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Why is your degree worthless? Is it just not recognised as a qualification? I must admit I'm rather relying on my BA to have some worth in the US...

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07/11/2006 - First met

08/22/2008 - K1 Visa in hand

12/27/2008 - Marriage

05/20/2009 - AOS complete

10/06/2011 - ROC complete

04/20/2012 - Annaleah born!

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I'm training to be a Chartered Surveyor which is great! Except the whole of my degree has been how to be a surveyor in Europe! The majority of my modules have been on UK/EU law and valuation/management is done totally different in the US. In fact they don't even have many surveyors, they have lots of different people who do the jobs that I would cover here in the UK. Here in the UK if you aren't Chartered you aren't in the race. In the whole of GA I have found 3 Chartered Surveyors lol! There are several international companies in Atlanta that might respect my qualifications a bit more. Am biding my time writing to them though as the whole ... I don't have a degree, I don't have a visa or work permit conversation probably wont go down to well.

They will recognize my degree though and hopefully that will put me in a better position to compete for jobs in other areas maybe. A bit of a bummer to spend 4 years training in something that you wont be able to make full use of but life changes and you gotta change with it.

I-129F

12.03.08 ~ NOA1

12.05.08 ~ NOA2

06.06.08 ~ Packet 3

18.06.08 ~ Packet 4

25.06.08 ~ Medical

11.07.08 ~ Interview - Approved!

22.07.08 ~ POE Atlanta

K1 = 3months, 29days

AOS

07.11.08 ~ NOA 1 - AOS, EAD, AP

24.11.08 ~ Transferred to CSC

28.11.08 ~ Biometrics

31.12.08 ~ EAD/AP Approved :)

23.03.09 ~ RFE

06.04.09 ~ RFE response delivered to CSC

22.04.09 ~ Card production ordered

01.05.09 ~ Conditional GC arrived in the mail

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Lara would move to Scotland in a heartbeat but she can't. We thought and talked about what the best thing to do as we have 4 kids each, damn that would be like the Brady Bunch lol. She has her kids living with her, she's in a nice house, good job with managerial prospects and settled. So its me thats moving over.

Its a decision that we didn't like doing as she doesn't like the idea of me moving away from my kids but life is life and thats love for you. One of us has to make the sacrifice. I will get the kids over from time to time but i know it will be hard at first.

Another pointer is that in the area she lives, company's are screaming for ceramic tilers and pay good money. Ive been doing that for 20 years so im looking forward to the challenge.

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I'm training to be a Chartered Surveyor which is great! Except the whole of my degree has been how to be a surveyor in Europe! The majority of my modules have been on UK/EU law and valuation/management is done totally different in the US. In fact they don't even have many surveyors, they have lots of different people who do the jobs that I would cover here in the UK. Here in the UK if you aren't Chartered you aren't in the race. In the whole of GA I have found 3 Chartered Surveyors lol! There are several international companies in Atlanta that might respect my qualifications a bit more. Am biding my time writing to them though as the whole ... I don't have a degree, I don't have a visa or work permit conversation probably wont go down to well.

They will recognize my degree though and hopefully that will put me in a better position to compete for jobs in other areas maybe. A bit of a bummer to spend 4 years training in something that you wont be able to make full use of but life changes and you gotta change with it.

Ooh, I understand. :) If I'd still been working towards becoming a chartered architect I'd be in the same position; as it is I just have my BA in Architecture which is a little more general. I do hope you manage to find work with a company who will recognise your qualifications!

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07/11/2006 - First met

08/22/2008 - K1 Visa in hand

12/27/2008 - Marriage

05/20/2009 - AOS complete

10/06/2011 - ROC complete

04/20/2012 - Annaleah born!

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Just curious for all those who are from the UK why you are choosing to move to the USA instead of your fiance' moving to join you in the USA.

Mark (Xaos) have talked about him moving here vrs us moving there. The main reason for us is me having kids and it would be hard to uproot them. However, because he makes more at his job than I do at mine, we have also talked about the possibility of us moving there if our co-sponsor falls through.

Why are you guys choosing USA over UK?

And if we would have to switch to trying to move to the UK, is there a good website we can look at and is there an income guideline like there is for the USA?

Thanks!

We chose the US for a few reasons:

1. I had already lived there for a year, and therefore knew what to expect, and well as having made my own friends there, versus him just having visited the UK for a few weeks, a couple of times.

