Where does start? H1B, E Visa or DV?

[Nicola1 0]

Hi Everyone,

I have tons of questions, but these are my initial concerns. Where exactly does one start the process?

I hope my brief intro below gives you a fair idea of who we are and where we’re at.

My husband (37) and I (35), together with our two young boys (4 and 16 months) are really battling to be positive about the boys future in South Africa.

My husband is a South African (of European descent) but at this time only has a SA passport. I was born in England and hold both SA and UK passports, as do the kids as they automatically qualify for UK passports.

My husband is an investment banker currently completing his MBA and I work from home – I have the distribution license for an American company in SA. It works well here.

After much back and forth, and although the UK is the easiest option for us, we’d really like to relocate to the USA. Ideally, California, but we’re also looking at the Houston area – the reason being that property seems more reasonably priced. It’s such a huge country though, are there other states that has stable weather (preferably no snow/hurricanes!)? We have no family there so that is not a consideration.

I think my husband would be eligible to enter the diversity visa programme – where do we enter this and do you have any tips?

Second option would be for my husband to secure a H1B visa. From what I’ve read, it would seem that he needs to secure employment beforehand, is that correct? Is this relatively easy to do?

Third option, as a Brit, I qualify for an E visa – start up or buy into another business in the States. Has anyone gone this route? How much did you have to invest? My experience is wedding industry related, so I’d imagine it wouldn’t be easy for me to support the whole family on this income.

How did you end up in the States? What visa process did you follow? How did you decide where to relocate?

Is anyone in the Houston area? Pro’s and con’s? Children’s education? Quality of life, parks, open area’s etc? Lifestyle? Hurricanes, flooding? Does anyone have an ironing service/cleaning assistance and is this reasonably priced (I feel awful even asking this one!)?

Thanking you in advance for your assistance.

[Harsh_77 718]

To me UK would be a better option since out of 4 family member 3 already have immigration status and can live legally in UK.

If your husband goes on H1 and you on H4 to US, you cannot continue to do your business in US in H4 that would be illegal.

[Nicola1 0]

To me UK would be a better option since out of 4 family member 3 already have immigration status and can live legally in UK.

If your husband goes on H1 and you on H4 to US, you cannot continue to do your business in US in H4 that would be illegal.

Thank you, UK is the back up plan if we can't get into the States, but we'd really like to explore this option first.

[kzielu 1,149]

Second option would be for my husband to secure a H1B visa. From what I’ve read, it would seem that he needs to secure employment beforehand, is that correct? Is this relatively easy to do?

Yes - he would have to find a job since it is employer that applies for a visa. Is not relatively easy to do at all - unfortunately. Also note that H-1B is a "temporary" visa - there is no straight path to permanent residency (you would have to be sponsored by the employer for the green card which is even less relatively easy to do) and the spouse of H-1 holder is not allowed to work.

From you post I think you do not quite realize how difficult is work-based permanent residency is US...

[Harsh_77 718]

Yes - he would have to find a job since it is employer that applies for a visa. Is not relatively easy to do at all - unfortunately. Also note that H-1B is a "temporary" visa - there is no straight path to permanent residency (you would have to be sponsored by the employer for the green card which is even less relatively easy to do) and the spouse of H-1 holder is not allowed to work.

From you post I think you do not quite realize how difficult is work-based permanent residency is US...

I tried to say the same thing to OP in my previous post, but it seems OP is determined to look into US - so there is not much we can do.

[SapphireDreams 71]

Unfortunately, there will be no easy way to get your family to the US. The fact that your husband will have an MBA and is an investment banker will help, but unfortunately with the economy the way it is, the finance industry in general in the US is not doing well and there isn't as much sponsorship going on.

I see a few other options, that are probably more hypotheical and would take many years, but options nonetheless. I think your best path right now would be to go back to the UK and also try for the diversity lottery (no harm in trying).

-Your husband gets a job in the UK with a company that has US offices and eventually (after a few years) gets a transfer and then eventually (many years after that) possibly a greencard. I know quite a few Brits who moved here on an L1 visa, but they all worked for the company in the UK for around 5 years and then transferred. I have no idea if you would be able to work on that particular visa though.

In terms of locations, NYC would probably be a good bet for investment banking jobs, along with San Francisco. But again, finding sponsorship will be very difficult right now.