OMG - moving this summer from UK to Houston TX

[MintyFreshAlways]

We are moving from the UK to Houston this summer for my wife to take up a job. We have an 11 year old son and are looking at schools and interviewing at the moment. My wife is going on an O1, and our son and I will be going on an O3.

We've started to put together a list of things we think we need to do and arrange, but the current list is daunting to say the least, and we are worried we may have missed lots of things.

So a few questions.

1. Is there a standard list of stuff to plan for an emigration?
2. What's the best way to handle banking, we will need a UK bank account for a UK mortgage?
3. Anyone with experience of switching from an O3 to a visa that allows work once out there?

Do you have relocation services as part of the package?

Things I’d consider is; healthcare / insurance once you’re there, having enough money to subsidise initial rent payments (many places want months of rent upfront as recent immigrants are viewed as risky) and setting yourselves up, how you’re going to get a car etc. Your sons school will depend on where you live - you get zoned for the nearest public (state) school and this usually drives prices of rental / house buying

Re banking, get an international account if you can. Hsbc offer one (and they have branches in the US) which helps port your credit over which is essential as you’ll be basically starting from scratch and you won’t get credit for first 6 months

Re your mortgage - keep your uk account and pay it from there. Word of caution tho - when you’re domiciled for tax purposes in another country I.e. you earn your salary and pay tax in the US, you won’t be able to apply for a regular UK based mortgage. Might be worth shifting stuff around before you go if you need to

Thanks.

There is a relocation package, which seems quite generous, but then a lot of expensive things you can't move, like white goods, loads of other electrical things. So that seems pretty good.

The advice on credit is really valuable, so we'll book an appointment with HSBC and think about switching things around. Do you think we'll need a US bank like Chase as well?

The tax does seem a nightmare - we recently fixed on a five year mortgage deal, so for the moment this is kicked down the road.

You’ll definitely need a US bank if you’re being paid in the US (if it’s an expat relocation package you may still be paid in the US)

Chase are reliably crap but they do offer bank accounts to international immigrants. It’s a bit of a chicken and egg in the beginning as you can’t do a lot without a social security number, which you don’t get until you arrive and start work (not sure how it works if you’re a non working spouse visa holder) If I did it again I’d do Hsbc as they set you up over there (it’s not seamless but better than nothing) you need credit / bank account for most stuff - mobiles etc

Taxes are indeed a nightmare; best money ever spent is getting an accountant who specialises in international clients to do your yearly returns (they do PAYE but everyone also needs to submit a tax return) you also need to declare all your overseas assets etc - I just throw it at the accountant who does it for me. Quite often relocation packages cover this for the first year, so worth checking

If you have to arrange yourself, start thinking about movers. We moved back to the uk last year and covid meant longer lead time to arrange stuff due to port backlogs etc

Not being able to move electricals is a pain, but you can get most stuff. Be warned that usually high voltage stuff like hairdryers are crap on 110v!

You might be able to join a credit union and get your US banking done that way (we did).

Will your wife's employer arrange health insurance?

We kept our UK house on and rented it out - we needed permission from the mortgage company to be able to do that though. Just used our UK bank account as normal (and with online banking now this will be straightforward).

Houston is huge - which areas are you looking at? We chose an area with a straightforward commute from home to office but even then it could be really slow. A good realtor to help you find houses for rent / purchase are worth their weight in gold. Are you already browsing HAR.com?

If you're shipping across furniture then it pays to rent a furnished apartment for a few weeks, which also gives you a chance to find your way around and look for a good rental. It took around 4 weeks for our furniture to arrive.

We were recommended an insurance agent who took care of things like home insurance, car insurance etc. We bought our first car from CarMax, and used their buy back option when we left.

You'll have 30 days to start the process to take a Texas driving test. We did ours in Richmond or Rosenberg (can't remember which) as it was rumoured to be an easy test centre.

As a non-working spouse I didn't have a social security number, but was given a tax identification number (TIN). I found that there were lots of things I couldn't do (like get a mobile phone contract) without an SSN, but that was a few years ago now so that might have changed?

Also second paying someone to do your tax returns!

Arriving in summer it will be hot and humid, and I'd avoid anywhere with bayous (but I was a magnet for mozzies). Be aware that your summer electric bills will be high running the A/C (we had friends that had two storey houses but they just lived downstairs in the summer to cut down on trying to cool the second storey).

We bought our electricals at East - West in Houston, as they do dual voltage stuff which gives you the option to bring it home (we bought a dual voltage TV). Think we also got a cash deal for buying fridge/freezer, washer, dryer and TV from them in one go.

One thing I was unaware of was venomous spiders (black widows and brown recluses - not that I ever saw any of them) and snakes.

But there's loads to do out there - local state parks, Galveston, Corpus Christi, NASA at Clearlake, Austin and San Antonio for weekends away, the wildflowers in the Hill Country.

Bank of America was very good to use for immigrants when we came here

If you can get an AMEX card in the UK now and start building credit on that then it is easy to switch to a USA Amex With some credit history already

We had a UK HSBC account and they were able to open a US account for us before we arrived. It's been really useful to have accounts with the same bank in both countries, transferring money internationally from one to the other has been seamless and although they don't have a branch in my State, everything is done online now so it hasn't been a problem.

When looking for housing, also try to find out whether it is liable to be flooded--bad storms in Houston can have rainfall measured in feet.