2. House prices being a whole lot cheaper.

3. At the time he was more established in his career, and I had just finished university so wasn't going to have to leave my career.

4. Some family issues on his part...he's a very home-y type and while he would be willing to move for me, it would be a lot harder for him, he's never lived anywhere but the town he was born in, whereas I have.

Those were the main reasons for us, but we aren't against ever switching and living in the UK.

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We are going to US mainly for economic reasons....we can live on his pension fairly comfortably there but not so much here. We may return to England (or somewhere else in Europe) if he decides to work again in the future, as he really likes it here.

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Filed: AOS (pnd) Country: England
Timeline

We decided that I would move to the US for a number of reasons.

1. Toby is very patriotic and would not really want to move to the UK if he didnt have to.

2. Toby earns a LOT more money than I do and is easily able to support me, where as I wouldn't be able to guarantee the same

3. I've had some financial issues in the UK, so a clean slate is an excellent thing for me

4. The weather in the UK Sucks!

5. House prices are much cheaper in the US

6. General cost of living in the UK is ridiculous.

I could go on, but I think that's the most of it...

5th February 2008 - I-129F forms sent for K1 visa (VSC)

26th March 2008 - NOA2 recieved via email

19th May 2008 - Interview............APPROVED!!!!!!

21st May 2008 - Visa in hand

29th July 2008 - POE

2nd September 2008 - Married

19th September - Mailed AOS/EAD/AP to Chicago lockbox

25th September - Check cashed $1010.00 (OUCH!!)

29th September - Received NOA's for AOS/EAD/AP

13th October - AOS Petition transferred to CSC!!!

17th October - Biometrics (Tampa Office)

17th October - AOS/EAD Touched

20th October - AOS Touched

21st October - AOS Touched

6th November - AOS/EAD/AP Touched (probably due to change of address)

10th December - EAD approved

28th January 2009 - GC approved without interview. Done with all this till 2011!!!!!!!!

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Mercedes is going to Law School in Oregon. When we met that as her plan and, while I am a homebird, I have my education and chosen career and I want her to fulfill her potential too.

After she's done we'll look at the situation again as 3 years is a long time. Actually, it's not ...

i-710 Process

02/23/2011 - Mailed off i-751 to California

02/25/2011 - NOA1

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Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: England
Timeline

We had seemingly good reasons but I wish we'd made the opposite decision.

Basically, I'd just graduated from uni and so we starting out, career wise. Ben has a good job with prospects. That was the reason. Oh and the lower house prices and so on.

But I feel that my degree IS worthless here without Stateside work experience, my family is so much better than his and I'm closer to them than he is to his.... and as it stands I'm hoping we can move back to the UK in 5 years or so.

I'm not really homesick, I've lived overseas before and never really felt at home in the UK after that anyway. I just don't like living in the US... or more specifically, Ohio. And if I'd had any kind of good job there things would have been totally different. Ben would have preferred to move to the UK too.

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Barry is moving here as opposed to me moving there for many of the previously stated reasons. First my two younger boys ages 14 and 12 are here and there is no way their dad would let them go...and they don't want to move! Second I own a house and the current housing market is very depressed...so I couldn't sell if I wanted to! I also have a very good job as an RN and would have to study for another test in the UK to be licensed there!

Aside from that...I love England...would seriously consider moving in a few years if all works out....who knows?

Edited by debbylyn

Debbie & Barry

K-1 Timeline:

10-29-2007 Sent I 129-F to CSC

10-31-2007 I 129-F received CSC 9:48 AM

11-02-2007 NOA-1

11-07-2007 check cashed!

11-09-2007 NOA-1 hard copy received

3-11-08 RFE

3-17-08 RFE received by mail

3-22-08 RFE reply sent from England

4-09-08 RFE received CSC case resumed

4-18-08 NOA2 by email (after 172 days)

4-24-08 NOA2 hard copy

5-01-08 NVC received

5-02-08 case forwarded to US Embassy London

5-07-08 received by London Embassy

5-08-08 Packet 3 sent from Embassy

5-15-08 Packet 3 mailed recorded delivery

5-21-08 Packet 3 received US Embassy London

6-02-08 Medical

6-13-08 packet 4 received

7-01-08 Interview London Embassy Approved!

7-04-08 Visa in hand! hurray!

