Where do you live when you arrive?

[bukawbukaw 2]

Curious where any of you lived when you arrived? When we got to the states, NO ONE would rent to us, because a background and criminal check is required. And a US Social Security Card and Driver's License are required to rent anywhere. We actually spent time in homeless shelters and roach hotels when I first arrived. 8 months pregnant. Money in the bank. No one who wanted it. BTW-Scary, dirty, bug-infested motels cost $3,000 a month! I had my baby while living in the hotel, which sent CPS to investigate us for child abuse.

 

It was not a fun time being in the greatest nation on Earth. A warning to all coming here! And... I am curious how any of you did it. If you did it differently?

[Highmystic 234]

11 minutes ago, bukawbukaw said:

Curious where any of you lived when you arrived? When we got to the states, NO ONE would rent to us, because a background and criminal check is required. And a US Social Security Card and Driver's License are required to rent anywhere. We actually spent time in homeless shelters and roach hotels when I first arrived. 8 months pregnant. Money in the bank. No one who wanted it. BTW-Scary, dirty, bug-infested motels cost $3,000 a month! I had my baby while living in the hotel, which sent CPS to investigate us for child abuse.

 

It was not a fun time being in the greatest nation on Earth. A warning to all coming here! And... I am curious how any of you did it. If you did it differently?

Bad location I guess.  where I live, you can rent a studio motel at about $600 a month (paid $150 a week).  You CAN get a SS card once you are married and show your certificate.  Another option  would be to rent though  Air B@B or something, they are used to foreigners.  I have to wonder though, what you immigration status was at the time, and had you not had a sponsor who is financially responsible for your welfare?

 

[bukawbukaw 2]

2 hours ago, Highmystic said:

Bad location I guess.  where I live, you can rent a studio motel at about $600 a month (paid $150 a week).  You CAN get a SS card once you are married and show your certificate.  Another option  would be to rent though  Air B@B or something, they are used to foreigners.  I have to wonder though, what you immigration status was at the time, and had you not had a sponsor who is financially responsible for your welfare?

 

I don't think marriage qualifies one for the SSN card. $600 a month is cheap! We were in California. So that probably explains that. AirBnb is a great idea. I don't think it existed then. But would help people now. I am looking back and just amazed how hard it was. I spent the first year wishing I was back home and regretting coming here! lol I was a CR-1 when I arrived. Yes I had a sponsor.

[TBoneTX 45,537]

17 minutes ago, bukawbukaw said:

I was a CR-1 when I arrived. Yes I had a sponsor.

Please create a VJ timeline.

Immigrants typically foresee the need for residential arrangements and make plans (basic and contingency) before they arrive.  What happened?

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

7 hours ago, bukawbukaw said:

Curious where any of you lived when you arrived? When we got to the states, NO ONE would rent to us, because a background and criminal check is required. And a US Social Security Card and Driver's License are required to rent anywhere. We actually spent time in homeless shelters and roach hotels when I first arrived. 8 months pregnant. Money in the bank. No one who wanted it. BTW-Scary, dirty, bug-infested motels cost $3,000 a month! I had my baby while living in the hotel, which sent CPS to investigate us for child abuse.

 

It was not a fun time being in the greatest nation on Earth. A warning to all coming here! And... I am curious how any of you did it. If you did it differently?

I am in North Texas and we have tons of illegal aliens living in apartments and houses, they have no SS Card or US Driver Licenses.

 

Why did you just move back home to Philippines?  Seems you can live pretty comfortably there with little money from what I have seen.  

[Lemonslice 4,886]

8 hours ago, bukawbukaw said:

Curious where any of you lived when you arrived? When we got to the states, NO ONE would rent to us, because a background and criminal check is required. And a US Social Security Card and Driver's License are required to rent anywhere. We actually spent time in homeless shelters and roach hotels when I first arrived. 8 months pregnant. Money in the bank. No one who wanted it. BTW-Scary, dirty, bug-infested motels cost $3,000 a month! I had my baby while living in the hotel, which sent CPS to investigate us for child abuse.

 

It was not a fun time being in the greatest nation on Earth. A warning to all coming here! And... I am curious how any of you did it. If you did it differently?

Were was your spouse living before your arrival? Didn't they prepare the nest for their family?

[mr&mrshinds 77]

9 hours ago, bukawbukaw said:

Curious where any of you lived when you arrived? When we got to the states, NO ONE would rent to us, because a background and criminal check is required. And a US Social Security Card and Driver's License are required to rent anywhere. We actually spent time in homeless shelters and roach hotels when I first arrived. 8 months pregnant. Money in the bank. No one who wanted it. BTW-Scary, dirty, bug-infested motels cost $3,000 a month! I had my baby while living in the hotel, which sent CPS to investigate us for child abuse.

