Can you buy a car when you move to the US right away?
Discussion
Should I excel in the phone interviews with 8 people in Milwaukee next week and get the offer, then the company I work for will be working on a visa for me to move over by the end of the year!
So... how do you go about getting a car with (I presume) no credit rating?
Can you still buy but get fleeced on apr?
Lease and give away money for no return?
I have also seen this www.leasetrader.com but surely a minefield for buying a lease and then getting the usual 'deductions' at the end of lease for original person not taking proper care of it?
Or... am I forced into putting cash only into a a million miler from the 90's?? (assuming say $4k max to put into a car purchase)
Thanks folks!
So... how do you go about getting a car with (I presume) no credit rating?
Can you still buy but get fleeced on apr?
Lease and give away money for no return?
I have also seen this www.leasetrader.com but surely a minefield for buying a lease and then getting the usual 'deductions' at the end of lease for original person not taking proper care of it?
Or... am I forced into putting cash only into a a million miler from the 90's?? (assuming say $4k max to put into a car purchase)
Thanks folks!
FWIW, here's my opinion on the subject. I moved to the US from the UK in 2004. We went out and bought a 2000 Jeep Cherokee 4.0 2WD for about 8 or 9 grand cash, privately. We moved to South Carolina. I think you would be best buying a car for cash just to get you moving. I think where you are in the US makes a difference on prices and quality. Where we live 4k is getting into very iffy territory with high mileage, and knackered interiors and limp AC. You will be hard pressed to find a car with a full service history or any service history for that matter (at least that's my experience). Don't get all flash with it being your first car. You will have to start your insurance all over again as you will effectively be a new driver in the US. Expect to find far higher mileage cars than in the UK. Something dull like a Honda or Toyota is a good place to start if you can bring yourself to do that. The Jeep has been pretty reliable, and we've done 100k miles in it in 6 years. Condition can also be affected by each state law regarding MoT equivalents, or in the case of SC there is NOTHING, and as a result you can see some really nice cars going around with bald tires etc, and rust that would scare you to death. Some states have basic emissions tests some more like a full UK MoT. SC has a sort of road tax system based on the age/value of the car, but if its over 10 years old its about 10 bucks a year. There is also a sales tax to pay even on used cars in SC. I think its 6 per cent, and is capped at 300 dollars.
Good luck with your interview and if it comes off good luck with the car buying.
Good luck with your interview and if it comes off good luck with the car buying.
To buy a car and register it you need a driving lic.
Step two is contact an insurance company and tell them you intend to buy a car. Then when you buy you give the tel number of the insurance co to the sales person they will contact the insurance company, give the make model year and vin number, and they will fax over your insurance cert.
It is possible for the car sales person to arrange insurance for you, I don't reccomend that route
Unless you want to pay double.
Borrowing money is always easier when you don't need it.
The way I got my credit going was to take a car loan from a dealer.
Then I got a $1,000 loan secured by a $1,000 from my account. I paid off the 1,000 loan.
Then I asked the bank to refinance my car loan over 2 years, (it was a five year dealer loan) which they agreed to.
So now I have two paid up loans, the 1,000 one and the car loan which was paid up on my behalf by my bank.
This enabled me to get a no doc home loan after only four months (with no job or business)
As previously suggested, something like a Toyota would be a good choice.
Although with your location you may want to consider a four wheel drive.
Toyota Rour Runners tend to hold their price, so can be a bit overpriced.
Main roads are ploughed and gritted overnight in most places, but getting to a main road in a two wheel drive can be a challenge in 2 feet of snow.
When you get round to getting a second car, which you will
you can pick up some really well maintained 90s Cameros/Firebirds for about 5K. Usually at small car shows or meets.
Step two is contact an insurance company and tell them you intend to buy a car. Then when you buy you give the tel number of the insurance co to the sales person they will contact the insurance company, give the make model year and vin number, and they will fax over your insurance cert.
It is possible for the car sales person to arrange insurance for you, I don't reccomend that route
Unless you want to pay double.Borrowing money is always easier when you don't need it.
The way I got my credit going was to take a car loan from a dealer.
Then I got a $1,000 loan secured by a $1,000 from my account. I paid off the 1,000 loan.
Then I asked the bank to refinance my car loan over 2 years, (it was a five year dealer loan) which they agreed to.
So now I have two paid up loans, the 1,000 one and the car loan which was paid up on my behalf by my bank.
This enabled me to get a no doc home loan after only four months (with no job or business)
As previously suggested, something like a Toyota would be a good choice.
Although with your location you may want to consider a four wheel drive.
Toyota Rour Runners tend to hold their price, so can be a bit overpriced.
Main roads are ploughed and gritted overnight in most places, but getting to a main road in a two wheel drive can be a challenge in 2 feet of snow.
When you get round to getting a second car, which you will
you can pick up some really well maintained 90s Cameros/Firebirds for about 5K. Usually at small car shows or meets.As has been mentioned you have no chance of getting bank loans / finance when first arriving in the US. You will find it almost impossible to even get a credit card. It will take at least a year to build even a basic credit history.
