Many people find that immigrating to the USA can be a time-consuming, confusing and difficult process.
Unlike many
commonwealth countries, the USA does not operate a point-based system of qualification and does not offer a fast track residency process for people with specialist trades.
Anyone who is looking to live and work in the USA, on a
permanent or temporary basis, must qualify under one of the different visa categories.
For those who wish to remain in the USA on a long term basis there are three ways of doing so:
·
Family Relatives · If you have close family relatives who are US citizens or permanent residents (''Green Card'' holders) they may be able to sponsor you for permanent residence in the US.
· Only certain relatives will be able to sponsor you. Unless your US relative is your spouse, parent, child, brother or sister they will not be able to sponsor you.
· If you do have a US relative who would like to sponsor you for permanent residence please contact us.
·
Employment · Immigration based on employment in the US is strictly limited. Most people will find that they will be unable to immigrate to the US based on their qualifications and experience even if they are working within an occupation where there is a perceived shortage of US workers.
· It is possible to transfer to the US on a temporary basis if you already work for a company that has offices in the US and the UK. Such employment will not necessarily enable you to reside in the US permanently although in some cases your company may be able to sponsor you for a Green Card.
· If you are not being transferred to the US by your current employer then you must find an employer willing to sponsor you for a work visa. It is not possible to obtain a work visa in the US without a sponsor. Once you have found an employer in the US, it is your employer who must commence the process of applying for a visa for you.
·
Investment · If neither of the first two categories is applicable to you, then you may wish to consider investing in a business in the US. Maybe , certain investments will qualify the investor and his family for a visa that will allow him to live and work in the US on a long-term basis.