Young couple wanting to move to California

Welcome to Expat-blog, Candn14

It might be useful to view the Life in the USA guide, it contains artciles about moving to the USA.

Good luck

Regards,
Sheetul

I know you are young, but think long and hard about this choice.  Most Americans are moving AWAY from California for many reasons.  Here are just a few: life is far more expensive there than the rest of the US. Even with recently depressed real estate prices, the cost of rents, food and maintaining the essential car are shockingly high.  Depressed real estate prices mean that a small house that sold for $100,000 US fifteen years ago is no longer at its recent high price of $580,000, but has gone down to a mere $485,000, still far out of reach of most Americans.  Or, alternatively, the house is some place that you would not want to be -- far, far out in a suburb now deserted by people who defaulted on house payments.  By US standards -- and because of poor planning -- CA is crowded, overbuilt and people are highly dependent on cars, often to commute for long periods of time each day.  Work is difficult to come by even for those well-educated at top US universities -- and Americans are notoriously ill-informed about, and disrespectful of, non-US schools.  Huge natural disasters hit California with shocking frequency and include mudslides, raging forest fires and earthquakes.  Despite border security, Latin Americans still flow into California by the hundreds of thousands, often with the support of their families.  Think long and hard and then consider where else you can find the things you like.  Good luck.

nycexpat, i could not agree with you more ...
I moved here recently from another state and have to tell that you there is so much more struggle here financially and mentally. Crowded, low quality of rented apartments, overpriced housing market, high taxes, terrible commute, crime, air pollution, terrible public transportation. The only good thing is food.
And weather is disappointing  (bcs i am in Northern CA and it is cold in the summer and damp in the winter).

Please taking input from Americans is not a good idea, people from other countries settling in the USA yes, they have been there and whatever they tell you please take it. Americans have no idea what we go thru to get permanent residency in the US. Their idea of moving is based on moving from State to State, they know nothing about residency requirement in the US.
To be honest coming here n vacation and living here is completely two different things. You won't be able to work, and yes you are going to be illegal and life can be hell.
The best thing you can do is for both of you to go back to school because you can get student visas, but you have to prove that you can pay fully for your schooling. Can you pay the $40,000 yearly per person college tuition here in the USA?  You both come from countries here you can educate yourselves without worries why put yourselves thru these nightmares, unless you want to try and if it doesn't work out you pack up and go back home. Others do it by getting married to Americans or permanent residents, but you two are in love so…………….. And this marriage thing takes over five years …..

Dear Candn14,

Your embassy will tell you about the residency requirements for the US from your countries. There IS such a thing as legal immigration and the USA accepts a certain number of legal immigrants per country each year, (most European countries are part of this but not all countries in the world are). Also there are some countries with refugee status that take priority but neither of your nations fit that bill. If you want to become citizens, apply early for it will take some years to acquire it but it is possible.  Regardless of the numbers allowed, if you have a specialty that the US Gov has listed on its' immigration page, that means we need people with specific skills and will waive immigration restrictions for those people. Off the top of my head, I know for sure that certain physicians are in that field. And some high tech people. Private sector employers will do the application for you, as would a government agency if you work for them. Clearly if you have a job lined up, your chances are exponentially higher. For instance, nursing agencies and physician recruiters hire foreign workers and do all the visa work for you. A nursing degree is a relatively fast way to have job security and geographic freedom.


Otherwise, don't come without some savings to get you to the time when you have some sort of work. Despite the negative press from some here on this site, there ARE jobs in food service. My son is an actor with a college degree and he gets work as an actor. But he also teaches students to prepare them for college entrance tests, and waits tables and bartends.  The film industry is a tough field but everyone here understands that. As a parent who has put 2 kids through college and has another coming soon, I can tell you for sure that  It is UNUSUAL for college to cost $40,000 a year. You can attend a junior college for 2 years for a few thousand per year, and then go to a state school for under $20k for 2 years so your total cost for a 4 year college education could be under $40k and  you already have a bachelor's.  Enrolling part time in a master's program or teaching credential program would save time and money.

Not that many people apply from Denmark (compared to England) so I'd think a Danish application would get some consideration.  Also, student visas are available. Are you married? It could help, but I'm not positive given you are from different countries. See which nation offers the easiest route. Ask your embassy but make it clear that you are already considering marriage and are merely asking about it, as a timing question and not to "fool" the US. Make sense?

California has relatively high unemployment for the US, but it depends where you live and we tend to go both ways with the economy. Meaning, when times are hard, they can be hardest here but when times are good, they are very good here. The closer to coastal cities, the harder it will be during a recession, and the easier it will be to find work, when we bounce back as we hope to do soon. In central California, 2-3 hours inland, housing is much much cheaper, but you'll have to aim for a small city with jobs. There isn't really a place in California with bad weather, but some parts are much drier than others.

I don't know your skill level educationally, or your field, but if you can teach, then you might want to try "Teach America" b/c it's one of the few teaching  organizations with jobs that are open now, but with a catch. It's usually in urban areas that are for high risk youths, so there can be danger and high turnover and burn out for the teachers. Otherwise, teaching jobs are harder to come by here.  The state beneifts have been generous for a long time. And it's taking a toll on the budget so most voters and even the politicians seem aware that much of those will be cut. Still, I can't imagine drastic cuts too soon. But you're young and not yet citizens, so that's a far way off.   Also try Vista or other non profit organizations that pay stipends but provide housing, if that's of interest to you.

Are your degrees in science or biomedical fields? That would help, as would computer skills in northern California. Amgen, Silicon Valley, and numerous bio technology organizations are abundant in California. So is green technology too. For part time work, try tutoring privately.
There are many negative viewpoints but I don't have one of them. I am hopeful for you b/c I think 
Hope this helps. Welcome!! Good luck. I love California and I've lived in many states and was raised in the nations capital. It's beautiful here. It's expensive but I find the beauty and the weather well worth it, so far. Don't let bitter people discourage you but learn from their lessons if they are offering specifics. Otherwise, if they're merely bitter and their situation does not apply to you, ignore it and pursue your dreams. You're young. If you don't try now, then when will you?

My husband and I moved to California right after we got married. The Visa process is lengthy and you'll have to jump through a lot of hoops but we had a wonderful three years there.

We particularly liked Northern California. San Francisco is a great city to start your adventures in. We ended up a little further North in Marin where we had quite a lot of neighbors from all over the world and were really welcomed into a community.

Listen to spitfire8 and ignore the negative posts above. I think this is a great place to live but you do need to do RESEARCH and lots of it. And you probably need to have a really long read through all the different visas online and eventually get a visa lawyer if you plan to process a work visa.

candn14

The process is not easy. You can apply by yourself or through employer sponsorship.

H visa

If there are US corporation who would sponsor you on employment visa, you can move to the US in less than 6 months. This is subject to quota. Typically, the employer have to prove that the vacant position require specific skill, no local employee can take the position and that your salary is not below of that US or permanent residence employees. Also your documents would be scrutinized by the US consul before any visa would be granted to you.

There are also visas for Physicians and any individual with 'Extra-Ordinary Ability'.

If you apply as permanent residence based on 'skills in demand', you must be qualified to do this and i.e. you have at least a Master Degree equivalent and work experiences from your home country. Typically 2 to 5 years wait and is subject to quota.

US Lottery applies only to any ethnicity that has less population in the US.

Business visa

If you have savings and willing to invest - its another easy route to move to the US. It comes with condition though.

Other than the above, I dont know any other way aside from family sponsorship or marriage to US citizen that allows you to move to the US permanently, without the quota.