Questions tagged [usa]
Questions regarding emigrating from, immigrating to and living in the United States of America
1,559
questions
59
votes
10
answers
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How to match EU income to US salary?
I'm a software engineer in Europe, and my firm is about to offer me a position in the US to bring up a team (In San Francisco or New York, it's still not decided yet)…
Looking at the job market in ...
- 963
49
votes
3
answers
391k
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Answer for "Are you legally eligible to work in the United States?" in academic/postdoc position
The following sentence is asked in early stage of all academic positions and postdoc jobs advertised in US-based universities or institutes:
Are you legally eligible to work in the United States?
I ...
- 603
42
votes
5
answers
13k
views
Can I lose my US citizenship for accepting employment with a foreign government?
In my US passport, there's a section entitled "Important Information" located just before the visa pages. Item number 13 deals with circumstances in which one might lose their US citizenship (emphasis ...
user100
40
votes
8
answers
40k
views
How to build credit history in the USA?
What are the ways in which a new immigrant can begin building credit history in the United States of America ?
- 1,400
23
votes
6
answers
60k
views
How to lease a car in the USA just after relocation?
Usually leasing requires you to have a credit history in US and establishing it takes at least a year. What options you have to lease the car without credit history in US but having employment here (...
- 331
20
votes
11
answers
4k
views
Finding an apartment in US as an expat (big city)?
How difficult is it to find an apartment in the USA as an expat, and how long does it take (how early should I look for it)?
In Germany, it's an immense issue, because the typical dismissal time is ...
user41
18
votes
4
answers
9k
views
The Austrian government took my daughter's US driver's license
My daughter is living abroad in Austria, a US citizen who is working toward applying for residency and has married an Austria citizen.
She went through the long process of acquiring a drivers license ...
- 183
18
votes
4
answers
733
views
What is a credit history and why should I care?
I just read a question on having credit history in the UK. The credit-history phenomenon has puzzled me for some time. Similar to people considering it a good thing to have many credit cards.
What ...
- 2,299
17
votes
4
answers
120k
views
How to renew a US driver's license when living abroad
My driver's license expired last autumn (September 2013). I hadn't used the license/driven anywhere in several years at the time that it expired, but now I'm thinking of using it again for short ...
- 313
16
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Under what circumstances must a US citizen forfeit their citizenship when obtaining a new one?
For some reason I have been under the impression that US law prohibits US citizens from retaining their citizenship if they ever obtain a new citizenship. Is this always, sometimes, or never true? ...
- 2,127
15
votes
3
answers
5k
views
What is the cheapest way to send large amounts of money from EU to US?
There is a similar question regarding "small amounts of cash", but at some point I might need to transfer more than 50K€ to the US. I am looking for the cheapest (less commissions, better exchange ...
- 533
14
votes
3
answers
11k
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Do you need to pay US taxes if you are a US citizen by birth, who was never in the USA?
It is known, that the USA not only taxes their residents, but their citizens as well. But what happens if someone is a US citizen at birth, who never lived in the USA? Do they also need to pay taxes? ...
- 7,584
14
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Can a US citizen who's never lived in US vote in US?
Suppose a person is born outside the US to US citizen parent(s) and meets all the requirements to be a US citizen. The person fulfills all the requirements, such as filing US tax returns and ...
- 600
14
votes
1
answer
1k
views
My US passport is out of pages for visa stamps, what can I do when out of my home country?
I've been continuously renewing a short term tourist visa while going through the process of permanent residence for the last few years, which has resulted in the consumption of all available space in ...
user100
13
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Can I (an EU citizen) live in the US if I marry a US citizen?
I am a retired Portuguese citizen and I want to marry a US citizen who is a war veteran. We first met in 1963 when I was an AFS exchange student in Sauquoit, NY.
I visited NY last October and we ...
13
votes
2
answers
9k
views
Are H4 visa holders allowed to do remote intellectual work?
I know that immigrants to the United States holding a H4 visa are not allowed to work. But there is a grey area that I could never find a satisfactory answer to: what if a H4 holder works remotely, ...
- 648
13
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Keeping a US phone number
I'll be abroad for a few years and I want to keep my mobile number till I come back. What would be the least expensive way to do this?
- 131
13
votes
6
answers
566
views
How to send small amounts of money from EU to US?
