Closing the distance...costs

[Alma]

Hey there,

so, I've been wondering about how much money I need (to save) If my SO and I really decide to close the distance (well, we actually do want to close the distance as soon as possible, but it's all about the money and the visa..ugh)
I know it will be a lot but for those of you who have already closed the distance: how much money did you spent? Especially those of you who moved from Europe to the USA.

Thanks a million!

xoxo

[Dziubka]

I don't think there's an answer to this. It depends on so many different things:

- What kind of visa are you planning to get?
I've never needed a US visa, but seeing as you need to research them anyway, you can look up online how much they cost.

- Where are you going to move to? What are you going to do in the US?

- How much stuff are you going to ship? (If any?)

[Unconditional]

Don't forget the plane ticket!

[differentcountries]

Do you need to get a new place together?
Are you planning on bringing furniture and such, or just an extra suitcase of clothes on the plane?
Do you plan to close the distance temporarily, or "for ever "?
How will you close the distance ; get a job, studies, marry or something else?

Very roughly, I would say you need to save up at least a couple of months pay. You should have enough for the plane ticket, travel insurance, open return ticket (or enough credit to buy one), the cost of visa, living costs and costs of equipment for the first time. Of course, if you already have a job in the new place it will help a lot. If you can leave some stuff behind with family or sell them you can get new stuff in the new place much cheaper than the cost of shipping.

For instance, if my SO were to (temporarily) close the distance with me, he could maybe live with me but if we had to get a new place that would mean at least 1200 dollars extra each month plus 2-3 months deposit. Food is expensive here so we would have to make a budget for that. He would also have to get lots of new clothes the first months because the climate here is different from where he lives, I would say at least 1000 dollars in clothes. He doesn't own much so I would just order a regular plane ticket which depending on time of year is from 400 to 8-900 dollars. Visa for foreign students in my country cost about 400 dollars. A single trip travel insurance costs about 100 dollars, a year 400 dollars. You really have to check every single thing and just add them up.

[Dziubka]

Kind of off topic:

. He would also have to get lots of new clothes the first months because the climate here is different from where he lives, I would say at least 1000 dollars in clothes.

At least? What?
I think all of my clothes together -winter, summer and everything in between - didn't cost 1000 dollars and I I have a lot of stuff and can (more or less, extremes are never comfortable) comfortably dress for -20°C to +30°C

[Zephii]

Umm, lets see...

Firstly, many visas require you to have a certain amount of savings. A good guide is enough money to live on for six months without needing government assistance. Obviously that varies from place to place but six months rent, power, phone, food and petrol/public transport costs. Luckily for us we had the money we'd put aside for our wedding sitting in the bank for our first visa, and by the time we had to apply for the next stage we both had jobs and had built our savings up to an acceptable amount. If we couldn't have done that, I'd have borrowed money from family, gotten a statement of account to prove that I had said money, and then given it back
If you want figures here's my break down for six months, two people.
Rent - $2220
Food - $1500
Power - $600
= $4320.

So add in everything else and round up, that's 5 grand you want to have just sitting in your account. Five grand is a pretty good number actually - it's what I was supposed to have to get my working holiday program visa for Canada. Luckily for me though, they never actually checked because when I moved to Canada I had $300 in my account. (Don't try this at home.)

After that there's the visa costs. I have no idea what that will be for you. For us it's a three stave visa (prospective marriage, temporary residency, permanent residency.) PMV cost us $1700, TR cost about the same. I think PR will be free, but I haven't read the forms yet (we just received them. Our visa is eligible for review this week... I better get on that!) so... $3400 For the fees - but that's not all the visa will cost you. The medicals, background checks and endless documents add up pretty fast. I remember being surprised by that.

We didn't ship any of our stuff, if it didn't fit in a suitcase we stored it in his parent's garage. But we did have to acquire furniture etc when we moved out together. I had some things in storage here and family helped us out. I think we spent about $500 on setting ourselves up. If one of you is moving in with the other you will likely avoid this fee.

And then there's the plane tickets.

Rounding up everything to be safe...
Savings - $5000
Visa -$4000
Flight - $2000

That's a bit over ten grand.

Cliff notes: You want between $10,000 and $15,000 to close the distance.

[differentcountries]

Kind of off topic:

At least? What?
I think all of my clothes together -winter, summer and everything in between - didn't cost 1000 dollars and I I have a lot of stuff and can (more or less, extremes are never comfortable) comfortably dress for -20°C to +30°C

It is only an estimate. But I know what these things cost in my country, in my city especially rain wear is expensive and neccesary. I payed about 600 dollars for my two rain coats, rain trousers and rain boots. I am not even into fashion much, this is just what it costs to keep the rain out.

