Move to The States
Discussion
An opportunity has come along for me that would mean a move to The States.
Assuming the fine detail is sorted and immgration isn't an issue, I am looking for some advice on where to base myself as I can literally chose anywhere, and last time I checked, it is a pretty big place!
I have visited twice before, Atlanta and Miami. I was due a move there last year and it would almost certainly have been to Chicago, but this time around it can be anywhere.
So can you guys perhaps help me narrow it down so I can do some further research, based on what I think my criteria are below:
1) Friendly and welcoming people/community - My fiance is coming with me and she is struggling with the prospect of leaving her friends and family. I'd like us to be able to feel at home as quick as possible by meeting a good bunch of people from the start.
2) Plenty to see and do to keep us entertained and get involved in the culture - we like eating out in restaurants and drinking in bars but we are not bothered about a big clubbing scene as we prefer to sit in a blues club with a bottle of wine!
3) We are pretty active outdoor people so it would be great to move somewhere with easy access to stunning scenery where we can partake in mountain biking, hiking and I'd love to be able to ski if possible.
4) Please suggest somewhere that has actual seasons, where it gets cold and snowy in Winter and hot and sunny in Summer.
5) Needs to be somewhere from the vertical centreline of The states to the East coast. Any further West and the travel becomes awkward as we will be back to the UK quite often. The job will mean I have to travel extensively around the country so I need to be close to a decent sized airport.
6) Good driving roads would be a bonus or somewhere with a racetrack (not bowl racing or drag strip!) but it isn't a must.
I don't know if that is a reasonable list or not as I have a tiny experience of the country and don't know if there is one place that can offer all the criteria but I would be willing to compromise if need be.
When we were set to go last time around, everytime time someone asked where we were going and we told them Chicago, it was always greeted with, "lucky you, it is an awesome place" and that was mostly from Americans but also well travelled UK colleagues of mine.
I hope this isn't too much of a long shot as I am really just looking for somewhere to begin my search so hit me with your suggestions, please!
Assuming the fine detail is sorted and immgration isn't an issue, I am looking for some advice on where to base myself as I can literally chose anywhere, and last time I checked, it is a pretty big place!
I have visited twice before, Atlanta and Miami. I was due a move there last year and it would almost certainly have been to Chicago, but this time around it can be anywhere.
So can you guys perhaps help me narrow it down so I can do some further research, based on what I think my criteria are below:
1) Friendly and welcoming people/community - My fiance is coming with me and she is struggling with the prospect of leaving her friends and family. I'd like us to be able to feel at home as quick as possible by meeting a good bunch of people from the start.
2) Plenty to see and do to keep us entertained and get involved in the culture - we like eating out in restaurants and drinking in bars but we are not bothered about a big clubbing scene as we prefer to sit in a blues club with a bottle of wine!
3) We are pretty active outdoor people so it would be great to move somewhere with easy access to stunning scenery where we can partake in mountain biking, hiking and I'd love to be able to ski if possible.
4) Please suggest somewhere that has actual seasons, where it gets cold and snowy in Winter and hot and sunny in Summer.
5) Needs to be somewhere from the vertical centreline of The states to the East coast. Any further West and the travel becomes awkward as we will be back to the UK quite often. The job will mean I have to travel extensively around the country so I need to be close to a decent sized airport.
6) Good driving roads would be a bonus or somewhere with a racetrack (not bowl racing or drag strip!) but it isn't a must.
I don't know if that is a reasonable list or not as I have a tiny experience of the country and don't know if there is one place that can offer all the criteria but I would be willing to compromise if need be.
When we were set to go last time around, everytime time someone asked where we were going and we told them Chicago, it was always greeted with, "lucky you, it is an awesome place" and that was mostly from Americans but also well travelled UK colleagues of mine.
I hope this isn't too much of a long shot as I am really just looking for somewhere to begin my search so hit me with your suggestions, please!
Edited by Gravy on Wednesday 28th October 09:18
Gravy said:
An opportunity has come along for me that would mean a move to The States.
Assuming the fine detail is sorted and immgration isn't an issue,
My fiance is coming with me.
Couple of questions before we get to the nitty-gritty, if you please.Assuming the fine detail is sorted and immgration isn't an issue,
My fiance is coming with me.
Is this an opportunity through employment, investment or citizenship?
Is your fiance a USC or does she have a visa in her own right? If neither, she isn't coming with you - until you marry her.
Matt Harper said:
Gravy said:
An opportunity has come along for me that would mean a move to The States.
Assuming the fine detail is sorted and immgration isn't an issue,
My fiance is coming with me.
Couple of questions before we get to the nitty-gritty, if you please.Assuming the fine detail is sorted and immgration isn't an issue,
My fiance is coming with me.
Is this an opportunity through employment, investment or citizenship?
Is your fiance a USC or does she have a visa in her own right? If neither, she isn't coming with you - until you marry her.
