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British Citizen wishing to live and work in the US

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Filed: Country: United Kingdom
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Hello, I'm a British Citizen of Northern Ireland, I would like to live and work in the US, however I'm not quite sure of what type of Visa/documentation is needed in order to proceed, any advice at all?

I will be 21 as of the 18th of December coming, and Money for Applications/Fees is not an issue, I just have no idea of the process as I do not believe the US Consulate in Belfast processes Work Visas for the US, I have friend of mine who lives in Mississippi as a Federal Government employee for the DHS, who would be willing to help me with the process however, neither of us are sure of the process that we need to go through, Please help,

Thanks.

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I would like to live and work in the US,

Congratulation, you're one of the millions of people who wish to permanently live and work in the USA. Wonder why they are not here yet? :)

Your friend will not be able to help you with the permanent immigration.

Work Visas are FULLY COVERED by the employer. Which means, YOU need to find someone who is willing to hire you, pay for your visa process (you pay nothing). And you NEED to qualify for the work visa. Not everyone can get it. They are also limited in number. Do some research https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/employment/temporary.html

Also work visas are TEMPORARY. :) Which means, they don't give you a green card. If your employer would be willing, he can sponsor you for the green card after few years of employment.

Also Trump administration is planning on further limiting work visas.

Edited by Roel

K1

29.11.2013 - NoA1

06.02.2014 - NoA2

01.04.2014 - Interview. 

AoS

03.2015 - AoS started.

09.2015 - Green Card received.  

RoC

24.07.2017 - NoA1.

01.08.2018 - RoC approved. 

 

 

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Check this out to understand your possibilities to move to the United States;

http://reason.com/assets/db/07cf533ddb1d06350cf1ddb5942ef5ad.jpg

Edited by Sundaysue

01/13/2016: I-129F filed  07/15/2016: K-1 visa in hand
10/13/2016: Filed AOS + EAD/AP.   07/07/2017: Permanent resident (Conditional)
04/16/2019: Filed ROC  11/17/2020: Approved. (10 yr GC)

 

Naturalization                                                        
09/02/2020: Filed (Online)    09/08/2020: NOA1: (NBC
10/22/2020: Biometrics Reuse Notice.  12/22/2020: Online Status Changed to Interview Was Scheduled.  
01/29/2021: N-400 Interview - PASSED! 01/29/2021: Same-day oath ceremony.  

'Merica. 

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Filed: Country: Vietnam (no flag)
Timeline

Congratulation, you're one of the millions billions of people who wish to permanently live and work in the USA. Wonder why they are not here yet? :)

Your friend will not be able to help you with the permanent immigration.

Work Visas are FULLY COVERED by the employer. Which means, YOU need to find someone who is willing to hire you, pay for your visa process (you pay nothing). And you NEED to qualify for the work visa. Not everyone can get it. They are also limited in number. Do some research https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/employment/temporary.html

Also work visas are TEMPORARY. :) Which means, they don't give you a green card. If your employer would be willing, he can sponsor you for the green card after few years of employment.

Also Trump administration is planning on further limiting work visas.

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Hello, I'm a British Citizen of Northern Ireland, I would like to live and work in the US, however I'm not quite sure of what type of Visa/documentation is needed in order to proceed, any advice at all?

I will be 21 as of the 18th of December coming, and Money for Applications/Fees is not an issue, I just have no idea of the process as I do not believe the US Consulate in Belfast processes Work Visas for the US, I have friend of mine who lives in Mississippi as a Federal Government employee for the DHS, who would be willing to help me with the process however, neither of us are sure of the process that we need to go through, Please help,

Thanks.

Depends on your field.

For starters, you need a job lined up in the US.. a job for which the company is unable to find US workers. That company's lawyers do the rest.

USCIS

January 16, 2015 I-130 Mailed, Chi lockbox January 20, 2015 Priority Date, January 21, 2015 NOA1 notice date, Assigned VSC, January 23, 2015 Check Cashed, electronically March 5, 2015 NOA2

NVC

March 27, 2015 NVC received April 6, 2015 Case#, IIN# assigned April 8, 2015 Paid AOS + IV fee Invoices May 5, 2015 AOS + IV package submitted May 11, 2015 Scan Date

June 11, 2015 DS-260 submitted June 25, 2015 False checklist (for ds260).. hello? June 30, 2015 Answered checklist Aug 5, 2015 Escalated to Supervisor review Aug 13, 2015 Case Complete

Consular

Sept 10, 2015 Interview Scheduled Sept 11, 2015 P4 Letter received Sept 21, 2015 file In transit from NVC Sept 23, 2015 file at Embassy

Sept 28, 2015 Medical Oct 14, 2015 Biometrics Oct 15, 2015 Interview (Approved) Oct 19, 2015 IV visa Issued Oct 23, 2015 Passport Pickup

POE

Nov 2, 2015 Entered the US Nov 16, 2015 Applied for SSN, walk-in Nov 20, 2015 Social Security Card recd Jan 15, 2016 GC received

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
Timeline

You probably qualify for the Diversity Visa.

