Do we migrate or not?... please help...

[Ginismedicinal]

My brother has a house in America. He lives and works in the Middle East, the house (and car) are just sat, unused.
We currently live in England, but I'm a single parent, my children are in their late teens and we are continously frustrated by lack of job opportunities, cost of living etc.
We are all feeling fed up, and my daughter keeps suggesting we just try and move to the US and live at my brothers house.
I do, of course, appreciate its not just a case of 'get up and go', but what does it entail? Is it possible?
Would it be too crazy to just uproot us all and move away... a big gamble, but then some people say the old 'you don't know if you don't try' etc...
I'd love to do it, but is it actually possible?

Um, no, not unless you have US citizenship/residency rights already. You need a visa. They are very hard to come by.

Also, why do you think things will be better/ easier in America? They may be, but depending on your circumstances, they might not be.

You have to have a green card

Too little info.

1. Do you have the right to live and work in the US?
2. Is the house somewhere you’d want to live and could find a decent job?
3. What’s the plan if bro decides he’s moving home?

Legally can you? If you are British it's highly unlikely you can visit for more than 6months and the kids can't attend school as visitors

I’m dual citizen, OP.
You can go in on a visitor visa but you cannot work under this type of visa.
You can apply immediately for a temporary or permanent work visa while deciding if you’ll stay permanently or not (next step would be green card).
Health insurance will be a toughie. Without employment or enough available funds, you’ll find this aspect of living in the US a bit harder. What state are you planning on going to?

www.usa.gov/

This site will have all the info you need, OP.

Of all the places I'd emigrate to, America would be very low down on that list.

Health insurance, gun control, Roe vs Wade (you've a teenage daughter who will have little to no bodily autonomy if she was pregnant), and that doesn't even scratch the surface, let alone the legalities of working and visas etc.

The grass isn't always greener.

God no. Not to America anyway. They have HUGE drug problems out there at the moment. Even in affluent areas they have a homelessness/drug crisis. In your position I’d be looking extremely carefully at the location and making my decision based on that.

I would not move my teenaged daughter to a state that bans abortion.

The US is not a smart move when jobless, op. Health care and dental for one.

Unless you are a US citizen, you can't just fly over and decide to live here. There is no holiday visa that would then allow you apply for a permanent work visa once you arrive unfortunately.
You'll need to find a job with a US company before you move that is then willing to sponsor you for a visa and ultimately a green card but there is a yearly limit on the number of migrants allowed in this way.
Another route is to start working in the UK now for a company that has offices in the US , there is an internal company transfer visa available if you are in a Senior enough position and have worked for the employer for a minimum number of years (used to be 2 years but I'm not sure if that's still the case).
The only other route I can think of is for you to marry a US citizen and apply for a green card after that!
If you are able to obtain one of the visas above, then you need to consider the ages of your children, they would need to get their immigration status settled before turning 18 or they could be at risk of being deported.
If you're a US citizen already then ignore everything I've said about visas but do consider the cost of healthcare (you would absolutely need a job before moving here) and also consider the cost of university here if that's in your children's plans. It can be anything up to $80000 a year and they would also lose their home status in the UK so have to pay international fees if they plan to return there to study.

Only the top liberal arts college and Ivy League type universities are that sort of price. State universities are around $20k a year

Do you really want to live there with all the issues with health care, guns and lack of employment rights?

Thank you guys - you are all saying pretty much what I was thinking/feeling... but getting caught up in some people's excited "oooh go for it" etc...
I appreciate I was perhaps a little unclear - I'm not jobless, I'm am just very unhappy in the job I am in, and have been for some time, but, it pays the bills (just).
I know whole-heartedly the grass is NEVER greener... not particularly looking for 'greener' just different. I'm frustrated that despite many qualifications, skills etc, that there is no progression in my current job, and absolutely no other jobs available, unless it's a long commute and then I can't afford the extra fuel!
My son is almost 20, my daughter is 17 and they too are now feeling the stress and pressures of living in a small, quiet town, with zero jobs.
I know we are all feeling more than fed-up with the current situation/s in this country, it's too much.
All three of my older siblings have moved overseas, have wonderful husbands, successful lives etc... the contrast hurts abit at times is all... and I guess in my 'delusion' I thought a move would help... I'll ditch the idea now.
Thank you though - I needed a reality check 🤦🏻‍♀️ x

There is nothing at all delusional about it at all, OP. Don’t throw in the towel just yet. As long as you’re pragmatic about it, it can be done! What state is your brother’s place in?

You're not jobless currently. But you would be if you left for the US, presumably?

What about a move within the UK? If your problem is living in a small town with no jobs and your children are almost both adults that can be solved without moving overseas.

If I could make the visa situation work I’d consider the US but not without a job to move for.

Jeez calm down, average student debt in the US is actually lower than in the UK and those averages include the doctor and law school categories who graduate with significant debt but also get high salaries to match the debt .

its interesting how no one bats an eyelid when people post about moving to Dubai etc with all their homophobic and sexist laws but US OMG Roe V Wade etc etc etc lol

Sigh…

without knowing which stare she’s going to you can’t comment on many of these things.

Let’s take Roe v Wade. Most states actually have abortion laws that are more relaxed than anywhere in Europe, including the UK. Many states allow abortion up until the 40th week.

Health insurance will be provided by the employer. Employees with more than 50 FTE employees are required by law to provide health insurance. Sure, there’s usually a cost to the employee. But the cost is less than the saving we make in not being crippled by tax. I’ve worked in the UK. I live and work in the US. Taking my health costs and my taxes together, I’m still paying less than I was paying in tax in the UK. And I know where I’d rather be ill.

But this is MN, where everyone’s an expert on things they know nothing about.

Right! And without even realizing that the UK has more strict rules on abortion than many US states. In my state you can have an abortion up to 24 weeks, no questions asked. No need for 2 doctors to sign off on it. Just take yourself to the nearest clinic and no questions asked. Three hours away is the next state and there you can have an abortion right up until the moment of birth. No questions asked.

But yeah, no bodily autonomy here…🙄

OP, if your brother is a US citizen he can petition for you under the F-4 family-based immigrant visa. Current processing time for an F-4 is around 12 years. Your children could potentially come with you but it will depend on how long your I-130 petition takes to be approved as the clock will stop during this time. But they are close to aging out.

If your brother is a visa holder or green card holder this option is not available.

Other than that, your chances are slim. You could look at employment visa options but they are limited and there are numerous hoops to jump through and they don’t necessarily lead to a green card. You need a green card to be able to live here permanently. Work visas are just that - visas. Many of them are time-limited and connected to hour job. Lose your job and you lose your visa and have to pack up and leave.

I wouldn't plan to move there right now but maybe you could go for a holiday there in the summer? Have a look around and check it out. Then if you think it is what you want to go you can start the process.

Do you have older, living, parents?
2 of 4 of my sibling group live abroad, DM misses them more and more as she gets older (she's nearly 80, DDad died nearly 30 years ago) and less able to travel herself.

What about going to the Middle East with your brother @Ginismedicinal ? Might that be an option job wise ?

It's not delusional, but the US probably isn't the right place.

As others say, it sounds as though it would be an excellent idea to move within the UK or Europe, once your DD finishes school/ college (if she's currently at school/ college - presumably she is at 17?). Certainly no need to stay in your small town with limited prospects.

Obviously it would be sensible to move with a job to go to, so start applying for jobs 2-3 months before you'd be able to move.