US Working Visa: easy to bring partner?

[FTB2006]

Hi All,

I work for a US company and am considering applying for a role based there. I believe my visa shouldnt be a problem, but am concerned that getting a visa for a girlfriend may be difficult. Does anyone have any experience of this??

We own a house together (if that makes a difference).

Also - would anyone else consider this a bad time to be thinking of going to the US.... credit crunch... recession... etc!!

Thanks,
FTB2006

 

[sapmanie]

The main thing the US immigration look for is that you have something to come back to...having a house in Ireland under your name is good.

I presume you are working for a US company here in Ireland and a position has come up in the US division - is the role permenent or just a couple of months/a year or so? A letter from the company would help there.

Why do you think a visa for your gf would be difficult? Is she going to work there also or just stay with you for the length of the role? If the role is permeent, then it's a whole different kettle of fish...your company will have to show why there's no one in the US who could do the job etc. etc.

Yes it is a bad time to work in the us because of the xrate. Any money you earn will be cut by a lot (assuming you're coming back to the eurozone at some stage). For example, at $1.60 = €1 and you save $100,000 it's going to be a painful loss of €37,500: €62,500

The helpline on the embassy's site is very good - costs a fortune in phone bills but you can probably ring from your company. Make sure to have your questions and pen & paper handy though.

 

[FTB2006]

Hi Sapmanie,

Thanks for the detailed reply.

I would be taking up a permanent position in the US expecting to stay there for 2 years or so minimum.

My gf would be coming over for the full duration of the stay and would be hoping to work (your right... at the current fx rate, we'd be hoping to save as much as possible so I couldnt afford to finance a 'Stepford wife'!). My company would sponsor me but my fear would be that her not being my wife would cause visa issues. She is a HR professional with a degree... would she get a visa?

I am waiting to hear from my HR dept re this issue... was hoping to get some personal accounts etc...

Thanks all,
FTB2006

 

[sapmanie]

Your gf would be considered under her own merits for a working visa, I think. I don't think she could get one without a firm job offer first though.

Best thing really IMHO is first to ring the embassy helpline tomorrow. They'll tell you the best thing to do.

I'd suggest though she just gets an ordinary tourist visa (in fact doesn't even need one - Ireland works under the visa waver scheme). She can stay with you for 90 days (?) and check out jobs etc. (but she's not allowed to apply for one). That way you can both get settled in and see how things turn out first before both committing to staying.

I worked in the US for a long while, and to be honest, it's more hype then anything, and I was glad to leave. And the xrate coming back didn't improve my spirits!

But I have to say that I found 99.9% of all Americans I met extremely polite and well-mannered, even in NY where films show them to be rude all the time

 

[extopia]

Yes it is a bad time to work in the us because of the xrate. Any money you earn will be cut by a lot (assuming you're coming back to the eurozone at some stage). For example, at $1.60 = €1 and you save $100,000 it's going to be a painful loss of €37,500: €62,500.

The maths here are not accurate. Unless the exchange rate was 1 euro to 1 dollar when you actually earned the $100k. You can only calculate your exchange rate loss or gain based on the average exchange rate during the saving period versus the rate when you actually exchange the $$$.

The helpline on the embassy's site is very good - costs a fortune in phone bills but you can probably ring from your company. Make sure to have your questions and pen & paper handy though.

And make sure your boss isn't around.

 

[sapmanie]

Unless the exchange rate was 1 euro to 1 dollar when you actually earned the $100k.

Fair enough. However at the end of the day when you have the $100,000 sitting in a bank account, built up after the 2 years and you go into the bank to exchange it, €37,500 disappearing into thin air is still going to hurt

And make sure your boss isn't around.

Yes. Use the phone of someone you don't like so they get in trouble if they trace the call ;-)

 

[extopia]

... when you have the $100,000 sitting in a bank account, built up after the 2 years and you go into the bank to exchange it, €37,500 disappearing into thin air is still going to hurt

You're still not getting it. Where exactly is this €37,500 loss? Are you saying you'd have to get €100,000 for your $100,000 before breaking even on this kind of exchange?

It's entirely possible to gain on this kind of transaction.