Free to apply.

Otherwise a transfer with your current employer?

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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Sounds like you are trying to immigrate to the US rather than staying here temporary. You will need a dual intent visa (or immigrant visa), meaning that you can use it for either option. So, for example, you cannot apply for F1 (student visa that permits you to work limited hours in association with your university) because that's a single intent visa for temporary visitors.

You should go through the list of dual intent visas but the most common one is H1B (specialized workers). In order to qualify, your US employer will need to sponsor it. There is a cap for most (and certainly not all) industries. Depending on your company and field, it may take 6 months to a year to process. It is not easy to get unless the system is abused by the employer (many Indian IT companies). Your employer will need to prove that they cannot find a USC or LPR for the job.

If you have special skills you can consider O1 or you can go down the athletic avenue. Unless you're a sort of a genius you probably don't qualify for NIW at your age. But you may have a good chance in a few years if you're good at what you do.

03/04/2016 AOS (EB2-NIW concurrent with I-485) mailed to Lewisville TX Lockbox
03/07/2016 AOS delivered to USCIS and signed
03/12/2016 Case received by Nebraska Service Center (NSC)
03/14/2016 Text notification received for I-140/I-485/I-765/I-131.
04/08/2016 Biometrics notice received for 04/21
04/13/2016 Biometrics early walk-in completed.
04/15/2016 EAD/AP combo card received in mail.

 

Long wait begins...

 

11/04/2016 I-140/485 cases transferred from Nebraska to TCS
12/01/2016 Prepared package for EAD/AP renewal (expires 04/09/2017)
12/23/2016 USCIS suddenly changes several forms, invalidating my EAD/AP renewal package (not yet sent)
12/27/2016 USCIS suddenly reforms the entire NIW criteria system, replacing a 20 years old one. Uncharted waters. 
01/07/2017 (Saturday!) EAD/AP renewal package with new forms received in Phoenix "reception desk"
01/17/2017 EAD/AP renewal case accepted; text/email with receipt numbers was received
01/30/2017 Law firm finally confirms that USCIS has suspended processing all EB2-NIW cases due to new criteria. 
02/23/2017 USCIS slowly starts adjudicating NIW cases again.
04/21/2017 Extended EAD/AP received in mail. Valid for 2 years. 
05/06/2017 Received a massive RFE on I-140 NIW case.
07/20/2017 RFE response received by USCIS (a very long response with 30 pages of docs)
09/14/2017 I-140 NIW approved!!! 
11/28/2017 RFE for new medical issued (plus another request re Supp J for employment which is clearly issued in error)
12/04/2017 RFE received in mail
12/07/2017 repeated medical exam for I-485
12/08/2017 Attorney receives documents for responding to I-485 RFE
12/21/2017 Response to RFE received by USCIS 
02/09/2018 I-485 approval (text, email) :)
02/08/2018 I-485 approval notice issued (the "welcome letter") - I'm LPR now
02/16/2018 Green card received
 
11/14/2022 Filed N-400 online; receipt and biometrics reuse form received online
03/07/2023 N-400 Interview scheduled 
04/xx/2023 N-400 approved, same-day Oath ceremony completed. I'm a US citizen.
05/xx/2023 US passport in hand

 

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Diversity visa (green card lottery) may be your best bet. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK from which you are eligible to enter.

