Living in New York?

Ponster · 05-03-2020 9:56am

I think that it's fine. Asking here activates everyone who has already posted in this thread.

I've never quite understood the 'closing old threads to start a new one thing'

MOR316 · 05-03-2020 12:50pm

Appreciate it, thank you.

Well, basically I'm contemplating moving to NY next year. Obviously ha. For a period of maybe two years at least

I've applied for the Green Card lottery and, if that is unsuccessful, I'll apply for other visas (Haven't had a chance to look into them yet)
I have a friend over there who says that, while the first month or so was a struggle, they wouldn't change a thing. They work in a restaurant some days a week and in a bar, other nights of the week. They love it and their life. They tried to convince me to stay last time I was there but, had never considered it. I love Ireland dearly! But, there's just something inside of me that wants "more" or to prove and experience something different for a period of time

Whilst I love the thought of being in NY, I understand like any big move or big event in life, it's difficult and takes time.
I have a college degree in Business Studies/Admin and plenty of work related experience, I'm also a musician, who performs regularly so I'd have that too.

I guess my questions would be the usual;
Any advice on rent?
Any advice on what areas to live?
Any advice on how to combat rats?

Any advice on how to go about job hunting?

But, at the same time, I'd love to hear from people who made the move, to get a feel of their experience and maybe learn from it?

Thanks

EDIT: if anyone prefers to PM me either, work away

circular flexing · 05-03-2020 5:38pm

MOR316 wrote: »

I guess my questions would be the usual;
Any advice on rent?
Any advice on what areas to live?
Any advice on how to combat rats?
Any advice on how to go about job hunting?

But, at the same time, I'd love to hear from people who made the move, to get a feel of their experience and maybe learn from it?

Thanks

EDIT: if anyone prefers to PM me either, work away

I would suggest you look at visa options first before worrying about where to rent.

MOR316 · 05-03-2020 6:29pm

circular flexing wrote: »

I would suggest you look at visa options first before worrying about where to rent.

I have but, not in depth. That will come over the next month or two. I'm going back over for a bit and will be speaking to my friends, who have made the move, in relation to visa options.

Plus, I wouldn't be going for 18 months but, I want to have as much info as possible

boreder · 05-03-2020 6:47pm

MOR316 wrote: »

I have but, not in depth. That will come over the next month or two. I'm going back over for a bit and will be speaking to my friends, who have made the move, in relation to visa options.

Plus, I wouldn't be going for 18 months but, I want to have as much info as possible

There's pretty much no visa options to stay and work if you don't have an American spouse, or work for a company here (for at least 12 months) who have an office in NY that you can transfer too.

circular flexing · 05-03-2020 6:52pm

boreder wrote: »

There's pretty much no visa options to stay and work if you don't have an American spouse, or work for a company here (for at least 12 months) who have an office in NY that you can transfer too.

There are a few other options, but one is a lottery that happens in April every year but is also heavily oversubscribed (like the GC Lottery) and most require some form of employer support. There are some that you can self-petition for but those are hard to get.

Padre_Pio · 05-03-2020 6:54pm

Any chance of getting the J1?

MOR316 · 05-03-2020 6:57pm

When I applied for the GC Lottery, I read something about having an American Citizen sponsor you for a visa? It was on the embassy page.

Or maybe, I completely misread that

circular flexing · 05-03-2020 7:57pm

MOR316 wrote: »

When I applied for the GC Lottery, I read something about having an American Citizen sponsor you for a visa? It was on the embassy page.

Or maybe, I completely misread that

They can sponsor you if they are a member of your immediate family (spouse, parent, sibling etc..)

MOR316 · 05-03-2020 8:04pm

circular flexing wrote: »

They can sponsor you if they are a member of your immediate family (spouse, parent, sibling etc..)

Ah OK. I get you.
In other words, an American citizen and national can't do so.

Basically, if I want to move there for more than 90 days, I've got to apply for an employment visa, hoping an employer would sponsor me, providing I am not miraculously lucky in the GC lottery and even then, chances are I wouldn't get the employment visa, correct?

Fathom · 05-03-2020 8:22pm

MOR316 wrote: »

Didn't think there was much point in starting a new thread... Is it OK if I ask a question here? Or is it better to start a new thread?

MOD: No problems. Bring it back to life.

circular flexing · 05-03-2020 8:26pm

MOR316 wrote: »

Ah OK. I get you.
In other words, an American citizen and national can't do so.

