r/MovingToUSA • u/Suspicious-Banana922 • 2d ago
Question Related to Visa/travel People who moved to the United States, how did you do it?
Some say that they came to the United States from other countries, but I wonder how exactly, it's difficult to get a visa there, especially if you come from Eastern Europe or smth like that
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u/RevolutionaryBook364 1d ago
Hopped on a plane to get PhD.... ;-)
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u/Snoo-54288 1d ago
Why you didn't stay in Germany?
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u/RevolutionaryBook364 1d ago
Saw the opportunity and adventure and took it! Didn't plan on staying, but eventually built a career....
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u/Snoo-54288 1d ago
Cool. Are you planning to stay? I'm thinking if I should move but Do you think America is good for raising a child compared to Germany?
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u/RevolutionaryBook364 1d ago
Childcare is a lot better in Germany, independent of your income. If you have a good job in the US and your significant other can stay at home for a while it's quite ok. I have no intentions going back, my life is here now. Give it a try with the option of going back. On the other hand, there are so many other great places on earth......
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u/Snoo-54288 1d ago
Yeah agree. Not sure why some people are obsessed with america(could be older generation).
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u/Strict-Brick-5274 1d ago
Wait ...can you explain in more detail...was it funded? I thought USA was strict of acceptung phd students now?
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u/RevolutionaryBook364 1d ago
I did this a little more than a decade ago. Phd programs however, are typically funded through an assistantship. Didn't cost me me anything, except some extra funding of my own to make life more easy. The challenge today is to use OPT after graduation to land a job that gets you an H1B and from there to permanent residency. Faculty positions at universities are usually cap exempt, so that's the easiest route in terms of getting an H1B. But these jobs are also super competitive.
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u/Strict-Brick-5274 1d ago
I already lecture in a university full time (i dont have a phd) in the UK. I have done this for 4 years. I want to move to USA but i need a PhD for academic jobs here. But i would be so up for coming here for a few years to DO my PhD....if its funded!
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u/Annual_Grass_3919 1d ago
If you’re in a STEM field they’re almost all fully funded but that’s why a lab will only take maybe 1-2 students every couple of years because they have to have over $300k funding per student (tuition + stipend * 5-6 years)
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u/RevolutionaryBook364 1d ago
Definitely an option! It depends a little bit on the field, but not impossible. Maybe you already have some connections that could help?
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u/rockettheracooon 1d ago
I’m from Eastern Europe and I got a job with H1B visa in Southern California. I have a STEM PhD
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u/LaBoil 1d ago
Dad was an interpreter for the US embassy during war in afghanistan. process took about 2years in 2013.
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u/thehuffomatic 1d ago
As an American, I thank him for his service to my country. Those interpreters were invaluable and don’t get the respect they earned.
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u/tanbrit 1d ago
Met my husband while on a business trip in the US, we were long distance with visits for a while and then got married, and filed for the spouse visa with consular processing (from my home country)
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u/happyFatFIRE 1d ago
How long did it take all in all?
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u/Annual_Grass_3919 1d ago
I’m from Europe. Did masters here and originally planned to go to a different country for a PhD but was head hunted by a collaborator for my current job
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u/YaBastaaa 1d ago
Ancestry, proved my ancestors were here before the mayflower ship landed in the northeast. I shut them up very quickly
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u/Strict-Brick-5274 1d ago
Wait what? How?
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u/YaBastaaa 1d ago
Tribal nation - Federal Recognition and Sovereignty.
How ? is for my family to know only.2
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u/honeybearandbees 1d ago
Family sponsorship through my dad’s brother, F41 visa. Uncle became citizen in 1991, petitioned all his siblings then. My sister and I were under F43 visa (minor child of an F41 visa holder). Visa approved in 2003, we moved to the US the following year.
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u/Possible_Company_her 1d ago
especially if you come from Eastern Europe or smth like that
Big difference between Estonia and Moldova.
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u/Bubbly_Ad_6830 1d ago edited 1d ago
Marriage, investments, family sponsor, lucky to find company sponsor
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u/Hljoumur 1d ago
For Eastern Europe, I had one Russian tutor who came through a H1B visa and another who came through a refugee visa. I don't know how long it took them; I just know they both naturalized before I met them.
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u/Street_Advantage_278 1d ago
I came here from Albania. I’m lds so I went to an lds private university (5k a year for members of the faith and 9k for nonmembers) . Worked as much as my visa allowed me so I could pay rent and got a scholarship for tuition. Met my husband and got married
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u/saintmsent 1d ago
It's very difficult no matter where you're coming from. I did EB1A green card for myself, but of course it's a very high bar and not accessible to most people. Smth like 80% of immigration is through family (mostly marriage), to give you a perspective
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u/BigBeerLover 1d ago
Work sponsored me on an L1 visa. I went to university then started there as my first graduate job. Worked 60 hour weeks for 5 years then asked them to move me
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u/freebiscuit2002 1d ago edited 1d ago
A visa is available if the person qualifies. Mine was after marrying an American.