For many years, the United States of America has maintained its leadership among the world's largest economies. In 2016, at purchasing power parity Country's GDP made up $18560 billion. And despite losing first place to China ( $21270 billion), according to the level of technological development, especially in the fields of information technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, aerospace and military equipment, America is still ahead of the rest.

In 2017, inflation is – 0,1% , and the unemployment rate is 4,6% . Sphere social security and services in the USA are also in high positions, for example, healthcare costs are about 17% GDP, which is the highest in the world.

America has always positioned itself as a free, democratic country that provides equal opportunities and conditions for all citizens. It is not for nothing that the United States is called a nation of immigrants; every year its population of more than 320 million is replenished with hundreds of thousands of migrants from different countries.

America happily hosts the best minds in the world and creates comfortable living conditions. Let’s try to figure out the main ways to move overseas and answer the question of how to emigrate to the USA from Ukraine, Russia and other CIS countries in 2017.

Main options for emigration to the USA

One of the most quick ways immigration to the States. For convenience, consider the option of obtaining an immigrant visa, which is called K1, the bride and, accordingly, the groom will be a US citizen. For the opposite case, the conditions will not be different.

So, fiancee status will allow you to get a visa K1 permitting entry into the United States for the purpose of subsequent marriage during three months from the moment of arrival. What is needed for this?

A US citizen must file a petition on the form I-129F to a special USCIS Citizenship and Immigration Service. This is done at the applicant’s place of residence in the United States. After consideration, the application is sent to the National Visa Center(NVC), which processes it and forwards the documents to the US Embassy at the location of the bride. Typically this process takes 1-1.5 months.

After that, The Consular Section at the American Embassy sends the bride a letter with further instructions and a list of documents required to obtain a visa. When all documents are collected, the date of the interview is agreed upon with the Embassy. You must have your passport and originals of the required documents with you.

After receiving a visa and leaving for the States, you must get married before the expiration of 90 days, then you can then apply to the Citizenship and Immigration Services to obtain the status of a conditional permanent resident of the United States, otherwise you will have to leave the country.

It is especially worth noting that Americans are very strict about entering into fictitious marriages and oppose them in every possible way. If a person is caught in this type of fraud, the violator of the law faces huge fines and a ban on entering the country. In this regard, even before filing petitions and starting the visa procedure, it is necessary to take care of evidence of serious intentions for marriage and the sincerity of the relationship.

These could be joint photographs, postcards, bills from restaurants, hotels, telephone receipts, and so on. All this may be needed at the stage of applying for a visa at the Embassy, ​​and will definitely be needed to obtain a Green Card (confirmation of a residence permit and the right to work in the country) already in the United States.

Participation in the DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY program

Quite an interesting type of emigration to the USA. Anyone can receive a Green Card if they have a high school diploma or more than two years of work experience. To do this, you need to leave an application on the official website www.dvlottery.state.gov.

The lottery was created by the US State Department and aims to attract immigrants from countries that are least represented in America. As a rule, for a country to participate in the program, the rate of migrants to the United States must be less than 50 thousand people for the last 5 years.

The most exciting thing about the lottery is the random computer selection of applicants. The selection of the winner is not related to social status, English proficiency or professional skills. In addition, along with the participant, the right to obtain a visa is given to the spouse and unmarried children up to 21 years old.

The drawing is held annually, usually at the same time. In 2016, applications for DV-2018 were accepted from October 4 to November 7. The results are published in May. Usually the winning percentage does not exceed 1,5% regardless of country. Therefore, if there are no other options to emigrate to the USA on the horizon, then you can use this method.

This is a type of work immigration to the United Statesfor high-level specialists. The diploma must undergo confirmation of compliance with US standards. With absence higher education, work experience in the specialty within 3 years is equivalent to 1 year of university.

Get a visa yourself H-1B impossible. The registration process entirely depends on the employer, who needs to submit a corresponding application to the federal labor service in his country to hire a foreign worker. This is usually done starting in April, for 6 months before the start of the US fiscal year ( October 1).

