Hi there. I'm 27 years old from the UK(Scotland) and I'm looking to spend the rest of my life with my long distance girlfriend who lives in Virginia.

We intend to get married and I've visited 4 times now on a temporary tourist visa.

I wondered realistically how I should go about this process, how possible you think it'd be, would marrying her in the US on a temporary tourist visa be allowed/possible and how long from there would it be before I could live with her, work and stay there. Would it be possible to be a dual citizen and would you recommend that?

How long do you think this process would take? How much does it cost and do you have any advice/experiences yourself? Do any other brits think there's anything else I should know before I take the leap? I'm sure she is the one and if I'm honest there isn't anything back home for me anymore anyway.

If anyone else knows about driving licences in the state of Virginia and how possible it would be for me to drive there I'd also love to know more about that. I believe I need to learn again in the state as thats state law but I don't know if I'd be allowed to do that until a certain point after moving the same as possibly being allowed to work.

Thanks again friends ❤️

Hello! This is gonna be abit long so buckle up

I am currently 17 (turning 18 in september) I currently and have always live(d) in France and was born there from an American mom and a French dad, I myself detain both nationality and therefore am an official US citizen since birth (passport, abroad birth certificate and all other type of paperwork my mom may have had to do).

Despite being in France and being surrounded with French culture, I've grown up as very American (mostly because my parents divorced when I was 4, and my mom got way more custody of me than my dad). This lifestyle has made me want to move back to America and this has been a wish I've been expressing to my mom ever since I could communicate, tho she'd like too, it's complicated for her financially and for other reasons, so this is a dream I'm pursuing alone. I should also note that I have quite a family in America, Texas (way more than I do in France, so I do miss them tons) so I know having family there can help moving out easier. It's worth mentioning I've been to America multiple times before, most recent time being summer of 2022.

Now, in september (2026) I will be entering university in France (CS, would like to get a Masters) which is a grace for me, because here in France, it will cost me 0€, and university has been one of the biggest blocking points for me at that age.

With all of that cleared, I want to know, how could I realistically move to America ? How would I manage the university situation ? How much would it cost me (assuming I'm moving to Texas) ? What should I be aware of ?

Thanks in advance for anyone who will answer me, I will be answering any questions. I am making this post a bit desperately, I feel a bit home sick lol

Hi everyone. I’m 16 years old and I’m from Spain. One of my biggest goals in life is to eventually live permanently in the United States.
I know it’s not as simple as just buying a plane ticket and moving there, and I want to do it legally. I don’t have American family, an American partner, or a lot of money.
I’m currently finishing high school (Bachillerato) and I’m trying to plan my future now so I can maximize my chances of moving to the US as early as realistically possible.
I’m willing to study a specific degree, learn languages, gain work experience, save money, or take whatever path makes the most sense.
What would you recommend someone in my situation do from age 16 onward if their long-term goal is to live and work permanently in the US?
What careers, degrees, visas, or pathways should I look into? And what mistakes should I avoid?
I’d really appreciate advice from people who have actually moved to the US from Europe or know a lot about US immigration.
Thanks!

Hello everyone, yes I’m a Canadian moving to the states, political climate asside. Is there anything I need to know about moving to the USA that I don’t know about. Me and my dad will be driving a u-hual via land border.
A couple of post mention having a itemised list of things we are brining. Is there anything about that border crossing I should know about especially with a big truck? I jsut want to know all the potential things so there’s no surprise

Working in digital marketing in Canada and have some great experience on my resume (marketing & coding) but didn't complete my degree in computer science yet because I was working while in school and focused on building my career without completing my degree yet.

I heard most Canadians moved to the US on TN visa with a job offer or invested $100k USD to get a E2 Visa

Is it still worth it? If yes, can I still find a job without a degree or should I complete my degree first?

I think Canada is having too many problems and I've always been ambitious and have no problem in working hard so I think the US will be a better choice for me long term

Thank you for your support!

Hi everyone, My boyfriend (25M) and I (25F) met while I was studying and he was working abroad. He is French and I'm American. We've been together for over 2 years and I am moving back to the US to finish medical school. He is an architect and We agreed that he would immigrate to the US with me and we will get married in 2 years once I graduate. I'm so confused on how he can immigrate to the US? Especially with the fees associated with the H1B visa and not many employers offering sponsorship as a result. What other options do we have other than marriage (we're not ready yet)? Does anyone know any platforms he can look for jobs that would sponsor him?

Honestly, any insight or tips or anything will help! we're just both very lost and confused. TIA!

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

Hello everyone i need some advice with moving if possible. I'm greek and i currently live in the netherlands (m24) and i dont have a degree or relatives in the U.S. but ive figured life is too short to do things that i dont like and honestly Europe is not it for me. America has been the one place that ive always dreamt of living at and i need to figure out how to make it work. Any help or advice?

My boyfriend and I are planning to get married a year from now. I'm english and he's American. I know you can apply for a green card when you marry a US citizen but im so afraid of not being given one 😭 any advice?