New York is an obvious one - possibly North of the City - I currently have a place in Westchester County and its absolutely gorgeous (look up Bronxville on a map - some pics of the area here: http://www.mcarthur.org.uk/gallery2/v/admin/Travel... ).....you can head north to Vermont etc for skiing on the weekends, and the flight back to the UK is as easy as it gets....driving roads are decent a bit further north, but anywhere within 100 miles gets hit by the NYC traffic at times. Some nice places a bit further out as well - Stamford, Connecticut is very nice, as is further round.
If you don't have to commute into NYC then there are some very nice parts of Northern New Jersey as well.
But if the cost of the area puts you off and want to get away from the cliche somewhat you could look at Pittsburgh - I worked there for a number of years and loved it, was voted America's 6th best place to live. Good airport as well and possibly some direct flights to UK.
If you don't have to commute into NYC then there are some very nice parts of Northern New Jersey as well.
But if the cost of the area puts you off and want to get away from the cliche somewhat you could look at Pittsburgh - I worked there for a number of years and loved it, was voted America's 6th best place to live. Good airport as well and possibly some direct flights to UK.
GreigM said:
New York is an obvious one - possibly North of the City - I currently have a place in Westchester County and its absolutely gorgeous (look up Bronxville on a map - some pics of the area here: http://www.mcarthur.org.uk/gallery2/v/admin/Travel... ).....you can head north to Vermont etc for skiing on the weekends, and the flight back to the UK is as easy as it gets....driving roads are decent a bit further north, but anywhere within 100 miles gets hit by the NYC traffic at times. Some nice places a bit further out as well - Stamford, Connecticut is very nice, as is further round.
If you don't have to commute into NYC then there are some very nice parts of Northern New Jersey as well.
But if the cost of the area puts you off and want to get away from the cliche somewhat you could look at Pittsburgh - I worked there for a number of years and loved it, was voted America's 6th best place to live. Good airport as well and possibly some direct flights to UK.
Exactly the kind of info I was looking for, many thanks for your thoughts.If you don't have to commute into NYC then there are some very nice parts of Northern New Jersey as well.
But if the cost of the area puts you off and want to get away from the cliche somewhat you could look at Pittsburgh - I worked there for a number of years and loved it, was voted America's 6th best place to live. Good airport as well and possibly some direct flights to UK.
I'd pick somewhere central like San Diego or Key West.
OK, sorry but they are my two favourite places......although I do like Monterey and Sacramento and San Fransisco and LA and .....
The problem is I only visit these places for a few days at a time so cant say anything about the real inside nity grity of living in any of them.
I also like Santa Monica which is realy part of the greater LA area but then Malibu is nice and Oceanside.
Sorry but you've got your work cut out here trying to make a short list.
OK, sorry but they are my two favourite places......although I do like Monterey and Sacramento and San Fransisco and LA and .....
The problem is I only visit these places for a few days at a time so cant say anything about the real inside nity grity of living in any of them.
I also like Santa Monica which is realy part of the greater LA area but then Malibu is nice and Oceanside.
Sorry but you've got your work cut out here trying to make a short list.
GavinPearson said:
I would take a serious look at Nashville, TN in addition to the places already mentioned.
Well in terms of Geography it is bang in the heart of the area I outlined in my OP. I will look at it along with all the others suggested.I know a "shortlist" is highly unlikely, I just wondered if there was a few places that consistently rate highly on peoples radar who have spent time in The States. I suppose it's too big and too diverse to distill into a few choices!
Gravy said:
It is an opportunity through employment. I know there will be visa difficulties and it could yet fall flat on it's face but until then, it would be good to get some info on reccommended potential areas to live.
I don't mean to be an a
hole about this - but until you establish a clear route, your priorities are kind of bass ackwards. Until you figure out how you are going to get here, you shouldn't really be troubling yourself with how close the nearest race track is.If you are planning to emigrate through work, you have far more important things to consider than the local ski resort.
If you are coming here on a work visa that means you have highly specialized skills and/or management experience which is good - and you must be pretty hot sh!t if your employer is saying, "Relax Mr Gravy, live wherever you feel like", but your fiance (as you MUST realize, if you've looked into this, beyond the local bar scene), cannot accompany you, unless she is a USC or has a work visa in her own right.
Try to get the horse back in front of the cart.
I did what you are talking about, so I can speak with a modicum of experience.
What kind of visa do you intend to use to make this move?
Will your employer sponsor permanent residence?
How much do you trust your employer? (Very serious question)
I would look seriously at either Charlotte or Raleigh Durham NC. Both have international airports, the coast is not more than a couple of hours away, both cities are more sophisticated than 10 years ago and the seasons do change. No hurricanes although it can rain and does get humid, no earthquakes, great sports franchises, motorsport too and with jobs / culture / great location between Atlanta and Washington DC.
Otherwise head west towards San Francisco. A wonderful city, great skiing close by, so many wonderful suburbs, amazing food and nightlife, sophisticated, nice climate, great wines, BUT the eartquake issue is always there.
