Immigration to the US

Priapus

Priapus

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Hey all,

So my partner and I are seriously considering immigrating to the US. We have our reasons and I'd rather not get into it as to what they are.

I am aware that it's a long hard road ahead to get there. But not impossible I assume.

My brother may become a US citizen in a year or two and I suspect that might make it easier for me to go there as well if he sponsors me (Or petitions ) not so?

The other possibility is finding employment over there which I think will be a much tougher road to go down. I do have useful skills and as a programmer for the mobile area I might find a job. However i doubt an employer will pick me over a local, considering the cost involved and effort required to do so.

Anyone here been through a similar thing? And tips and advice?
I know its not going to happen overnight and will probably take years. But its something my partner and I really want to do.

Appreciate the feedback.

Thanks!
 
There is a rather largish forum with answers here:

http://www.expatforum.com/

The brother situation will help, but afaik that is not in itself sufficient - especially US side since they tend to be difficult.

I'm busy investigating something similar myself - the exchange rate is murderous. :(
 
Thanks for the feedback. I will look at the forum link now. I agree the brother thing might not be enough. But whatever I can do to help my situation I will do.
 
You should also try the diversity lottery (chances are much better than an actual lottery ;) ). Application via family citizenship will likely be quite a few years off. I would say that your best chance in the short term is via H1B - try applying to some of the larger companies - if you find someone who really likes you, the big companies have the H1B application down to an art (retained lawyers, etc.) to do it easily. The costs are minimal in comparison to the actual cost of employment, so I wouldn't worry about that either.
 
I reckon the easiest way is for a company to sponsor your visa. There's a company in boca raton fl that only places poms, saffas & aussies but for the life of me i cant remember the company name. They handle everything assuming they are still around.
 
The USA is a big place.

Your skills might get you in if you start by moving to a relatively "unpopular" area, then (after a year or two) moving to somewhere more to your liking.
 
Ok, let me have a go at this.

Our daughter is an american citizen and she wanted us there and the plan was she would act as a sponsor for us. We came over on a tourist visa and started the paperwork this side. After 8 months or so we had our green cards and SSN numbers. At first it's a daunting task because of the uncertainty involved but it's fairly easy and quick. There might be a 5 year wait if you are sponsored by your brother. Immediate family (mother/father and own kids under 21 is much quicker).

Work is all around but if you have one specific line you wanna aim for, that is much harder or might be harder to find. When we came over within months we were helping a couple with storage units (see storage wars/auction hunters), and their thrift store and we moved on to helping run a convenience store then the best job yet was helping test liquidated items and rebox and clean and that was $10 an hour with 9 hours a day and 40 hours a week and although we were promoted to the online side of the business, the owner (who was russian by the way), had financial problems and we were let go after 3 or 4 weeks. I was a dishwasher and a telemarketer but health and commission factors made me leave these two positions.

You do not need to go through lawyers and can do these things online and the USCIS website will give you all the info.
I personally have no special skills but out of 4 or 5 interviews I had, I was hired on the spot in 3 of them.

We are working on getting our other daughter here now and one thing you want to have if you are going to apply for admin type work, is learn Quickbooks as that programme seems to be what they use here and Outlook and Excel and Word.
 
Surely cant be too difficult.

Every other cab driver is from some odd country ....

My last cabby was from Ethiopia.
 
TEXTILE GUY said:
Surely cant be too difficult.

Every other cab driver is from some odd country ....

My last cabby was from Ethiopia.
Click to expand...

Diversity lottery winners, family based residency, children of illegal immigrants, etc. It doesn't mean it's easy, but under the right circumstances, you don't need an H1B.
 
cguy said:
Diversity lottery winners, family based residency, children of illegal immigrants, etc. It doesn't mean it's easy, but under the right circumstances, you don't need an H1B.
Click to expand...

On my to the US in March 2015 .... hope to secure a project and eventually settle ...

Lord knows I have spent a lot of time there this past decade, I hope it pays off for the sake of my kids.

Hold thumbs
 
ghoti said:
"emmigration"
Click to expand...

1. You've spelt it wrong.
2. You're wrong, my title is correct.

waynegohl said:
Ok, let me have a go at this.


Our daughter is an american citizen and she wanted us there and the plan was she would act as a sponsor for us. We came over on a tourist visa and started the paperwork this side. After 8 months or so we had our green cards and SSN numbers. At first it's a daunting task because of the uncertainty involved but it's fairly easy and quick. There might be a 5 year wait if you are sponsored by your brother. Immediate family (mother/father and own kids under 21 is much quicker).

Work is all around but if you have one specific line you wanna aim for, that is much harder or might be harder to find. When we came over within months we were helping a couple with storage units (see storage wars/auction hunters), and their thrift store and we moved on to helping run a convenience store then the best job yet was helping test liquidated items and rebox and clean and that was $10 an hour with 9 hours a day and 40 hours a week and although we were promoted to the online side of the business, the owner (who was russian by the way), had financial problems and we were let go after 3 or 4 weeks. I was a dishwasher and a telemarketer but health and commission factors made me leave these two positions.

You do not need to go through lawyers and can do these things online and the USCIS website will give you all the info.
I personally have no special skills but out of 4 or 5 interviews I had, I was hired on the spot in 3 of them.

We are working on getting our other daughter here now and one thing you want to have if you are going to apply for admin type work, is learn Quickbooks as that programme seems to be what they use here and Outlook and Excel and Word.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the information. That has really cleared a lot up for me. I am going to enter the lottery anyway and see how it goes. Also I will only start looking for a job there once I am finished with my current projects I am committed to, which I estimate about two years for them to be where I want it to be. Thus, its not a great sense of urgency to move. But I want to start the process as soon as possible. My SO and I do not want to bring up our future children in this country and this is a big motivation for us.

grantza said:
how are you local language skills (zulu, afrikaans, xhosa) ?
Click to expand...

Horrible. So I won't do well as in interpreter, lol. :)

Segg said:
Have your brother fill this out failing that enter the lottery, my parents entered a couple of years ago and as a result I have my DV card :D
Click to expand...

Thanks for the links I'll bookmark them and go through all that.

So I could possibly do this without getting lawyers involved or is it just easier to pay up and let them handle it?

Thanks for all the information guys, much appreciated.
 
I found the lawyers ridiculously expensive, the USCIS offices usually have very friendly and helpful staff, just do your homework and be honest
 
Immi or emi depends on the perspective of the action. The former is from the perspective of the new/target territory, the latter is in relation to the source/origin territory. One immigrates to, and emigrates from.
 
As suggested, can also try the DV lottery. But enter it directly from the Department of State's website, costs you basically nothing (except for the required photograph, if you don't have one already that meets their requirements). But there are a number of companies that claim they can improve your chances by helping you enter the DV Lottery etc., but they charge you money and are essentially a scam.

I have entered the DV Lottery for the past 3 years, no luck so far. Entering it with my wife for the first time this year, maybe the luck will change.

You can read all about the DV Lottery here: https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/

B
 
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