What does moving to the USA take?
Moving to the USA, or to any other country, takes substantial money. It is not enough to buy a plane ticket and move: emigrants generally need insurance and a legal basis for being in the country, and they have to find somewhere to live, rent it and pay a deposit. Let's go through in detail what a move takes and how much money you need for the early period.
What a move takes: paying for documents
Moving to the USA permanently takes careful preparation, and the first step is settling on the route. It might be reunification with a family member who is a citizen, or moving for work or study. You can approach Citizenship and Immigration Services on political grounds. There are also various programmes for people with outstanding abilities and for highly qualified specialists. Whichever road you take, you will have to pay the government fee for the visa and for the immigration petition in almost every case. Those are your first costs.
The fees depend on the particular route, but on average the visa fee is from $200 and the petition from $350. After that come the costs of the documents themselves. Some records carry a fee, and a medical examination and vaccinations are sometimes required.
Bear in mind that documents often need translating into English, which means a translator if you do not have the language thoroughly — and notarisation is required either way. All of that costs money.
An immigration lawyer is another important consideration. With one you can get through the stages considerably faster and, more to the point, reach the result you want. Once the documents are prepared and the forms filled in, an interview can be scheduled. Applicants generally go through an interview with an officer, and the embassy gives its decision on the spot. If it is positive, you can start preparing to leave.
How much money does a move take? The sum varies with your wishes, your needs and the size of your family. Do not forget to include tickets, food and accommodation in the initial costs, along with the fees for dealing with the US embassy.
The first substantial costs
Before you leave you need to think seriously about where you are going to live. Housing is the main cost of moving to the USA. Rent generally runs from $800 to $5,000. That wide range reflects the differing incomes across the country: rent is cheaper in small towns and, naturally, higher in large cities. A deposit has to be added on top, usually equal to one or several months' rent.
Moving into an apartment, you may need:
- appliances;
- kitchenware;
- furniture.
All of which you will have to buy yourself. You can choose a furnished place, but it costs considerably more. Be ready to pay for phone and internet too, neither of which is cheap. Another important point is health insurance, which in this country is extremely expensive. Without it, every visit to a specialist costs several hundred dollars.
Note also that almost all medicines in America are prescription only. It is therefore far better value to take out insurance at $200–400 a month. What else should you plan for? Food: you can cook at home or eat at cafes and restaurants. As a very rough estimate, food in the USA runs to $800.
Do not forget transport. The cost of a move rises considerably if you want to buy a car — though it is often genuinely necessary, particularly if you are moving with a child.
Moving to the USA, step by step
The process looks like this:
- First, choose the basis for the move and the type of immigrant visa you need.
- Prepare your documents, and where necessary have certificates translated and apostilled.
- Then file the application for entry and receive an interview invitation.
- One of the most important stages is getting through the interview and receiving approval to enter the country.
After that you can collect the entry permit.
The final stage is preparing for the move — checking that your passport is valid, gathering your savings, deciding where you will live — then flying to America and arranging your residence permit.
How much money does a move take?
Roughly, a move will cost between $5,000 and $10,000. The exact figure depends on many factors: the programme you plan to leave under, for instance, and a great deal on the destination. The most expensive state is New York, with California not far behind. The most affordable is Mississippi, where an apartment costs considerably less and everyday costs are lower generally.
Another important point is finding work quickly, which gives you a steady income and helps you settle into a new country faster. Employment in America is reasonably good, but if well-paid vacancies interest you, training in programming at PASV will not go amiss.