7-13-08 POE Cleveland, OH

9-23-08 (AOS package sent)

9-29-08 NOA received I-485, I-131, I-765

10-21-08 biometrics appt

12-12-08 EAD and AP received by mail!

2-04-2009 AOS approved!

2-12-2009 card received

11-05-2010 I-751 mailed to CSC

11-08-2010 received CS, NOA1 date

12-20-10 biometrics

02-09-11 ROC approved

02-14-11 Greencard received!

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: United Kingdom
Timeline

Same reasons as mentioned above...I've already got a good job with good career prospects. I'm closer to my family than Nicky is to his. It just made more sense for Nicky to move here than for me to move to the UK in the end. Now he has the opportunity to go to college and start a career for himself. Although we aren't considering buying a home anytime soon (not until I pay off my student loans!) if we do change our minds it is a good time for first time homebuyers in the Chicagoland area.

I found this article on the Telegraph's website. Quite interesting the user comments on this page!

The Telegragh - Why are so many Britons emigrating?

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Filed: Timeline
I'm training to be a Chartered Surveyor which is great! Except the whole of my degree has been how to be a surveyor in Europe! The majority of my modules have been on UK/EU law and valuation/management is done totally different in the US. In fact they don't even have many surveyors, they have lots of different people who do the jobs that I would cover here in the UK. Here in the UK if you aren't Chartered you aren't in the race. In the whole of GA I have found 3 Chartered Surveyors lol! There are several international companies in Atlanta that might respect my qualifications a bit more. Am biding my time writing to them though as the whole ... I don't have a degree, I don't have a visa or work permit conversation probably wont go down to well.

They will recognize my degree though and hopefully that will put me in a better position to compete for jobs in other areas maybe. A bit of a bummer to spend 4 years training in something that you wont be able to make full use of but life changes and you gotta change with it.

Ooh, I understand. :) If I'd still been working towards becoming a chartered architect I'd be in the same position; as it is I just have my BA in Architecture which is a little more general. I do hope you manage to find work with a company who will recognise your qualifications!

Not exactly sure what a chartered architect but my hubby is an architect & has had no shortage of offers here in America. There are plenty of practices without state certified architects who do designs - they just use a certified one when the drawings are done to check that they are up to code.

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Filed: Lift. Cond. (pnd) Country: Wales
Timeline

Stu's moving here for a lot of the reasons already mentioned.

I have a small child (6 year old) and I have a steady job, pets, etc..

I wouldn't mind moving over there though if I could easily find a job, bring my horses, bring my kid without having to fight the ex-in-laws.

Someday, it would be nice to go over there, I think. :)

K1:

(See timeline)

AOS:

(See timeline)

ROC:

11-8-10 - ROC file sent

11-10-10 - CSC received file

11-10-10 - NOA1 date

11-15-10 - Check cashed

12-11-10 - Received biometrics letter

12-22-10 - Biometrics appointment (have to reschedule)

1-12-11 - Biometrics appointment (rescheduled appointment)

3-3-11 - Approved!

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Stu's moving here for a lot of the reasons already mentioned.

I have a small child (6 year old) and I have a steady job, pets, etc..

I wouldn't mind moving over there though if I could easily find a job, bring my horses, bring my kid without having to fight the ex-in-laws.

Someday, it would be nice to go over there, I think. :)

Thats what myself and Lara want to do in the future. She wishes so much to live in the Highlands of Scotland.

Shes sick and tired of the 100mph life style in America. Here where I live is so quiet and everyone is laid back.

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Stu's moving here for a lot of the reasons already mentioned.

I have a small child (6 year old) and I have a steady job, pets, etc..

I wouldn't mind moving over there though if I could easily find a job, bring my horses, bring my kid without having to fight the ex-in-laws.

Someday, it would be nice to go over there, I think. :)

Thats what myself and Lara want to do in the future. She wishes so much to live in the Highlands of Scotland.

Shes sick and tired of the 100mph life style in America. Here where I live is so quiet and everyone is laid back.

One of the things Kris and I plan to do is visit the UK every summer.. so I can get a feel for the area and see where i would feel at home most. He loves Ireland though so we shall see. I figure.. 9 years and the boys will be off to college.. By then we will have a good savings... equity in a home and can look to move. Who knows.. if I can get to the point of an agent and a good enough writing career i won't have to worry about work so much :whistle:

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