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Concerns over move to the US

T

thewaksta

New Member
Hi All,
I entered the DV lottery for the first time last year and was chosen with a pretty decent number: 2010OC000008XX which I think almost guarentees an interview and a visa.

My current concerns:
  • I dont know anyone in the US and dont have $14k savings although I do work for a US company and am sure they would give me a contract to relocate to Houston.
  • I have a very good job here in the UK (£43k pa) and have heard they dont pay as well in the States in comparison.
  • I dont want to sell my house and ship my family abroad only to regret it later.
  • My Scottish wife is against the move as we can live anywhere in the European union, Australia or NZ (I'm a Kiwi) and she would prefer those options.

However there are benefits i do see from the GC:
  • I dont need to learn another language in the States where in Europe I only have the UK (too cold) to live as a native english speaker.
  • There are some amazing locations in the states where my family can ski in the winter, fish/water ski in the great lakes in the summer and live and work in a reasonably small community.
  • I really shouldn't have too much trouble finding work.

This is really just a rant as I have a lot to think about and found this forum today. I really do like the sound of a great big move but am worried as I've never even visited the states.

Thanks for reading.
 
Big decision to make there. Given you haven't even visited, this is a huge step to make and a big commitment. Given your better half is not totally on board, I would give this some serious consideration before making this step.
There are other ways to temporarily live in the US first, such as H1B....
 
We came to US two years ago..I think the first year is always difficult for everyone..But when you get used to then you love leaving here..You can try it in my opinion..Like 2 or 3 years..Anf if you think that you don't want to live here then you can still go back to your country..GC lottery is a big chance I think..And you should also think about your kids..Maybe they can have a better future here..Who knows..If I were you Iwouldn't sell my house in UK..I would rent it to another person .. Maybe you can transfer your job and stay in an apartment for 2 OR 3 years and see how it is going..Maybe 2 or 3 years you can find a better job here and then it will worth..
 
That will be hard if you don't know any one and don't have the requested funds needed for the GC...it is even more than $ 14K, because every additonal person who will be added, you have to proof aproxx. $ 4600.- per person, so it close to $ 28 K.
Without that you have no chance other than a sponsor.
On top of that you wife doesn't want to go and you already stated your job pays better in the UK than overhere....
Where you aware of the requirements before entering the DV lotery?
 
bentlebee said:
That will be hard if you don't know any one and don't have the requested funds needed for the GC...it is even more than $ 14K, because every additonal person who will be added, you have to proof aproxx. $ 4600.- per person, so it close to $ 28 K.
Without that you have no chance other than a sponsor.
On top of that you wife doesn't want to go and you already stated your job pays better in the UK than overhere....
Where you aware of the requirements before entering the DV lotery?
Click to expand...

No. I pictured it like a lottery where if i win I get permanent residence no questions asked (other than proving I had no ties to any terror cells and the likes). Makes sense that they would ask for more as you are committing to move there forever. The UK only asked for £2k in order to set up a flat for a couple of months to find a job. Will still consider it because i dont think I'll get my 2nd letter for a few months but I think in the end I'm gonna just decline the interview and save the cash on the visas. Maybe in a few years?
 
You already have the funds to get the GC through the DV lottery, i.e. Your house. You don't have to sell it, just prove that you have enough equity.

Even if you decide to move to the USA, don't sell your UK home - rent it instead.
Also when you do move to the USA, make sure your standard of living is higher than in the UK, by that I mean house/car/job etc.. is better than UK NOT below that what you are used to in the UK - otherwise you will never really settle and you will only get grief from the family.
I was in the same situation as you, I actually moved to the USA on my own for 12 months to research, build up credit history, basically preparing for the BIG move and make sure than when I bring my family over they will move into a nice home, good schools, etc.....

I have been in the USA now for 3 years, although still miss the UK, but each year that passes is making it easier. In any case one I get my US passport I am free to stayand work wherever I want (UK, Europe or USA).
 
thewaksta said:
No. I pictured it like a lottery where if i win I get permanent residence no questions asked (other than proving I had no ties to any terror cells and the likes). Makes sense that they would ask for more as you are committing to move there forever. The UK only asked for £2k in order to set up a flat for a couple of months to find a job. Will still consider it because i dont think I'll get my 2nd letter for a few months but I think in the end I'm gonna just decline the interview and save the cash on the visas. Maybe in a few years?
Click to expand...

thewaksta, for the financial requirement you need to meet one of these 3 conditions:
1 have a job offer; which seems doable through your current company?
2 have sufficient funds/equity; with your house+additional savings you might be ok
3 have an affidavit of support; US sponsor needed if option 1 or 2 are insufficient. Seems difficult if you don't know anyone.