 

[sapmanie]

You're still not getting it.

If you have sweated for 2 years to earn $100,000 and are heading back to the eurozone, would you be happier with an xrate of:

(A) $1 = €0.50
(B) $1 = €1.00
(C) $1 = €1.50

Please choose one from (A), (B), or (C) and explain your reasons.

 

[homeowner]

Hi All,

I work for a US company and am considering applying for a role based there. I believe my visa shouldnt be a problem, but am concerned that getting a visa for a girlfriend may be difficult. Does anyone have any experience of this??

We own a house together (if that makes a difference).

Also - would anyone else consider this a bad time to be thinking of going to the US.... credit crunch... recession... etc!!

Thanks,
FTB2006

I presume by visa you mean to be able to work? Your GF will have to get her own one and she will need a job with a company who will sponser her for a visa. Its definintely possible but it can take a few months. Can she apply for a job in your company? The hard part will be getting a company to sponser her. The good thing is she can go over with you and has a place to stay while she applies for jobs.

Of course to get around all this you could marry her and then she could come over under your visa

 

[FTB2006]

Thanks all.

Correct homeowner, she would want a working visa. Getting this is the deal breaker to whether i pursue the job further.

With regards fx... I guess it works both ways. The euro's I bring over will translate to more USD now than at any point in the past and I could potentially get burnt when I bring my saved USD back. I'd be prepared to take that risk. My professsion is better paid in the US so I would hope to have a better standard of living for a couple of years, try living abroad and then hopefully come home to get married & have sprogs!

Thanks again

 

[extopia]

If you have sweated for 2 years to earn $100,000 and are heading back to the eurozone, would you be happier with an xrate of:

(A) $1 = €0.50
(B) $1 = €1.00
(C) $1 = €1.50

Please choose one from (A), (B), or (C) and explain your reasons.

OK - you're totally missing my point here. Never mind. The OP seems to get it.

 

[sapmanie]

OK - you're totally missing my point here. Never mind. The OP seems to get it.

Nice dodge ;-)
However I do understand your point. But the OP is staying for "a couple of years". IMO the xrate is going to go $2 = e1 over that period if not further, so whichever way you look at it, he is going to lose money.

e.g. he leaves today for US with e1,000 at $1.60 = e1. That's $1,600
He returns 2 years later with $5,000 but xrate is now $2 = e1.
So while he earned $3,400 (5000-1600) or e2,125 at todays rate, he is only going to come back with e1,700 in 2 years, or merely e700 better off before he left. If the xrate falls further, say $2.50=e1 then he could be worse off then if he never left!!

So in effect he has lost e2,125 - e1,700=e425 due to the xrate over the 2 years

Of course fortunes are reversed if the dollar rises again....but does anyone really think that's realistic??

while she applies for jobs

FYI applying for jobs without a working visa is definitely illegal. Probably also a waste of time as well, 'cause if she's offered a job they'll ask to see her visa anyway....

while she applies for jobs

FYI applying for jobs without a working visa is definitely illegal. Probably also a waste of time as well, 'cause if she's offered a job they'll ask to see her visa anyway....

 

[homeowner]

FYI applying for jobs without a working visa is definitely illegal. Probably also a waste of time as well, 'cause if she's offered a job they'll ask to see her visa anyway....

You have missed the point totally. Applying for work without a visa is not illegal. You tell employers you dont have a visa and are looking for sponsorship. If they want to hire you they will get you a visa. Its all above board.

 

[sapmanie]

You tell employers you dont have a visa and are looking for sponsorship.

Ok misunderstanding here. The OP said "looking for a job", you say "looking for sponsorship" - both are (legally) different things.

>> Looking for a job without a valid visa is illegal (this conjours up images of walking from shop to shop asking for work!)
>> Looking for sponsorship (for a job) is legal with or without a visa.

A fine line but a line nonetheless.

 

[extopia]

IMO the xrate is going to go $2 = e1 over that period if not further, so whichever way you look at it, he is going to lose money.

Idle speculation about future currency movements does not constitute advice.

And hopefully most readers will understand that there is no validity to the calculations of the value of saved dollars listed above.