I would siggest you take out an annual membership with AIG Travel Assist. This costs $400 per year. However, they arranged a bank account an unsecured credit card with HSBC in the US before I left the UK. They also have tie ins with Insurance companies, and I got a very good deal on car insurance - $420 for 6 months full coverage on a BMW 335i (6 months cover is normal here, they don't do annual policies). The AIG membership was money well spent.
I would siggest you take out an annual membership with AIG Travel Assist. This costs $400 per year. However, they arranged a bank account an unsecured credit card with HSBC in the US before I left the UK. They also have tie ins with Insurance companies, and I got a very good deal on car insurance - $420 for 6 months full coverage on a BMW 335i (6 months cover is normal here, they don't do annual policies). The AIG membership was money well spent.
Thanks all for your responses! Seems there's a lot to think about!!
Thanks for the good luck, the hiring director has already been emailing me with stuff/contacts "for when I join the team", and invited me on teleconferences (but on mute for now), so looking good.. but you never know!!
Thanks!
geeman237 said:
Where we live 4k is getting into very iffy territory with high mileage, and knackered interiors and limp AC. You will be hard pressed to find a car with a full service history or any service history for that matter (at least that's my experience). Something dull like a Honda or Toyota is a good place to start if you can bring yourself to do that....
...Good luck with your interview and if it comes off good luck with the car buying.
I think I will need to wait until I get out there to assess how much I can afford, but sounds like may need to be a little more.. ...Good luck with your interview and if it comes off good luck with the car buying.
Thanks for the good luck, the hiring director has already been emailing me with stuff/contacts "for when I join the team", and invited me on teleconferences (but on mute for now), so looking good.. but you never know!!
jeff m said:
To buy a car and register it you need a driving lic.
How soon could that happen? I presume it is state or even city dependant for requirements of the test and availability?jeff m said:
The way I got my credit going was to take a car loan from a dealer.
Then I got a $1,000 loan secured by a $1,000 from my account. I paid off the 1,000 loan.
Then I asked the bank to refinance my car loan over 2 years, (it was a five year dealer loan) which they agreed to.
So a small loan could be secured against cash in my account (on top of anything I would put towards the car I assume).. and then preferably pay that off instantly to start the credit ball rolling?Then I got a $1,000 loan secured by a $1,000 from my account. I paid off the 1,000 loan.
Then I asked the bank to refinance my car loan over 2 years, (it was a five year dealer loan) which they agreed to.
EK993 said:
I would siggest you take out an annual membership with AIG Travel Assist. This costs $400 per year. However, they arranged a bank account an unsecured credit card with HSBC in the US before I left the UK.
Do you have a link to this please? I am struggling to find the Travel Assist part of this.Thanks!
n1ckt001 said:
jeff m said:
To buy a car and register it you need a driving lic.
How soon could that happen? I presume it is state or even city dependant for requirements of the test and availability?jeff m said:
The way I got my credit going was to take a car loan from a dealer.
Then I got a $1,000 loan secured by a $1,000 from my account. I paid off the 1,000 loan.
Then I asked the bank to refinance my car loan over 2 years, (it was a five year dealer loan) which they agreed to.
Then I got a $1,000 loan secured by a $1,000 from my account. I paid off the 1,000 loan.
Then I asked the bank to refinance my car loan over 2 years, (it was a five year dealer loan) which they agreed to.
n1ckt001 said:
So a small loan could be secured against cash in my account (on top of anything I would put towards the car I assume).. and then preferably pay that off instantly to start the credit ball rolling?
Yep, your credit rating is greatly enhanced by paid up loans.IMO a good credit rating is essential to life in the States.
An alternative to AIG would be to join AAA (American AA), around $80/annum.
Good for insurance, free towing etc. In NJ it takes one year for the discounts to kick in, but worth it. (Corvette $802/annum full coverage)
With regard to the adverts for apartments with credit history needed.
That is more to weed out out deadbeats, in the current financial climate if you have employment you will probably just need two months security deposit.
Whoops screwed up the quoting but I think you can decipher it
Edited by jeff m on Monday 13th September 12:59
I was in your position about 4 years ago, as everyone above says, get a car loan.
The ONLY way you'll get this is if it is a secured loan. As people have said, this gets the credit history ball rolling, and gets you a decent rate (I was quoted 21% APR otherwise, which was the maximum allowed under state law, and told that I wouldn't qualify anyway, as I didn't have a credit history at all).
Basically, the steps are:
1). Get social security number (if you are single, this is about 3 weeks).
1b). Get driving licence (another couple of weeks, allowing for test appointment, etc, if needed – as mentioned, it varies from state to state).
2). Open bank account.
3). Transfer whatever cash you have in the UK to that account.
4). Speak to bank bods, let them know that you'd like a car loan, secured against this.
5). Don't miss a payment. Conversely, and not at all unsurprisingly, it's ok to overpay.
Other points; if the company is moving you, hopefully they are paying for the move and the hotel until you find an apartment (don't worry about the renters history - explain your situation, show them proof of employment, and you'll be in with a slightly increased deposit). If you’re working for a large company locally, you may even get a discount, or an introductory rate. You can rent an apartment without SSN if you’re desperate to escape the hotel, again, it’s just a matter of paying more deposit.