Otherwise head west towards San Francisco. A wonderful city, great skiing close by, so many wonderful suburbs, amazing food and nightlife, sophisticated, nice climate, great wines, BUT the eartquake issue is always there.
belleair302 said:
I would look seriously at either Charlotte or Raleigh Durham NC. Both have international airports, the coast is not more than a couple of hours away, both cities are more sophisticated than 10 years ago and the seasons do change. No hurricanes although it can rain and does get humid, no earthquakes, great sports franchises, motorsport too and with jobs / culture / great location between Atlanta and Washington DC.
Good call - Cary (to the west of Raleigh) would be on my list of top places in the east coast to live - but bustling with nightlife it ain't.....its the tranquil life out there (which is what I'd prefer)...I have a great friend in Wilmington NC...good coast life but not cultural enough for me. Am a Florida man at heart, spend a great deal of the year in Tampa but consider NC a fast growing hub offering pretty well everything anybody could enjoy that the US has to offer.
I love Chicago but hate the weather and have a soft spot for Philly!
Denver is amazing if you like the outdoor lifestyle and can live with the snow.
I love Chicago but hate the weather and have a soft spot for Philly!
Denver is amazing if you like the outdoor lifestyle and can live with the snow.
I was on an L1 and she had to come in on a B1 initially. We were told incorrectly by my employer that in order for her to get an L2 we needed to be married, however several other couples we know here are not married and have L1/L2 combos. We got married anyway and my wife returned to the UK with her L2 application, which was approved without her having to prove that we were married. You simply have to prove that you have a history together - joint names on utility bills/mortgage/rental contracts etc....
and I meant to add, that your partner coming on a B visa of their own accord is sustainable as long as you have your work visa - I have friends whose girlfriends have been here for 3 years or more on B visas - the only downside is that they have to leave the country every six months, but for most expats, that is done anyway.
Orlando area.
Lots to do. Housing cheap. You can, literally, fly anywhere in the US out of OIA for little or nothing. BA do Orlando to Gatwick (and Heathrow) all the time. Lots to see and do (SpaceCoast, Disney, other theme parks, etc). Good car culture. Quick access to Daytona for the 24 hours. No big club scene but a LOT of nice bars/blues clubs/etc. Miami a quick flight away if you miss the club scene. Lots of expats.
The only thing we don't have is skiing, unless you want to do it on the water.
Lots to do. Housing cheap. You can, literally, fly anywhere in the US out of OIA for little or nothing. BA do Orlando to Gatwick (and Heathrow) all the time. Lots to see and do (SpaceCoast, Disney, other theme parks, etc). Good car culture. Quick access to Daytona for the 24 hours. No big club scene but a LOT of nice bars/blues clubs/etc. Miami a quick flight away if you miss the club scene. Lots of expats.
The only thing we don't have is skiing, unless you want to do it on the water.
david968s said:
and I meant to add, that your partner coming on a B visa of their own accord is sustainable as long as you have your work visa - I have friends whose girlfriends have been here for 3 years or more on B visas - the only downside is that they have to leave the country every six months, but for most expats, that is done anyway.
I'm really confused by this. B visa's are classed as visitor visa's - i.e. temporary.Do the USCIS routinely renew back to back visitor visas, for people who are clearly 'living' in the US? I find that really hard to believe.
Additionally, a 'significant others' B visa is not linked in any way to an L visa - you can only 'link' another L (2) to an L1.
Please appreciate that I'm not doubting that you have done this - just that in this situation the visa being used is not intended for this use - and I absolutely guarantee that if the authorities were aware of how the B visa was being used in this way, they would deny entry to the B visa user.
ErnestM said:
Orlando area.
Lots to do. Housing cheap. You can, literally, fly anywhere in the US out of OIA for little or nothing. BA do Orlando to Gatwick (and Heathrow) all the time. Lots to see and do (SpaceCoast, Disney, other theme parks, etc). Good car culture. Quick access to Daytona for the 24 hours. No big club scene but a LOT of nice bars/blues clubs/etc. Miami a quick flight away if you miss the club scene. Lots of expats.
The only thing we don't have is skiing, unless you want to do it on the water.
Hello again Ernest.Lots to do. Housing cheap. You can, literally, fly anywhere in the US out of OIA for little or nothing. BA do Orlando to Gatwick (and Heathrow) all the time. Lots to see and do (SpaceCoast, Disney, other theme parks, etc). Good car culture. Quick access to Daytona for the 24 hours. No big club scene but a LOT of nice bars/blues clubs/etc. Miami a quick flight away if you miss the club scene. Lots of expats.
The only thing we don't have is skiing, unless you want to do it on the water.
Good call on O'town. I've been here 8 years now and absolutely love the place. Staying away from tourist areas is key to enjoying central FL, I feel.
You didn't mention Sebring. The Mobil 12 Hours in March is our Le Mans - a fantastic event, with a global audience. Also Gatornats up in Gainesville (also in March) is spectacular, loud and faaaast.
Watersports are among the best in the world, as are fishing, golf and court-sport.
For me, the climate and property bang for buck are the biggest draw.
Downside is storm threat, property tax, hill-billies and English tourists.
Gassing Station | USA & Canada | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff