Me and my partner are looking to move to the USA

Hello Mitchelstone,

Welcome to Expat.com

You did not specify to which part of the USA you are planning to move.

In order for our members to guide you with some relevant advice, you should consider mentioning the area(s) which you considering.

At the moment, I can only advise you to browse through the Living in the USA guide for some general information about living and working in different parts of the US.

Thanks,

Diksha
Team Expat.com

Hi we was looking to moving to either Grand Rapids MI or Boise Idaho.

I will look more into the guide but would love some interaction to help out.

Thanks

uscis.gov is the official site and goes into detail for all visa options and respective requirements.

Hi, I’m from the USA and there is many places in the US where you can move and work. Allot of your choices are preference and job skills. Weather is a factor hot or cold, look into San Antonio, Texas as many folks around the USA are moving here due to low cost of living and growth in jobs.

Tell me what you would like to know and I will be happy to help.

I don't know anything about Boise, but your job prospects will be much better in the suburban Detroit area than in Grand Rapids.  There are many nice suburbs in the Detroit area (north and northwest of the city of Detroit).
I would think that without a degree, you won't be able to find a company that will sponsor you. The U.S. economy isn't in good shape right now, but hopefully that will change.
Check Google jobs, Glassdoor, Indeed, CareerBuilder, and the other major job search websites.
Do some research on the best suburbs, and make sure  you have plenty of money. You'll need to pay first and last months' rent for almost every apartment and often a security deposit to cover any potential damage you might cause. You'll need a car because in most U.S. cities, public transportation isn't a big thing; almost everyone drives.
Within a few hours drive of the Detroit area, you will find beautiful lakes, waterfalls, sand dunes, ski resorts, etc.

Good luck in your move, first of all I need to ask a question???? Are u legally staying in the US ???? If it’s yes it’s fine everything is possible !!!! But if it’s not I suggest you stay home, cuz it’s not going to be easy .

Beside the month and a half of rent, they will most likely also have to pay for the realtor's fee, which is usually one month of rent.
I lived in Jersey City NJ for over 13 years. When I left, the new incoming tenant for my apartment was paying 1500 for the first month 1500+750 for the deposit + 1500 for the realtor's fee: a total of $ 5.250 flat out.
Most apartments will require they have great credit history, and /or a job contract plus a Visa plus co-signers (if they are not American citizens)
They would be better off living with somebody else or beginning their adventure as volunteers. As they are young, they could try WOOFing

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Do not send email details to complete strangers.

If you’re considering New York, please let me know and I’ll be happy to help.

Cheers,
Mike

I’m from and live in Boise, Idaho.  To be honest unless there is a specific reason to move here such as family or you have a job waiting, I would pass on Boise and Idaho completely.  The weather isn’t great; summers are long and very hot, and there’s very little snow in the winter; for that you need to go to north Idaho or up in the mountains as Boise is in the part of the state called The High Desert.  The scenery here is mostly brown except for physically in the city.  Right outside the city is nothing but farmland.  The pretty pictures you see of Boise very much misrepresent what it looks like here.

It will be difficult to find a well-paying job here.  Most jobs are at or near the US minimum wage of $7.25 per hour (this is BEFORE taxes are taken out).  Idaho has some of the lowest wages in the whole country.  Many of the people moving here work from home for jobs still in California, New York, etc so they aren’t dependent on the low wages here.

Housing on the other hand has become extremely expensive.  We don’t have realtor or agent fees here as you find the apartment/flat yourself (agent/realtor fees are only found in the New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco metropolitan areas, for the most part, most people in the US have never heard of those fees) so you would only need first months rent, security deposit (typically a half a months rent) and deposits to turn on your utilities (water, sewer, electric, gas, etc).  However there is a massive housing shortage here and LOTS of people moving here from California, Washington, Oregon,  Colorado and New York, making it worse and driving up rents.  A 1 bedroom apartment in Boise will run about $1,000 a month or more (rent only), a 3 bedroom will run about $1,500 a month (rent only). 

Groceries and utilities are quite affordable, though as is car insurance.  Gasoline (petrol) is currently $2.10 per gallon.  Boise has numerous high quality hospitals and medical facilities; the healthcare is great IF you can afford it; many people can’t.  You will not have a safety net like the NHS in the United States.  You must have a car here as public transportation in Boise itself is minimal and covers only certain parts of Boise.  Even within Boise alone you will have to have a car to get around; public transport and a bike will definitely not be enough.

While I was born here and I’ve lived here in Boise most of my life (lived a few years in some other states) my family is going to very soon be moving elsewhere out of Idaho for a better quality of life.  While there are wonderful and very friendly people here, understand that this is one of the most politically conservative states in the entire United States.  It’s called “Trump Country” because President Trump and his policies are VERY popular and he is HEAVILY liked and supported.  The politics of the UK are looked down upon here in Idaho.

I don’t want to sound so negative, but I want you to know what you would be getting into here in Idaho.  That being said, there are MANY wonderful places, big, medium or small to live in the United States and, as an American, the fact you would want to come here and join us is an honor.  One of the great things you’ll find out about America when you do get here, no matter where you settle in, is that we are not actually how we are portrayed to be in the media sometimes.  There are far more people here in America that will welcome you with open arms and be happy to consider you one of us.

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Hello Jack and the young couple who wants to move to the USA:

I was moved by Jack's candid reply to the couple. It rings as thoughtful and sincere.

Jack Mannob wrote:

One of the great things you’ll find out about America when you do get here, no matter where you settle in, is that we are not actually how we are portrayed to be in the media sometimes.  There are far more people here in America that will welcome you with open arms and be happy to consider you one of us.

However, as a person who spent half of her life in the USA, I've always been reluctant to move anywhere outside the most "progressive" (if you can call the likes of NJ under Christie, or even Murphy, "progressive"), parts of the USA.  It strikes me how different our views are: yours, from an "insider's" perspective, see most people as sincerely welcoming. I, at the "receiving" end of the expat equation, see them, in the best case scenario, as making a clumsy effort to appear friendly -mostly when business is involved-, but lacking an honest interest in any human exchanges with newcomers aside from that; and in the worse case scenario, as overtly hostile. The worse case scenario is not only hypothetical.   

I'm in love with the beauty of natural places (soon to be irreparably destroyed) in the USA. I know Idaho has some gorgeous nature, aside from the corporate farmlands... Americans do not realize such nature is the ONLY true treasure the country still has, one that has been forever lost in Europe. (What Europeans call "wilderness" and "nature" are patches of farmland with man made woodlands destined to become toilet paper; or the bushes along the bike path connecting two towns, a few miles apart from each other)

Unfortunately, I've always had the impression the places with the most beautiful nature in the USA, such as Idaho, (which land is covered almost 40% by trees), are the ones continuously voting against preserving them in their pristine state. That's one of the reasons I have always felt uncomfortable moving to such areas, despite the fact they offer the nature I love and I can easily do the same job I did in NY for so many years. I have always felt it is dangerous for a foreign-born woman to live in a State like Idaho... even if we speak the language well and have useful skills. We do think of conservative Trump America as arm-toting bullies that can easily snap and go on shooting sprees any day... despite having those in the East Coast as well...   

But then, there are people like you who tell a different story, who remind us not EVERYBODY is like that in Idaho. And I wonder, how many of your neighbors in Boise would agree with you? How many would not talk to somebody with an accent with condescension or straight hostility? How many would be interested in real friendships with a newcomer?  Is your community equally and objectively safe for everybody, no matter the color of their skin, their religious beliefs -or lack of them thereof-, their gender and educational background? Is it truly safe for a foreign-born American citizen to even venture through the land in a car? I have driven through the Texan Panhandle and Arkansas and Alabama (not even alone), and I have spent time in Alaska... and I must say, it always felt a bit... tense... (sometimes VERY tense), and not really safe. Even the police acts in ways that feel unwelcoming if you are from out of town within the USA itself (such as my boyfriend was), let aside a foreign-born woman. (And we NEVER drove over the speed limit).  I've felt attempts at showing friendliness and openness were made more for the sake of business (I was a customer spending money, basically), tinted with condescension, than out of real human interest. I cannot help but wondering where those people who would  "welcome outsiders" as members of the community with "open arms" are to be found. And why our perception of the expat experience (yours as an "insider" and mine as a newcomer) is so different. How can the gap be bridged?. I am a naturalized American citizen and I still find it impossible to be at ease in most of the USA, specially post 2016.  Is it just me?

And every time somebody expresses a desire to move there, even if only for a short while, and they ask questions, the first thing that comes to mind is "lets leave the politically correct BS aside... what color is your skin? How flawless is your English? How willing are you to put up with preconceptions and deeply ingrained ideas as to what your role in society should be? Rather that than "what is your skill-set, and what type of visa can you get"...  Even if the prospective "expats" have a job, even if they have papers, the color of their skin or their nationality of origin, how much money they are bringing, will be more important factors when it comes to the day-to-day interactions.  There will always be suspicion, a drive to put you "in your place", no matter how well-educated you are, and always, to some extent, there will always be some danger. In some places more than others. West Coast and Northeast have always felt safer; the rest of the USA, no so much. Nobody in these public expat forums really talk about that. To me, it is the huge elephant in the room. But these are the reasons why I have always been very careful encouraging others. We can only (or should only) give advice based on our own experience. And that is why I enjoyed reading Jack's post, because his experience provides an insight so different from mine. I think it is helpful to weight all these different perspectives. They are all a portion of "reality"... or the reality to someone. Jack makes me think maybe I am more cautious than needed, and yes, prejudiced, and in the process, I have deprived myself of wonderful opportunities to be in closer contact with the nature I love by avoiding the places that still have it altogether, out of fear.

I still think if this young couple wants to venture in the USA, they need to take all these aspects into consideration. The price of housing and food are only a portion of it. (housing seems to be an issue everywhere now, it is an overpopulated world, after all). And access to affordable and GOOD healthcare is fundamental, each stage of life presenting its own challenges, except maybe if you are in your 20s, have no children and do not engage in risky sports...

If access to education is important to them, that is also a factor. If they are not coming primarily via academia (which makes things FAR easier), and they do plan to eventually study in the USA, full time work and responsibilities might make that really difficult. That was the case for me. And I will forever regret having to work to pay the bills instead of advancing my education, which was my main goal, and which I would have been able to do elsewhere a bit easier, but was prohibitively expensive in the USA. It's almost impossible to work and study simultaneously in the USA, or even work to save money to study after a few years. It depends on your line of work, of course. But if you come with no working experience under your belt and do not have a support network (family or friends you can live with, worse come to worst), and no money, you cannot expect to save enough for tuition and living expenses a few years down the road.... The average annual pay for the average jobs category in New York City is $65,905 before taxes. (that's NOT the minimum salary though, there are people making as low as $ 25.000/year) For tuition you will need a good 45.000 dollars for a two-year in-state Master's tuition, plus $25.000 yearly for living expenses while enrolled in school (public university while living in the State of NJ, assuming no need to drive a car to school;  or $ 32.000/yearly living expenses, if you plan to live and study in the state of NY, no car and without factoring in any medical insurance). Really difficult without taking heavy loans. And without guarantors for such loans, it is impossible to even get them. If you work full time, it is not possible to study. If this young couple wants to study, aside from working, they need to think it through.

Having a family in the USA is also incredibly expensive. In many states, no help is guaranteed for children or working parents. (and remember you are already paying taxes, but the money does not go to where it should). You are on your own. There is no maternal or parental leave. The system is really indolent in that regard. Children die many times in the hands of strangers while parents are working. These are realities that need to be pondered carefully. Finally, even postgraduate studies are virtually useless when it comes to some careers. That was the case for me. I have a degree in Clinical Psychology and a very good GPA, but it was as good as scrap paper in the USA, where only an American Master's or PhD ensure licensure.

I wish this couple the best in their transatlantic venture. Just TREAD CAREFULLY and give it a lot of thought before jumping into the pool. I'm paying for my ignorance in my 40's. Understand your priorities well. If it is adventure, the USA will not deceive. And it (still) has some of the most amazing natural places you will ever see, if that is of importance to you. If it is making money, success does not  depend exclusively on hard work. How many scruples you have and what your values are, are also an important part of it (hint, the more you care, the more difficult, but maybe that is true everywhere) Unfortunately in 2020, the American dream is pretty much just that: a dream, and not based necessarily on the soundest values.

If one of your main goals in life is studying, make sure your current or future degree is compatible and accepted by whatever Board of Professions in your chosen field will have jurisdiction over you in the USA. Europe may offer a MUCH better option to advance academically, and professionally, depending on the field, but it is also very ageist, so you need to do it while you are still young. Spending those key years trying your luck in the USA instead, may hinder your academic advancement. Also, Europe's once brilliant educational system has been downgraded with the "Bologna" plan, in an attempt to match the American undergraduate system... (and make money with postgraduate programs, just like in the USA) but the European undergrad programs are useless in the USA, unless you can afford a Master's degree there. European undergraduate degrees are not good for much, and they offer even LESS growing opportunities and social mobility than undergraduate degrees do in the USA. But also in the USA students without postgraduate studies are very limited in what they can do, as such a degree does not lead to  professional work and professional licensures. An undergraduate degree from Europe alone will be virtually useless in the USA. Some, if not most, postgraduate studies in Europe are bound to be useless in the USA as well. If practicing within a profession is the desired goal, over location, that's more feasible in Europe. Most European Master degrees will be meaningless in the USA if you come on your own (not via academia), without the support of a host university or scholarships and without relevant work experience. There are many taxi drivers, full-time nannies and construction workers in Manhattan with university degrees from elsewhere. I was fortunate to go into a very specific and competitive professional field in the USA, but it was nowhere close in pay as to what people in my first chosen career make there, and I was not able to further my studies  within that field, for lack of money and a social support network. Something I would have been able to do in Europe at the time, where education is more accessible, but where "older" students are noticeably discriminated against, which happens less in the USA. (as long as you have money, that is)

If working in whatever field only to make money and not out of passion is the goal, the USA is as good as Europe, but it also offers far fewer securities in terms of healthcare, retirement and family support... And it is a scary place to be during pandemics, because there is not much in terms of social responsibility and solidarity. But obviously my personal view and experience might differ widely from those of others.

I don't know anything about Boise, but your job prospects will be much better in the suburban Detroit area than in Grand Rapids.  There are many nice suburbs in the Detroit area (north and northwest of the city of Detroit).