I’d be very tempted to speak to your new boss informally and see how much leeway you have here; a colleague was in a hotel for about 5 months before moving in to an apartment and saved a ton of cash, as the company paid for it. Wish I’d had the nous to do that…then again, I was glad to be out of the hotel. Same goes for the rental car.
Also get a company credit card, as this will be in your name so reflects well on your credit history.
They may also have a 'get you on your feet' transfer payment, which can help – you’d be surprised how many things like deposits and so on turn up.
I'd also look to see if they have anything in place for tax equalisation, as this could help you in April (US tax return time).
Your first car insurance payment will be nasty. Don't pay for a full year, just 6 months, and it'll pretty much halve after that. If you can scrape together the payment (which will hurt), pay it in one chunk, and you get about a 10% discount.
And then, as mentioned, you get hit with taxing it(although you can usually put this off for up to three months after purchase). AAA can help; worth going to one of their offices and joining, just to get someone to do the looking for you. Bear in mind that you’ll probably want renters insurance; getting these from the same people results in a ‘multi-policy discount’; again worth speaking to AAA or the like to see what they can set up for you.
If you're planning on moving full time, talk to your boss and check they are ok with this, and get the company approvals in place before you go (my lot was going through a restructuring and getting the company to sign off on it took me an extra year for the residency. This could have been amusing had I run out of visa time first.
The visa you go out on (L1, I assume) can have a bearing on this; try and get them to go for the H1 (although it’s a bit late for that this year), as this gives you a bit more security (also get them to promise to pay for your transportation back if you leave the company within xx period of time). Worth talking to the lawyers who’ll prepare the documentation ‘package’ for you regarding your intentions and timescales.
Also worth renewing your passport now, tracking down copies of exam and degree(and exam transcripts) and birth certificates and so on, now – this’ll save you time later.
Visa and intentions can reflect on car choice – if you are only going to be in the US for a couple of years, just get a beater. I’d also consider the fact that winter in the US can be nasty (esp. where you are!) Winter tyres and AWD would be a wise move. As would a garage, if you can find an apartment complex offering them.
Geeman bought a Jeep Cherokee – not a bad all rounder, and worth keeping until it dies, as a daily beater/winter run-around/ load lugger - keep the beater when you get a second car, a load lugger can help a lot in the US.
As previously mentioned, main roads are gritted and ploughed well, but getting to them can be…interesting. I posted some time ago on trying to do a Colorado winter on summer tyres…Christ, that was fool hardy.
Above all, when you’re there, explain your situation to everyone you deal with, and they’ll bend over backwards to try to help you.
As everyone above has said, credit rating is king in the US.
Enjoy the trip to the US Embassy – there’s a fascinating spectrum of people there!
Finally, you’re going to have a lot of stuff to deal with in the first couple of months, keep cheerful about it – I kept getting asked how on Earth I could handle everything and remain cheerful – ‘It’s either that or cry’ was my reply.
The ONLY way you'll get this is if it is a secured loan. As people have said, this gets the credit history ball rolling, and gets you a decent rate (I was quoted 21% APR otherwise, which was the maximum allowed under state law, and told that I wouldn't qualify anyway, as I didn't have a credit history at all).
Basically, the steps are:
1). Get social security number (if you are single, this is about 3 weeks).
1b). Get driving licence (another couple of weeks, allowing for test appointment, etc, if needed – as mentioned, it varies from state to state).
2). Open bank account.
3). Transfer whatever cash you have in the UK to that account.
4). Speak to bank bods, let them know that you'd like a car loan, secured against this.
5). Don't miss a payment. Conversely, and not at all unsurprisingly, it's ok to overpay.
Other points; if the company is moving you, hopefully they are paying for the move and the hotel until you find an apartment (don't worry about the renters history - explain your situation, show them proof of employment, and you'll be in with a slightly increased deposit). If you’re working for a large company locally, you may even get a discount, or an introductory rate. You can rent an apartment without SSN if you’re desperate to escape the hotel, again, it’s just a matter of paying more deposit.
I’d be very tempted to speak to your new boss informally and see how much leeway you have here; a colleague was in a hotel for about 5 months before moving in to an apartment and saved a ton of cash, as the company paid for it. Wish I’d had the nous to do that…then again, I was glad to be out of the hotel. Same goes for the rental car.
Also get a company credit card, as this will be in your name so reflects well on your credit history.
They may also have a 'get you on your feet' transfer payment, which can help – you’d be surprised how many things like deposits and so on turn up.
I'd also look to see if they have anything in place for tax equalisation, as this could help you in April (US tax return time).
Your first car insurance payment will be nasty. Don't pay for a full year, just 6 months, and it'll pretty much halve after that. If you can scrape together the payment (which will hurt), pay it in one chunk, and you get about a 10% discount.
And then, as mentioned, you get hit with taxing it(although you can usually put this off for up to three months after purchase). AAA can help; worth going to one of their offices and joining, just to get someone to do the looking for you. Bear in mind that you’ll probably want renters insurance; getting these from the same people results in a ‘multi-policy discount’; again worth speaking to AAA or the like to see what they can set up for you.