To satisfy the application, a number of conditions must be met, such as:

• lack of applicants for positions in the domestic market;
• compliance of the foreign worker’s salary level with current legislation;
• hiring a foreigner will not have negative consequences for the American labor market.

Valid term of a visa no more than 6 years. All costs for extending a work visa to the United States are borne by the employer. During this time, the employee can apply for a Green Card, otherwise it will be necessary to leave the country. The US government sets quotas for issuing work visas H-1B at a level slightly more 60 thousand annually.

The most expensive type of immigration to the United States is investment in the country's economy. To obtain an American visa EB-5 there are two main conditions:

1. Business investment is equivalent $1 000 000 . In rare cases, the threshold may be reduced to $500 000 , if the business is in rural areas (target zones) or the unemployment rate is 50% higher than the national average.
2. Creation of at least 10 full-time jobs for American residents. Close relatives (wife, children) cannot be included in this list, but distant relatives (brother, uncle) are welcome.

To obtain a visa, you must submit a petition to the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) using the following form: I-526 and documents confirming compliance with the conditions specified above. If the decision is positive, a so-called conditional Green Card is issued, and after two years you can submit an application using the form I-829 to receive a permanent green card. It is worth noting that running a business in the USA must be done directly in the country; simply investing resources and sitting at home will not work.

A viable option is moving to the United States if there is strong evidence of persecution and persecution in your home country. The reasons may be different:

• political motives
• religious beliefs
• race
• military actions and others

You can apply for refugee status at the US Embassy in your home country ( refugees) and on American territory ( asylees). If your application is approved, you can receive a permanent Green Card within a year. Having relatives living in the United States will be a big plus when considering a refugee claim.

The longest way to immigrate to the States. It is easiest for close relatives to immigrate - spouses, parents and children up to 21 years old. There are no quotas for visas in this category; the procedure lasts several years.

To immigrate this way, a US citizen submits an application to Citizenship and Immigration Services using the form I-130 and documents confirming relationship. An important factor is the applicant’s financial security, which guarantees that moving costs will be covered and the burden on the American budget will be reduced. A separate petition is submitted for each relative.

When and how to emigrate to the USA, which method to choose for this, everyone decides for himself. But before making the final decision to move, it would be a good idea to first visit the country, experience the local culture and rhythm of life, communicate with people and, ultimately, improve the language. For this purpose, there are many special programs designed specifically for students and young professionals. Eg, WORK and TRAVEL USA And Career Training USA.

Instructions

Choose one of the main options for obtaining a residence permit. Win the Green Card lottery, get a work visa or an investor visa. Every year, the American State Department holds a drawing for a certain number of permanent residence visas. Leave your application and wait for the lottery results. If you are lucky, you will become the proud owner of a residence permit. A work visa (H1B) is issued to professionals wishing to work in the United States. Every year, the country's Congress sets a quota for the number of visas of this type. It is issued for a period of 3 years and can be extended up to 6 years. The specialist's family has the right to move with him and legally reside in the United States. The H1B visa gives the right to obtain permanent residence. You can quickly obtain a residence permit by making an investment of $500,000 or more in the economy. You will receive an investor visa, and then citizenship.

You can obtain a residence permit in America on the basis of marriage. The K-1 visa is issued to those who come to the country for the purpose of marriage. Refugee status gives the right to obtain a residence permit. It may be granted if persecution or fear of persecution is proven against the applicant. However, keep in mind that the interview at the American Embassy is quite tough.

Having received a residence permit, live in the country for the required amount of time (depending on the type of visa) and begin obtaining citizenship. Begin your preparation 3 months before your five-year permanent resident status or three-year permanent resident status expires. Go through the naturalization process and take the citizenship test. Receive a form (petition for naturalization) from the immigration office. Fill it out and submit it to the Immigration Service. You will be given a date for your citizenship test.

When you pass the exam, your application will be sent to the district court, where it will be reviewed and a decision will be made on granting you citizenship. You will receive a certificate confirming your status as an American citizen.

If you have children under 16 years of age, they will automatically receive citizenship along with you.

If you plan to move to the United States of America for many years or permanently, then you will need view on residence(permanent residence) – green card. This is an official immigration document that allows the alien to remain in the United States and work, although a work permit will have to be obtained separately.

You will need

• - a package of documents confirming your identity, education and status;
• - photographs for documents;
• - contact addresses and telephone numbers of the American Embassy and the Department of Immigration Affairs in the United States.

Instructions

You can get a green card in several ways: political asylum, investment in the economy, marriage to a US citizen, an invitation from an employer with the provision of a job, and even a lottery. Choose the one that suits you best and start collecting documents.

The quality of life in a foreign land largely depends on His Majesty Chance. Often it is he who determines whether a person will be successful outside his country. Of course, life in America attracts people with social stability, high level income and many other factors.

How do US citizens live?

Americans are a proud nation. They live by their own laws and rules, constantly trying to promote their own principles in other states. It is known that the USA is the most developed country not only on the territory of the New World, but also in comparison with the rest of the states of our planet. What is life like in America? It is worth saying that working US citizens, unlike Russians, have approximately the same good level of income. But, of course, those of them who stand at the very top of the social ladder live luxuriously. And it is not surprising that today the United States is one of the most attractive countries for immigration.

Anyone who intends to leave their homeland and settle in America should know about the main features of the life of its ordinary citizens. In most cases, they are not interested in other people's affairs. However, despite their apparent indifference, Americans are a very responsive nation. If you feel sick and sit down in the middle of the street, passers-by will certainly offer their help and call 911. When called, a fire truck will arrive. Following her is a medical aid carriage. The police will also arrive when called. In the event that firefighters do not require action, they can provide medical assistance until doctors arrive. Representatives of these two professions in America are respected by ordinary citizens, and the state also takes care of them. Thus, an ordinary nurse in New York receives a salary of around six thousand dollars. And doctors, of course, are several times larger.

In America, many roads are toll roads. This applies to tunnels and bridges, since these transport arteries can significantly save time and reduce gasoline costs. The cost of travel on such roads is within a few dollars and depends on the number of lanes, length, etc.

Prices in America for medical services are quite high, but doctors work only at a professional level. For transportation to the hospital by ambulance for examination, a bill is issued in the amount of about five hundred dollars. As for a regular x-ray, you will have to pay $200 for it. Of course, medications are not cheap in this country, and in addition, doctors often prescribe many medications that the patient does not need. Operations in America cost incredible amounts of money. For example, a person will have to pay about sixty thousand dollars for the restoration of partitions. And this does not include cosmetic facial treatment! However, the bulk of the country's citizens have health insurance. These funds are used to pay for such procedures, operations and medications. That is why visits to medical institutions have little impact on the family budget.

How do older people live in the USA? They don't worry about their old age. The state provides everyone not only with a decent pension, but also with other benefits. That is why in many tourist trips Older American couples are common. Sick elderly people in the United States are provided with medications and a caregiver. Depending on the health status of the elderly person, care can be provided for several hours a week or around the clock. Employees of specially created organizations deliver food to elderly people. Doctors provide treatment for the elderly until their very last day. The fact is that it makes no difference to doctors what age their patient is.

Americans often live in rented apartments. This allows them to move frequently simply at will or due to a change in their place of work. Is it good to live in America? The answer to this question depends on everyone's personal preferences. For example, in this country no one forces anyone to study. Those who have the desire will receive education. In the USA, teachers do not run after everyone and ask them to teach lessons. However, in this country it is impossible to get a solid job with a high salary without knowledge and education. In the USA, it is not enough to have influential parents in order to get ahead in the world. Here the person and his knowledge are most valued.

Independent life in America begins from adulthood. Children reaching this age often go to college campuses or rent an apartment while getting a job.

How to move to the USA?

Our compatriots are constantly attracted by America. A large number of people wish to obtain permanent residence in this country every year. Of course, this is not surprising, since the United States is attractive to immigrants for its high economic level development. How to move to live in America? To do this, you can choose one of the existing options. America's many cities attract immigrants. The list of ways that will allow you to obtain the desired status is not so wide, but if you wish, your dream will certainly come true.