Basically, if I want to move there for more than 90 days, I've got to apply for an employment visa, hoping an employer would sponsor me, providing I am not miraculously lucky in the GC lottery and even then, chances are I wouldn't get the employment visa, correct?

In most cases, the employer would apply for the visa on your behalf.

The 2 best options for you are (assuming family sponsorship is not an option)
1) H1-B can be new employment in US, this is the one that is the lottery. Apply in April for a visa starting in October of the same year. Note if you have a spouse, then they will only qualify for H4 visa which doesn't allow working.
2) L1-A/B work for an employer in Ireland with head office in US for 1 year and then get transferred. This is potentially easier than getting H1-B as L1 visas are not capped. Tricky bit is finding an employer who will transfer you. Spouses get L2 visa which does allow employment.

MOR316 · 05-03-2020 11:01pm

circular flexing wrote: »

In most cases, the employer would apply for the visa on your behalf.

The 2 best options for you are (assuming family sponsorship is not an option)
1) H1-B can be new employment in US, this is the one that is the lottery. Apply in April for a visa starting in October of the same year. Note if you have a spouse, then they will only qualify for H4 visa which doesn't allow working.
2) L1-A/B work for an employer in Ireland with head office in US for 1 year and then get transferred. This is potentially easier than getting H1-B as L1 visas are not capped. Tricky bit is finding an employer who will transfer you. Spouses get L2 visa which does allow employment.

If say I was to go over for 90 days and got employed? How would that work?
I know you can go for 90 days but, if you get employment and apply for a Visa through that?
I'll do the lottery obviously if the GC falls to ****, which it obviously will

Again, grateful for any information or advice?

circular flexing · 06-03-2020 12:24am

MOR316 wrote: »

If say I was to go over for 90 days and got employed? How would that work?
I know you can go for 90 days but, if you get employment and apply for a Visa through that?
I'll do the lottery obviously if the GC falls to ****, which it obviously will

Again, grateful for any information or advice?

You are not allowed to seek employment while on the VWP (how they police it is another discussion) but you are (afaik) allowed to attend interviews. Even if offered a job while in the US, you would have to return to Ireland for the visa application process, you cannot adjust status while in the US (in this case).

The US is very hard to immigrate into. Outside of family sponsorship, there is no route to self-immigrate for 99% of people. Having said that it's not impossible.

MOR316 · 06-03-2020 12:29am

circular flexing wrote: »

You are not allowed to seek employment while on the VWP (how they police it is another discussion) but you are (afaik) allowed to attend interviews. Even if offered a job while in the US, you would have to return to Ireland for the visa application process, you cannot adjust status while in the US (in this case).

The US is very hard to immigrate into. Outside of family sponsorship, there is no route to self-immigrate for 99% of people. Having said that it's not impossible.

Thanks for helping me out. Much appreciated

It does beg the question how my two friends have done though. They have no family over there or anything of the kind.

Anyways, best get all the information I can now

I just really, really want this! Not even want it, need it!
To me, it just feels right at this given period

ReturningForY · 06-03-2020 2:27am

Unfortunately for your case, circular flexing is right: the visa situation should be the first thing you figure out. Otherwise you'll just get your hopes up for nothing. If you look through this forum you'll see this happen a bunch where people decide to move to the US and get excited and then hit a wall when it comes to figuring out a visa.

FWIW these are the kind of standard ways people without family come over:

Overstay their visa/emigrate illegally. People who do this for more than a year can never leave the US without triggering a 10 year ban. The only escape route is to eventually marry a US citizen. Hate to stereotype, but given what you said about your buddies (Irish working in bars in NYC) this might be their case.
Come as a student, and begin working after your studies (F-1 visa -> OPT), and hopefully get sponsored for a H-1B work visa while you're still working on F-1.
Come as a researcher at a university - universities have an unlimited number of work visas and so, unlike private employers, are generally happy to move people over.
Work for a company outside the US and get transferred over to the US on an L-1 visa after a year. This is trivial if you work as a software engineer for a big tech company; for other professions, may be complicated.

Generally employers are not willing to sponsor people who don't already work for them because the main work visa H-1B is lottery based (20% chance of winning if you don't have a US graduate degree) so it's not worth the risk for them.