Seems like option 1 or 2 would work for you...
 
heyMike said:
thewaksta, for the financial requirement you need to meet one of these 3 conditions:
1 have a job offer; which seems doable through your current company?
2 have sufficient funds/equity; with your house+additional savings you might be ok
3 have an affidavit of support; US sponsor needed if option 1 or 2 are insufficient. Seems difficult if you don't know anyone.

Seems like option 1 or 2 would work for you...
Click to expand...

Seems easy if you are on your own but if you have a family than it is a huge decision and having to pay the visa cost for 4 people if you aren't sure can be waste. And most important you don't want to get a fight with your wife:)
You can always go further but the further you go and if you have to come here on your own can be hard on your family....it is a huge decision.

We have done it 9 years ago as a family but we all wanted to come over here, and still love it here but sometimes I think how much harder things are over here for some people, specially in todays economy. People don't realie things and me neither till you get to know a lot of Americans. Recently one friend told us he got a pay cut because of the economy and it cost him $ 20 K for just one year, but he was still smiling since he was healthy. His wife had a pay cut as well so they really were hit hard. He is a car mechanic not a high paid job.His wife works for the County and that isn't a highly paid job either. We were schoked that a pay cut is possible because coming from a country with all unions or governement ruled things, we never heard of things like that. They are happy they still have the job and realize it. Over here you can get fired everyday and that is it...some get a few weeks of money but than you better find a job or no money. That is America..on the other hand you can strike it big over here which isn't possible in Europe even as a doctor it is hard to make more than Euro 150 K...
We live in an area where many people have seen their homes go in foreclosure and I never saw things like this when I lived in Europe, maybe some one who had to sell due to a divorce but not like over here...this can be the Wild West...:D:)::(, but we love it here:)...if you want security in life than stay in Europe.
 
I agree you need to have consensus with your whole family to engage in an adventure like this :)
I understand you live in Florida bentlebee. That is def. not a good place to start a life right now. I know a fair amount of people that are upside down on their mortgage there and cannot sell it even if they want it to. On the other hand there are still many other places in the States where there are sufficient opportunities. It all depends in what sector you are and where. In California there is a lot of unemployment, but a lot of my friends just got hired in the past 4 months there....
The economy may have shrunk in the US, but so did it everywhere else in the world.
 
In general you earn more in the US for the same position and cost of living is cheaper. I earn almost twice what someone in the UK in the same position gets, but as someone already mentioned, there's no job security in the US.
 
nlhanhla said:
In general you earn more in the US for the same position and cost of living is cheaper. I earn almost twice what someone in the UK in the same position gets, but as someone already mentioned, there's no job security in the US.
Click to expand...

WHat is job security?
 
In US they don't have the social protection that EU has. Meaning you can get fired anytime just because the employer wants to, no questions asked. But in the mean time you can also leave whenever you want to...
 
It isn't like in Europe...come in Monday morning and chat till 10 am about the weekend and start reading the newspaper (specially government jobs in Europe....hundreds of jokes about it, and they are funny because it is so true).

If some one else performs better and the company is not doing great...guess who will be let go? Also pay cuts...instead of getting fired your boss can decide to cut your paycheck and you have a choice to take it or leave.
Of course the other side is you don't have to give notice like 30 days upfront...

And most important to Europeans...no basic 25 days paid days off and more if you don't get sick or work at the job for a long time...If you are lucky you have 12 days and some have told me they were not even paid days off. Get sick...stay home=no income.
But if you are a hard worker you can make more money that in Europe...it is all up to you.
 
marioana said:
In US they don't have the social protection that EU has. Meaning you can get fired anytime just because the employer wants to, no questions asked. But in the mean time you can also leave whenever you want to...
Click to expand...

We don't have this thing in Moldova, you can get fired anytime for no reason :)
 
dimos said:
We don't have this thing in Moldova, you can get fired anytime for no reason :)
Click to expand...

Sorry I should have mentioned Western Europe...I didn't even know that Moldava was in Europe. When I was in school Europe was so much different. It was Russia, Joegoslavia, etc...now a days some countries have split up twice or more and have changed names many times...it is so confusing and maybe only good for the people who sell maps and can sell new ones every couple of year...lol :D;)
 
heyMike said:
thewaksta, for the financial requirement you need to meet one of these 3 conditions:
1 have a job offer; which seems doable through your current company?
2 have sufficient funds/equity; with your house+additional savings you might be ok
3 have an affidavit of support; US sponsor needed if option 1 or 2 are insufficient. Seems difficult if you don't know anyone.

Seems like option 1 or 2 would work for you...
Click to expand...