The first legal way to immigrate is to obtain a work visa. It can only be issued to an experienced specialist of any kind of activity. This visa is issued at the invitation of the employer for two years. It can be extended three times. Such emigration to America generally lasts six years. During this period, you can obtain a green card, which will allow you to continue living in the United States.

The second option for moving to the country of your dreams is to obtain a businessman visa. To register it in Russia, a person must open his own company. It is not at all necessary to start a new business in the USA. A branch of a Russian enterprise may be opened in America. The first business visa is issued for a period of one year. This period is a kind of probationary period. If the enterprise operates successfully during the year, this will allow you to obtain the next visa. Its validity period will be three years. From the very beginning of your stay in America, you will be able to submit documents for a residence permit. At first glance, this method of emigration seems quite simple. However, on the way to its implementation there may be a large number of pitfalls.

How to move to live in America if the previous two methods are difficult and inaccessible for you? Winning a green card will help you make your dream come true. The fact is that the US government holds official lotteries, where fifty thousand people are selected by computer every year. An application for participation can be submitted by anyone. To do this, you just need to register on the official website owned by the US State Department. This method will also allow you to become a resident of any

The list of opportunities to leave your homeland does not end here. One of the options for obtaining permanent residence in the United States is legal marriage. In this case, for several years you will have to prove the fact that you got married not for your own self-interest, but out of love. There is another option - obtaining refugee status. Only in this case will it be necessary to prove that you are being persecuted in your homeland, and your life is in danger due to this.

Physical shock

Suppose you used one of the methods described above, and your dream became a reality. How to live in America after moving to another continent? One of the first problems that emigrants face is disruption of the body's circadian rhythms. This is a kind of physical shock caused by jet lag. It will take from two to three days to a week for the constant drowsiness and some absent-mindedness to go away. After this, emigrants begin to have dinner at the time when it is midnight in Russia, and get out of bed at hours when everyone in their home country is already asleep.

Culture shock

How to live in America when the entire surrounding reality is radically different from the one to which you are accustomed in your homeland? Emigrants have a need to adapt to a culture that is unusual for them. They are cut off from the national environment familiar to them since childhood. Alien and unfamiliar will be the climate and food, the landscape, as well as people and their behavior. At first, there may be difficulties with understanding and pronunciation. The heavy loads that must be endured when taking courses, passing exams, participating in seminars, etc. have a depressing effect on emigrants.

How to live in America at such a high daily pace? It should be remembered that culture shock is a normal human reaction. Don't panic. Gradually, each emigrant gets used to the foundations of a society unfamiliar to him, to the cultural traditions that exist in the United States. All this will allow you to return to normal health. During the adaptation process, it is worth being tolerant. In America, people can say or do things that are not accepted in Russia. We must understand that this country has its own values. They are a reflection of American culture.

Residence in the USA for Russian-speaking emigrants

Today, people from former USSR and CIS countries can be found all over the world. In all economically developed large countries There are Russian-speaking communities. Their speech is well understood by residents of nearby areas. In addition, Russian names are given to entire blocks and streets. America is no exception and traditionally settled on Brighton Beach. This area was even called “Little Odessa”.

This largest Russian region in America is inhabited by about three hundred thousand people. Moreover, not only representatives of this nationality live here. All people who came to the United States from the former republics of the USSR are called Russian. Of course, such communities exist not only in New York. Russians are settling in other cities of the country. It is worth saying that in Soviet period As a rule, representatives of Jewish nationality emigrated. To date, no such trend has been observed. Jews in the list of modern emigrants occupy only twelve percent of the total.

Reasons for moving

What prompts our compatriots to leave Russia? There are several reasons for emigration. In Soviet times, people who were disliked by the authorities due to their political convictions moved to the United States from the USSR. Russians in America today are athletes, artists and scientists, scientists and programmers. All of them travel at the invitation of American companies in order to earn decent money.

