Starting Life/Work in US - Tips and Stories

[Vera]

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.

What business are you in? US businesses thrive through word-of-mouth marketing and through referrals. Almost always, you land clients through referrals unless you offers services that your prospects really need.

Check out EventBrite and Meetup. Check out Lanyrd as well as LinkedIn events.

[Vera]

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?

-- Spouse visa takes more or less 2 years to process.

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?

-- As far as I know, the principal applies for the rest of his immediate family only (spouse and kids if any). Sometimes if the husband has an immigrant visa, the rest of the immediate family can be petitioned as well.

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

-- I live in San Francisco but relocating to Dublin, one town away from San Ramon. Bay Area in general is expensive. Yes, San Ramon is an upscale area together with its nearby cities (Dublin, Pleasanton, Danville, Walnut Creek). You have to drive to get around and make decent $$$ to live in this area


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?

-- Assuming you are in the U.S. as an immigrant, you will be given an SSN. If not, then you are not allowed to work. If you exclusively work online and deal with non-US clients, you can go under the radar; however, if you offer your VA services to business owners in person, you aren't legally permitted to do that.


Again, thank you for your help.

[swiTsuplada]

What business are you in? US businesses thrive through word-of-mouth marketing and through referrals. Almost always, you land clients through referrals unless you offers services that your prospects really need.

Check out EventBrite and Meetup. Check out Lanyrd as well as LinkedIn events.

Have not been checking this forum until now... just in time!

I'm planning to offer data entry and customer support services (just a small group to help out home based workers in PH). I'll check that once I got the chance tomorrow!

Thanks sis!

[_gigles_]

I've been wanting to relocate to US, but idk how and where to start. I dont think they would issue a working visa when I havent found a job there yet, correct if I'm wrong here.

Any tips on what I should do? or what should I start working on? Sana theres someone who can help me up cause this is something that I really want.

[jhez]

Mga sis share pa kayo stories.. f2a ako and hopefully this year makaalis na kami mag ina....

[soulflygirl]

Hello mga sis.
I got here in Florida last January 2015 only. I am still waiting for my work and travel permit. Mas mauuna kasi yun kesa sa Green Card. Since naka fiancee visa ako hindi automatic ang green card.

Meron ba from Florida dyan?

[butterfly20]

I got here in SD on a K-1 visa din. Applied for adjustment around July 2014 then I got my work permit October 2014 and conditional green card one month after. I started to look for a job agad  when I got my GC kahit nagba bus lang ako whenever I have job interviews. Nakaka frustrate maghanap ng work, nabo bored kasi ako sa house. Luckily I got a job and nag start na ako last March.

[bonzaigirl]

Hi butterfly20 wow. I just came here last month via a K1 visa. Although prior to, i do come here every few months.  We also just got married last month and had just applied for our AOS. Am glad you've already sorted out work. Am still adjusting to the hot weather. and the big portions of food.   It's very different from London. hehe.  It's a good thing that the flat we live in is quite near the shopping district, so I'll just walk the 3 long blocks   whenever I get bored.

[jhez]

Buhayin ko lang to mga sis. Musta na kayo? Nasa US na rin kami mag ina. 2 months na kami dito, naghahanap pa rin ng work. Start ka sa umpisa dito. Nakakaloka.

[denine]

Hi sis jhez, kamusta ang 1st month nyo dyan? Malapit na din kami pumunta sa US, mag aasikaso nalang ng exit clearance sa POEA si hubby. Hindi ba kayo nahirapan mag adjust?

[jhez]

^yun husband ko kasi and all of family members andito na. Kami ng anak ko na 4y/o sumunod. Un husband ko not sure kung nahirapan kasi nakapasok din sya agad ng work pero mga 5months din. Ako naman 2nd month na dito. 1st month ko nakapasa ako sa interview part time, pero sa end of the month pa start ng work. Anak ko naman pinapasok namin sa headstart. Ayos naman, sya ang ayaw na umuwi ng pinas, mas masaya daw sya dito.