If you're planning on moving full time, talk to your boss and check they are ok with this, and get the company approvals in place before you go (my lot was going through a restructuring and getting the company to sign off on it took me an extra year for the residency. This could have been amusing had I run out of visa time first.
The visa you go out on (L1, I assume) can have a bearing on this; try and get them to go for the H1 (although it’s a bit late for that this year), as this gives you a bit more security (also get them to promise to pay for your transportation back if you leave the company within xx period of time). Worth talking to the lawyers who’ll prepare the documentation ‘package’ for you regarding your intentions and timescales.
Also worth renewing your passport now, tracking down copies of exam and degree(and exam transcripts) and birth certificates and so on, now – this’ll save you time later.
Visa and intentions can reflect on car choice – if you are only going to be in the US for a couple of years, just get a beater. I’d also consider the fact that winter in the US can be nasty (esp. where you are!) Winter tyres and AWD would be a wise move. As would a garage, if you can find an apartment complex offering them.
Geeman bought a Jeep Cherokee – not a bad all rounder, and worth keeping until it dies, as a daily beater/winter run-around/ load lugger - keep the beater when you get a second car, a load lugger can help a lot in the US.
As previously mentioned, main roads are gritted and ploughed well, but getting to them can be…interesting. I posted some time ago on trying to do a Colorado winter on summer tyres…Christ, that was fool hardy.
Above all, when you’re there, explain your situation to everyone you deal with, and they’ll bend over backwards to try to help you.
As everyone above has said, credit rating is king in the US.
Enjoy the trip to the US Embassy – there’s a fascinating spectrum of people there!
Finally, you’re going to have a lot of stuff to deal with in the first couple of months, keep cheerful about it – I kept getting asked how on Earth I could handle everything and remain cheerful – ‘It’s either that or cry’ was my reply.
n1ckt001 said:
Do you have a link to this please? I am struggling to find the Travel Assist part of this.
Sure, here you go:http://www.aig-is.com/html/inbound_main.html
OK, you can buy a car but you really need a licence first so bank on renting something cheap. Then you can buy. Use a good insurance agent to guide you as to what vehicle purchase makes sense economically for insurance. It can be much more expensive than in the UK, and it varies from state to state. Some cars are disproportionately expensive for insurance. SUVs tend to be cheap for insurance.
You will notice that cars, trucks & SUVs in the US are cheap to buy new but expensive secondhand. Just learn from looking at Autotrader.com edmunds.com and cars.con what the values should be and you should do OK.
At this stage in you career I would rent a house and not buy, because the housing market is uncertain and you will be on an H1-B, so many years before you will get a Green Card. Learn the area you are in and don't be in a rush to buy.
You will notice that cars, trucks & SUVs in the US are cheap to buy new but expensive secondhand. Just learn from looking at Autotrader.com edmunds.com and cars.con what the values should be and you should do OK.
At this stage in you career I would rent a house and not buy, because the housing market is uncertain and you will be on an H1-B, so many years before you will get a Green Card. Learn the area you are in and don't be in a rush to buy.
jimmyjimjim and friends said:
lots and lots of useful stuff
Sorry for the delay, now through 2 of the 6 interviews for the role... first one will definitely be the toughest I think, and it went ok...should know verbally by Friday, then off to Boston for 2 weeks in my current role...The likely package in our company (a rather large US industrial...) for a move to the US (L1 visa) includes 1 month tax free wages and a months accomodation, but it sounds like I might need to try and get them to throw in 1 months rental car or something along those lines!
I currently bank with HSBC (Advance, and no I won't earn enough to qualify for Premium sadly..), and on their website they say they can set up an account before I get there, and potentially transfer my credit history too...
Is this:
a) too good to be true, and credit history would count for diddly, as you have all said
b) HSBC aren't the best people to be with in the US anyway (rather Bank of America etc)?
Something with awd/4wd and winter tyres (sorry... tires
) is a must as you say...as much as I want rwd v8 muscle!Got scans of my degree cert, passport and birth certificate on my laptop now in case I start the process while I am away! Our plant is closing so a few are transferring to the US (S Carolina for the others..), and they are going through the forms now online, and it only requests the degree cert rather than transcript. Is transcript for interview or did you guys need it earlier?
I shall put my hands on that tonight anyway...
I’m assuming you are not a manager, and so you’ll be looking at an L1-B? If so, look forward to the PERM and a year of twiddling your thumbs! If you can manage to go over as a manager (of people, not just a job title), this is a good thing, as you avoid the headache of PERM, and get another 2 years on the visa to sort out the residency. Glad to hear you’ve got a degree – this is one of the many times in the US it comes in handy; it really cuts the processing times down by putting you into a higher category and thus a higher processing priority than without one.
A months car rental is well worth having, if you can swing it – if not, be sure you get the monthly rate for the cheapest pos they have, as the monthly rate will work out a good chunk cheaper than anything else. Also check to see if the company will ship your stuff over. If they do, take everything(except cheap 240v appliances; expensive ones you can find transformers for), even if you’re going to throw it out – you can give it to charity and claim it as a deduction on your US tax return.