[snow]

Right now I have about 3000$ saved up. Most of it will cover the visa expenses that are coming up for me in my country (250$ for medical exam, 240$ for the interview, 40$ for visa pictures, and the list goes on), but that is just my side. I pay for the visa expenses and the flight. My man saves up all he can so we can live comfortably in his place.

To be honest though, we won't need too much, because his sister and husband are very generous for letting me live with them, not requesting money from me until I can work. Right now the rent is shared three ways and I do the dishes and vacuum the apartment to do my part, until I finally get my work permit, find a job and work there, then it will be split half in half.

The good thing is, I already took my computer over there, so that is one thing I don't have to bring with me this time as well as twice a full suitcase of clothes, my winter and summer clothes. I also took a couple of other things that were dear to me other there in my suitcases over my visits.

[lucybelle]

We just moved from Costa Rica to USA. Here's guess-timates

Plane tickets- $1300
Bring dog with us- $300
Checked bag fees- $150 (we didn't ship anything)
Visa- $1500
Work clothes (we work in uniforms in CR)- $150 so far
Car- $6000
Small furniture & odds and ends for our room- $100

We moved in with family so didn't have to do apartment deposit or anything. We still need to get insurance (health and car), drivers license, and I think that's it! Plus savings to last us at least 6 months.

[Alma]

Umm, lets see...

Firstly, many visas require you to have a certain amount of savings. A good guide is enough money to live on for six months without needing government assistance. Obviously that varies from place to place but six months rent, power, phone, food and petrol/public transport costs. Luckily for us we had the money we'd put aside for our wedding sitting in the bank for our first visa, and by the time we had to apply for the next stage we both had jobs and had built our savings up to an acceptable amount. If we couldn't have done that, I'd have borrowed money from family, gotten a statement of account to prove that I had said money, and then given it back
If you want figures here's my break down for six months, two people.
Rent - $2220
Food - $1500
Power - $600
= $4320.

So add in everything else and round up, that's 5 grand you want to have just sitting in your account. Five grand is a pretty good number actually - it's what I was supposed to have to get my working holiday program visa for Canada. Luckily for me though, they never actually checked because when I moved to Canada I had $300 in my account. (Don't try this at home.)

After that there's the visa costs. I have no idea what that will be for you. For us it's a three stave visa (prospective marriage, temporary residency, permanent residency.) PMV cost us $1700, TR cost about the same. I think PR will be free, but I haven't read the forms yet (we just received them. Our visa is eligible for review this week... I better get on that!) so... $3400 For the fees - but that's not all the visa will cost you. The medicals, background checks and endless documents add up pretty fast. I remember being surprised by that.

We didn't ship any of our stuff, if it didn't fit in a suitcase we stored it in his parent's garage. But we did have to acquire furniture etc when we moved out together. I had some things in storage here and family helped us out. I think we spent about $500 on setting ourselves up. If one of you is moving in with the other you will likely avoid this fee.

And then there's the plane tickets.

Rounding up everything to be safe...
Savings - $5000
Visa -$4000
Flight - $2000

That's a bit over ten grand.

Cliff notes: You want between $10,000 and $15,000 to close the distance.

Thank you guys, that helped me alot!
Well, that's what I thought...10.000 € is alot of money. Lucky as I am I can save about 500-600 € per month which is really good. It takes some time until we can finally close the distance though...

BUt in the end it's worth it, spending so much money and waiting for me and my SO to finally move together.

[Unconditional]

Don't you also have to account for the currency ratios of qhere you're moving to?
Just wondering.

[TwoThree]

Wouldn't it be much cheaper if he moved to Germany?

I don't know exactly how much visas cost, but if it's around Finland's range, it's definitely not as much as a visa to the US. For me it would cost 450 euros.

[ethelynn]

Thank you guys, that helped me alot!
Well, that's what I thought...10.000 € is alot of money. Lucky as I am I can save about 500-600 € per month which is really good. It takes some time until we can finally close the distance though...

She was talking about dollars, not euros. So its 7500 euro to 11000 euro.

[Lilly9886]

She still got a point though!! There is a difference between 7500 euros and 450 euros!

[Alma]

Oh my...totally forgot about my post here.

Well, of course it would be cheaper if he moved here. But we agreed that I would move to the US someday.
So, I just thought about it and I guess it wouldn't be as expensive for me. Not really sure though.

1. He lives in his own house. If I move to the US, I would live with him and he said he wouldn't charge me.
2. One way plane ticket. Let's say a one way plane ticket costs about 300-500 €
3. Visa. This would probably be the most expensive thing. (Depending on which visa I apply for)
4. I wouldn't ship any of my stuff over there. All I would take with me would be my clothes and some personal stuff. I'd take 2-3 pieces of baggage. That extra baggage would cost extra of course. But I don't know how much.
5. Savings. I would take savings with me just to be sure.

I am not really sure if I am wrong but I would say I wouldn't have to spend more than 5000 € for closing the distance?

What do you say? Did I forget anything?
4.