Couple trying to move to California -please help!

[Jay T]

Hi,

I'm sure you often get threads like this but I would be very grateful for people’s help and experience.

Me and my girlfriend (mid 20's) have for a long time played around with the idea of living and working in America. After spending 3 months in California two years ago (visiting LA, San Fran, San D etc), fell in love with the place. Like most people in our situation I have spent plenty of time reading books and websites on visa issues, although understanding it is very difficult to gain one I can only speculate on what I have read and would like to know of other peoples experiences.

As I am sure you can guess we are left with two options, employment or investment. Both with their own set of problems. I am currently working in sales for a large American wine company which I am sure is a plus, while my partner works in media (production) for a large British television channel, but I understand sponsorship isn't easy? I am also open to the idea of investment or opening my own business, but the issue is cash! So...

I know it's a long shot but would an American bank lend me the money to invest, or a British one to invest in the States?

Is there anywhere you can search jobs for which there is a shortage of skilled workers in the US?

Is there a programme or company that can sponsor work for 6-18 months in the US?

How difficult is it to gain sponsorship through employment in our lines of work?

As you can see lots of questions and I would be very grateful for peoples help!

[Fatbrit]

Banks are unlikely to lend you the money. E2 visa has limits on how much of the money can be borrowed. In addition there's no permanency about the E2 visa. I'd say you need the following for an E2: a minimum of 300k USD capital, no kids, and an entrepreneurial track record. Without this, you're not going to be happy on it.

Finding a job is not a problem. Finding an employer who is willing to sponsor you for the annual H1b visa lottery is. Whilst nothing in life is actually impossible, this one is drawing close.

Look for J1 programs for short term internships. The J2 partner will NOT be allowed to work. BUNAC and Mountbatten are two you might like to Google -- though they are mainly aimed at students.

Your best bet is that the US company you work for will transfer you on an L1. Ask them! If they don't seem happy with the idea, find another company to work for in Blighty that will.

Unfortunately I find most Brits who ended up with residency in America came here by force of circumstance than true volition. You'll find Canada/OZ/NZ much easier.

[synthia]

I agree, your only real option is to get a transfer within your own company. I thought the lower limit for an investment visa was $500,000, though. The only other option, if you could afford it, would be to come to the US to attend a university, either in an undergraduate or graduate program. But American universities are outrageously expensive, and you´d still have to live.

Also, even if you got the transfer, that wouldn´t get your girlfriend in. The US doesn´t recognize domestic partnerships, so she would have to qualify for a visa on her own, which is a lot less likely.

[Fatbrit]

Originally Posted by synthia

I thought the lower limit for an investment visa was $500,000, though.

Half a million down gives you an immigrant visa via EB5 -- program sunsets this fall unless extended.

An investment (unspecified but 300k would be a sensible minimum with at least 150k of that going into the company) gives you a non-immigrant "trader treaty" E2. There is no direct path to a GC. At the moment, the visas are usually issued for 2 years out of London and then renewed every 2 to 5 years. The company goes down the drain (i.e. insufficient profit or employment) and you go home. This is the visa of last resort since it's the only one many Brits qualify for. So they tend to gloss over the fact they've never been in business before, have kids who age out when they hit 21, you get the consular officer from hell and you may never be returning to what you think is your home, etc.

[Bevdeforges]

As both Fatbrit and Synthia have indicated, you're up against some pretty impossible odds at the moment. However, you're in your mid-20's. You may have much better chances if you make this a long-term career goal.

Start looking around in your current lines of employment for experience that would make you employable in the US - first and foremost, managerial status and experience, then any sort of coordination work with American colleagues or contacts. Offer to do business trips over to the US, or to work on projects that will require contact with people in the States. Get to know the business environment over there - even from afar - and learn how to make yourself useful explaining how things work back home to the American head offices.

In five or ten years, it should be far easier for you to find employment that would get you the type of visas you want if you've made a point of picking up useful experience along the way. (And by then, you may be in a better situation to go over together - either by being married, or perhaps the US will change their attitude toward "long term partners" a bit.)
Cheers,
Bev