachelors degree or equivalent and a company who will sponsor you. This is for specialised jobs.
* Work option 2, get a job with an international company in the UK and work your way to a managerial position and transfer to the US office if possible.
* Investment option 1, if you have half a million dollars going spare you can 'buy a green card' by investing in particular businesses, don't expect to get the money back.
* Investment option 2, buy a business (start up usually costs from around $150K) and run it, must employ USC's, doesn't lead to permanent residency.

With the first work option only so many visas are issued a year (65000 for those with bachelors degrees or above, an additional 20000 for masters degrees or above), applications can be submitted from April 1st, this year they received over 125000 applications within the first 5 days so closed within a week and those applications went to a lottery selection. If an application is successful the candidate can start work from October 1st. The next application date is now from April 1st 2014 with a start date from Oct 1st 2014.

Neither your job or your boyfriends stand out as specialised for a work visa, unless there is something you have missed out such as being a world renowned photographer?! If so you 'may' qualify for a different work visa such as 'O'.

Also as you aren't married you would more than likely have to qualify for individual visas. You could possibly qualify for a B2 'cohabiting' visa if you have lived together for several years and can prove it. There are disadvantages to that however.

Confusing isn't it!

Quite difficult. There is a demand for teachers in the US but in the maths and science subjects. Think you will struggle finding someone to sponsor for the subjects your boyfriend teaches. And if he did get H-1B you would need to be married to accompany him and you would not be able to work. A diploma wont give you the right to apply for H-1B yourself as you need a bachelors degree. There are other places you could go to which are much easier to be frank. For example by son is currently teaching English in South Korea. Got a visa quite easily, earns really well and gets free accommodation.