emigrating to USA

banjo79 · Post by **banjo79** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 1:15 pm

Hello,
Just wondered if anyone on here had moved from the UK to USA.
It's something I'm looking into and I've found a few websites with varying degrees of information, so thought I'd put a quick shout out on here to anyone with first hand experience.
In summary:
Looking to move with the missus and our pets.
No particular mega-rush and wouldn't do so without work lined up.
Choice destination is Florida.
So... has anyone done this and can they point me towards super-reliable websites or share some golden knowledge?
Thanks!

ThinLizzy · Post by **ThinLizzy** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 1:26 pm

Yes. Moved there in 1997.
No special requiremements on pets, we have the strictest rules on animals in the world. I checked this for my brother in the late 90's, but can't see it has having changed. We being Britain, so the USA has no issue with animals coming in, apart from the usual checks.
If you plan to move there, you do need a job or sponsor. You can wing it after your visa runs out as long as you don't work nor commit a crime. None of this is advisable with a wife and pets in tow.
Depends what you want. There are a lot of ex-pats in Florida. Usually around the bases as well. Wright-Patterson in Ohio has a large contingent of squaddies/RAF. I am sure the same elsewhere.
What exactly are you looking for?

Vegas Claret · Post by **Vegas Claret** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 3:31 pm

first thing, get yourself an American Express card for a good 6 months in the UK before you move over - will help massively with the credit score situation.
You absolutely need a job sponsor and ideally one that provides healthcare otherwise it's incredibly expensive
Most websites are contradictory, you'd be better off asking questions on here, there seem to be quite a few of us that have done what you are asking

Quickenthetempo · Post by **Quickenthetempo** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 3:37 pm

Get 6 months of gun handling experience before you go. Start with clay pigeon shooting and then move on up to rocket launchers.

Next I would start getting used tipping all waitresses even in buffet style all you can eats.

Paul Waine · Post by **Paul Waine** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 3:44 pm

Quickenthetempo wrote: Next I would start getting used tipping all waitresses even in buffet style all you can eats.

And, don't forget that 10% doesn't cut it. Tips of near 20% are expected in many restaurants and bars.

On the other hand, there are starting to be a few "no tips" restaurants.

Sidney1st · Post by **Sidney1st** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 3:46 pm

Quickenthetempo wrote:Get 6 months of gun handling experience before you go. Start with clay pigeon shooting and then move on up to rocket launchers.

Any suggested target/firing ranges in the UK?
Or do they just pop down to the local school / cinema / shopping mall?

BennyD · Post by **BennyD** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 3:49 pm

10% doesn't cut it?! It's a gratuity, not a ransom so if they don't like what you give them they can f*ck off. It's supposed to be for getting a good service not to subsidise sh!t wages.

Paul Waine · Post by **Paul Waine** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 3:52 pm

I've worked in US, but went over there at request of my employer. My brother did the same and stayed. He's been there close to 25 years now. Took some time to get green card, he applied once he'd been there several years.

Good luck.

JohnMcGreal · Post by **JohnMcGreal** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 4:19 pm

BennyD wrote:10% doesn't cut it?! It's a gratuity, not a ransom so if they don't like what you give them they can f*ck off. It's supposed to be for getting a good service not to subsidise sh!t wages.

Unfortunately, it is subsidising low wages because establishments aren't required to pay service staff the minimum wage.

I've always tipped:
15% at a minimum, unless something really terrible has happened
17.5% for average to good service
20% for very good or excellent service

10% is a really poor tip, and if the service was fine, they will rightly hate you for it.

minnieclaret · Post by **minnieclaret** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 4:32 pm

never been to USA but found, in Canada, that 20% of f**k all is f**k all. Food was so cheap never at anytime felt ripped off.

BennyD · Post by **BennyD** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 5:25 pm

JohnMcGreal wrote:Unfortunately, it is subsidising low wages because establishments aren't required to pay service staff the minimum wage.

I've always tipped:
15% at a minimum, unless something really terrible has happened
17.5% for average to good service
20% for very good or excellent service

10% is a really poor tip, and if the service was fine, they will rightly hate you for it.

That's their system, not mine. The price on the menu is the amount they ask for the meal I choose, but nowhere does it say I will be expected to split the restaurant overheads with the owner. If the pay is sh!t, don't work there but if you do don't expect me to pay your wages as I'm a diner not your employer.