I’d certainly investigate what HSBC can do for you; I met a fair few people who were aware that ‘something’ could be done in this respect, but none of them had the slightest inkling on how this could be achieved. I didn’t desperately need it, as I was going to rent for a couple of years before buying a house, and had sufficient cash to get a secured car loan. It sounds like this could really smooth the way for you, so well worth talking to someone who knows what they are talking about.
As for being with BoA, you don’t have to stick to one account! I’d go for the HSBC account to get you up and running and save headaches, then talk to your colleagues to see who they bank with and who has the best rates; I ended up with a local credit union(these often offer better rates than the large institutions) and Bank of the West – your company will almost certainly be able to direct deposit into both(my online pay check app allows a pretty much unlimited number of deposits) – if you walk in and say “I’d like to set up a bank account and DD my paycheck in to it”, they’ll sign you up on the spot, regardless of credit. Don’t expect to get a credit card from them immediately, though!
Cars – the tire choice is more important than anything else, awd/4wd is less so – a lot of people in Colorado drive 2wd, but have a spare set of wheels for winter. Bear in mind that the US idea of salting/gritting is to use small boulders, and not bother sweeping the roads clear in summer, so whatever you get will get more stone chips than you’d believe possible - getting something you care less about is a good idea. The evo looks like someone has sandblasted the front of it. Grrr. It’ll also cost less insurance wise. On a similar note, a lot of the insurance cost is tied to the length of commute, so if you can find a place close to work, this will also help.
Garaging is less important in this respect than you’d think, but it does save you having to clear a foot of snow in the morning.
I meant to say – scan everything, as you can then respond to the legal eagles within minutes with whatever they request(fairly sure this infuriated mine, as they’d get everything almost immediately and had to continue working, rather than bill for coffee breaks, or whatever it is they do). You need the originals too, in case USCIS ask for them (this won’t be until later down the line, assuming you go for residency).
I needed the degree transcript for the PERM(at least the lawyers thought so, no idea if they did anything with it), so you won’t need it prior to your move; it cost me a month or so to sort it out from the US – universities tend to take their time responding. On a similar note, make sure the copy of your birth certificate is the FULL copy. Having a passport that covers the full length of the visa period also saves you the headache of renewing while abroad. I also had a colleague have his visa renewal application turned down because his passport was getting a bit worn; he had to get it renewed in a hurry, and get another embassy appointment a month later. I got a passport cover and store all the important docs in a fire safe as a result of this.
If I remember correctly, what they wanted from me at the Embassy was a couple of forms (DS-156, 157?) various bits’n’bobs from ‘the package’ the lawyers sent over, plus my passport(for the visa stamp), birth certificate, and US sized passport photos(something else you can get started on; I ended up printing the US Embassy guide to photographers and taking that to a local photoshop, it was a real pain to find anyone who did US sized pictures local to me). Oh, and money, of course. The lawyers will tell you if you need anything else.
Once you hear if you’ve been successful with your interviews, speak to the lawyers, see how long they’ll be to get everything together for you, and book an appointment at the Embassy – the wait for one is about a month, minimum.
Good luck!
A months car rental is well worth having, if you can swing it – if not, be sure you get the monthly rate for the cheapest pos they have, as the monthly rate will work out a good chunk cheaper than anything else. Also check to see if the company will ship your stuff over. If they do, take everything(except cheap 240v appliances; expensive ones you can find transformers for), even if you’re going to throw it out – you can give it to charity and claim it as a deduction on your US tax return.
I’d certainly investigate what HSBC can do for you; I met a fair few people who were aware that ‘something’ could be done in this respect, but none of them had the slightest inkling on how this could be achieved. I didn’t desperately need it, as I was going to rent for a couple of years before buying a house, and had sufficient cash to get a secured car loan. It sounds like this could really smooth the way for you, so well worth talking to someone who knows what they are talking about.
As for being with BoA, you don’t have to stick to one account! I’d go for the HSBC account to get you up and running and save headaches, then talk to your colleagues to see who they bank with and who has the best rates; I ended up with a local credit union(these often offer better rates than the large institutions) and Bank of the West – your company will almost certainly be able to direct deposit into both(my online pay check app allows a pretty much unlimited number of deposits) – if you walk in and say “I’d like to set up a bank account and DD my paycheck in to it”, they’ll sign you up on the spot, regardless of credit. Don’t expect to get a credit card from them immediately, though!
Cars – the tire choice is more important than anything else, awd/4wd is less so – a lot of people in Colorado drive 2wd, but have a spare set of wheels for winter. Bear in mind that the US idea of salting/gritting is to use small boulders, and not bother sweeping the roads clear in summer, so whatever you get will get more stone chips than you’d believe possible - getting something you care less about is a good idea. The evo looks like someone has sandblasted the front of it. Grrr. It’ll also cost less insurance wise. On a similar note, a lot of the insurance cost is tied to the length of commute, so if you can find a place close to work, this will also help.
Garaging is less important in this respect than you’d think, but it does save you having to clear a foot of snow in the morning.
I meant to say – scan everything, as you can then respond to the legal eagles within minutes with whatever they request(fairly sure this infuriated mine, as they’d get everything almost immediately and had to continue working, rather than bill for coffee breaks, or whatever it is they do). You need the originals too, in case USCIS ask for them (this won’t be until later down the line, assuming you go for residency).