Context: Settling small amount of personal debts to people in the US from the EU
When Paypal isn't available, in what ways can small amount of cash (<~$100) be sent from the EU to the US, with ...
- 677
13
votes
1
answer
3k
views
How do I register to vote as a non-resident American citizen?
Can I register to vote in the United States if I turned 18 in a foreign country and have no intention of returning in the near future?
If so, in what state would I be registering, and what's the ...
- 231
13
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Are USCIS visa "lotteries" in fact lotteries?
There are two processes by USCIS that are commonly referred to as "lotteries":
Diversity Visa Program (popularly know as "greencard lottery")
H-1B "lottery" (in case of applications' number exceeding ...
- 2,233
13
votes
1
answer
7k
views
Do I have to wait for ITIN to file California taxes for H4 spouse?
I am holding a H1B visa and my wife just moved to California as H4 dependent. I have applied for ITIN along with filing my federal taxes.
How do I file my California State tax? Should I wait for her ...
- 231
12
votes
1
answer
311
views
Can my mom travel to the US with a green card if it’s been over a year since her last entry due to COVID?
My mom has a green card that expires 2028 but has been out of the US in the UK for over a year due to COVID travel restrictions. Can she enter now?
Tanya Trumbower
12
votes
2
answers
15k
views
Working as contractor in USA as foreign citizen (EU)
I'm an EU-Citizen and I'd like to consider opportunity of working in USA as IT-specialist (developer).
If I find an opportunity to work there as contractor (freelancer), can I simply register my ...
user41
12
votes
1
answer
10k
views
My foreign bank is requesting I fill out a W-9
I am a U.S citizen who has been living in Argentina for the last 3 years. I am a legal permanent resident here and I work for an Argentine company, get paid in Argentine pesos and pay Argentine taxes. ...
- 123
12
votes
1
answer
18k
views
Is Green card priority date based on place of birth or citizenship?
As an Indian citizen, just wondering if its faster that I move to Denmark, stay for 9 years and get Danish citizenship. From there move to US on H1B and convert to green card.
This would be faster ...
- 123
12
votes
1
answer
343
views
How to change employers on a H-1B visa in the United States
For a person in the US under an H-1B visa - if this person needs to change jobs:
What's the procedure that needs to be followed since the H-1 is sponsored by the employer?
Can the visa and stay be ...
- 5,368
12
votes
2
answers
352
views
What type of health insurance is needed to provide basic coverage when moving from the UK to the US
I am a US citizen and will be moving back to the US from the UK. I will be leaving the UK the day my visa expires and arriving in the US 2 weeks prior to my job starting in the US. What type of health ...
- 4,146
11
votes
6
answers
11k
views
Getting Paid in USD while living in UK
I am moving to the UK for a job in the next few months. This job is for the US government and they will be paying me in USD. The vast majority of my expenses will be in GBP. Is there an easy way for ...
- 359
11
votes
7
answers
1k
views
Bringing or shipping all my stuff
When one wants to move across the Atlantic, from France to the US, what is authorized and what are the options to bring in a lot of stuff?
I am not talking about furniture but about large suitcases. ...
- 1,482
11
votes
2
answers
3k
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How can a minor foreign-born child of a US citizen parent and non-US citizen parent get US citizenship if the US citizen parent refuses?
Zork, 12, was born in a foreign country to a US citizen parent and a non-US citizen parent. At the time of Zork's birth, the US citizen parent had (and currently has) all the requirements to pass US ...
- 371
11
votes
2
answers
272
views
Must one's "primary" family name in the U.S. be the first in order?
When someone who was born and given their name in a country that uses multiple family names lives in the U.S., are there rules as to what their "official" last name must be?
I heard an immigration ...
- 1,579
10
votes
4
answers
392
views
Does a U.S. citizen have to give up his credit cards and bank accounts when he moves abroad?
Credit card applications usually say "must be a U.S. resident".
If a U.S. citizen moves abroad temporarily, and he doesn't want to use his friends' or relatives' U.S. addresses to get his mail, and ...
- 151
10
votes
2
answers
3k
views
What can be done when a country doesn't have Birth Certificates?
I asked this earlier:
How to help my mother in law migrate - no lawyer wanted!
Thanks to many it has led me to at least print the form and understand the requirements. It appears based on the USCIS ...
- 537
10
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Ohio>Arizona>Germany>France driver's license conversion?
