What made you decide to bring your fiance/spouse/etc. to the U.S. instead of relocating to his/her native country?

[Marzy 1]

Job

[reeses16 8]

I'm still early in my career and its difficult to earn enough money (able to live comfortably and pay back my student loans) in Ethiopia with my current experience. In a few hope to spend a few months a year there, and we've discussed retiring in Ethiopia.

[Brad and Vika 129]

Inability to find equivalent employment there. Also language would initially be a problem (for me).

[dagnytaggart 0]

I would never find a job that pays as well as the one here and he will find a job that pays more than the one he has in India. My parents have health issues so I want to stay close in case something happens and he totally understands that. I also can't speak Hindi (learning slowly) and not to keen on the hot humid weather. We also want to buy some land in India in a few years and it would be easier to save up the money if we earn our money here. Ideally we would like to find a way to spend part of the year in the US and part of it in India.

[jle930sl 0]

There were several factors... I'm closer to my family (I'm USC) than he is to his. I have better job prospects in US than in Germany w/my training.. he dreams of opening his own restaurant, which we feel is more realistic here in the US. Also, he's always been interested in living in the US since before I knew him - even spent a year in high school over here. So, it was a pretty simple decision.

As of right now, we plan on staying here permanently.

[GabachaYucateca 0]

We already lived in his country for five years, and there was no upward mobility for me doing anything I remotely enjoyed. I'd do much better in Mexico after having established myself as a freelancer and having saved some $$.

[hassan_debbie 4]

three kids and joint custody.

Deb

[l.j./1999 1]

Our situation is probably not typical of the members here, because my husband had previously lived in the U.S. for several years, studying and working here. By the time he moved to the U.S. permanently on the fiance visa, he was very familiar with U.S. culture, fluent in English, and knew & loved my hometown of NYC. I on the other hand would have a much, much harder time adjusting to life in the Philippines, especially since I don't speak Tagalog. On top of that, we both have far better job opportunities in the U.S. So this was a very easy decision!

[Julie Ivy 0]

Good Friends, New York City, Sunshine, Family, Barack Obama and Oreo Cookies

[rebeccajo 14]

I'm guessing she is...

what makes you so flabbergasted at such a statement? parts - in fact most, if not all - of the UK are extremely expensive, compared to here; even after more than eight months I still catch myself thinking or saying 'wow, that's so cheap!' about all sorts of everyday things

let alone things like housing...

I want to go back to the UK as soon as it's feasible, but certainly financially it's making a lot of sense for us to be in the US (although that's not the reason we're here, and I wouldn't let it stop me going back)

Yes - I'm flabbergasted by a comment like this:

"We could both have very poorly paid jobs and survive far better than on one well paid job here."

I've lived here all my life, STP. You haven't. I've WATCHED couples who were always in "very poorly paid jobs" and I've seen how they fare in the US. Two people with "very poorly paid jobs" probably have no health cover; they probably have no 401K's; they probably live in sub-standard housing and struggle to transport themselves to their jobs in an old car.

In the UK, at least they would have health insurance. They could take public transport to work. They would have the advantage of work tribunals and believe me - they could use that in their "poorly paid" US job. And they could live in council housing that is probably far better than what they are living in in the US.

I understand that things are expensive in the UK. I get that. But - IMO - you can't live well in the US on two low-paying jobs. Not long term, anyway. IMO you would be far better off in the UK.

Edited February 14, 2009 by rebeccajo

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

My income base is here in the US, and when I retire, then we will move to the Philippines, or somewhere else, where my meager savings will go a lot farther. Plus, for my wife, she has more opportunities here in the US, than she would back home. And of course, we all know the streets here are paved in gold!

Edited February 14, 2009 by Mister_Bill

[Alex & Rachel 78]

Alex is younger than me and hasn't finished school yet (although at the moment he's not attending). Also, when we applied, he had a pretty decent job.

Plus, I get itchy feet. I'd been in Sheffield for 7 years and although I had a couple of really fantastic friends there I felt it was time to move on to new pastures. (Coincidentally, my friends are the same; one's now looking to emigrate herself). I felt there was more opportunity for me here, which is true - I've already found a career I might like to get into and I'm thinking of starting up study again in the autumn.

Aaand...I have to admit weather was a big factor too. I love the sun! My MIL keeps swearing that I'll be regretting saying that come the summer, but we'll see.

[Robina 0]

I earn more in one day than my fiance does in a month, and my job is not likely to be "downsized" due to the economy. Other factors are language, safety, and freedom. However, we have seriously considered my moving there. We are really tired of waiting for our life together to start. Safety and freedom are really the two biggest factors in our decision...

[minnew 4]

I have to answer for my fiance who is the USC, he is in the military that was one major factor, whereever he gets orders I go too once we are married. I met him in the US while I was a student, he doesn't like the cold weather in the north and I have to say I don't either even though I grew up in Canada. Where I will be moving is a bigger city with more opportunities and more things to do! I am lucky though that the state we will live in still has winter (but much less frigid cold) and snow because I couldn't stand christmas without it!

[Nagishkaw 510]

Live free or die.