I needed the degree transcript for the PERM(at least the lawyers thought so, no idea if they did anything with it), so you won’t need it prior to your move; it cost me a month or so to sort it out from the US – universities tend to take their time responding. On a similar note, make sure the copy of your birth certificate is the FULL copy. Having a passport that covers the full length of the visa period also saves you the headache of renewing while abroad. I also had a colleague have his visa renewal application turned down because his passport was getting a bit worn; he had to get it renewed in a hurry, and get another embassy appointment a month later. I got a passport cover and store all the important docs in a fire safe as a result of this.
If I remember correctly, what they wanted from me at the Embassy was a couple of forms (DS-156, 157?) various bits’n’bobs from ‘the package’ the lawyers sent over, plus my passport(for the visa stamp), birth certificate, and US sized passport photos(something else you can get started on; I ended up printing the US Embassy guide to photographers and taking that to a local photoshop, it was a real pain to find anyone who did US sized pictures local to me). Oh, and money, of course. The lawyers will tell you if you need anything else.
Once you hear if you’ve been successful with your interviews, speak to the lawyers, see how long they’ll be to get everything together for you, and book an appointment at the Embassy – the wait for one is about a month, minimum.
Good luck!
jimmyjimjim said:
I’m assuming you are not a manager, and so you’ll be looking at an L1-B? If so, look forward to the PERM and a year of twiddling your thumbs! If you can manage to go over as a manager (of people, not just a job title), this is a good thing, as you avoid the headache of PERM, and get another 2 years on the visa to sort out the residency. Glad to hear you’ve got a degree – this is one of the many times in the US it comes in handy; it really cuts the processing times down by putting you into a higher category and thus a higher processing priority than without one.
A months car rental is well worth having, if you can swing it – if not, be sure you get the monthly rate for the cheapest pos they have, as the monthly rate will work out a good chunk cheaper than anything else. Also check to see if the company will ship your stuff over. If they do, take everything(except cheap 240v appliances; expensive ones you can find transformers for), even if you’re going to throw it out – you can give it to charity and claim it as a deduction on your US tax return.
I’d certainly investigate what HSBC can do for you; I met a fair few people who were aware that ‘something’ could be done in this respect, but none of them had the slightest inkling on how this could be achieved. I didn’t desperately need it, as I was going to rent for a couple of years before buying a house, and had sufficient cash to get a secured car loan. It sounds like this could really smooth the way for you, so well worth talking to someone who knows what they are talking about.
As for being with BoA, you don’t have to stick to one account! I’d go for the HSBC account to get you up and running and save headaches, then talk to your colleagues to see who they bank with and who has the best rates; I ended up with a local credit union(these often offer better rates than the large institutions) and Bank of the West – your company will almost certainly be able to direct deposit into both(my online pay check app allows a pretty much unlimited number of deposits) – if you walk in and say “I’d like to set up a bank account and DD my paycheck in to it”, they’ll sign you up on the spot, regardless of credit. Don’t expect to get a credit card from them immediately, though!
Cars – the tire choice is more important than anything else, awd/4wd is less so – a lot of people in Colorado drive 2wd, but have a spare set of wheels for winter. Bear in mind that the US idea of salting/gritting is to use small boulders, and not bother sweeping the roads clear in summer, so whatever you get will get more stone chips than you’d believe possible - getting something you care less about is a good idea. The evo looks like someone has sandblasted the front of it. Grrr. It’ll also cost less insurance wise. On a similar note, a lot of the insurance cost is tied to the length of commute, so if you can find a place close to work, this will also help.
Garaging is less important in this respect than you’d think, but it does save you having to clear a foot of snow in the morning.
I meant to say – scan everything, as you can then respond to the legal eagles within minutes with whatever they request(fairly sure this infuriated mine, as they’d get everything almost immediately and had to continue working, rather than bill for coffee breaks, or whatever it is they do). You need the originals too, in case USCIS ask for them (this won’t be until later down the line, assuming you go for residency).
I needed the degree transcript for the PERM(at least the lawyers thought so, no idea if they did anything with it), so you won’t need it prior to your move; it cost me a month or so to sort it out from the US – universities tend to take their time responding. On a similar note, make sure the copy of your birth certificate is the FULL copy. Having a passport that covers the full length of the visa period also saves you the headache of renewing while abroad. I also had a colleague have his visa renewal application turned down because his passport was getting a bit worn; he had to get it renewed in a hurry, and get another embassy appointment a month later. I got a passport cover and store all the important docs in a fire safe as a result of this.
If I remember correctly, what they wanted from me at the Embassy was a couple of forms (DS-156, 157?) various bits’n’bobs from ‘the package’ the lawyers sent over, plus my passport(for the visa stamp), birth certificate, and US sized passport photos(something else you can get started on; I ended up printing the US Embassy guide to photographers and taking that to a local photoshop, it was a real pain to find anyone who did US sized pictures local to me). Oh, and money, of course. The lawyers will tell you if you need anything else.
Once you hear if you’ve been successful with your interviews, speak to the lawyers, see how long they’ll be to get everything together for you, and book an appointment at the Embassy – the wait for one is about a month, minimum.
