Moving to the U.S. not through marriage?

[eta-carinae]

My significant other is from the United States, and we're trying to close the distance. I'm looking for a job in his area to make this happen.

What scares me is that almost all people I know, even highly qualified professionals, were able to move only after getting married to American citizens.

Is there anyone here, who can share a different success story (yours or someone else's)?

[differentcountries]

why don't you want to get married?

[snow]

Unfortunately, getting into the US is very difficult even on marriage based visas. I have not heard of anyone who made it on a work based visa, sorry. I recommend www.visajourney.com, there might be some more information for you.

[eta-carinae]

Snow, thanks for the link!

Differentcountries, I think everything is good in it's season :-)

[differentcountries]

The ones I know who went to the US apart from through marriage are a couple who are friends of the family; he got a job in a Norwegian company in the US and she got a job as a doctor/scientist in an US hospital. The whole family whith their children lived there for years.

You can temporarily close the distance through a student visa (if, of course, you'd be intersted in studying something).

[silvermoonfairy3]

Unfortunately, it's really difficult to come here even with marriage visas, let alone without them.

If you want to try for a work visa, just about your only hope is if you have an in-demand skillset, usually in technical fields like engineering or medicine.

[CanadianGirl]

A cousin of mine recently moved to Cali with her husband, since her husband got a job offer in Silicon Valley (hardware engineering). I know the move is only for as long as that company wants to keep him there though. Co-workers of my SO (biochemistry R&D) manage to stay in the US for their work, but they go through a constant cycle of renewing their visas. Even they joke about marrying a guy/girl in the US so they can make the move.

[kittyo9]

We have been wondering the same question recently, too. J wants to look for work in the states and get sponsored on an H-1B visa. Luckily, he's in tech (engineering degree, works as a game programmer currently with focus on AI, would probably move into software engineering), so it won't be impossible, but it will be very difficult to find someone to sponsor him. Since it is related, if any of you have tips, please share!

[Petals]

I moved to the US (not for love) on a J1 visa, but of course it has an expiry date lol. I can extend for another 2 yrs then the next route is HB visa and green card with a company sponsorship. I know quite a number of people who have settled in the US based on work, but they are teachers.

[somewhereinbetween]

Wow, after reading how it's almost impossible for someone to move to the united states I'm not feeling so great :\

[snow]

Wow, after reading how it's almost impossible for someone to move to the united states I'm not feeling so great :\

It's difficult, but not impossible. I am actually moving in 11 days on a K1 visa.

[lordpsymon]

My partner and I are doing the complete opposite. She's moving here from the USA. Fingers crossed the process of immigration doesn't cause us to pull out too much hair.

[whatruckus]

My partner and I are doing the complete opposite. She's moving here from the USA. Fingers crossed the process of immigration doesn't cause us to pull out too much hair.

I'm just commenting on your profile picture, Tim Tams! I want to try them so bad.

[kittyo9]

My partner and I are doing the complete opposite. She's moving here from the USA. Fingers crossed the process of immigration doesn't cause us to pull out too much hair.

Which visa is she using?

[lordpsymon]

Which visa is she using?

We're getting her at first on a working holiday visa for a year, which will give us time to work out how to make that more permanent.