MOR316 · 06-03-2020 9:21am

ReturningForY wrote: »

Unfortunately for your case, circular flexing is right: the visa situation should be the first thing you figure out. Otherwise you'll just get your hopes up for nothing. If you look through this forum you'll see this happen a bunch where people decide to move to the US and get excited and then hit a wall when it comes to figuring out a visa.

FWIW these are the kind of standard ways people without family come over:
Overstay their visa/emigrate illegally. People who do this for more than a year can never leave the US without triggering a 10 year ban. The only escape route is to eventually marry a US citizen. Hate to stereotype, but given what you said about your buddies (Irish working in bars in NYC) this might be their case.

Come as a student, and begin working after your studies (F-1 visa -> OPT), and hopefully get sponsored for a H-1B work visa while you're still working on F-1.

Come as a researcher at a university - universities have an unlimited number of work visas and so, unlike private employers, are generally happy to move people over.

Work for a company outside the US and get transferred over to the US on an L-1 visa after a year. This is trivial if you work as a software engineer for a big tech company; for other professions, may be complicated.

Generally employers are not willing to sponsor people who don't already work for them because the main work visa H-1B is lottery based (20% chance of winning if you don't have a US graduate degree) so it's not worth the risk for them.

Thanks so much

My friends, they come home for a week or two every year and they're single so, it wouldn't be that way they do it. Will have to find out.

I work in the civil service, I could see about jobs in the embassy, as I used to work for a foreign department here in Ireland, if that would be of any benefit I guess.

Coming as a student, I dont know how that would work for me. Wouldnt have the finances to do that.

I'll try everything possible though. When you want something bad enough, you'll do anything

Igotadose · 06-03-2020 9:29am

I would holiday there for more than a week or two to get a feel for the place. I grew up in NYC, lived in the NY area for the first 40 years of my life, then Seattle, then lived in NYC for a year prior to moving to Ireland.

I don't recommend people move there as it's crazy expensive, creaky infrastructure, filthy, bad weather and 'living off its reputation' when it comes to 'cultural comforts.'

When we left in 2015, our midtown ancient vermin-infested apartment building for our tiny 1 bedroom apartment with a 'light well' (so a few inches of sunlight per day) was $3600/month. The rents haven't gone down in the 5 years since. Living in an outer borough (Queens, Brooklyn), the landlords aren't stupid - you might pay less in rent or get more space, but you'll make up for it in brutal commute times.

When I was a kid, the subway cost 20 cents. It's $2.75 now, on majority of the same tracks and routes, and subject to huge delays at random time. Bad weather makes it worse.

They do a sh1te job maintaining the streets and the public safety is better, but never great. Kip areas in Dublin would be paradise compared to NYC.

MOR316 · 06-03-2020 10:29am

Igotadose wrote: »

I would holiday there for more than a week or two to get a feel for the place. I grew up in NYC, lived in the NY area for the first 40 years of my life, then Seattle, then lived in NYC for a year prior to moving to Ireland.

I don't recommend people move there as it's crazy expensive, creaky infrastructure, filthy, bad weather and 'living off its reputation' when it comes to 'cultural comforts.'

When we left in 2015, our midtown ancient vermin-infested apartment building for our tiny 1 bedroom apartment with a 'light well' (so a few inches of sunlight per day) was $3600/month. The rents haven't gone down in the 5 years since. Living in an outer borough (Queens, Brooklyn), the landlords aren't stupid - you might pay less in rent or get more space, but you'll make up for it in brutal commute times.

When I was a kid, the subway cost 20 cents. It's $2.75 now, on majority of the same tracks and routes, and subject to huge delays at random time. Bad weather makes it worse.

They do a sh1te job maintaining the streets and the public safety is better, but never great. Kip areas in Dublin would be paradise compared to NYC.

Hey

Thanks for the post, appreciate it

I wouldn't be moving permantely, as I have a house here. It would just be for two years or so. I feel it's something I need to do. I've wanted to do it since I was a kid and something is just urging me to do it soon. I have no responsibilites here so why not? Live life I guess

Oh I know it's not exactly clean (Believe me, I miss the fresh air in Ireland when I'm over there

) The bad weather, I never really thought much about that at all tbh. Never bothered me. Only thing that would put me off would be the cost of living but, I can deal with that.

