My dream is "too big" to achieve

Robin_Sparkles

Hey everyone,

This may sound like a completely ridiculous issue considering some other threads on here.
I have never really had a ''dream'' don't care about getting married, having loads of kids etc etc.
As far back as I can remember I have been just obsessed with New York City, I have visited a few times and felt right at home and happy when I was there. I have lived in other countries and they just don't cut it.
I have applied for the green card lottery and have not yet been successful.
People always say ''no dream is too big" but it feels this one is... I feel miserable when I think about it...I am pushing 30 and its the only thing I know I really want out of life! Why is it beyond my reach? Is there any way around this, I am educated but not necessarily in a trade (business degree) so my qualifications are not in demand..

Can anyone please share some advice?

beks101

I don't think it's an impossible dream to be honest, I know lots of Irish people living in the States either through work-sponsored visas, F1s, graduate visas or whatever. Most recently a friend of mine moved to Wisconsin after meeting a guy, think she's on some kind of 'professional career development' visa or something. She met him less than a year ago and moved over a few months ago so didn't take that long.

TBH you'll get all kinds of advice and suggestions here, but the only way of knowing for sure what would be a possibility for you would be to find a really good immigration lawyer who deals with these kinds of visas and can tell you outright. Don't waste your time on this if you're serious about it - spend a few quid on a good lawyer and take it from there.

JeffKenna

Hi OP,

You said you have a business degree so I would say the best way for you get to New York is to train as an ACA accountant with one of the big four and then request a transfer to the New York office once your contract is complete. Naturally it's a hard road to take but I know people working in ny so it can be done. Again it's all about how much you want it.

Robin_Sparkles

JeffKenna wrote: »

Hi OP,

You said you have a business degree so I would say the best way for you get to New York is to train as an ACA accountant with one of the big four and then request a transfer to the New York office once your contract is complete. Naturally it's a hard road to take but I know people working in ny so it can be done. Again it's all about how much you want it.

I want it really bad but I don't particularly want to be an accountant, Finance is the area I enjoy and I would like to work in that area. Do you know any other companies that do transfers like that? I have good work experience behind me, exp working in the Funding/Finance area. Which is the area I would like to stay in

JeffKenna

Robin_Sparkles wrote: »

I want it really bad but I don't particularly want to be an accountant, Finance is the area I enjoy and I would like to work in that area. Do you know any other companies that do transfers like that? I have good work experience behind me, exp working in the Funding/Finance area. Which is the area I would like to stay in

If you don't want to be an accountant I would recommend using that finance experience and applying for the big 4 in their corporate finance area. You will sit the accountancy exams but work in corporate finance. Again apply for a transfer at the end of your contract.

Besides that you could go down the CFA route, I'm not sure exactly want companies you would be applying for here but again I have a vivid memory of meeting a random Irish girl on a night out in New York who sat her CFA exams in Dublin and then transferred over. You will really need a professional qualification in my opinion either ACA or CFA, but that's all my opinion.

Robin_Sparkles

JeffKenna wrote: »

If you don't want to be an accountant I would recommend using that finance experience and applying for the big 4 in their corporate finance area. You will sit the accountancy exams but work in corporate finance. Again apply for a transfer at the end of your contract.

Besides that you could go down the CFA route, I'm not sure exactly want companies you would be applying for here but again I have a vivid memory of meeting a random Irish girl on a night out in New York who sat her CFA exams in Dublin and then transferred over. You will really need a professional qualification in my opinion either ACA or CFA, but that's all my opinion.

Yeah thanks for the advise. Much as I would love to have them qualifications I don't particularly know if I would be able to pass them. I have looked into it in the past and I don't know if I would be good enough.

JeffKenna

Robin_Sparkles wrote: »

Yeah thanks for the advise. Much as I would love to have them qualifications I don't particularly know if I would be able to pass them. I have looked into it in the past and I don't know if I would be good enough.

Please don't be so quick to knock yourself, being an ACA myself and knowing lots of CFA's I can assure you that intelligence has nothing to do with passing them. Work is all that's required, again I think it just depends how much you really want this dream?

JTER

That professional training visa is very easy to get once you have a company here willing to sponsor. It's an easy sell to the right type of employer , I have a template I give to people I meet over here .

In my field, law, people come over here for 2 months or so and do the mill of networking and legal events to try and find an employer, once they get that the visa comes easy. I am sure there are similar opportunities in your field. Best of luck and feel free to pm me. Small dreams aren't dreams and best of luck!

Est28

Robin_Sparkles wrote: »

Hey everyone,

This may sound like a completely ridiculous issue considering some other threads on here.
I have never really had a ''dream'' don't care about getting married, having loads of kids etc etc.
As far back as I can remember I have been just obsessed with New York City, I have visited a few times and felt right at home and happy when I was there. I have lived in other countries and they just don't cut it.
I have applied for the green card lottery and have not yet been successful.
People always say ''no dream is too big" but it feels this one is... I feel miserable when I think about it...I am pushing 30 and its the only thing I know I really want out of life! Why is it beyond my reach? Is there any way around this, I am educated but not necessarily in a trade (business degree) so my qualifications are not in demand..