Businessmen whose business is inextricably linked with this country are also moving to the United States. They quickly find their niche and live quite prosperously. However, among emigrants there are those who rely only on the smile of fortune. These are little-known musicians and actors, “Russian brides,” as well as small businessmen. Their fate is different.

Impact of emigration

Former citizens of our country, without a doubt, change not only the appearance of America. They influence the development of culture and But this is not always positive. For example, some emigrants from Russia are members of criminal gangs. However, most immigrants from Russia lead a respectable lifestyle.

Policy

Russian communities do not show much trust in local authorities. They are largely absent from the public and fast-paced politics of the United States. Proof of this is the absence of representatives of Russian emigrants in any noticeable government positions. However, the situation is gradually changing. Russians are beginning to realize their civil rights and are participating in elections at various levels.

Modern emigration

Our compatriots who are currently arriving in the United States are increasingly choosing Russian neighborhoods as their place of residence. Modern emigrants integrate much faster into their new society and do not feel the need to remain part of the diaspora. The adaptation process makes it easier to know in English.

Modern emigrants are most often hired for positions that require high professional skills. Payment for work performed is at the American average level. This fact is due to the characteristics of the modern country. After all, in order to obtain a work visa, a Russian must prove that he has the special skills that are required in the American labor market.

The exception is those who came to the United States for any family reasons. How can such people live in America? If an emigrant does not have a required specialty and does not know English well, then he can only count on unskilled, low-paid labor.

Cultural life

Emigrants from Russia are forced to adapt to a new environment for them. Over time, they begin to behave more like Americans with similar education and income. In modern conditions, the influence of diasporas is somewhat declining. The specific emigrant life, which reached its peak in the second half of the twentieth century, no longer has such scope and distribution.

Several Russian-language publications are published in the United States. However, there is a crisis in this area as well. This is happening due to the development of the Internet.

Such a responsible event and the answer to the question of how to move to the USA for permanent place residence requires careful preparation. Every year, more than 500 thousand citizens from other countries come to the States to pursue the American dream.

The authorities and residents of the country do not really like the large flow of visitors, so various laws and restrictions are being introduced to curb it. Every year it becomes more and more difficult to immigrate to America.

In order to move to live in the country, you need to figure out which option for obtaining a permit is suitable for you. There are 2 ways of legalization: obtain an immigrant visa while in Russia, and then go to the United States for permanent residence, or first leave and, while in the United States, change the status of a non-immigrant visa.

Resident card

There are only 3 ways to legally emigrate to the States from Russia:

1. Family reunification for spouses, parents, children, and siblings. Citizens of the country can apply for an immigrant visa in favor of their relatives. If requested, there are no restrictions for spouses, children or parents. When applying for relatives of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th stages, there is an annual quota limit of 480 thousand permits per year.
2. Work in the States at the request of a consenting American employer Federal service US Employment Administration for hiring a foreign worker. It is very difficult to obtain such permission; for this it is necessary to provide evidence of the absence of this specialist among American citizens. Another condition of the consent is a promise that hiring the foreigner will not lead to worse working conditions for American workers or lower wages. The number of immigrants entering on a work visa is limited by law to 140 thousand per year.
3. Refugee status for citizens who have been persecuted or persecuted in their home country. The justification for such actions may be race or ethnicity, religious and political beliefs, membership in social or other organizations that are objectionable to the authorities of the home country. To obtain such a residence permit, a foreign citizen can apply to the US Embassy from his home country or while in the United States. By providing evidence that such a threat is real, the applicant can expect protection from the US authorities from the moment he receives refugee status.

Currently, the number of people wishing to leave for America is so large that a system of quotas for the annual issuance of immigrant visas has been introduced into US immigration legislation. American authorities are reluctant to issue green cards for refugees, reducing their number every year, as the country is filled with citizens living on benefits from the budget.

There is another way to leave using the green card lottery. It's not as simple as it seems. Please note that you need to provide documents proving your financial viability to live in the country, confirm your education and work experience, and also present an offer from an American employer.