But, as seen above, the Visa situation isn't exactly in my favour

I guess even going and living there for 90 days is something I guess but, I'd want longer

Igotadose · 06-03-2020 10:40am

MOR316 wrote: »

Hey
Thanks for the post, appreciate it

I wouldn't be moving permantely, as I have a house here. It would just be for two years or so. I feel it's something I need to do. I've wanted to do it since I was a kid and something is just urging me to do it soon. I have no responsibilites here so why not? Live life I guess

Oh I know it's not exactly clean (Believe me, I miss the fresh air in Ireland when I'm over there ) The bad weather, I never really thought much about that at all tbh. Never bothered me. Only thing that would put me off would be the cost of living but, I can deal with that.

But, as seen above, the Visa situation isn't exactly in my favour I guess even going and living there for 90 days is something I guess but, I'd want longer

Temp range from -25 in winter to 35 in the summer. 40 in the summer not unheard of, and can be for days at a time. Significant snow and ice during the winter, which is poorly cleaned up rendering sidewalks and roads impassable (adding to the long commute times to and from work.) Lots of rain, and they get hurricanes pretty regularly now in the spring/summer (Hurricane Sandy is still being recovered from.)

There are better cities in the US to visit. Personally enjoy Portland whenever we feel the need to holiday in the US. NY is just a trial to visit, and we know the ins and outs pretty well.

Whatever you do, enjoy yourself. Also, ,make sure you've got your medical insurance sorted, do NOT visit the US for prolonged periods of time without certainty about your med insurance.

MOR316 · 06-03-2020 11:00am

Igotadose wrote: »

Temp range from -25 in winter to 35 in the summer. 40 in the summer not unheard of, and can be for days at a time. Significant snow and ice during the winter, which is poorly cleaned up rendering sidewalks and roads impassable (adding to the long commute times to and from work.) Lots of rain, and they get hurricanes pretty regularly now in the spring/summer (Hurricane Sandy is still being recovered from.)

There are better cities in the US to visit. Personally enjoy Portland whenever we feel the need to holiday in the US. NY is just a trial to visit, and we know the ins and outs pretty well.

Whatever you do, enjoy yourself. Also, ,make sure you've got your medical insurance sorted, do NOT visit the US for prolonged periods of time without certainty about your med insurance.

As I said, the weather for me is not a big deal personally.
Oh absolutely I agree, I'm 100% sure there are better cities to visit and that is in my mind to do so.
However, NY just lights up something in me, I can't explain it. Plus, it's a city I grew up idolising through a family member who lived there/was an immigrant from the 1950's so it's a personal thing I guess too.

I love it here. I have a life here. But I'm in the comfort zone. I don't want to live the rest of my life doing that and doing the same things everyday. I want to live and experience different cultures, new ways of life, meet new people, try and spread and recieve as much joy and happiness as possible.
Instead of going to the pub on a Saturday night here, to wake up with a hangover on a Sunday and watch TV, I want to go and do a gig in East Village, meet people etc

As you said, I want to enjoy myself and as of now, I'm not enjoying a lot of aspects here

MOR316 · 06-03-2020 10:50pm

Thank you all so far for your responses. Most kind of you all

If no one else posts, expect this thread to be bumped by me in May when I don't get my Green Card

biko · 09-06-2020 10:03am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGgZuv7kUQg

MOR316 · 09-06-2020 9:54pm

biko wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGgZuv7kUQg

I know it's expensive but, I know people over there and there are places to rent, that aren't going to make your nose bleed in terms of financial strain.

Anyways, irrelevant for me at the moment. Didn't get a green card, can't go anywhere until the virus pisses off so...Time to move to plan B, whatever that is :rolleyes:

SHOVELLER · 12-06-2020 11:28pm

If you really want to live here you have three options based on your posts. First would be to transfer to the Department of Foreign Affairs and get in line for the Consulate in NYC. That also depends on your grade and their system only rewards longevity not important metrics like qualifications or experience so that could take a decade.

Secondly would be to work for an American company at home and see if they will transfer you stateside after a requisite amount of time working there. Lastly marry an American at home!

The time frame for any of these was up in the air anyway but with the double blow of Covid and the racist buffoon in the WH all bets are off as to being able to give an educated guess on anything really.

I noticed some negativity about NY on the thread here. Ignore that if you do get here. It still is a fantastic city to live in and you can get an apt in the city for less than $3k a month. The key like anywhere is putting the work in.

MOR316 · 13-06-2020 1:59pm

SHOVELLER wrote: »

If you really want to live here you have three options based on your posts. First would be to transfer to the Department of Foreign Affairs and get in line for the Consulate in NYC. That also depends on your grade and their system only rewards longevity not important metrics like qualifications or experience so that could take a decade.