Good luck!
I am not sure which of the two L1 visas it would be, I would need to check with my HR Manager in the states... it seems 1 is for management and 2 is for specialised knowledge...A months car rental is well worth having, if you can swing it – if not, be sure you get the monthly rate for the cheapest pos they have, as the monthly rate will work out a good chunk cheaper than anything else. Also check to see if the company will ship your stuff over. If they do, take everything(except cheap 240v appliances; expensive ones you can find transformers for), even if you’re going to throw it out – you can give it to charity and claim it as a deduction on your US tax return.
I’d certainly investigate what HSBC can do for you; I met a fair few people who were aware that ‘something’ could be done in this respect, but none of them had the slightest inkling on how this could be achieved. I didn’t desperately need it, as I was going to rent for a couple of years before buying a house, and had sufficient cash to get a secured car loan. It sounds like this could really smooth the way for you, so well worth talking to someone who knows what they are talking about.
As for being with BoA, you don’t have to stick to one account! I’d go for the HSBC account to get you up and running and save headaches, then talk to your colleagues to see who they bank with and who has the best rates; I ended up with a local credit union(these often offer better rates than the large institutions) and Bank of the West – your company will almost certainly be able to direct deposit into both(my online pay check app allows a pretty much unlimited number of deposits) – if you walk in and say “I’d like to set up a bank account and DD my paycheck in to it”, they’ll sign you up on the spot, regardless of credit. Don’t expect to get a credit card from them immediately, though!
Cars – the tire choice is more important than anything else, awd/4wd is less so – a lot of people in Colorado drive 2wd, but have a spare set of wheels for winter. Bear in mind that the US idea of salting/gritting is to use small boulders, and not bother sweeping the roads clear in summer, so whatever you get will get more stone chips than you’d believe possible - getting something you care less about is a good idea. The evo looks like someone has sandblasted the front of it. Grrr. It’ll also cost less insurance wise. On a similar note, a lot of the insurance cost is tied to the length of commute, so if you can find a place close to work, this will also help.
Garaging is less important in this respect than you’d think, but it does save you having to clear a foot of snow in the morning.
I meant to say – scan everything, as you can then respond to the legal eagles within minutes with whatever they request(fairly sure this infuriated mine, as they’d get everything almost immediately and had to continue working, rather than bill for coffee breaks, or whatever it is they do). You need the originals too, in case USCIS ask for them (this won’t be until later down the line, assuming you go for residency).
I needed the degree transcript for the PERM(at least the lawyers thought so, no idea if they did anything with it), so you won’t need it prior to your move; it cost me a month or so to sort it out from the US – universities tend to take their time responding. On a similar note, make sure the copy of your birth certificate is the FULL copy. Having a passport that covers the full length of the visa period also saves you the headache of renewing while abroad. I also had a colleague have his visa renewal application turned down because his passport was getting a bit worn; he had to get it renewed in a hurry, and get another embassy appointment a month later. I got a passport cover and store all the important docs in a fire safe as a result of this.
If I remember correctly, what they wanted from me at the Embassy was a couple of forms (DS-156, 157?) various bits’n’bobs from ‘the package’ the lawyers sent over, plus my passport(for the visa stamp), birth certificate, and US sized passport photos(something else you can get started on; I ended up printing the US Embassy guide to photographers and taking that to a local photoshop, it was a real pain to find anyone who did US sized pictures local to me). Oh, and money, of course. The lawyers will tell you if you need anything else.
Once you hear if you’ve been successful with your interviews, speak to the lawyers, see how long they’ll be to get everything together for you, and book an appointment at the Embassy – the wait for one is about a month, minimum.
Good luck!
I am currently a Quality Manager (with reports), and the new role will be as a Quality Manager for design and development programs in Medical Devices globally across ~6 sites... I had assumed it was L1a
The company will indeed ship my goods in a container, as well as provide a realtor and various other advisers... the months wage tax free will also be invaluable I am sure!
What difference does it make to the process that the company has a blanket L1?
If you're going to have people reporting to you, it'll be L-1A, which makes things a fair bit easier for you in the long run. The L-1B (specialised knowledge, or how they bring you over if you don't have people reporting to you) is where you run in to the hassle of job certification and so on - so it looks like you could be golden there.
The blanket L visa approval makes things easier for the initial visa application (the embassy visit) -
"In the case of a blanket L-1 visa petition, it has already been determined by USCIS that the company qualifies for the issuance of Intracompany Transferee visa, so the individual visa applicant need only file a copy of the approved blanket petition, along with documents supporting their personal qualifications, with the U.S. consulate or embassy having jurisdiction over their place of residence proving the applicant's qualification"
So you should be laughing. My company has a blanket approval as well, so I don't really know how painful it would be without it - for the L1-B it really was pretty simplistic, my input was to provide some info to the lawyers, fill in two forms, and turn up to the embassy. Your experience should be pretty much identical.
