Thinking about temporarily moving to America. Advice?

[Pet Troll]

My OH and I are thinking of moving to America in the coming year for a few months , maybe a year or two. The reason being that there are so many things we would like to see and do in America but would not be able to afford to go on a long holiday.

Where is the best place to find info with regard work visa's/permits. I have spent a long time looking online but found a lot of conflicting advice.

Has anyone here done this before and got any advice or tips on how best to go about it? Or perhaps ideas on where best to locate? We have some ideas but have no idea what different areas are like or how to find out!

Also looking at some of the property websites there seem to be some incredibly cheap properties, not only to buy but to rent aswell. Is this too good to be true? Are they all in the areas that you are likely to get shot/raped or something?! eek!

[davepoth]

You need a job offer to move over there if you want a work visa. That can be tricky. Otherwise you're limited to three months on the visa waiver.

[jimmyjimjim]

davepoth said:

You need a job offer to move over there if you want a work visa. That can be tricky. Otherwise you're limited to three months on the visa waiver.

And you can't work on either the visa waiver or the tourist visa. Lots of good threads in the US and US's hat section.

[Pet Troll]

Thanks for mentioning that, I thought that was the case having looked at some websites. We would only be able to afford to move out there as a 'working holiday' so just going on a tourist visa isn't an option for us at the moment. Possible an option for the future though

Will go and have a look in the US section now (didn't even know there was one on here)!

[chazola]

You used to be able to stay for 6 months max out of a year on a holiday visa (one you have to apply at the Embassy for), not sure if they still issue the 6 month one but that's probably the easiest one. You can't work on it though and probably would need to prove you can support yourself for that time without work. Getting a work visa without a sponsor (job offer) is a bit of a nightmare- I was married to an American for a bit and even then it took ages to get the social security/temp green card sorted so I could work.

Edited by chazola on Monday 7th November 08:56

[SwanJack]

Have you thought of http://www.bunac.org/uk/workamerica/

[Matt Harper]

chazola said:

You used to be able to stay for 6 months max out of a year on a holiday visa (one you have to apply at the Embassy for), not sure if they still issue the 6 month one but that's probably the easiest one. You can't work on it though and probably would need to prove you can support yourself for that time without work. Getting a work visa without a sponsor (job offer) is a bit of a nightmare- I was married to an American for a bit and even then it took ages to get the social security/temp green card sorted so I could work.

Edited by chazola on Monday 7th November 08:56

The problem with the (B2) tourist visa, is that if you qualify to utilze the US visa waiver program a B2 application will be denied. Having a visa application denied is not a good thing, if future visa applications are anticipated...
What the OP is suggesting is practically impossible. Think of something else.

[-Pete-]

UK -> Mexico

Mexico -> USA

I've seen it on TV, looks EZ...

[Matt Harper]

-Pete- said:

UK -> Mexico

Mexico -> USA

I've seen it on TV, looks EZ...

Yes, that would probably work too.

[ChasW]

I did the BUNAC thing years ago which meant that I got a social security number and work permit for my stay. With this you can easily get temporary work because employers will rarely ask to see what visa you have. I went back for 2 more long vacations and worked.

[Matt Harper]

Employer needs more than an SSN. They are legally required to ask for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) if they file taxes. A non immigrant SS card (per J1) will also have "Valid for work only with INS authorization" printed on it. I'm guessing all of your 'employments' (illegal as they have been), were offered by equally dodgy (probably unauthorized) entities.
OP - you cannot legally do what you are suggesting - if you want to try it illegally, that's another matter altogether. The terms 'working' and 'holiday' are mutually exclusive in the eyes of USCIS - i.e. you are here for one or the other - not both.

[davepoth]

There's plenty of casual labour around for anyone who can speak English. There is a massive casual economy over in the USA, same as there is here. A sole trading carpenter, for example, might want someone to move wood around for them on a big job for a couple of days, but they are hardly likely to go through the effort of employing someone properly.

That said it is illegal and if you get caught you'll likely get thrown in jail for a time and banned from ever entering the USA again.

[Matt Harper]

Employing undocumented aliens in any capacity is illegal in itself and subject to some quite draconian punishment - as a result, the employers are usually undocumented too - a 'black economy' that is quite significant.
The reality is that the chances of getting caught (assuming you could find an employer willing to take you on) are pretty slim, but the consequences if you do, are quite severe and most definitely do involve incarceration.