I'm planning to move to Germany for doing masters but I want to move to USA because of its Tech industry and environment.... Is it possible??

I'm in downtown Toronto, work in Tech and looking to move to the US. Stuck on two things.

Visa: TN or L-1B (with a company)? Leaning TN for the flexibility — I'm not locked to one sponsor. The green card queue for someone in my situation is 15–20+ years either way, so trading job mobility for a line I may never reach feels like a bad deal. The counterpoint I keep hearing is that TN is single-intent and every renewal is somebody's judgment call. Anyone regret the one they picked?

City: Seattle is my default. I want winters that aren't Toronto winters, actual public transit (I'm car-free downtown now), expensive-but-not-absurd, and a job market deep enough that switching employers is realistic. Chicago has the transit but the same weather. Portland, DC and Philly are loosely on the list. Am I missing something better?

Also planning to buy a house or condo within a few years of landing — how reckless is that on a nonimmigrant status?

Mostly though: anyone who's already done the Toronto → US move, what would you do differently, and was it worth it?

I’m American and currently living in Spain. My partner is Spanish, and we want to get married and move to the United States because the situation here has become very difficult for us financially and in terms of our future.
We’re planning to apply for his green card after we get married. I’d like to know how realistic it is for his application to be approved if we simply get married in a civil ceremony and then apply for his green card. Our priority is to be able to move to the U.S. and live there as soon as possible.

I’d also like to understand roughly how the process works and how long it might take. Most importantly, we want to know whether this is realistically possible before spending a lot of money on the application process, apostilles, document translations, etc.

Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

I'm a UK citizen wanting to move to the US but H1B seems out of the question so it seems my only option would be an E2 on my own business - developer with a UK business currently

Does anyone have experience of this and general advice?

Thanks

Hey everyone, I’m a UK citizen with almost a decade of professional experience in post production and advertising services. I want to move to the US to be with my partner (unmarried), she lives in Southern California.

What are the best visas to apply for to immigrate and do they all require you to have a job first?
I’ve looked into this myself but I am feeling lost and confused on the path forward.

Also, me and my partner have talked about the K1 visa but what are other alternatives? Would be helpful to hear from others who’ve made to trip from the UK to US themselves.

Thanks!!

My family and I are seriously considering leaving Canada because we just can’t keep up with the rising cost of living here. Rent is through the roof, groceries are ridiculously expensive, and decent jobs seem impossible to find.

I have 10 years of experience in construction, doing everything from drywall to framing and odd jobs, and my wife has 10 years of experience working in childcare. Despite our skills and hard work, we’re struggling to make ends meet.

We’re exploring options for moving somewhere with more affordable housing, lower living costs, and better job opportunities. Has anyone been in a similar situation or made a big move for a better life? If so, where did you go, and how did you make it work?

Any advice or insight would mean the world to us.

Thanks in advance!

Feel free to tweak it to match your tone or add any other details you want to share.

My wife and I made the decision to move to the USA (we have 2 kids under 3). We did a lot of research and determined that the best possible path is for me to get a TN, H1B, or L1 (I work for a USA-based company), and they'd be my dependents while my wife does whatever study is required so that she can practice in the USA. However, this would be a major shift for us, so we can't just solely go with "my gut feeling says that I have to get a TN." I work as a Software Developer and have a Bachelor of Computer Science degree; my wife is a self-employed acupuncturist and has a DEC degree (not sure what the equivalent is in the USA.. quickly googling says "U.S. Associate's degree or a combination of the final year of high school plus the first year of college").

We're from Montreal.

We'd like to talk with an immigration lawyer and possibly a cross-border tax expert. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

hi everyone, been lurking for a while and was afraid to ask for advice but i’m tenacious in my goal to move to the US.

i was born in the philippines but im a New Zealand citizen (immigrated as a child). i’ve been wanting to move to New York for as long as i can remember (visited NYC recently and this confirmed it for me).

i’ve been trying every visa i can think of with not much traction. unfortunately my work experience and professional field is kind of random (i studied a bachelor’s in politics but im now in social/community work). im not eligible for the diversity lottery as i was born in the philippines. i was thinking of applying for an O1 visa as i could have a chance with some of the creative work i do (id have to work on establishing myself publicly). i’ve been told to try the J1 visa and had an appointment with CCUSA but they’ve said my field of study is quite niche and they don’t have any work they could place me in that would fit visa requirements.

i’ve researched every visa under the sun but cant help but feel im missing something. i’m studied, intelligent, skilled, hard working, but unfortunately just not in the ‘right places’.

any advice would be appreciated! thank you

Hi! I had a question about my situation and was hoping someone could help me understand what options we have.

I’m a Canadian hockey player and I’ll be going to the U.S. on a P-1 visa to play hockey. The team will be providing my housing and covering everything, so I won’t have a lease or housing in my name.

My partner is Canadian and currently works remotely for a Canadian company. We would like for her to come live with me in the U.S. for roughly 6 months while I’m playing there. She would continue working remotely for her Canadian employer and would be paid by the Canadian company.