The blanket L visa approval makes things easier for the initial visa application (the embassy visit) -
"In the case of a blanket L-1 visa petition, it has already been determined by USCIS that the company qualifies for the issuance of Intracompany Transferee visa, so the individual visa applicant need only file a copy of the approved blanket petition, along with documents supporting their personal qualifications, with the U.S. consulate or embassy having jurisdiction over their place of residence proving the applicant's qualification"
So you should be laughing. My company has a blanket approval as well, so I don't really know how painful it would be without it - for the L1-B it really was pretty simplistic, my input was to provide some info to the lawyers, fill in two forms, and turn up to the embassy. Your experience should be pretty much identical.
Maybe my experience is a little different froms some others here because I am in a different state (TX) and in a city with a lot of expats, but FWIW:
I didn't need a driving licence to buy, register or insure a car. Leases were cheap when I came over here in 06, so I leased a Volvo. Generally, the higher end Euro manufacturers will have an expat financing route, and with a letter from your employer, will give you a reasonable APR. Leases have since become relatively expensive, but if the adverts are anything to go by, they might be getting better again. I would advise you to get a SSN (Social Sec #) ASAP as this is the thing that is really needed.
One interesting aspect is that by law, your current car insurance will cover you on any additional or repaclement vehicle you buy, for 30 days. So once you have insurance, you can buy a car and drive it off the lot there and then. I find electricinsurance.com to be the cheapest insurance. I am paying about $2k per year on a 2008 Audi S4 and a 2009 Mazda CX9 SUV.
Getting credit shouldn't be a problem, but the APR might be. Car Insurance will be very expensive - maybe 3x what it is in the UK when you arrive. After 6 months or a year, it starts to come down rapidly - I was paying about 50% in year 2 of what I paid in year 1. Get as much small, cheap credit as you can (even on stuff like furniture, or clothes) and it will help. Credit cards are easy to come by with the larger banks, but you might have a low credit limit for a while.
I didn't need a driving licence to buy, register or insure a car. Leases were cheap when I came over here in 06, so I leased a Volvo. Generally, the higher end Euro manufacturers will have an expat financing route, and with a letter from your employer, will give you a reasonable APR. Leases have since become relatively expensive, but if the adverts are anything to go by, they might be getting better again. I would advise you to get a SSN (Social Sec #) ASAP as this is the thing that is really needed.
One interesting aspect is that by law, your current car insurance will cover you on any additional or repaclement vehicle you buy, for 30 days. So once you have insurance, you can buy a car and drive it off the lot there and then. I find electricinsurance.com to be the cheapest insurance. I am paying about $2k per year on a 2008 Audi S4 and a 2009 Mazda CX9 SUV.
Getting credit shouldn't be a problem, but the APR might be. Car Insurance will be very expensive - maybe 3x what it is in the UK when you arrive. After 6 months or a year, it starts to come down rapidly - I was paying about 50% in year 2 of what I paid in year 1. Get as much small, cheap credit as you can (even on stuff like furniture, or clothes) and it will help. Credit cards are easy to come by with the larger banks, but you might have a low credit limit for a while.
n1ckt001 said:
jimmyjimjim and friends said:
lots and lots of useful stuff
Sorry for the delay, now through 2 of the 6 interviews for the role... first one will definitely be the toughest I think, and it went ok...should know verbally by Friday, then off to Boston for 2 weeks in my current role...The likely package in our company (a rather large US industrial...) for a move to the US (L1 visa) includes 1 month tax free wages and a months accomodation, but it sounds like I might need to try and get them to throw in 1 months rental car or something along those lines!
I currently bank with HSBC (Advance, and no I won't earn enough to qualify for Premium sadly..), and on their website they say they can set up an account before I get there, and potentially transfer my credit history too...
Is this:
a) too good to be true, and credit history would count for diddly, as you have all said
b) HSBC aren't the best people to be with in the US anyway (rather Bank of America etc)?
Something with awd/4wd and winter tyres (sorry... tires
) is a must as you say...as much as I want rwd v8 muscle!Got scans of my degree cert, passport and birth certificate on my laptop now in case I start the process while I am away! Our plant is closing so a few are transferring to the US (S Carolina for the others..), and they are going through the forms now online, and it only requests the degree cert rather than transcript. Is transcript for interview or did you guys need it earlier?
I shall put my hands on that tonight anyway...
But they do only operate in MA/NH.
Adam
I'll only add re HSBC.
They did arrange as US based HSBC bank account for us before we moved here and crucially an unsecured US credit card with a credit limit based on our UK credit history. This way we got a decent credit limit to start with rather than soem idiotic limit that you would get offered if you walked in off the street with no US credit history. We did have to pay HSBC in the Uk for this but it was only GBP100 and well worth it for us to have debit and credit cards and the bak and credit accounts all ready to go when we landed. I think they hide it under their Internaitonal Services section of the web site. Contact the International Banking centre
Linky (hopefully)
They did arrange as US based HSBC bank account for us before we moved here and crucially an unsecured US credit card with a credit limit based on our UK credit history. This way we got a decent credit limit to start with rather than soem idiotic limit that you would get offered if you walked in off the street with no US credit history. We did have to pay HSBC in the Uk for this but it was only GBP100 and well worth it for us to have debit and credit cards and the bak and credit accounts all ready to go when we landed. I think they hide it under their Internaitonal Services section of the web site. Contact the International Banking centre
Linky (hopefully)
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