Can anyone please share some advice?

OP,
If you REALLY want it, you can for sure. But I don't understand why you are relying on the green card lottery. I thought you could only apply once? (I could be wrong on that though). I mean, waiting on a lottery and doing nothing else isn't gonna get you your dream. You've got no plan... like, if you went there, what would you be doing?

Your best bet (assuming you've no contacts or connections there) is to get a J1 now and head over and get working ASAP. While there you need to make moves to extend past the J1 and get longterm employment. If you don't have a skill that can get you into a company who might be able to sponsor you (a coffee shop wouldn't be the place), then it's back to college with you first.

It can be done. I live in the States now, but it's tough and a lot of work. They don't just hand out visas, etc. to just anyone.

Robin_Sparkles

Est28 wrote: »

OP,
If you REALLY want it, you can for sure. But I don't understand why you are relying on the green card lottery. I thought you could only apply once? (I could be wrong on that though). I mean, waiting on a lottery and doing nothing else isn't gonna get you your dream. You've got no plan... like, if you went there, what would you be doing?

Your best bet (assuming you've no contacts or connections there) is to get a J1 now and head over and get working ASAP. While there you need to make moves to extend past the J1 and get longterm employment. If you don't have a skill that can get you into a company who might be able to sponsor you (a coffee shop wouldn't be the place), then it's back to college with you first.

It can be done. I live in the States now, but it's tough and a lot of work. They don't just hand out visas, etc. to just anyone.

Thanks for the reply...However Im not sure if you actually read my post. I have been to college I have a business degree. I also cannot get a J1 as I am not in college and a J1 visa if for college goers. I am not doing nothing either as I am now in touch with USIT thanks to this post and they are reviewing my CV to see am I entitled to apply for the professional career visa

Est28

Robin,
The business degree may or may not be of use to you, is what I meant.
To qualify for a visa or a green card you have to prove an employer needs your particular skillset and that it cannot be done by a local worker as nobody has the "special skills" you do.
It's a lot of paperwork really but that's the basis dfor obtaining visas, work permits, etc...

I was certain there was a non-student J1 to let you work for up to 12-months. I'm not on that type of visa so I'm unsure but a few people I know said it was J1 they were on. I could be wrong though, it might be called something else. USIT should be able to give you the right info though.

If you DO have any contacts in the States... it's a LOT easier if you have employment lined up BEFORE you come.

Mars Bar

Est28 wrote: »

Robin,
The business degree may or may not be of use to you, is what I meant.
To qualify for a visa or a green card you have to prove an employer needs your particular skillset and that it cannot be done by a local worker as nobody has the "special skills" you do.
It's a lot of paperwork really but that's the basis dfor obtaining visas, work permits, etc...

I was certain there was a non-student J1 to let you work for up to 12-months. I'm not on that type of visa so I'm unsure but a few people I know said it was J1 they were on. I could be wrong though, it might be called something else. USIT should be able to give you the right info though.

If you DO have any contacts in the States... it's a LOT easier if you have employment lined up BEFORE you come.

Don't think you need a skill set for a green card and I'm almost certain you can apply for the green card every year.

ted1

Robin_Sparkles wrote: »

Hey everyone,

This may sound like a completely ridiculous issue considering some other threads on here.
I have never really had a ''dream'' don't care about getting married, having loads of kids etc etc.
As far back as I can remember I have been just obsessed with New York City, I have visited a few times and felt right at home and happy when I was there. I have lived in other countries and they just don't cut it.
I have applied for the green card lottery and have not yet been successful.
People always say ''no dream is too big" but it feels this one is... I feel miserable when I think about it...I am pushing 30 and its the only thing I know I really want out of life! Why is it beyond my reach? Is there any way around this, I am educated but not necessarily in a trade (business degree) so my qualifications are not in demand..

Can anyone please share some advice?

11 million people live there, lots illegally. To be honest your dream isn't that big and there's plenty if other ways of getting there other than a green card . You appear to be very lazy and putting obstacles on your way that aren't there

Big Bag of Chips

ted1, please don't suggest posters do anything illegal

Tokyo

OP,

it has come to our attention that you have posted threads on more or less the same theme recently (six in the past two months), and have been using multiple accounts to do so. Other than being an obvious breach of Boards rules regarding multiple accounts, it's not really fair to expect posters to respond time and time again, when you seem unwilling to take any advice from the responses that you get.


I am closing this thread, and insist that you take the time to read:

1. the forum charter and acquaint yourself with it
2. the responses that you have been given in multiple previous threads and see what you can take from them.

I'm also asking you to allow a reasonable period of time to elapse before posting in these forums again. The alternative is an infraction or ban.

regards,
Mike