Starting Life/Work in US - Tips and Stories

[shopaholic18]

i haven't been to US but our K1 petition just got approved and i would just like to ask what are the things that i need to bring with me when i go there? what are the things i need to do before i actually leave. any insights will do, thank you in advance.

[snowflakes]

sis, or anyone who can answer my query,  will be very much  appreciated. Right now, my hubby works in  Alberta, Canada and soon, his 2-year work visa will expire. he is thinking of moving to the US kasi sobrang lamig sa Canada. He has a job offer in Jacksonville, Florida as asst. manager also in McD.. initially, the employer asked him if he is authorized to work in the US. what does that mean, mga sis? i am not familiar with the rules and policies sa work visa ng US kasi. skilled worker ba ang asst manager sa restaurant mga sis? under what type of visa ba siya under mga sis? thanks

firs of all, assistant manager in mcdo is not considered skilled worker in the US. the employer is asking if your husband is authorize to work means if he has SSN. it means nasa US sha and legal na mag work.
only nurses, PT/RT/OT and some teachers and considered skilled workers and pwedeng i petition ng employer. there is a lot or i may say huge amount of people in florida who can be eligible to work as assistant manager in Mcdo. i am not raining on your parade, i am just stating the fact.

i haven't been to US but our K1 petition just got approved and i would just like to ask what are the things that i need to bring with me when i go there? what are the things i need to do before i actually leave. any insights will do, thank you in advance.

it depends kung san state ka pupunta sis....

[shopaholic18]

^sa San Diego sis.

[Vera]

i haven't been to US but our K1 petition just got approved and i would just like to ask what are the things that i need to bring with me when i go there? what are the things i need to do before i actually leave. any insights will do, thank you in advance.

Nothing in particular from the Philippines. My advice: you have to be adaptable to your new environment as fast as you can. If you have to take it to the extreme, do it. The goal is to become "mainstream" in the shortest possible period of time. Example: when I first came to the U.S., I immediately attended networking events in San Francisco and mingled with business owners and CEOs. Self confidence is key. I also avoided eating Filipino food for three months. We also live in a predominantly-white neighborhood and I didn't crave to be in the company of Filipinos. Kasi what I see in the U.S. is that if you won't go out of your comfort zone, you won't learn to live on your own. Befriend locals, Jewish people, other Asians, whites, colored men and women. Join as many gatherings as you can: book clubs, cooking clubs, afternoon tea club, etc.

[Vera]

sisters patulong nman, ang hirap hirap na kasi. baka may kakilala kayong may ari ng business na willing mag sponsor. kahit anong trabaho (pero syempre yung  mabibigyan ng visa, may justification baga) ako ang sasagot sa lahat ng gastos.  babayaran ko din sya syempre.  malapit na  kasing mag expire ang visa ko  naghahanap nga ako ng mapapakasalan, mahirap din makahanap. kung  masama ang naipost ko, paki delete na lang. bawal ba ang ganitong discussion dito?  paki pm na lang pls.  ayokong mag tnt so hanggang may magagawang paraan, gagawin ko. salamat

You should go back to the Philippines and reenter the U.S. for another 6 months (I assume you have a tourist visa). TNT is not an option -- once caught, you will be deported to the Philippines and banned to reenter the U.S. for the next 10 years.

[Vera]

sis, or anyone who can answer my query,  will be very much  appreciated. Right now, my hubby works in  Alberta, Canada and soon, his 2-year work visa will expire. he is thinking of moving to the US kasi sobrang lamig sa Canada. He has a job offer in Jacksonville, Florida as asst. manager also in McD.. initially, the employer asked him if he is authorized to work in the US. what does that mean, mga sis? i am not familiar with the rules and policies sa work visa ng US kasi. skilled worker ba ang asst manager sa restaurant mga sis? under what type of visa ba siya under mga sis? thanks

1. If the US employer asks if your husband can legally work in the U.S., they would like to know if your husband has a US-issued social security number (SSN). I would assume your husband doesn't have any so, no, he cannot work legally in the U.S.

