Want to emigrate to US - where to start

SwampThing

Fairly straight forward, or not. I want to emigrate to the US, but don't have a cluse where to start.

I work in IT Management, have done so for about 6 years; wife and 2 kids. My company has no links to US, my wife's does, but she's just in the door recently.

What options are open to me and what is the likelihood of this happening?

Just looking for a steer in the right direction

Thanks

MadsL

Intercompany transfer through the wife.
Visa Lottery.
Find someone to sponsor you (any family there?)

That's about it.

cena

MadsL wrote: »

Intercompany transfer through the wife.
Visa Lottery.
Find someone to sponsor you (any family there?)

That's about it.

Family though has to be mother father Etc

SwampThing

Intercompany - I think I need to be working at the Irish end for at least 12 months, correct?
Lottery - I'll look into this but just the name of it makes me think its a bit of a lottery - sorry
Family - no family in the US

Will have to look further into the transfer route through the missus' company - she's just in the door a few weeks; might want to settle a bit before raising that question.

Someone mentioned I could go on a study visa, but do the course at night and work fulltime - is this actually possible/legal?

Thanks for the feedback guys

silja

Essentially, there is no fast way to do this.
With a transfer you normally need to work 2 years in the company.
Lottery opens in October this year, if you win you would not get to the US till 2016.
I'm assuming you don't have a lot of money (1 million dollars +) to start your own company and get an investor's visa.

Student visa is an option but: a) can work a maximum of 20 hours, and only on-campus b) wife cannot work and c) is not permanent, ie once your studies are over, you need to go back.

Dave1442397

The visa lottery sounds like your best bet.

I got one of the first Donnelly visas back in 1987, and I doubt I would have gotten to the US otherwise. I probably would have headed to Australia or Canada.

SwampThing

Thanks lads - off to research the lottery visa then.

cheers.

cena

SwampThing wrote: »

Thanks lads - off to research the lottery visa then.

cheers.

Its free to enter. Don't pay anyone to do it for you

ProudDUB

SwampThing wrote: »

Thanks lads - off to research the lottery visa then.

It gets asked about a lot here, so there are loads of topics about it on Boards. Use "diversity lottery" (its official name) or "green card lottery" in the search function and it should turn up a lot of useful info

daycent

SwampThing wrote: »

Intercompany - I think I need to be working at the Irish end for at least 12 months, correct?
Lottery - I'll look into this but just the name of it makes me think its a bit of a lottery - sorry
Family - no family in the US

Will have to look further into the transfer route through the missus' company - she's just in the door a few weeks; might want to settle a bit before raising that question.

Someone mentioned I could go on a study visa, but do the course at night and work fulltime - is this actually possible/legal?

Thanks for the feedback guys

For intracompany transfer, you need to work in the non-US location for 12 months. I transferred after 18 months in the Irish location. It's a really good option for a visa if you can make it work.... But you're wife's employers will need to be motivated enough to make it happen. Best of luck.

InTheTrees

SwampThing wrote: »

Thanks lads - off to research the lottery visa then.

cheers.

I've met a few people over the years who have done it and its by far and away the best option. You're straight in with Full green card.

DM addict

For the intercompany transfer, the job will also need to be at particular skill/management level.

If it something you're definitely wanting to do, it might be worth looking at jobs for yourself with a company with ties to US, and then look at transferring within a couple of years. BUT no guarantees there, obviously - and it depends on your current job stability etc.