Brit wanting to go...

[ZeroGravity 0]

...but cant.

Hi all.

This is my first posting here and Im needing some serious help. I dont know where to post this so its going here.

Not to long ago I met a sweet girl from the US we got to know eachother and just last month I went over to vist her. Thats the easy part.

Now we have been chatting about me getting back over there on a more perminant basis. I felt I belonged there.

Ive looked into verious Vias I could apply for, and recently found out the DV lottory is out of the question now as the UK isnt elagble for it.

So Im looking into either a work visa or a student visa, both seem doable but its getting harder to find something or any job I could do.

My current skills lack the need to be granted a works visa outright....so unless I get a sponsor or I can get a job in the UK with a US based or a company with US offices, thats gonna be tricky.

The next one is the Student Visa...but if I was to go to the US to study I couldnt afford it...so looking into other ways.

Really needing some info or help or ANYTHING to get this moving

For a land of "Oppertunity" it is sure as hell hard to get in...

Thanks for reading anyways.

[randye80 24]

Assuming you also do not qualify under Extraordinary Ability (olympic athlete, rock star, supermodel, ballet dancer), $1,000,000 Investor, or Political Refugee exceptions, you are pretty much down to 3 options:

• Tourist
• US Citizen sponsored Fiance
• Spouse of US Citizen

[Boiler 43,433]

Marriage Visa

[ukcharlotte 4]

I looked into all of the various visas a couple of years back and didn't qualify for any of them. My now fiancé and I had to make do with spending three months together at a time until we were sure that marriage was the next step. If you want to be together legally and don't qualify for those other visas then you'll have to make do with the tourist visa. Maybe after a couple of 3-month stays you will know what you want from your future and then you'll join us waiting for a fiancé/spouse visa. Until then, however, your story will start in a similar way to many of the other 1000s of Brits who found love in the USA.

[xjoseyx 19]

I looked into all of the various visas a couple of years back and didn't qualify for any of them. My now fiancé and I had to make do with spending three months together at a time until we were sure that marriage was the next step. If you want to be together legally and don't qualify for those other visas then you'll have to make do with the tourist visa. Maybe after a couple of 3-month stays you will know what you want from your future and then you'll join us waiting for a fiancé/spouse visa. Until then, however, your story will start in a similar way to many of the other 1000s of Brits who found love in the USA.

This is good advice. I visited twice to see my fiance before we got engaged. Once for 5 days, then he came here for 3 months. I returned with him for 7 weeks in the summer, then he came back for a month and I went in January for 2 weeks. You'll need to spend enough time with each other before making any big choice if youre going to go down the marriage route.

[Justine+David 218]

She could come visit you for 6 months to the UK without needing a visa...

[aaron2020 11,651]

...but cant.

Hi all.

This is my first posting here and Im needing some serious help. I dont know where to post this so its going here.

Not to long ago I met a sweet girl from the US we got to know eachother and just last month I went over to vist her. Thats the easy part.

Now we have been chatting about me getting back over there on a more perminant basis. I felt I belonged there.

Ive looked into verious Vias I could apply for, and recently found out the DV lottory is out of the question now as the UK isnt elagble for it.

So Im looking into either a work visa or a student visa, both seem doable but its getting harder to find something or any job I could do.

My current skills lack the need to be granted a works visa outright....so unless I get a sponsor or I can get a job in the UK with a US based or a company with US offices, thats gonna be tricky. You need a sponsor to get a work visa. Without the necessary skills, you are not going to get a work visa. The US does not let in foreign unskilled labor when there are lots of unemployed US labor. It's not smart public policy to let in foreign workers when your own unemployed citizens and residents can do the work that the foreign worker qualifies for.

The next one is the Student Visa...but if I was to go to the US to study I couldnt afford it...so looking into other ways. You must be able to prove you can pay for your course of study to qualify for a student visa. If you can't pay, USCIS is going to deny the student visa because of the possibility 1) you'll engage in illegal employment and 2) you'll drop out of school and remain illegally in the US.