After a week, nakuha ko na un SSN ko. Then 1 month pa lang ako dito nakapasa naman ako sa DMV (driver's license) medyo nakakalito sa una yun mga roads and yun policies pero nakuha ko naman agad. Yun work lang talaga ako medyo nadisappoint. Entry level talaga bagsak ko.

[denine]

Thanks sis! Si hubby ko naman petition ng employer nya, medyo kabado ako dahil baka mahirapan kami mag adjust ng kids. Gusto ko sana sabay sabay kami umalis ng kids pero may nagsabe sa akin na mas ok kung mauna ako para ma familiarize muna ako dyan bago ko kunin ang kids.. Madami bang adjustments sis na kailangan bukod sa weather of course. Familiar ka ba sa homeschooling program dyan?

Thanks in advance sa mga sagot sis. Sorry dami ko tanong..

[jhez]

May option yata na within 1 yr pede na sumunod mga bata. Ang mahirap dito, kung di ka sanay sa gawaing bahay kasi ikaw kikilos lahat. Lalo na pag may bata. Nasanay naman ako pero kasi nakatira kami sa byenan ko kaya naiiwan ko din un bata kahit pano.

Home schooling wala eh. un anak ko kasi nasa public school lang. Ako naman wala pa plano bumalik ng school kahit gustong gusto ko kasi wala magaasikaso sa anak ko and wala pa kami budget. Need magipon for next year para makabukod na kami.

Mabilis buhay dito. Gaya ng sabi ni sis Ver kelangan mabilis ka maka-adapt sa buhay america. Un 1st month ko homesick. Naculture shock din ako eh. hehe

[prettypurple08]

Any idea mga sis on how much money do we need to have para makastart ng life sa US?  No kids yet, family of my bf is all there but of course we want na bukod kame agad.  How much din dapat kinikita para maka survive ka sa US  TIA

[xthine]

Any idea mga sis on how much money do we need to have para makastart ng life sa US?  No kids yet, family of my bf is all there but of course we want na bukod kame agad.  How much din dapat kinikita para maka survive ka sa US  TIA

Which part of the US?  Cost of living is very variable.

[Kristalle]

I have a (gay male) lawyer friend who also started from scratch 2 years ago. Nag ipon sya ng bongga sa Pinas then went to SF (Colma actually) he enrolled in SF community college and finished a 2 year IT course this year. Kung kanikanino sya nakitira. Now he is working in a popular company specializing in streaming videos based in Silicon Valley. His rent is like $2.5k samantalang dati maaawa ka sa kanya knowing he is a lawyer iisipin mo bakit sya nagsusumiksik sa mga kamag anak at kakilala kasi kahit gay ka naman sa Pinas kung lawyer ka naman e ok na din. Pero sabi nya he is free and happier in the US. Kami naman ang nakitira sa kanya nung nagbakasyon kami earlier this year sa SF.

[Kristalle]

Which part of the US?  Cost of living is very variable.

So true..sa SF Bay area ang pinaka mahal tingin ko sa ngayon..aside from the usual high end places of course like Malibu, Beverly Hills, Manhattan lol..

[prettypurple08]

Daly city mga sis SF

[mooncake and leaves]

Dami kasing variables. What I would check though is yung jobs situation. Also, the average monthly rent, car payments, etc. To give you an idea, here in LA, if you're making under $15/hr, gipit na yan because rent alone will take about more than half of that salary. Housing is the biggest problem in most major cities. I hear it's even worse in Northern California.

Personally though, if I'm starting from nothing and I have no attachment (no friends and relatives), I wouldn't choose California. I'd go to Washington or Colorado. Or even some parts of the Midwest.

[momentum]

mga sis na nasa Seattle..kamusta life diyan and was it hard to start from scratch?
My dad lives there and was thinking that my daughter and I should live there in the future. Nothing concrete yet but at least I have an option.

I have a relative in Canada too that is willing to help me migrate there if ever I want to.

Also have relatives in AU..initially this is where I really want to migrate because I have more relatives there and that its nearer to the P.I..plus the weather, konti lang population, etc.

Just not sure alin sa tatlong countries pinaka okay.