Financial proof is not required if the consulate feels you can survive in the US. If you have a good job in an western country, they don't ask stick to the guideline of the financial requirement. I showed a lower bank balance than the required and it was ok, without any affidavit of support. Besides you can also show your house as asset.

But to move or not to move is up to you. Best of luck.
 
I think you already read a lot of good advice here. I won’t repeat a lot of what has already been said. A personal opinion, wining this lottery is a huge opportunity that a lot people dream of (I lived in the US for 15 years before getting a green card) so in my opinion you owe it to yourself (and even your family, even though they think they don’t want to come now, they might regret it in the future) to at least try. You can always go back. But maybe with careful planning and some compromises you can at least give it a shot. The other advice is, if you do end up coming, you should at least stick it out for a year (at least). The first year is always hard and a lot of people give up too quickly. Most of the people who persevere at least a year end up liking it and not want to move back.

You mentioned your company possibly moving you to Houston, which is the main reason for me to post since I live here. I assume you are working for an oil/energy company? (Every other person in Houston is, including me).

If you are running away from the cold, you will love it here. Maybe the first summer or two might be tough (it is been about two weeks with 100+ degrees Fahrenheit) but you get long nice Springs and Falls and very decent winters with mostly mild weather. Maybe a few cold days but what we call cold here could be very moderate by UK standard (I lived in other much colder places in the US).

Houston is HUGE. I wouldn’t call it beautiful, nor organized (no zoning laws) but it has a lot to offer. And one of the big advantages is for a big city (4th in the US), the cost of living is really cheap by comparison to other big cities. Since you have a family and kids, you might want to live somewhere in the suburbs which is even cheaper. You can get a huge house for a decent price but you have to live with the commute (depending on where you work). Also, Texas in general and Houston in particular has faired much better than other states/cities in this bad economy.

I hope this information is helpful for you. And good luck with whatever you decide
 
^^^ Totally agree. I'm Australian currently live in Austin Texas, though Australia never as cold as the UK, I do miss it everyday.
But like everyone said, if all fails, I can always go back to Australia. So far despite the heat (yes I hate Texas heat), I find everything here much more affordable that Australia and (for sure UK), I wouldnt dream to own a big house back home, but here I actually can, able to live comfortably and enjoying life.

Also, I can understand your wife's point of view. You were the one moving all the way to UK to be with her not the other way around, and it's hard for her to make such a big jump. My situation was like her back then. My husband was already here with H1B before I moved here (with H4) and he's in no way to move to Australia to be with me. That means the choice was left with me. I was hesitant and afraid, as I had a good job in Sydney, own an apartment and so on but I still left thinking that home is always there for me if my husband and I dont make it.

The thought of starting over (especially now that you have kids) are tough. Worse still I was on H4 which wont allow me to work. But I got first NL the second month I was here and that made the difference.

I went back to visit my family and friends last month, and when they asked me if I regret moving all the way to US? I can say no to that right away though I have to be apart from loved ones. My life is actually much better now than I was back home.
 
i am australian, with british passport - lived sydney, london, ny, london, switzerland

i have spent 12 years trying to win the lottery and won last year thru my partner.

i recommend it.

i grew up there.

stay out of crappy cities -- relocate directly to honolulu , hawaii - city -= 1, million people. great surf. great lifestyle. outdoors. family oriented. laid back. infrastructure like the usa but not the attitudes (entirely)

:)

you can always go back... getting there is 10000x harder. trust the ppl posting above me, its true.

i went to work under a work visa, an OKAY bank.. only 3weeks hols not 5 (better than 2)
- but in new england ppl are like brits (hard to get to know at first)

much prefer starting a small business in a warmer area (HAWAII) or Calf or Florida
- a house there can cost 50k with 100% sunshine for freemans!
 
c92081 said:
i am australian, with british passport - lived sydney, london, ny, london, switzerland

i have spent 12 years trying to win the lottery and won last year thru my partner.

i recommend it.

i grew up there.

stay out of crappy cities -- relocate directly to honolulu , hawaii - city -= 1, million people. great surf. great lifestyle. outdoors. family oriented. laid back. infrastructure like the usa but not the attitudes (entirely)

:)

you can always go back... getting there is 10000x harder. trust the ppl posting above me, its true.

i went to work under a work visa, an OKAY bank.. only 3weeks hols not 5 (better than 2)
- but in new england ppl are like brits (hard to get to know at first)

much prefer starting a small business in a warmer area (HAWAII) or Calf or Florida
- a house there can cost 50k with 100% sunshine for freemans!
Click to expand...

A house in Fl for $ 50K....maybe a small trailer....
 
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