Widow/er AoS Guide | Have AoS questions? Read (some) answers here

 

AoS

Day 0 (4/23/12) Petitions mailed (I-360, I-485, I-765)
2 (4/25/12) Petitions delivered to Chicago Lockbox
11 (5/3/12) Received 3 paper NOAs
13 (5/5/12) Received biometrics appointment for 5/23
15 (5/7/12) Did an unpleasant walk-in biometrics in Fort Worth, TX
45 (6/7/12) Received email & text notification of an interview on 7/10
67 (6/29/12) EAD production ordered
77 (7/9/12) Received EAD
78 (7/10/12) Interview
100 (8/1/12) I-485 transferred to Vermont Service Centre
143 (9/13/12) Contacted DHS Ombudsman
268 (1/16/13) I-360, I-485 consolidated and transferred to Dallas
299 (2/16/13) Received second interview letter for 3/8
319 (3/8/13) Approved at interview
345 (4/3/13) I-360, I-485 formally approved; green card production ordered
353 (4/11/13) Received green card

 

Naturalisation

Day 0 (1/3/18) N-400 filed online

Day 6 (1/9/18) Walk-in biometrics in Fort Worth, TX

Day 341 (12/10/18) Interview was scheduled for 1/14/19

Day 376 (1/14/19) Interview

Day 385 (1/23/19) Denied

Day 400 (2/7/19) Denial revoked; N-400 approved; oath ceremony set for 2/14/19

Day 407 (2/14/19) Oath ceremony in Dallas, TX

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Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Spain
Timeline

if you have some qualification you may find a company that can help you with a J1 visa. Have you though about Canada? it's much easier, you can apply for the Canadian Holiday working visa, it gives you the right to work and live in Canada for a year then your company may be able to apply for a LMO ( work visa), Canada is way more flexible than the US.

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My mom works for dhs and couldn't do anything to help the process for me and my husband to return to America even know her daughter was pregnant in a zika infested country. Don't think your friend will be much help

I love my husband ?‍?‍?

Married June 2016

Por siempre y para siempre Mi amor

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Hello, I'm a British Citizen of Northern Ireland, I would like to live and work in the US, however I'm not quite sure of what type of Visa/documentation is needed in order to proceed, any advice at all?

I will be 21 as of the 18th of December coming, and Money for Applications/Fees is not an issue, I just have no idea of the process as I do not believe the US Consulate in Belfast processes Work Visas for the US, I have friend of mine who lives in Mississippi as a Federal Government employee for the DHS, who would be willing to help me with the process however, neither of us are sure of the process that we need to go through, Please help,

Thanks.

Green Card Lottery is probably your best bet. Assuming that at 21 you do not have a doctorate or 500k to invest the only other option would be to find an American company willing to sponsor you, but they then have to prove that no one in the USA could do the job they are hiring you to do.

AOS Timeline

  • 10/23/2016 - I-130/I-485 Concurrent packet posted
  • 10/25/2016 - Packet signed for at Chicago lockbox
  • 11/09/2016 - E-Notifications received
  • 11/15/2016 - NOA's received in post
  • 11/18/2016 - Biometric appointment received (set for 11/30)
  • 11/30/2016 - Biometric appointment completed
  • 01/25/2017 - EAD Approved
  • 01/25/2017 - AP Approved
  • 02/01/2017 - Combo Card arrived in the post

 

>>THIS IS WHAT I PUT IN MY PACKET<<

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If you are interested in working in a federal government position you may not be eligible as the majority of these positions are for US citizens or green card holders only.

I'm from the UK, hubby is from Michigan and is a retired US Army LTC.   We are currently stationed overseas.

Here is our immigration journey so far....

10.26.13 - Our wedding in Scotland 

11.26.14 - Filed I-130 at US Consulate, Frankfurt (DCF)

11.18.14 - Returned to Scotland to renew our vows for our first wedding anniversary

01.08.15 - NOA2 received in snail mail, together with case number and Packet 3 instructions

02.15.15 - Submitted Packet 3

02.17.15 - Packet 4 received by email with instructions to schedule medical and interview

02.18.15 - Email authorisation received from Consulate to gain access to appointment calendar

03.03.15 - Medical

03.18.15 - Interview - Approved

03.21.15 - Visa in hand

06.10.15 - POE Chicago (final destination Detroit)

07.20.15 - Received SSN in mail

07.27.15 - Received 2 year green card in mail

The journey to ROC starts here...!

10.05.15 - Returned to Germany on government orders

05.25.17 - Mailed ROC package to California Service Centre

06.14.17 - Received NOA 1 (dated 05.30.17) in mail

09.05.18 - Received a second NOA (dated 08.11.18) in mail granting a further six months extension to green card due to 'processing delays'

11.26.18 - ROC - Approved

12.05.18 - Approval Notice I-797 received in mail

12.18.18 - 10 year green card received in mail

The journey to citizenship starts here...!

 

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