Hello..

hello..   my name is stelios im 21 years old im from greece and after my college and army duty i would like to work and live in america as an american citizen.. i have search a lot about this and the only conclusion i found i due to work..is there any other way i can live there? when i search a job should this job only be connected to my college?cant i do any job? how long should i work until i take the citizenship test? this is my longlife dream and i would be really devastated if there was nothing to do..   thank you in advance

"is there any other way i can live there?"

In order to immigrate to the United States for the purpose of becoming a citizen you would have to be working.  Unless you are independently wealthy and can live off of that for the five years residency needed to be a citizen you have to have a job.  In fact I believe gainful employment is part of citizenship requirements though I could be wrong.

"cant i do any job?"

No.  In order to get a work visa you must possess a unique skill set that no US citizen currently has and the employer must sponsor you.  You cannot apply for a work visa and then get the job.  Right now your biggest obstacle is that enemployment in the USA is at an all time high and jobs are scarce to non-existent for those already here. 

"how long should i work until i take the citizenship test?"

This is a direct quote from a website I found and just a partial list of requirements for becoming a citizen:

"In order to acquire your US Citizenship, you must be a permanent resident in the United States for a minimum of five years. During that time you may not leave the United States for more than a year at a time. If you do, then you have to start your permanent resident status all over again."

You can find more information at this site:

www.requirementsforusc...

"this is my longlife dream and i would be really devastated if there was nothing to do."

It isn't impossible but realize that this is a long term goal and not one that is easily attained.  The economy isn't helping immigration issues either.  Do your research on jobs that have an easier time getting work visas for immigrants and where they are and then start searching there.  Since you have a minimum of five years to wait to even take the test worry about that after you get a work visa and are here.

thank you so much for replying so fast.

i have some other questions tho about the answers you gave me..

first of all, about the cant i do any job answer,.. if i have a friend that can employ me could this do something? and if this job was a low working job to start does it make any difference or it must be seen to the government that i come to this country because they need my skills? the unique skills you refere are for the government to see or for the employer to see? and something else about this job answer, can i go to america with a visitors visa and then find a job there and change my visitors visa to working visa?

now about the citizenship test.. if by any chance meet a lady there, love her and want to spend my life together with here does it change things? can i get merried if im not citizen?

finally about this you said.. * Unless you are independently wealthy and can live off of that for the five years residency needed to be a citizen you have to have a job *  .....

how can i leave five years before i give my citizen test if i get a visitors visa that only counts for 6 months? will i be illigal citizen after the 6 months? because i searched and found out that if i surpass these moths there will be a ban from the country..

i only have one chance to this and i want to do this right.. thank you again for the help and im looking forward for your reply..you helped me a lot answering lots of questions i have..

Hello Stellos:

I understand you have a lot of questions and I think that the most important part of it is understanding the complex laws of immigration. I went through the same thing you did a couple of years ago and the one thing that helped me was a DVD I found on the Internet www.us-immigration-exp... . The only thing is it's long (almost 5 hours) but it covered every visa they have and the green cards and what it took to get them. I finally figured out what I needed to do and here I am. There is so much to know in this area. What I can tell you, is that it 'is' complicated but it 'can' be done. Do not give up...figure out what you need and then follow all the rules (and there are plenty of them) but it can be done and I wish you all the luck in the world. 

Shirley

"if i have a friend that can employ me could this do something?"

While that would be a help the bigger issue is USA employment rules state that employers MUST hire a US citizen FIRST before hiring a legal foreign resident with a working visa.  The requirements to get a work visa in the USA are that you have a unique skill and/or advanced education that they have been unable to fill with a US citizen.

"can i go to america with a visitors visa and then find a job there and change my visitors visa to working visa?"

While it has been done it is the most difficult route and the longest and hardest to overcome.  Plus if the visitor's visa runs out and you don't have a job and you stay anyway you risk being deported with a 10 year ban on returning to the USA.  It is not a recommended method of moving to the USA to work.

"can i get merried if im not citizen?"

You are free to marry a US citizen without being one yourself.  It does change the requirements for a work visa but it is still a long and difficult process.  The marriage will be closely scrutnized to make sure it is valid.

"how can i leave five years before i give my citizen test if i get a visitors visa that only counts for 6 months?"

You can't.  That is the point.  In order to be eligible to take the test for US citizenship you must be a LEGAL permanent resident of the USA for five years.  A legal permanent resident is allowed to work in the USA.  It is getting that first visa to work here so that you can then take the steps to become a legal permanent resident and ultimately a citizen that is the most difficult.  The economy here has really tightened down the number of people they are letting immigrate for that purpose.

Having a work visa is not the same as being a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR). A work visa allows you to work and the time spent in the US while holding a work visa does not count towards citizenship, it is five years as a LPR only.

thank you all for trying to help me thro this i really apreciate it..

so the conclusion to all this is that the easiest way to be a citizen is the work visa way and with the work visa i must have unique skill or studies...

what about music? is there a way through music to do this? i mean, does it considered to come to america and work with a band as a singer or guitarist(or a singer with an employer to a club or somewhere else) or something else connected to music or its only from my college work?

for shirley..

thank you shirley for the dvd you told me about im going to look for it..

for sa1..

so it doesnt count anyway if i get a work visa.. :( ..? then whitch is the best way to become an LPR ? im very disapointed right now that i thought i found a solution..

"what about music? is there a way through music to do this?"

That would not be a unique skill unless you were a famous recording artist.  Bands, singers, and musicians are a dime a dozen in the USA and there are way too many hoping to hit it big.

"so it doesnt count anyway if i get a work visa"

Getting a work visa is one way to start becoming a legal permanent resident.  What the other person meant was there are many people who come here to work for many years but do not desire citizenship and only maintain the work visa and never go through the steps to become a LPR.  The ONLY way to be a citizen is to become an LPR.  ALL LPR are eligible to work and no longer need a work visa because they are an LPR.  The first step in becoming an LPR in your situation is most likely getting a work visa.

"so the conclusion to all this is that the easiest way to be a citizen is the work visa way and with the work visa i must have unique skill or studies."

The most common visa that you would come here under to work is an H1B.  H1B visas must be sponsored by your employer AND you must have the job offer from the employer BEFORE they apply for the visa on your behalf.  The employer must demonstrate to the US Government that they made every attempt to hire a US citizen and none were available and that you as a foriegn citizen are the only qualified individual.  It isn't impossible but H1B typically go to doctors, pharmacists, advanced computer technology, those individuals who apply for H1B visas have advanced degrees:  master's or PhDs.  Some with basic four year degrees get them but they have a unique skill and training needed.  You cannot get an H1B visa to be a band member, secretary, janitor etc.  Jobs that there are plenty of USA citizens for.

ah i see..

thank you very much i will try to find out what im going to do for this situation im in.. i hope im going to find a way.. thanks again Clydesmom you really helped me..