O3 visas for not permit any work. You can’t get an EAD with an O3. You son will be able to study but when it comes to work he will have to either qualify for a different visa in his own right or hope that an adjustment of status can be done.

Nonimmigrant work visas are very restrictive and not always a good deal, certainly not if you are thinking of coming here for good. Has the employer given any hints that they will eventually sponsor green card applications for you?

We got a Bank of America account too and kept our HSBC uK account for rent coming in and mortgage coming out. When we moved it was expensive to open an international HSBC account and you had to have a minimum amount of money in there which we didn’t - might have changed.

If your wife is on an O1 there’s a chance the company employing her might sponsor to get her a green card after a certain amount of time - you and DS would automatically then get one too and you could work. However everyone I know on an O1 has to sort out their own GC, but always worth asking (my DH was on a H1B so we got it written into his contract that after a year they would sort out his green card). Also be aware that under the current travel ban you wouldn’t be allowed back into the US if you leave and go to the U.K. without going to Mexico for 15days first

Second everyone saying pay for an accountant!

Kobani has a good point. OP do you know if you can actually get into the USA atm?

Current restrictions are only allowing citizens and permanent residents (green card holders) in. Don’t know if this applies to visa holders

@LittleMy77 you can apply as a visa holder to get a particular form that immigrations sends saying you’re allowed to travel for work. OP’s immigration lawyers should be making sure they have that for the whole family. Otherwise no, your visa does not currently allow you entrance

Second getting an Amex cc in the UK, building up credit and switching to a US Amex once you're here.
You'll be able to set up bank accounts with any of the big banks - chase, boa, wells Fargo.
Good luck with the move. I moved to CA on an L2 visa, got my GC a couple of years ago.

If you have / can get Amex it’s helpful. We had Amex in the U.K. and got a US card easily enough.

We did bank with HSBC in the U.K. and set up international accounts before we left so the US accounts were easy enough to set up too.

HSBC are reducing their retail banking activities in the US though. We have no idea if and how this will affect us but our “local” branch is now several towns away but we only went in once.

Look into sorting out your us drivers license as soon as you can. Took us (well, more me!) months longer than expected.

I also have a Chase account which has been fine. I opened up my account at a small branch, in the very affluent town where I work, but don’t live, and pretty much got personal banker service even though I opened the most basic account and I’m on part time minimum wage money 😂

Someone mentioned flooding. Realtor.com has a flood factor feature so you can look up pretty much any house and see what it is. (We’re in an area affected by hurricanes so it’s kind of interesting!)

Good luck moving during these times! It’s challenging enough under “regular” circumstances. You’ll have loads of character by the end of it 😂

If you're worried about difficulties regarding emigration and moving to a house in the US, there's a series of articles about that on tranio.com, they're specialized in international real estate purchases, as they're pretty well informed.

@MintyFreshAlways I wondered if you're still moving.
Dh company are offering us sponsorship to move to Houston but it seems impossible to get out there at the moment!

[quote swimmingpoolofchocolate]@MintyFreshAlways I wondered if you're still moving.
Dh company are offering us sponsorship to move to Houston but it seems impossible to get out there at the moment! [/quote]
The issuing of L-1 visas has resumed. What is impossible?

@LittleMy77 would you mind sharing the details of the international accountant? DM would be great. I’m in a world of tax hell.

Thanks so much

We are still moving. Things have changed a little though. My wife and son have their O1 and O3 approved, I need to work though, so I'm independently going for either an O1 or EB1 on my own with a U.K. employer with a subsidiary in the States. So we may be apart while this is sorted out I guess. The packers are coming in a few weeks, but we have not looked too seriously at flights yet. The rules are so volatile.

@FakingMemories thank you for this. Dh was asked to mull over moving to Texas but we were worried with all the restrictions we wouldn't be allowed to travel. I searched and searched and could only find embassy and diplomats or is citizens etc are able to travel in atm but I must have misunderstood this. On that basis dh didn't want to rock the apple cart at his current job in U.K. by saying he'll go out there and then it doesn't happen.

This is so helpful to us thank you you've made my day!

@MintyFreshAlways we are also wondering how we are both going to be able to work. Dh will just be going to a US branch of his U.K. company so that part is fairly straightforward. But I would like to at least keep open the possibility of me working. I will still move if I can't but hoping I can at least have the choice.

Good luck with all the applications.

@swimmingpoolofchocolate if he’s getting an L-1 then you will have an L-2 so you will be able to wirk when you get here. You will need to apply for an EAD.

In terms of travel, you can either get an NIE to travel directly or you detour through Mexico or another non-ban country for 14 days.

Thanks @FakingMemories I wondered if they would allow us to spend 14 days elsewhere, I am very grateful for all of your information.

@MintyFreshAlways. Just a guess but I’m thinking you’re either in tech or fuel oil and gas. I did a 3 month project in Houston and if you want to ask anything please do. Are they starting you with temporary accommodation like an executive apt for a while?

@swimmingpoolofchocolate you’re welcome. That route via Mexico is being used a lot by visa holders at the moment and they are having wonderful beach holidays in riviera Maya, etc. I’m a dual citizen (US and UK) so I wouldn’t need to do that if I were to go to see my mum in the UK and come back but I have to say it’s tempting…

Also is this meant to be permanent or like a 2 year secondment or something