Moving to US - where to start my research?

[MissButterfly]

Hey everyone!

After the summer I'll be finishing my last year of my undergraduate degree, after which I'll spend one year in the UK (hopefully) to complete my master's program. After that, I plan on moving to the US. My SO and I will have been together for 5,5 years at that time, of which he's spent 3 school years with me close distance, and we both feel like our future is over there.

I know that basically all of this is going to come down to my own research and I don't expect you to just feed me the details, I'm just not quite sure where to start. Since I don't really plan to get married/engaged before moving, I'm aware that that might make it harder. (It's a plan B though.)

-I have read some things about being 'a person with extraordinary abilities', or a researcher/professor, but I won't be that by the time I finish my masters.
-I feel like all the other visas require a job offer waiting for you in the US, and I feel like that might be very difficult too.

So basically: if I don't plan on getting married or engaged, which visa do you think is most viable to go for? Does anyone know any clear websites with information? I don't necessarily have to move right after my masters, but of couse I would want to be with him for good as soon as possible. Does any visa take up about a year, assuming everything goes smoothly? So I should start getting everything together during my year in the UK for my masters?

Any input on the situation would be highly appreciated!

[curious_gal518]

Have you ever thought of taking your PhD after your Master's degree?

My friends have found it easy to move to US by taking their PhDs. Of course, finding funding would be a pain so you have to actually talk to the people inside the university to help you. Or maybe you could write a proposal for a research grant so that your finances would be secured.

Hope it helps!

[lucybelle]

Visajourney.com

A student visa I think could be your only option besides married/engagement. Sorry.

[MissButterfly]

Student visa says this:

Have a residence abroad, with no immediate intention of abandoning that residence;
Intend to depart from the United States upon completion of the course of study; and
Possess sufficient funds to pursue the proposed course of study.

I won't really qualify for any of those. I already have to take out a loan to do my masters degree, and anything in the US will cost about 5 times that. I don't know what I would study, I didn't intend to get a PhD right away, if at all. If I study anything in the US I'd have to go back home right afterwards. I'll only be 22 after my masters. Really wasn't planning on getting engaged that early, let alone get married. Oh well, where there's a will there's a way, right?

[mllebamako]

I'm with lucybelle. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of ways to move to the US. You could do your masters in the States rather than the UK. That way you could spend another year or 2 together before getting married, since you're not ready to do that. You'd get to study and spend time with your SO and then maybe go back home for a bit while applying for a fiance/marriage visa. So technically, your intent WOULD be to return home. Ya know?

[Moon]

I feel like I should know the answer to this, but what's your degree in? If it's even remotely in a STEM, we do not have nearly enough people filling those jobs, and it would likely be considered an extraordinary ability.

[MissButterfly]

I feel like I should know the answer to this, but what's your degree in? If it's even remotely in a STEM, we do not have nearly enough people filling those jobs, and it would likely be considered an extraordinary ability.

Unfortunately not... I'm majoring in religious studies with a minor in psychology, and my masters will be in the psychology behind religion in society. So I'm afraid I won't qualify for the extraordinary ability! I looked at masters in the US but I haven't been able to find an equivalent to the program I could do in London, and most normal religious studies degrees are taught at divinity schools and not really want I want to do. I also don't really have the funds... I'm not sure if a loan would count as 'sufficient funds'.

[nottheprincesspeach]

I agree with the student visa. There are research facilities that hire in the U.S. that you could look into getting a job with then a work visa. Also some universities hire masters for associate proffessor gigs and you could teach and do research and even get your PhD at the same time if you please. I'm on this track myself in the U.S. If you are a professor while you earn your PhD, they give you a stipend and pay for your schooling.

[curious_gal518]

Would you know if the working holiday visa applies to you inside US as well?

[Moon]

Unfortunately not... I'm majoring in religious studies with a minor in psychology, and my masters will be in the psychology behind religion in society. So I'm afraid I won't qualify for the extraordinary ability! I looked at masters in the US but I haven't been able to find an equivalent to the program I could do in London, and most normal religious studies degrees are taught at divinity schools and not really want I want to do. I also don't really have the funds... I'm not sure if a loan would count as 'sufficient funds'.

That's a damn fascinating degree, one I would pick, but yeah, tough to use as a visa bargaining chip. Definitely check visajourney.com, see if there are any loop holes anywhere, I really hope it's not too hard for you!

[snow]

Would you know if the working holiday visa applies to you inside US as well?

There is no such thing for the US, sadly.

I have to back up lucybelle on this. Try for a student visa and if not then the only other possibility would be through engagement/marriage. I was going to go for a work visa, but you have to have a job waiting for you where the employer has to vouch for you, which is hard to get. Every place I looked at, as a teacher, it said that they would not help with work visas.

[lucybelle]

Oh well, where there's a will there's a way, right?

Don't know if you were speaking about the marriage part or visa part. But unfortunately with visas, your will just doesn't matter. If you don't fit in the small bracket, then you don't get one and that's that.

[MissButterfly]

Don't know if you were speaking about the marriage part or visa part. But unfortunately with visas, your will just doesn't matter. If you don't fit in the small bracket, then you don't get one and that's that.

No I know, that would be awesome, if they would just give me a visa because I really wanted one! I meant that if we want to be together, we'll find a way, even if it might not be possible in the US for a while

[curious_gal518]

This is totally unrelated, how about going to Canada instead? Sometimes Canada hires Americans and you may get the Working Holiday Visa for 12 months. That is the easiest I think.