MiltonKeynesClaret93 · Post by **MiltonKeynesClaret93** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 5:36 pm

Christ you sound miserable

California Colner · Post by **California Colner** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 5:37 pm

I was contracting in USA and the company I was working at sponsored me for a Green card
But for the first 5 years or so I was illegal and could have easily have been deported, I did have a few scary moments with the immigration authorities.
That was 20 years ago, since then it's got a lot harder to do, but people come here all the time and just stay, but you run the risk of being caught, as somebody else said before you will not have medical insurance, emergency rooms will treat you if it's life threatening.
If that's a risk you want to take go for it, in my case it was the best move I made. Would not move back to the U.K.
One thing is that you can always go back to the UK if things don't work out,
Good look for the future.

BennyD · Post by **BennyD** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 6:06 pm

MiltonKeynesClaret93 wrote:Christ you sound miserable

I'm not at all miserable, it's just that I don't want fleecing every time I eat over there. Also, I used to fly people 3500 miles with no tips so why should the guy who drives us 10 mins to the hotel expect one? Like I said, it's their system, not our's so I don't feel obliged to pay into it.

KateR · Post by **KateR** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 6:14 pm

not advisable to go without job/visa/healthcare
been there over 20 years and immigration still a pain.
taxes a pain

and BennyD is miserable

grapidianclaret · Post by **grapidianclaret** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 7:15 pm

I have been here since 97 too.
Easiest way would be to invest in an american company if you have the money.
The US EB-5 investment visa.
You would need to invest $500000 to qualify you and all your dependants for legal residence.
It sounds a lot, but your home, if you own one could get you half way there.
Cost of living being so low, the 20 percent tip is very fair and affordable BTW.

troubleatmexico · Post by **troubleatmexico** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 2:25 am

Not much to add. If you are coming with money then housing is cheap, as is clothing, depending on the locality. Florida has a mix of wealthy and poor areas. I'm in Atlanta which has the same mix and I've been here since 2009. Always an interesting contrast with the UK that there's never much chance of getting into mither on a Saturday night but if you have a bit of road rage then someone might pull a gun.

troubleatmexico · Post by **troubleatmexico** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 2:26 am

Keep your eye on Trump's plans for the H1-B visa also....

Vegas Claret · Post by **Vegas Claret** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 6:10 am

very true

Man of Kent · Post by **Man of Kent** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 10:24 am

I would suggest you check out the city of Detroit, south of Eight Mile Road, or central Indianapolis or maybe Flint in Michigan. You'll love it there, especially in winter!

Inchy · Post by **Inchy** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 3:44 pm

I could earn a lot more in parts of America. I have friends that have moved out there and make a good living. Only issue is the annual leave. 2 weeks? Id rather earn less and have more annual leave

FCBurnley · Post by **FCBurnley** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 4:00 pm

Lots of positives and negatives to living in Florida. Waking(and walking)every morning under blue skies is wonderful as is being able to watch every PL game live. Healthcare is a nightmare as is property tax. Moved here 9 years ago and not been back to UK since. Only thing I miss about UK is Turf Moor and being able to fly to Europe in 1-2 hours .

claretdom · Post by **claretdom** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 4:02 pm

As Kurt Cobain once said "load up on guns and bring your friends"

Oshkoshclaret · Post by **Oshkoshclaret** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 4:26 pm

Been here 16 years. America is not perfect but it's still the land of opportunity. Anyone with a brain on their shoulders and a decent work ethic can have a good life in America. If you leave, do so on the assumption you'll not be returning. I've traveled quite widely in the US and spent a lot of time in Florida. It tends to be the location that most Brits are familiar with but is towards the bottom of my personal list. Depends what you want, I suppose. Culture, climate, economy, house prices, jobs, countryside etc all come into it. Maybe share a little bit more info about what lifestyle you want?

Erasmus · Post by **Erasmus** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 5:33 pm

I lived in California with my family from 1983 to 1987. For the first two years we overstayed our six month tourist visas, staying clear of trouble, and then got an employer to state that he needed my 'specialist' skills. It helps if you have contacts out there who will act as sponsors, or failing that there are moderately expensive lawyers who can find a way for you. My instinct was that it was a lot easier for Europeans to get a Green Card than it was for Latin Americans and it helped that I could communicate easily with the immigration officer who interviewed me. Having said all of that, after four years I hated living there and the day I moved back to the UK (and to Accrington) was one of the happiest of my life.

Paul Waine · Post by **Paul Waine** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 8:03 pm

grapidianclaret wrote:I have been here since 97 too.
Easiest way would be to invest in an american company if you have the money.
The US EB-5 investment visa.
You would need to invest $500000 to qualify you and all your dependants for legal residence.
It sounds a lot, but your home, if you own one could get you half way there.
Cost of living being so low, the 20 percent tip is very fair and affordable BTW.

Looks like a lot of "good quality" advice on how to move to USA. I had to pause and look twice, and then again, at the idea of investing US$0.5 million to get a US visa. Not that I'm surprised about the amount - but in the context of this being a Burnley fans message board and the political exchanges on the some of the other threads.

There's no doubt that "travel broadens the mind."

Burnleyareback2 · Post by **Burnleyareback2** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:54 pm

Florida is the Americans version of Blackpool, there are some much better places to settle.

Steve1956 · Post by **Steve1956** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:59 pm

How can you even contemplate leaving the UK and missing our golden future at the Turf

Dyched · Post by **Dyched** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 10:18 pm

Ive been looking at moving over for the past few years. I think Ill have to give up to be honest. I am going over later this year though for a few months, hopefully! Can't wait

starting_11 · Post by **starting_11** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 11:08 pm

Steve1956 wrote:How can you even contemplate leaving the UK and missing our golden future at the Turf

At least you'll see EVERY game on TV...

USC · Post by **USC** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 12:21 am

There's an easy way to do it and several harder ways.

The easy way involves your employer paying for lawyers to get you a visa, arranging a shipping company to ship your possessions and pets, flying you and your wife out there for you to work at their US office, providing temporary accommodation and a car and then sponsoring you for a green card.

I don't have any experience of any of the harder ways.

califclaret · Post by **califclaret** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 3:03 am

Go for it, choose your intended location carefully, check towns house prices on realtor.com, prices vary greatly. be prepared to work hard, look for opportunities that the locals do not see, do not be afraid to fail, if you do fail, try again.The amount of help you will get from americans will amaze you,
The whole country is a melting pot from all over the world. Came here 1969,
transferred back to UK 1973 left 1974 been here since. No regrets.

pureclaret · Post by **pureclaret** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 6:59 am

a bit extreme just over TM calling another election to move

Hipper · Post by **Hipper** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 8:38 am

Although I'm not thinking of emigrating I have a relevant question.

Some years ago my brother went for a holiday to the U.S., broke his ankle and had medical treatment. I didn't know about this until I got a bill from a U.S. claims company on behalf of an ambulance firm. They got my name and address because I was on my brother's passport as next of kin. I didn't reply but told my brother who said he had medical insurance and would deal with it. He didn't. I got a few more claims letters which I ignored and then they stopped.

In these circumstances, if I wanted to emigrate to the U.S. would this sort of thing be brought up and perhaps even expected to be settled?

ThinLizzy · Post by **ThinLizzy** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 10:41 am

How much is petrol over there these days? I remember getting it as cheap as $0.85 cents a gallon on the Georgia/Florida border back in 1998. Which was very handy considering the trip back was about a 1,000 miles.

MiltonKeynesClaret93 · Post by **MiltonKeynesClaret93** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 10:53 am

ThinLizzy wrote:How much is petrol over there these days? I remember getting it as cheap as $0.85 cents a gallon on the Georgia/Florida border back in 1998. Which was very handy considering the trip back was about a 1,000 miles.

In NY, CA, AZ and NV I've seen it around $2-2.50 a gallon for premium fuel.
Pretty damn good for almost 4 litres of ''gas''

ThinLizzy · Post by **ThinLizzy** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 11:06 am

MiltonKeynesClaret93 wrote:In NY, CA, AZ and NV I've seen it around $2-2.50 a gallon for premium fuel.
Pretty damn good for almost 4 litres of ''gas''

Not bad taking inflation into consideration.

MiltonKeynesClaret93 · Post by **MiltonKeynesClaret93** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 3:07 pm

Costs me £60 to fill up my tank here.
Going out there and refilling a V8 Camaro's tank for half that was a bit of a novelty.

Burnley Ace · Post by **Burnley Ace** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 4:31 pm

BennyD wrote:I'm not at all miserable, it's just that I don't want fleecing every time I eat over there. Also, I used to fly people 3500 miles with no tips so why should the guy who drives us 10 mins to the hotel expect one? Like I said, it's their system, not our's so I don't feel obliged to pay into it.

You know that ubiquitous white sauce you get in American restaurants? Only you get it, and it ain't sauce

FCBurnley · Post by **FCBurnley** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 5:14 pm

USC wrote:There's an easy way to do it and several harder ways.

The easy way involves your employer paying for lawyers to get you a visa, arranging a shipping company to ship your possessions and pets, flying you and your wife out there for you to work at their US office, providing temporary accommodation and a car and then sponsoring you for a green card.

I don't have any experience of any of the harder ways.

The `Easy` way is only that if you have an employer willing to spend upwards of $100k to transfer you to America. You must have an amazing talent for your employer to do that. I assume you refer to an L1 visa.

USC · Post by **USC** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 5:50 pm

FCBurnley wrote:The `Easy` way is only that if you have an employer willing to spend upwards of $100k to transfer you to America. You must have an amazing talent for your employer to do that. I assume you refer to an L1 visa.

Yes, I was on an L1 visa, which was renewed a couple of times before I eventually got a Green Card. I was pointing this out as there are so many ways to get to the States but like others have said having employer backing is by far the easiest (even if it isn't as extreme as the company paying for everything). As an example of how difficult it can be to get a Green Card; a colleague (from France) was sponsored by our company for a Green Card application, with very expensive lawyers submitting mountains of paperwork yet his application was rejected after 10 months or so. The application included evidence of his years of experience (in France), his qualifications and evidence that his skills are not available in the US (the company had to advertise his his job locally and state to the Immigration services they were unable to find anyone with suitable skills in the US). He's now re-submitting, but shows how difficult it can be without employer support.

I also know someone over here who got his green card via the GC lottery scheme. I guess that's the easiest, although relies more on luck! I'm not sure I would advise overstaying a tourist visa or working on a tourist visa as they are getting very strict on enforcement now, and it could ultimate lead to barring entry to the US permanently.

BennyD · Post by **BennyD** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 7:41 pm

Burnley Ace wrote:You know that ubiquitous white sauce you get in American restaurants? Only you get it, and it ain't sauce

I don't know why you have to pay up front, but I tend to pay after I've finished eating and if I don't get good service, I don't tip and I don't go back. Therefore I don't need to look out for the 'ubiquitous sauce'.

Burnley Ace · Post by **Burnley Ace** » Fri Apr 21, 2017 10:22 pm

BennyD wrote:I don't know why you have to pay up front, but I tend to pay after I've finished eating and if I don't get good service, I don't tip and I don't go back. Therefore I don't need to look out for the 'ubiquitous sauce'.

You can always tell a cheapskate, it's their demeanour.

BennyD · Post by **BennyD** » Fri Apr 21, 2017 10:57 pm

That's cr4p for a start; you appear to be calling me a cheapskate but you've never seen me. Pay what they demand if that's what makes you feel comfortable, I'll decide after I've eaten.

FCBurnley · Post by **FCBurnley** » Fri Apr 21, 2017 11:05 pm

[quote="USC"]Yes, I was on an L1 visa, which was renewed a couple of times before I eventually got a Green Card. I was pointing this out as there are so many ways to get to the States but like others have said having employer backing is by far the easiest (even if it isn't as extreme as the company paying for everything). As an example of how difficult it can be to get a Green Card; a colleague (from France) was sponsored by our company for a Green Card application, with very expensive lawyers submitting mountains of paperwork yet his application was rejected after 10 months or so. The application included evidence of his years of experience (in France), his qualifications and evidence that his skills are not available in the US (the company had to advertise his his job locally and state to the Immigration services they were unable to find anyone with suitable skills in the US). He's now re-submitting, but shows how difficult it can be without employer support.

I also know someone over here who got his green card via the GC lottery scheme. I guess that's the easiest, although relies more on luck! I'm not sure I would advise overstaying a tourist visa or working on a tourist visa as they are getting very strict on enforcement now, and it could ultimate lead to barring entry to the US permanently.[/quotIe I think what you say explains the employer route very well. As for the lottery route, its worth a try unless you are British in which case you cannot enter. Irish people however have very good odds as their allocation is one of the highest. If you decide to overstay your tourist visa ( which many do) then remember any assets you have in America can be confiscated if you are found to be here illegally. Obviously if you have no assets then the worst that can happen is deportation to your country of origin

FCBurnley · Post by **FCBurnley** » Fri Apr 21, 2017 11:06 pm

FCBurnley wrote:

troubleatmexico · Post by **troubleatmexico** » Fri Apr 21, 2017 11:25 pm

Come over, meet a local lass and charm her with your Burnley ways and East Lancs twang and you'll be applying for a spouse-related Green Card in no time.

Re. Tipping: yu tip whatever you want. I've left nada and a message on the receipt a number of times and the complete opposite when the service has been amazing.