 

It was not a fun time being in the greatest nation on Earth. A warning to all coming here! And... I am curious how any of you did it. If you did it differently?

Hi OP, I'm not in the US yet but my husband and I already discussed living arrangements and fallback plans in case something did not go our way. He told me everything that I needed to know about the location (neighborhood, shops, restaurants, etc.) and he sees to it that everything will be ready by the time I go there.

 

I have a question though, what were your expectations before coming to the US?  I'm sorry to hear about what happened to you.

[*Snowdrop* 604]

 

I moved in with my husband - our visa took 14 months to process so we had plenty of time to discuss where and how we would live and our mutual expectations. 

 

It sounds like you've had a really hard time - I hope things are better for you now. 

Edited March 27, 2018 by Trellick

[*Snowdrop* 604]

I actually made a long post a while ago with suggestions for how to prepare for the actual move and what happens afterward. It helps if both partners are involved but at least one half of the couple should be thinking about life after the visa is granted:

 

 

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

I moved my fiancé into a fully furnished 4500 sq ft house.  I had her a car as soon as she arrived.

 

We live in the fastest growing city in the USA and has been for many years, everything in new in my city.  No crime, friendly neighborhood, anything and everything you want to do is here, lots of entertainment here.  Dallas Cowboys Headquarters just moved here and is building a pretty cool area for visitors, we also have the Dallas FC soccer team based here as well as the Basketball/Hockey/Baseball farm teams who all play here.

 

Great Malls, lots of great parks for the kids and adults.   The city is well built, and traffic flows very fast, streets are wide and clean.

[bukawbukaw 2]

9 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

Please create a VJ timeline.

Immigrants typically foresee the need for residential arrangements and make plans (basic and contingency) before they arrive.  What happened?

I was not able to find anything when I arrived. It would have been impossible to do so from abroad.

[bukawbukaw 2]

3 hours ago, mr&mrshinds said:

Hi OP, I'm not in the US yet but my husband and I already discussed living arrangements and fallback plans in case something did not go our way. He told me everything that I needed to know about the location (neighborhood, shops, restaurants, etc.) and he sees to it that everything will be ready by the time I go there.

 

I have a question though, what were your expectations before coming to the US?  I'm sorry to hear about what happened to you.

Well, I thought in such a civilized country that we would have a house or apartment. I did not know that it was so hard just to find a place to live. And so expensive! Most rental companies said even IF I had a US Social Security Number, it probably would not help. You also need rental history(how do you get that if you are new?) and they want a high credit score, and they want credit card information. It is really difficult and complicated. In the Philippines there is not even an application to fill out. You just pay someone! lol Here you have to pay at every place you apply. It's $25-$50 per person, per place you apply.

[bukawbukaw 2]

2 hours ago, Chris Duffy said:

I moved my fiancé into a fully furnished 4500 sq ft house.  I had her a car as soon as she arrived.

 

We live in the fastest growing city in the USA and has been for many years, everything in new in my city.  No crime, friendly neighborhood, anything and everything you want to do is here, lots of entertainment here.  Dallas Cowboys Headquarters just moved here and is building a pretty cool area for visitors, we also have the Dallas FC soccer team based here as well as the Basketball/Hockey/Baseball farm teams who all play here.

 

Great Malls, lots of great parks for the kids and adults.   The city is well built, and traffic flows very fast, streets are wide and clean.

Sounds very nice! How did you get her a house and car without SSN and credit? Wait, fiancé or fiancée?

[Sunnyland 639]

I assume you are the beneficiary. Did not your fiance/husband have a  place to live when you moved to US? If he was the USC, how he did not have a SSN etc?  

[bukawbukaw 2]

4 hours ago, Chris Duffy said:

I am in North Texas and we have tons of illegal aliens living in apartments and houses, they have no SS Card or US Driver Licenses.

 

Why did you just move back home to Philippines?  Seems you can live pretty comfortably there with little money from what I have seen.  

No. Life in the Philippines is very hard too. We don't even go to the hospital to give birth where I am from. You just get some cardboard and have the neighbor get the baby. In America I got to give birth in a very nice hospital. That was exciting. Until they found out we were living in a motel. I was excited to be in America. I want my kids to be American and go to school here. It's just not as easy as they say it is. The whole country is not millionaires living in a hi-tech paradise. Life is hard here too. I can't believe only 5 minutes I come off the plane, and there are beggars and homeless all over the street in America! I knew right away things were not going to be what I expected. My husband told me, but I don't believe him. Where I am from, everyone knows all Americans are millionaires. But it's not true.