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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

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Original poster

Very basic questions about USA

46 replies

JumpJockey · 07/09/2017 22:29

A fantastic job has come up in my field in Boston and I've been invited to apply. It's really a once-in-a-lifetime chance and while the kids are young (6 and 8) seems like the time to try. But I have no idea how things work with moving to the US! Does anyone know of a basic website that goes over what would be needed for relocation?

I know there are working visas etc. DH is a GP so would I imagine be able to get a job but not sure how visa situation would work. How do you cope with much less leave but much longer school holidays? How does the health care situation work? How on earth do you find somewhere to live before moving overseas? Etc etc etc... sorry that these questions are so embarrassingly basic but this is the first time a job opportunity has come up that I've seriously considered.

OP posts:

realhousewife33 · 08/09/2017 16:48

it's not a a role within my company but would be a move to a new one
So that rules out the possibility of an "intra-company transfer" L visa. I think that leaves you with either an H visa or if you're at the very top of your field possibly an O-1 visa. As someone said upthread, H visas are done on a lottery basis with specific start times each year. O-1 visas are for those with extraordinary ability at the top of their field, think published scientists, academics, celebrities etc. The spouse of an O-1 visa holder is not allowed to work.

www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/o-1-visa-individuals-extraordinary-ability-or-achievement

Here's the link to all the employment based visas. Notice the words "temporary" and "nonimmigrant".
www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-nonimmigrant-workers

I would anticipate this being a permanent move rather than a temporary one
No visa is permanent and if you're moving for work purposes, you never move on a "permanent" basis. If you get here and you like it and you want to remain here permanently, you would need to apply for a Green Card, even that only lasts for 10 years at a time. Estimated processing time for a green card would be 12-18 months. If you really, really like it, you might consider going a step further and renouncing your UK citizenship and exchanging your red passport for a blue one!

chemenger · 08/09/2017 17:13

We are looking at a move to Boston at the moment. We intend to live in the city centre (no children still living with us all the time) and nice 2 bed apartments are $3500 per month up, I think around $4000 gets something good, sometimes this includes utilities. There seem to be few 3 bed apartments in the centre and they are expensive $5000 and up. These can be quite small but well finished and it seems quite easy to find and rent apartments. All unfurnished, of course. Its cheaper out in the suburbs but that doesn't appeal to us particularly, but might be better with small children, I think you would need a car in the suburbs, in the city not so much (and parking adds a few hundred dollars a month to rent in most places).
Short term furnished apartments you're probably looking at $7500 pm up.
I'm going as a trailing spouse and maybe just for a year, in which case I'd hope to do it as a sabbatical from my UK academic job. I would be able to work on the type of visa my dh will have, but only after a few months.
We've done a couple of trips recently, things seem more expensive because of the terrible exchange rate.
Boston is a great city, very easy to get round on public transport. There are commuter trains in from the suburbs so commuting as very possible, but it depends where you need to be in the city - DH works close to South Station so dead easy to get to. Some of the Universities are close to the centre, others are further out.

chemenger · 08/09/2017 17:15

I should say we know quite a few ex-pats in the Boston area and they are, for the most part, very happy. Quite a few of them went for a year over a decade ago!

Pallisers · 08/09/2017 18:56

We lived in downtown boston - Beacon Hill - before we had children - it was brilliant. I don't think I'd ever move back to downtown boston even after kids are grown but I would move to harvard square in a heartbeat.

We also only went for a 3 years ...

BritInUS1 · 09/09/2017 01:09

As someone else said if you cannot get an intercompany transfer then you will either have to do the lottery H visa (OH won't be able to work), or apply for O visa, if you have an exceptional skill (OH won't be able to work).

Not being able to work would have been a deal breaker for me x

BritInUS1 · 09/09/2017 01:10

Also you need to bear in mind that the company would need to sponsor the visa, so you can only work for them, you cannot move to another company if you don't like it.