Secondly would be to work for an American company at home and see if they will transfer you stateside after a requisite amount of time working there. Lastly marry an American at home!

The time frame for any of these was up in the air anyway but with the double blow of Covid and the racist buffoon in the WH all bets are off as to being able to give an educated guess on anything really.

I noticed some negativity about NY on the thread here. Ignore that if you do get here. It still is a fantastic city to live in and you can get an apt in the city for less than $3k a month. The key like anywhere is putting the work in.

Thanks for taking the time to write this post.

No offence to anyone who has posted but, I am ignoring the negativity. I want and need to move to NY, for the good of my mental health to be honest.

For the moment, it's a no go. Will look into it again next year. There has to be a way though.

Ponster · 15-06-2020 8:50am

MOR316 wrote: »

Thanks for taking the time to write this post.

No offence to anyone who has posted but, I am ignoring the negativity

It's not negativity, this is what it feels like when people try to help you because they are worried that you're going to set expectations too high, realise that only a tiny percentage of people could ever move to the US if they wanted to, and then come crashing down.

This forum is 15 years of people asking for help on how to move there. If the facts seem negative it's because it's bloody difficult to legally get and stay in the US.

I wish you the best in your quest MOR316. I lived in NYC for a few years and it sure was a great place to be but a bit of a bubble where you had to actively ignore the rest of the chaos that was going on in the country. the west coast, although a million miles from home (the time differences makes calls that bit trickier) was a better match for me.

Have you asked your friends how they managed to get a visa?

firefly08 · 15-06-2020 4:00pm

A few people have mentioned that to get an employment based visa, you'd have to work for an American company and get transferred. That's not true - many Irish companies could get you an E-2 visa (not available to American companies). If you are an essential employee of an Irish company that has made a significant investment in the US, then this might be an option (assuming you're Irish). It probably helps if you work in the tech industry.

krissovo · 15-06-2020 4:57pm

The poverty line in NYC when I was there in 2015 was ~$35k, I do not think that it has got any lower. Its not too bad when compared to SFC which is ~$120k. New York was a cool place to live and it is possible to live quite frugally and without a car but rents were high. I lived in the lower east side where studio apartments started at $1900 and 2 beds from $2500.

My Visa was originally a 3 year L1b that was from an internal transfer for a global technology company (German). From my circle of contacts it was easier to get transferred from a non US HQ'd company to get over the visa requirements of why a US citizen could not do the job. I still have the paperwork from my visa, its about 300 pieces of paper with 200 of them evidence that I or the company had to provide to prove that I had a unique skill set. Fragomen were the immigration lawyers that managed my immigration. I do know a couple of cases of where friends secured Canadian Visa's first and then got their L1b after applying from Canada

Tech, finance, pharma & media were the usual roles of ex-pats I met however there was a strong contingent of single person sales offices. This basically a lad (or lass) who were selling products for Irish/EU based offices in the State's.

MOR316 · 15-06-2020 7:56pm

Ponster wrote: »

It's not negativity, this is what it feels like when people try to help you because they are worried that you're going to set expectations too high, realise that only a tiny percentage of people could ever move to the US if they wanted to, and then come crashing down.

This forum is 15 years of people asking for help on how to move there. If the facts seem negative it's because it's bloody difficult to legally get and stay in the US.

I wish you the best in your quest MOR316. I lived in NYC for a few years and it sure was a great place to be but a bit of a bubble where you had to actively ignore the rest of the chaos that was going on in the country. the west coast, although a million miles from home (the time differences makes calls that bit trickier) was a better match for me.

Have you asked your friends how they managed to get a visa?

Apologies, I perhaps put it across wrong.

My mindset is, I know it's difficult. I know that going through the proper channels, it is going to be virtually impossible. But, I have to try everything possible. Living here, where I live, it is very much soul destroying and I've just been constantly miserable and downbeat because of it for the last 13 years.

I'm a civil servant so I ain't gonna get any transfer across in terms of getting a Visa that way. I also know going for 90 days and seeking employment is a non runner unfortunately. Although, that would be a God send.

Put it this way, I know I'm going to fail but, I'm willing to try everything

I haven't asked my mates because we kinda drifted apart so I'd feel a bit of a dick asking them. Nothing bad happened, never fell out and never will but just they have their lives, I have mine type of thing

Living in New York?

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