The US is a highly desirable location to live and work, due to its rich history and social and economic landscape.
For British emigrants, the United States is the second most popular destination after Australia. The advantages of living in the US are obvious: there is no language barrier, there are fantastic job opportunities, and the opportunity to achieve a high quality of living.
Some of the key points you should be aware of when emigrating to the US from the UK include choosing the correct US visa, your working rights, and understanding your immigration status if you marry a US citizen.
Cost of living in the US
The cost of living in the US is relatively high. The median rent for an unfurnished apartment in the US is over $1,500 per month.
The average cost of household food expenditure is approximately $8,100. Meanwhile, the average wage for a person in the US is approximately $40,000 per year.
US visas
There are two forms of visas available if you intend to enter the US: immigrant visas and non-immigrant visas.
Non-immigrant visas include those for tourist, business, or temporary employment purposes. There are also study visas and investor visas.
Immigrant visas include family, fiancé, long-term employment, and ‘special immigrants’ visa categories. In most cases, you will need a sponsor in order to come to the United States as an immigrant.
Working in the US
If you are eligible, you may be able to come to the US for work purposes. You must ensure that you have the required immigration permissions and that your application has been accepted.
In general, you will need to have an employment-based immigrant visa, temporary employment visa, a green card (a permanent resident card) or a work permit (an authorised employment document).
When preparing your application to work in the US, you should be aware that US and UK qualifications adhere to different standards and it may be necessary for you to engage the services of an organisation to verify the equivalence of your qualifications.
Marrying in the US
If you intend to marry your partner in the US, you will need to follow the local laws in the location where you wish to marry.
The marriage will be automatically recognised in the United Kingdom if you enter into a legal marriage that is in accordance with US laws, and if the marriage would be recognised under British law.
You will not need to register the marriage in the UK. If you move back to the UK with your spouse, they may be eligible to apply for citizenship if they have lived in the UK for at least three years.
