Thread: How easy is it to move to america?

thanks for your info YG ......?

Hi

My Wife and I are researching how we can move to America and any help is most appreciated as it seems rather confusing.

We have no family out there and a small chance of a job for my wife if she can get transferred.
We can't rely on this though.

What are our options please?
I've read on here about an E2 which is buying 50% of a business but we don't want to take the risk with this (nor have that much expendable £)

Surely there's some other way seeing it seems America has more and more people moving there all the time, it's massively multicultural

Thanks

Hi Yorkshireguy,

would you mind also sending me some information on how you made your move. Particularly the cost and brokers you used.

Thanks in Advance

Hey everyone. How's it going with the thoughts on moving?


i am on my own with no skill. I really want to move to the states. I'm thinking Los Angeles at the moment.




I am am totally lost on what visa to apply for????? Do I go straight to permanent or something first !?


my plan is to move there and maybe flat share or hotel for a bit until I know what I want. I want to work out there and stay permanent. I have enough money for now about 30k.


What do I do how do I start this process what visa etc


any help would be greatly appreciated I feel so alone

Please Help!

My wife and I have had a life long dream to move to America. We would like to move in about 2-3 years time (or tomorrow if we could). I have been researching for hour after hour and this is the most recent thread I can find which is still 8 months old. I understand pretty much everything regarding visa's, types, work sponsorship etc. and I know this is a huge hurdle to over come (although im quite confident in finding a job, im not so confident in getting sponsorship from the employer) anyhow... what I really need to know and am yet to find out is...... how much cash will I need to get me started? Assuming the following:
- We want to live in northern california
- We will be renting
- We have no kids (apart from a Cat)
- We will have secured jobs and visa sponsorship

We need to know how much cash to save / loan over the next few years to prepare.

PLEASE HELP :-) and THANK YOU in advance

Hi there,

Thanks for sharing this. If it's not too much to ask, how much money did you spend buying the business?

Thank you

Sarah

Hi, I noticed you said you previously worked in the U.S. on a H1B visa. Can you tell me how you got this? I am looking at jobs but not sure if I can apply while in the UK or how I go about asking for sponsorship? Was wondering if you could share your experience or point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance!

Hi
I'm new to this but would really love to hear your advice Yorkshireguy and anyone else out there who can point us in the right direction. We have a successful online business in the UK but have heard that to set up a US branch of this to obtain an L1 visa means we can't necessarily stay as long as we may be able to if we enter under an E2 visa - we'd be happy to invest in a business over in the USA as you have done. We also have 2 sons aged 10 and 15 so schooling is very important. Does anybody know if we buy a business that I will operate can my husband still operate our UK business while living in the USA and starting to establish a US branch of the UK business at the same time? Or are these two very different things? I'd love to hear any experiences from anyone who has looked into E2 and L1 visas and their route. Many thanks for your help in advance. I realise it won't be an easy process but an hugely encouraged by some of the posts I've read on here.

Hi, I would be very grateful if you could send me the visa specialist details - we are just beginning the process so any information would be great :)
Many thanks,
Jackie

Originally Posted by Shellident

It is tough but it can be done. My husband and I moved over to Florida just over a year ago on an E2 visa, we bought a small business that employs Americans, you need to check www.immigration.com I think is the web site. We are both in our 40's and our children have grown up so it was just the two of us, I applied for a work permit and I now have a job also. There are lots of different visas it depends what you want, I know if you are in a medical profession you will have no trouble getting work, I have a good visa specialist if you are interested, be careful though as with anything there are people out there who would rip you off. It is a huge decision to move to another country and is very stressful but if you stick at it you will get there!

Hi, any contacts you would recommend re obtaining an E2 Visa would be greatly appreciated - there's so many out there and so many scams! If you can help I would be delighted to hear from you, we have thought of doing this for years and just like yourselves our children are grown up now so it seems like now is as good a time as any to give it a try! Also, its very unclear what the minimum investment needed for purchasing a business is? If you have an idea please let me know :)
Many thanks,
Jackie

Originally Posted by yorkshireguy

Hi Cranesone, my wife and I relocated from the UK to the USA in 2013 on a 5 year E-2 visa: I have to say the process was quite easy (took us about 3 months, from starting to look at businesses to arriving here).
The steps we took can be summarised as follows:
1. Google search for business brokers/businesses for sale in the area we were looking at (Florida)
2. Email brokers to establish contact (some don't even reply but you will establish a relationship with at least one - I can give you our brokers details if you need)
3. Compile a list of businesses to look at
4. Fly over and meet with business owners
5. Have an offer accepted
6. Fly home excited
7. Use the broker's contacts to help with all areas needed ie someone to help with your business plan for your application; an attorney for the legal stuff
8. Fly back over with your suitcases to sign and complete the deal
9. Enjoy your new business and new life in the sunshine!
I'm sure other people will have different opinions/experiences but that's how it worked for us. We bought a property management company in Florida. I think costs vary but for us it was around $4500.00 - we did pay someone the majority of that to compile our business plan, so that's a cost that may vary (or you could do it yourself if you have experience of this).
If you need any more info just ask me : )