2. Restaurant jobs are not considered skilled, unless the jobs are at 5-star gourmet restaurants

3. Your husband can only work in the U.S. if the employer sponsors his work VISA. Unless there's a scarcity of applicants (who can legally work in the U.S.) for the position in the U.S., I don't see any reasons the employer should do the paperwork for your husband. Plus, restaurant jobs aren't considered skilled. Not even the managerial positions.

ok sis xthine. thanks so much. in that case, can we (with our son, eventually) come with him sa States? and one more thing sis, can he ask the employer if the job offered is permanent or not, kasi from what i know, diba dapat ang employer ang mag aapply ng visa for the worker, just like in Canada -- or is it the opposite? thanks. sorry i have a lot of queries..

1. Assuming your husband can get a working visa in the U.S., the answer is NO.

2. Assuming your husband is petitioned by his future employer as an immigrant (green card holder), the answer is yes. The process for the spouse takes around 2 years to complete.

3. Your husband should already know the nature of the contract before he accepts it. Of course he can ask the employer at any time.

Good luck!

[shopaholic18]

Nothing in particular from the Philippines. My advice: you have to be adaptable to your new environment as fast as you can. If you have to take it to the extreme, do it. The goal is to become "mainstream" in the shortest possible period of time. Example: when I first came to the U.S., I immediately attended networking events in San Francisco and mingled with business owners and CEOs. Self confidence is key. I also avoided eating Filipino food for three months. We also live in a predominantly-white neighborhood and I didn't crave to be in the company of Filipinos. Kasi what I see in the U.S. is that if you won't go out of your comfort zone, you won't learn to live on your own. Befriend locals, Jewish people, other Asians, whites, colored men and women. Join as many gatherings as you can: book clubs, cooking clubs, afternoon tea club, etc.

sis thanks a lot. i'm kind of on the fence on the getting along with different races since i've only been living all my life here in the PH. one good thing is that my fiance is a filipino as well but since you've told me about how to adapt faster in a new life in the US, now i know what to do. i've always been the friendly one, too friendly for my fiance sometimes and he always says choose who to be friends with especially when i get there. most of the time i befriend even a co worker and they take advantage of me and that's what he's worried about but i know now how to handle those and also how i will do it when i get there. thanks again!

[annn]

i haven't been to US but our K1 petition just got approved and i would just like to ask what are the things that i need to bring with me when i go there? what are the things i need to do before i actually leave. any insights will do, thank you in advance.

hi sis if youre k1 i suggest you bring all of the stuff you sent already during your i-129f thing (the pics and letters) because youre going to need that on your interview. also bring magic sarap and underwear..kasi pangit ang fit ng underwear dito..maybe just for me kasi mataba na ako. lol.

[Vera]

sis thanks a lot. i'm kind of on the fence on the getting along with different races since i've only been living all my life here in the PH. one good thing is that my fiance is a filipino as well but since you've told me about how to adapt faster in a new life in the US, now i know what to do. i've always been the friendly one, too friendly for my fiance sometimes and he always says choose who to be friends with especially when i get there. most of the time i befriend even a co worker and they take advantage of me and that's what he's worried about but i know now how to handle those and also how i will do it when i get there. thanks again!

You're welcome. I know the U.S. will be a new environment for you, but know that it's a nation of immigrants and everyone's friendly. You'll blend in easily. If your goal is to be "one of them" ASAP, I suggest you mingle with other races. Don't be like some Asians (esp Vietnamese) who are in the U.S. for 15-20 years already and yet many do not know how to communicate in English properly and they still eat Vietnamese food all the time and only mingle with Vietnamese. I think they missed out on so many great opportunities the U.S. can bring.

[shopaholic18]

^^thanks sis, underwear, naku i need to shop then.

^i'm ok naman with being friends with everybody, just so happen na wala naman masyadong foreigner dito so medyo challenging.

