Living in the United States: 7 tips to get you started

Moving to the United States: 7 tips to get you started

According to the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about 1.4 million Brazilians currently live in the United States. The country is one of the main destinations for Brazilians who decide to move abroad permanently. About 40% of all citizens who leave Brazil have a US address as their new residence. If you are interested in being part of this statistic and moving with your family to the USA, read below tips for those who want to live in the United States.

1. understand about language and legislation

The tip is simple, but fundamental. The first thing you need to invest in to make the move to the USA is to learn English. Fluency comes with time in everyday life in the country. But, it is important to have a minimum knowledge to be able to relate to those who were born there.

In addition, you need to understand the laws of the region in which you intend to take up residence. The United States has a different division than Brazil; the states function autonomously. For this reason legislation can change drastically from region to region. If you plan to live in the United States it is nice that you understand some of the history, laws, and workings of your city.

2. Research the best neighborhoods to live in

The location where you intend to reside is a very important step when making a decision about living in the United States. Since the choice influences the cost of living, type of housing, and even the school and opportunities for the children. Children must attend institutions located in their own neighborhood or region. So, if you have school-age children you need to research about the schools in the neighborhood and their classification. If you want to know more about this topic you may want to read the text: School in the United States: learn how the country's system works.

At The Florida Lounge, relationship agents are able to contribute to this moment to help understand all aspects of life in the USA and guide decision making regarding this move.

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3. Understand how to get a driver's license

Like all documentation issues in the USA, it is quite simple to get a driver's license in the country. The legislation changes from state to state, but basically what is required of someone who has moved into the country and already has a driver's license in the home country are:

  • Be in the country for at least 30 days.
  • Present your passport and the document that was stamped when you entered the country (I-94).
  • Prove residence.
  • Finally, your driver's license will be valid for the same length of time as your residence permit.

For those who want to get their first driver's license directly in the United States, it is a good idea to look on the Internet to find out what documentation is required and the specifics of the state in which the driver's license is required. The process is summarized in a legislation test, a vision test and a driving test. See below what each step of this process consists of:

  • For the legislation test, all you have to do is study at home and mark the assessment, no theory classes are required. The study material is available for free on the internet. After paying the fee, taking and passing the test, the second part begins.
  • The vision test is used to assess whether or not you need to wear glasses while driving. After the test, you receive a provisional license to drive vehicles in the presence of adults over the age of 21. In this way, young people can learn driving practice from their own parents.
  • The driving test is very simple. After practicing with the help of a driver, all you have to do is book the test, the car in which the evaluation will be made is the responsibility of the future driver.

4. Invest in a Health Plan

It is also important to plan financially to have a good health insurance for the whole family group. Since the stay is permanent, this is the best way to ensure security for your family and access to the country's medical resources. Since access to healthcare in the USA is not free, even for simple procedures. In an emergency the costs can become very high. It is better to be prepared for eventual problems at all times!

It is worth talking to someone who can answer your questions. Especially relationship agents who can give you very precise tips about these procedures.

5. Understand which visa is best for you and your family

To enter the United States, even on a trip, you must have a visa. To take up residence are several document options that make the change possible. From study visas, such as those for academic masters that allow entry into the country with a spouse for housing, to professional visas.

You can better understand the entire visa process with the text: Booking a US visa: all you need to know about the process. The next tip topic is an excellent option for those who wish, in addition to residing, to invest in the USA.

6. Find out about green cards with EB-5

The EB-5 is a type of visa that was created in 1990 with the objective of heating up the North American economy. It is important to understand about it because it is a kind of incentive for foreign investment in the so-called Targeted Employment Areas (TEA). These are locations with high unemployment rates compared to the national average. In other words, a great opportunity for those who want to invest in an existing business in the USA.

An important fact to mention is that Brazil was the sixth country that most requested this type of visa. As reported by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 388 EB-5 visas were issued to Brazilians in 2018. The statistic already includes spouses and children up to the age of 21 of the main investor.

To better understand how it works, we have listed below some prerequisites and the steps to get yours. Check it out:

Prerequisites

To be eligible for the EB-5 visa you must invest US$ 500 to US$ 1 million in a for-profit business entity. In addition, the investment must generate at least 10 full-time jobs in the country for at least two years.

Steps

To apply for EB-5, you must complete four steps:

1- Find a project in which you want to invest.

2- Invest the required capital and file the I-526 petition (to show that you have made an EB-5 investment).

3- Choose the residence where you intend to live while closely monitoring the investment for a period of two years. Once the investment process is approved, you are allowed to live in the US for the two "trial" years.

4- Fulfilling all requirements at the end of this period, the investor and the entire family group (with children up to 21 years of age) receive the EB-5. In this way, permanent and unconditional residency is granted. After five years it is possible to apply for American citizenship to live with the same rights as a US citizen.

7. Have a real estate consultant and relationship agent

In addition to the tips given above for those who want to live in the United States, it is very important to have a person to assist you in this process!

Moving to another country, no matter how well-structured the family and the main decision maker, involves many aspects. Especially when you have children in that move. Therefore, it is important to have a trusted relationship agent to contribute and make sure that the migration and all the bureaucratic paperwork is handled properly.

Besides finding the best locations for living, real estate, schools for children, and possibility to work and invest in the countrythe relationship agent can help in a unique and detailed way to prepare all the necessary documents and give all the tips for those who want to live in the United States. If you wish to contact our professionals to learn more about Florida real estateClick on the banner below.  

Living in the United States

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