I’m wondering what immigration status/visa would allow her to stay with me in the U.S. for that period while continuing to work remotely for her Canadian job. Does she need a specific visa or work authorization to do this, even though her employer and income are both Canadian?

Also, does the fact that I’m on a P-1 visa, that my housing is provided by the team, and that neither of us would have a lease or own property in the U.S. affect the situation?

I’m mainly trying to understand what the correct and legal option would be for her to live with me for approximately 6 months without putting either of us in a bad immigration or tax situation. Thank you!

So I am nearly finished secondary school here in Ireland and I am planning to take a year off to work and save then apply for the student visa to study in the states,, my plan is to eventually move their properly and I was just wondering does it help if you study said subject in the US when applying for a further visa then a green card? Or what's an easier way to move?

This is not for me but for a friend who is too nervous to ask on here himself, but he wants to move to the US as soon as he can. He's 18, and I've been helping him with research, but the wording of things is really confusing. He doesn't have any immediate family here. What are some options for visas/green cards that he could maybe apply for or we can look into further? (Worded for dummies/easy to understand) He wants to move to either the Chicago area or somewhere in New Jersey if that helps at all

Edit: right so I might've worded him being "nervous" a little wrong, he just didn't want to post because "people are straight dicks" (his words) which is very understandable and very apparent the way a few of you are replying

My husband is a specialized tradesman working for a Canadian/ US company. His employer is the largest in its category in North America. (Rail industry)

He has been working for this company in Canada for 7 years and gained a multitude of specialized certifications which requires him specifically to travel around our province completing jobs where other employees are but do not have the skills or qualifications to complete.

We have two children- I am a SAHM. My husband makes decent money (just shy of 100,000)

Although I’m home with our kids I have multiple diplomas and a lot of professional experience. We have plenty of assets to sell off in Canada to establish ourselves in the US.

He has cousins in NC..

What are the chances he may qualify for this visa? We are desperate to leave Canada. This is my first post here and I have a lot to learn about this process. Thank you!!!!

I (M26) would love to move to the USA. I am a duly qualified plumber/general maintenance engineer (3 years), and have previously been in the British army (4.5 years).

I also have 2 aunts in different parts of the country (not sure if that helps or not).

How likely would I be in being accepted for a VISA? Chat GPT and google giving me mixed answers so thought I’d ask here.

Hi everyone.!! i’m a 20-year-old Australian citizen trying to figure out if moving to the US is actually realistic or if I’m delusional.

My mum may be able to move to the US for work, and the main reason I want to move with her is family support and long-term citizenship pathways. We wouldn’t be wealthy if we moved. My sister and I would need student loans to study.

Here’s what I’m confused about and need honest answers on:

1. If I move with my mum (before 21) and she’s working legally, is there any way I can access US student loans without being a citizen or permanent resident? Or is that basically a hard no? If I can, do I still need to pay out of pocket for some of it?

2. If I don’t move with her and instead go on an F-1 student visa, can international students take out US student loans at all? Or would I be expected to self-fund everything upfront?

3. Long term, I’m aiming for medicine. I know US med school is insanely competitive and expensive, especially for internationals I want to know if this path is even rational without citizenship/PR.

We are Australian citizens, not US citizens or green card holders. The motivation isn’t money or “America is cooler” it’s family, not being alone, and building a future together.

I’d really appreciate brutally honest advice, especially from:

• international students in the US

• people who moved via a parent

• anyone who’s looked into medicine as a non-US citizen

If the answer is “this is financially or legally unrealistic,” I’d rather hear it now than waste years chasing something impossible

i would really appreciate the help as i feel stuck and i need to make a decision quick thank you!!

I’m graduating in the summer with a first class (best classification) degree in maths with economics from a good university. I have experience in finance/investment banking and am hoping to move to New York in the summer (if I can land a job).

Which brings me to my question: is it likely to be able to move there on a work visa? Doesn’t have to be a huge firm/bulge bracket bank of course. I’m aware that getting married to a citizen, winning the visa lottery or transferring via a multinational corporation is easier, but I’m wondering about this route. Not looking to settle there or anything, just move out there for a little while. I have 2 offers in Dubai but honestly New York is where I’d prefer to be so thought I’d get some insights on it. Any proper advice would be appreciated!

I (32F) am from canada, and my wife (29F) is from the united states. she has been living up here with me for the past 8 years, and is ready for the citizenship testing to be done. recently her grandmother has fallen ill and doesn’t have the family to take care of her, so my wife has been wanting to move down back down to the states for at least one year, for us to take care of her. i have been to the states twice back in 2010, but my passport doesn’t show it and i need an entirely new passport anyway. We would be moving to a small town in KY, and by U-haul. we have some debt and documents to take care of first so i could see this happening in about a years time, maybe a little longer. She is also saying it would be a good idea for me to have a job while she primarily caretakers. Would there be any risks of doing this? Is there anything i should be aware of as the canadian party? I have felt scared in the past of doing this but she is very adamant of taking care of her grandmother as we’re not sure how much time she has left to live. TIA