Really needing some info or help or ANYTHING to get this moving

For a land of "Oppertunity" it is sure as hell hard to get in... because there are billions of people who would flood into the US if it was easy to get into the US. How does a country absorb possibly hundred of millions (or billions) if the process was easy? I have about 10 relatives who are waiting to immigrate to the US after filing their immigration petitions in 2003. I have probably another 50-100 relatives who want to immigrate but don't have the qualifying relative to petition for them. All of them would be on a plane here today if the process was easy. There's probably many more like them - probably billions.

Thanks for reading anyways.

A work visa requires a US employer to show that a US resident is not qualified or available for the position before the employer can petition for a foreign worker. Without the proper education and skill sets, no US employer can petition for a work visa on your behalf.

You cannot petition for a work visa on your own and then come to the US to look for work. You getting a job means one less unskilled job for an unemployed US resident.

Your only real chance of immigrating to the US is to marry your girlfriend.

Edited March 30, 2012 by aaron2020

[aaron2020 11,651]

She could come visit you for 6 months to the UK without needing a visa...

The VWP limits limits participants to 90 days in the US without a visa. I am not aware of any program that would allow a UK citizen to visit without a visa for 6 months. Can you provide additional information for your post?

[xjoseyx 19]

The VWP limits limits participants to 90 days in the US without a visa. I am not aware of any program that would allow a UK citizen to visit without a visa for 6 months. Can you provide additional information for your post?

People can visit the UK for 6 months without a visa. There isnt the 90 day limit per visit like the US. Its 180 days for the UK.

[aaron2020 11,651]

People can visit the UK for 6 months without a visa. There isnt the 90 day limit per visit like the US. Its 180 days for the UK.

Cool. Thank you for the information.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

People can visit the UK for 6 months without a visa. There isnt the 90 day limit per visit like the US. Its 180 days for the UK.

Usually.

Depends on how long they stamp you in for.

[Justine+David 218]

Oh, are there different stamps? I've only ever gotten the 6 month stamp and have been there almost a dozen times in the last few years...

Edited March 31, 2012 by Justine+David

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Oh, are there different stamps? I've only ever gotten the 6 month stamp and have been there almost a dozen times in the last few years...

It's just like admittance to the US. If they like the looks of you, they let you in.

Or not.

Or they do something in between. Like limit the days of your stay.

[trojam227 18]

It's just like admittance to the US. If they like the looks of you, they let you in.

Or not.

Or they do something in between. Like limit the days of your stay.

Or like me after the first few entries/exits, UK Immigration just says "welcome back." They don't even ask how long I'm staying, or my purpose for visiting anymore! LOL...I think they are sick of my face. I've come a long way though..one of my first visits a lady officer asked "how long do you plan on conducting your relationship this way?" I responded with "ummmm, I guess as long as it takes?" I felt like a little kid getting in trouble by the teacher. Whatever you manage to do hun, don't overstay your visits or it will be a major problem down the road if you do decide to get married. And answer all questions honestly on everything!

[Si&Mer 1]

If you are looking at staying for a more extended period of time...look into a J-1 visa. The J-1 visa is :

"The Exchange Visitor (J) non-immigrant visa category is for individuals approved to participate in work-and study-based exchange visitor programs." It's basically an "internship" visa.

My fiance came over and spent a year working for a hotel, and we got to be together for a year and determine what we wanted for our future! It was a complicated process (like all this visa stuff is) but well worth it! Good Luck!

Or like me after the first few entries/exits, UK Immigration just says "welcome back." They don't even ask how long I'm staying, or my purpose for visiting anymore! LOL...I think they are sick of my face. I've come a long way though..one of my first visits a lady officer asked "how long do you plan on conducting your relationship this way?" I responded with "ummmm, I guess as long as it takes?" I felt like a little kid getting in trouble by the teacher. Whatever you manage to do hun, don't overstay your visits or it will be a major problem down the road if you do decide to get married. And answer all questions honestly on everything!