Temporary or permanent immigration

To obtain US residency, you must first obtain an immigrant visa. If you cannot do this in three legal ways, there is a longer, but also legal way.

Sometimes you need to change your visa status while in America. Whether it's worth moving this way needs to be assessed before you get to the States. Study all the conditions for changing your status, pay attention to the deadlines, calculate whether you can live without work all this time, if you have to.

Moving to the USA can be accomplished with the help of about 20 various types non-immigrant visas:

1. Bride's visa. This permit is issued to enter the country and prepare for a wedding. It is valid for 3 months, during which time you must register your marriage and receive conditional permanent resident status. After 2 years, you will be able to apply for US permanent residence.
2. A work visa allows you to obtain a residence permit through employment if your employer sponsors you. Then not only the person who moved on a temporary work visa, but also his family receives the right to live in the United States permanently.
3. A business visa is granted to the owner of an enterprise registered in America or on the territory of any other state and having a branch in the States. Such a permit is issued not only to a businessman, but also to members of his family for a period of 1 year. If the enterprise operates successfully, the owner living in America receives another permit for 3 years, after which a green card is issued.
4. If a child was born in America, any state automatically recognizes him as a US citizen.

Employment in America

Every Russian citizen can become a job seeker in the United States. A high level of social protection, wages, good medical care, low mortgage interest rates - this is an incomplete list of arguments in favor of working in America.

Immigrant work visas are usually issued based on a petition from a U.S. employer. At the same time, hiring foreign citizen should not negatively affect the situation of Americans.

Work immigration is one of the most attractive ways to move to the USA. To do this, you need not only to know English well, but also to be a highly qualified specialist, which the American economy needs. Your education diploma and work experience must be relevant to the position you are applying for.

The first stage is finding a job in the USA. To do this, you can use the city employment service portal or view the vacancies of any recruitment agency. Now on the Internet there is a lot of information on employment in any state. Having found a job that interests you, you need to receive a petition from the employer stating that he needs you. Having received it, you go to the consulate for work visa. You will need documents:

1. International passport.
2. 2 color photographs 3.5x4.5 cm.
3. A high school diploma or diploma translated into English.
4. Certificate of membership in a professional union of specialists, translated into English.
5. Work book translated into English.
6. Detailed summary in English.

It can take about six months from the moment you submit your documents until you start work, so it’s important to take this time into account. If you have worked in one organization for 3 years, the employer has the right to file a petition to grant you a residence permit.

Housing in the States

When choosing a vacancy, pay attention to best cities for life in the USA. The first of them is New York. Everyone is concentrated here economic ties States. A large number of jobs and rapid career growth attract large numbers of immigrants here. But we must not forget that this is the most expensive city in America.

When moving here, be prepared to pay high prices rent for housing, incur large expenses for leisure and food. A fairy tale city with a huge number of skyscrapers, stormy nightlife and intense business life will amaze you with its traffic jams, gas pollution and high prices.

The most dangerous cities The USA, among which Chicago was located at the beginning of the last century, has now changed its appearance. Now it's Cleveland, Birmingham and Baltimore. Chicago is considered a good alternative to New York. You can rent an apartment for $1,200-1,600 a month, food for a week will cost you $150, and leisure is relatively inexpensive.

If you're traveling with your family, check out the safest cities in the United States. Among them are Madison, Rochester, Arlington, Berkeley, Sacramento, Salt Lake City.

But if it's important to you to combine a quiet life in your home with fast career growth or business, then choose Bellevue, Washington. Santa Clara in California is located in Silicon Valley - a world-famous place where experience in creating and promoting high-tech, knowledge-intensive startups is concentrated, the best platforms where venture investors, developers, businessmen, representatives of the world's leading technology companies and business media.

The most crime-ridden cities in America are places with low level life and education, high unemployment, most of the townspeople live on social benefits. Needless to say, such places are not worth immigrating to. Here are some of them: New Haven, Stockton, Memphis, St. Louis, Oakland, Detroit, Flint. Before going for permanent residence in the USA, study the situation in the city where you are offered to work.