I originally took my driving test in Ohio at the age of 16 and received an Ohio license. While I was in college in Arizona, I converted that license to an Arizona one. Last year, I converted the ...
- 351
10
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Buying vegemite in New York?
Vegemite - love it or hate it, if you're an Aussie you'll have an opinion on it! In the USA, the reaction tends to be more "huh", or "you're having a laugh, you eat that stuff?". Just ask the ...
- 3,637
10
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Working for foreign employer between arrival on K-1 (fiance) visa and granting of employment authorisation (I-765)
I will shortly be relocating to the United States on a K-1 (fiance) visa and will most likely continue working with my current (Australian) employer. My salary will continue to be deposited into my ...
- 173
10
votes
1
answer
901
views
Can my local consulting agency obtain an L1-visa
I have been employed as a software engineer, for several years now, at local consulting agency in the Netherlands. I am currently performing software development activities for a large multinational ...
- 203
10
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How much US taxes do you have to pay after selling a foreign property if you are a US green card holder?
What portion of the sale of a property outside the US will you need to pay taxes on? Will you be paying taxes on the total sale price or only on the gain?
- 533
9
votes
3
answers
7k
views
If an H-1B worker is laid off while outside the U.S., how quickly are they barred from entering the US?
I read on https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/h-1b-tech-workers-in-jeopardy-5128833/
H-1B workers who are laid off while outside the U.S. may not re-enter the country — unless they’ve found new ...
- 2,593
9
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Travelling to US before H1B visa application starts
I am going to be going through the H1B Visa application process, for the next valid date (April 2015). I have heard that it is not advisable to travel to the US for holidays before the visa is ...
- 93
9
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Why does the oath of loyalty to the United States that new U.S. citizens must swear mention seem to include renouncing all foreign citizenships?
New U.S. citizens must swear the following oath of loyalty to the United States (quote from https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/naturalization-test/naturalization-oath-allegiance-united-states-...
- 2,593
9
votes
2
answers
166
views
Having a valid Visa to the US, should I also enroll for VWP before traveling to the US?
Coming from the EU, I am in the process of getting a DV visa, and planning to go to the US for reconnaissance mid-June.
When entering the US, I understand, the border patrol has the right (even with ...
- 677
9
votes
1
answer
410
views
Does the US J1 visa require significant legwork for the sponsor?
At my university computer science department (outside the US) students are frequently taken on as paid interns at big US technology companies (Facebook, Nvidia, Google) under the J1 visa. AFAIK the ...
- 133
9
votes
1
answer
304
views
Wishing to enter the United States to obtain a PhD with a criminal record in the UK
I am interested in applying for a PhD in the United States.
My main worry is after gaining on offer from wherever, I will be given an i-20(I think) and then would be able to apply for a F1 visa.
I ...
user11371
9
votes
1
answer
3k
views
What is the timeline for an H1B visa consulate interview?
I'm in the process of applying for an H1B visa and I already have a company willing to sponsor me, but the instructions state that the application should be received in USCIS after the 1st of April, ...
- 193
9
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Benefits of American curriculum schools for US expat children
There are a number of schools in the UK which follow the American curriculum. My son will be starting school this year. We plan on moving back to the US in the next 5 years. Is there any evidence that ...
- 4,146
9
votes
1
answer
110
views
Language Immersion courses in the USA
From people who have been put the through the Language Immersion Courses it helps greatly in learning the foreign language including particular dialects if needed.
From my dealing with recent ...
- 5,368
9
votes
1
answer
584
views
As an OCI card holder, do I count as an "Indian Citizen"?
I'm a US citizen with an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card; the closest thing to dual citizenship that the countries have.
I apparently have all the rights of an Indian citizen except:
The ...
- 354
8
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Should I get divorced before I can marry again, if the marriage is foreign and between non-citizens?
I am an F-2 visa holder in the US. I came to the US with my spouse as his legal wife. In the US I fell in love with another US citizen guy and we want to marry together. But I don't know is it ...
- 201
8
votes
3
answers
628
views
Is there a proposed change allowing H1B-ers spouses to work?
One of alleged proposed changes in immigration reform is allowing spouses of H1B holders to work.
Spouses of H-1B Visa Holders May Soon Be Allowed to Work in the U.S.
The U.S. is planning ...
- 2,233