The visa is massively expensive and you would probably need them to cover the lawyer fees, etc. x

Want2bSupermum · 09/09/2017 02:39

DHs doctor trained in the Uk and worked in underserved areas when he moved over until he had passed all his exams and obtained his full license. I have a friend who practices in an underserved area clinic and teaches at a medical school here in NYC. She loves it and it pays enough to cover the bills as a single parent rasing two DC on her own.

I fully agree with the comment about making sure the role is on the tenure track. If it isn't I wouldn't even consider it.

BradleyPooper · 09/09/2017 02:43

If you are working for a new employer, chances are you'll have an H visa and your dh would not be legally allowed the work. If this is a deal breaker, you'd need to figure this out first.

BritInUS1 · 09/09/2017 07:03

Here are the details for the H1 lottery redbus2us.com/h1b-visa-2018/

It is always massively over subscribed so there are no guarantees

Original poster

JumpJockey · 09/09/2017 09:47

Thanks all again. Without completely outing myself, it is a post in a profession allied to HE in a particularly specialist field, at a directorial level, and having looked at the visa details and the job specifications it might well be under the O visa. Anyway, I've emailed the current director asking her opinion on how the visa would work. Two people from my institution in related fields have made similar moves to the US in the last couple of years so it must be possible!

Time for some serious discussions with DH...

OP posts:

Want2bSupermum · 09/09/2017 18:47

An O visa is excellent. Good luck OP. I'm just outside NYC and overall very happy here. It's a brilliant part of the world to raise a family.

blueberrypie0112 · 09/09/2017 18:57

You can rent anyplace, just make sure it fit in your budget that you make (always consider taxes because US always give you the amount before taxes take some of that money away including your salary) along with food/electricity/gas or public transportations/water

But do be careful, Trump and his administration are giving people from overseas a very hard time

blueberrypie0112 · 09/09/2017 19:02

I mean, Almost everything is taxed so don't be surprised you ended up having to pay more even if the price tag says $2.00 (someone once complained about this)

Aderyn17 · 09/09/2017 19:10

Another thing to consider, if you are thinking of moving forever, is the cost of university education for your children. You are years behind in terms of saving for it and that might mean your children leaving uni with way more debt than if they studied here.

BradleyPooper · 09/09/2017 19:22

O visas are good but spouses still not permitted to work.....

Want2bSupermum · 09/09/2017 20:37

But O visas normally have an easier path to getting a green card. Also check your benefits for covering college tuition. I know both Columbia and NYU pay 100% and 90% respectively for your DCs bachelor degree after you have worked there for 1-2 years.

Original poster

JumpJockey · 09/09/2017 21:55

These are all very useful things to consider too - thanks. The tax point took us by suprise in Canada recently visiting my bro, where I'd give the kids (eg) $5 to buy an ice cream each, but the tax took it over that so they had to dash back for some extra change...

OP posts:

BeALert · 10/09/2017 02:16

...and bear in mind that if you stay that long, you have raised Americans. Will you ever want to move back to the UK? What if they don't want to move back? What about grandchildren...?

misssmilla1 · 10/09/2017 02:34

The other thing to bear in mind with uni education, is that if you return to the UK and want your kids to go to uni there, then you need to have been living there from when they were about 15 (iirc, I'm pretty sure its 3 years until start of the uni year 1 academic year) otherwise you get charged international student fees, even if you're all British citizens.

BradleyPooper · 10/09/2017 03:17

Missmilla, that's the general rule but it varies from Uni to Uni. My kids are at international school in the USA, 50% of graduates to to a UK Uni and I don't know anyone in the past 2 years who has paid international fees....

allfurcoatnoknickers · 10/09/2017 14:37

I work for an Ivy - they sponsor people all the time, they'll be able to take care of any visa issues and explain the process.

Working in higher ed here is AMAZING. So much better paid than in the U.K. And the benefits are fantastic, ad mentioned below, the tuition benefits usually kick in after 2 years, but you also get fantastic, cheap insurance and loads of holiday, summer fridays etc. I'd go for it if I were you!

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