UK citizen wanting to live and work in the US.

[clarebearhh 0]

Hi guys,

I've been googling this title a lot and it seems to be getting me nowhere. I am being given no direct information that is relevant to my situation. Hopefully you can help

I went to American over the summer on a J1 visa and worked in a summer camp. I'm aware lots of people do this and it's a great way to get out there. I made loads of friends and I fell in love with America, so once I graduate from university in the UK I would like to go out to live and work there.

I know it's not as easy as applying for a visa and moving out there, but my question is - what do I need to do to make this happen? What visa do I need to apply for? I feel like I'm going around in circles. What do I need to do?

Many thanks

[Hypnos 6,576]

You have essentially three options: (i) marry an American; (ii) study in the US on an F-1 visa (this is expensive); or (iii) find a company willing to sponsor you for an H-1B visa (this will be expensive for the company).

[Penguin_ie 5,992]

Work visas require an employer to sponsor you. So your best option is to get some good work experience in the UK, and then try and impress a US employer. Depending on what you are studying, one option may be to get hired by a multi-national such as Google or Microsoft, work for them for a few years in the UK, then ask for a transfer to the US.

[Boiler 44,855]

Did you fall in love with an American?

What is your degree in?

[clarebearhh 0]

Hi guys,

Thanks for your feedback. My degree is a BA (hons) in Creative Writing from the University of Winchester, and I finish in May 2014. This would be the time I would be looking to move out to America. I understand it's very difficult so thanks for your advice

[Boiler 44,855]

Have you thought of doing a Masters in the US? In something that might be more likely to result in a job?

[clarebearhh 0]

Yes I have considered it but I fear it may be quite expensive and I would not be able to fund it myself. Do you have any information on this?

Many thanks.

[lost_at_sea 995]

Yes I have considered it but I fear it may be quite expensive and I would not be able to fund it myself. Do you have any information on this?

Many thanks.

If you google about, you'll find websites like this:

https://www.educationusa.info/5_steps_to_study/graduate_step_1_research_your_options.php

http://www.studyabroad.com/programs/north+america,usa/default.aspx

(no idea if those sites are reputable, btw, just plugging "studying in the usa" into google)

Edited November 28, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[RhettVoe 281]

It's doubtful that there is a high demand for folks with a degree in 'Creative Writing'....by now, half of America cannot read nor write....(if you doubt this, go to...'www.Yay-hoos.com'....this site is full of people whose IQ hovers around 80 on a warm day....our country is swiftly turning into a bunch of reality show aficionados, whose main intellectual challenge is to figure out which channel their favorite show is being broadcast.....(a truly sad state of affairs)....

[JayJayH 546]

There are three main ways in which a UK citizen can legally live and work in the US permanently:

1. Through immediate relatives, or

2. Through the Diversity Visa, aka "green card lottery", or

3. Through employment.

Let's cover your options here.

1. You can immigrate to the US if you have immediate relatives who are US citizens. "Immediate relative" means either your spouse, parent(s), child over 21, or sibling. You can also immigrate through family if your spouse is a permanent resident, or if you are unmarried, under 21, and one of your parents is a permanent resident. If neither of these apply, let's skip to the DV lottery.

2. The Diversity Visa is a visa that virtually anyone can apply for. However, there are certain restreictions, and one is that your country of citizenship has a low rate of immigration to the US. The UK has a relatively high rate of immigration to the US, so most UK citizens are ineligible. However, if you happen to be from Northern Ireland, or by chance happen to be a dual citizen, you may be able to apply. The reason it's commonly referred to as the DV "lottery" is because even if you're eligible to apply, only 50,000 Diversity Visas are allocated each year. With annual applicants in the millions, most applicants have about a 1% chance of winning each year.

3. The main route towards an employment based green card is the H1B visa. The H1B is a non-immigrant visa, but can be extended, or in many cases the employer can sponsor you for permanent residence. This is a very long, and complicated process, so let's just stick to the H1B for now. The H1B visa was designed to allow US companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers. "Highly skilled" means you have to have at least a bachelor's degree, and it should be in a specialized field. The employer has to sponsor you for an H1B, in other words, you cannot apply for an H1B, then go to America and start looking for a job. In addition, there are annual quotas on H1B visas (I believe 165,000 each year) and about 300,000 applicants annually. It will be very difficult to get an H1B visa with a degree in creative writing.

If I were you, I would look into a master's degree at a US school. Getting accepted into an accredited US college or university allows you to apply for an F-1 student visa. Here's the best part: If you graduate with a bachelor or higher from a US school, you are eligible to apply for virtually the only non-sponsor work permit, Optional Practical Training (OPT). This allows you to work for up to one year in a field related to your major. If your major is in the science, technology, engineering or math fields, OPT can be extended by up to 17 months. While OPT is by no means a permanent work permit, it does allow you to apply for jobs without requiring the company to sponsor you. It gives you a "foot in the door." Companies are usually much more willing to sponsor an employee who has worked for them, than spending thousands of dollars to sponsor someone who has never worked for them.

Edited November 30, 2013 by Yang-Ja

[clarebearhh 0]

Thank you very much for your advice guys

I had considered a masters degree as I will have a bachelor of arts by the time I go out there. It seems this is the best way to get my foot in the door.

Has anyone ever done a masters before? What is the best way to fund it? Perhaps this information is in another section.

[Boiler 44,855]

Lots of people do Masters, but this is an Immigration site.

Funding, savings or loans, there is extremely limited working options on a Student visa.

[dave_harding1 0]

Hi guys,

I've been googling this title a lot and it seems to be getting me nowhere. I am being given no direct information that is relevant to my situation. Hopefully you can help

I went to American over the summer on a J1 visa and worked in a summer camp. I'm aware lots of people do this and it's a great way to get out there. I made loads of friends and I fell in love with America, so once I graduate from university in the UK I would like to go out to live and work there.

I know it's not as easy as applying for a visa and moving out there, but my question is - what do I need to do to make this happen? What visa do I need to apply for? I feel like I'm going around in circles. What do I need to do?

Many thanks

Hi!

You can also apply for the green card lotery. it might be a long shot and take a little while, but a friend from the UK applied once, and got it! U might be lucky

[lost_at_sea 995]

Hi!

You can also apply for the green card lotery. it might be a long shot and take a little while, but a friend from the UK applied once, and got it! U might be lucky

When was that and was he Northern Irish (or some other nationality)?

Doesn't look like the rest of the UK was ever eligible:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_Immigrant_Visa

[Boiler 44,855]

Depends on where you were born, but unusual for British Citizens to be eligible.