[swiTsuplada]

Nothing in particular from the Philippines. My advice: you have to be adaptable to your new environment as fast as you can. If you have to take it to the extreme, do it. The goal is to become "mainstream" in the shortest possible period of time. Example: when I first came to the U.S., I immediately attended networking events in San Francisco and mingled with business owners and CEOs. Self confidence is key. I also avoided eating Filipino food for three months. We also live in a predominantly-white neighborhood and I didn't crave to be in the company of Filipinos. Kasi what I see in the U.S. is that if you won't go out of your comfort zone, you won't learn to live on your own. Befriend locals, Jewish people, other Asians, whites, colored men and women. Join as many gatherings as you can: book clubs, cooking clubs, afternoon tea club, etc.

Hi sis Vera, I'm planning to offer my services in some of the American micro-business owners in East Coast area. How did you start "networking"? By the way, I'll be entering as B1/B2 visa holder. I'll be there for 2 months after attending a 1-week conference then all my weekends are free.

I'll also be registering my company in one of the states I'll be mostly staying. What do you suggest that I do as tourist looking for businesses I can offer my services with? Thanks in advance.

[CentrumSilver]

Check the local Chamber of Commerce for the area. It will list the different businesses. Maybe they will allow you to register.

[wahmjunkie2]

Hi, I never thought that there would be a chance for me to live in the US until my bf was offered to work in his present job's parent company in San Ramon, CA so I compelled myself to backread

We had been living together in the last 5 years, no kid yet, and planned on getting married soon after we have settled in the house we recently acquired (which we now doubt if we should keep it, but this requires a separate discussion). His offer came in as a surprise and based on his conversations, they intend for him to work there permanently. The plan is, he moves to a different position(work dept), spends the first 6 months here starting this October (April being the 6th month) and eventually immigrate.

I hope you could enlighten me with the ff (most are visa questions, I tried reading US Visa thread but most of them pertained to tourist visa):

1. Obviously, we should start planning at least a civil wedding in the next 2 months. I guess I should ask about this in the Wedding section if this is doable, your inputs are most welcome though.

 If we get married in 2 to 3 months time which would fall around December and given that US Immigration requires NSO marriage cert, which is available 2 to 3 months after, is there a possibility of being approved of a spousal visa so that we leave at the same time?

2. As I understand it, the employer applies for the principal's visa. It is then the dependent's duty to apply for his own provided that the principal is approved. Is this true?

3. San Ramon they say is an upscale area. True?

4. If I decide to work from home such as being a VA or transcriber, am I required to get EAC, SSN and pay taxes or can I just  go under the radar?

Again, thank you for your help.

[simplykristine08]

hello, girls, any idea if USPS will allow my brother to send a Kindle (ebook reader) from there to for example UAE or Pinas? Thanks. Sorry if dito pa ako nagtanong. Baka lang may idea kayo.

[snowflakes]

^ oo naman why not. babayaran naman nya eh.

[simplykristine08]

^ tumawag ako sa USPS, bawal daw ang kindle dahil lithium battery. so, di pwede

[snowflakes]

^awww that's their new policy. how about UPS or Fedex? or Johnny air na lang.

[simplykristine08]

^ yes sis, bagong policy ata. kasi before naman ata payag sila eh. more than 10x ata ako tumawag to make sure pero same sila ng sagot. haha. kala ko makakalusot ako. i am not in Pinas, nasa dubai ako and amazon kasi doesn't ship kindle na direcho dito eh, sa pinas pala pwede na. DHL nalang sis, i did order the new kindle na and pinaship ko nalang sa brother ko and DHL will pick up my package in my bro's house if ready na lahat. Thanks!

[snowflakes]

oo nga May 16 lang daw yung new policy, pero UPS and Fedex ok naman sila. i called them too. hehe

[simplykristine08]

^ weeh. thanks sis! sabi nga ni hubs itanong ko sa UPS at Fedex kasi baka mas mura kesa DHL. pero wala kame company account dyan sa dalawang yan so mas tipid pa rin kay DHL if i'm gonna use our account. Thanks so much, sis!