From: "N. L. Cobb", [EMAIL PROTECTED] Nigel, and anyone contemplating immigration to the US-- According to Senator Gordon Smith's office, current US immigration law requires that: a) An applicant can establish that he/she is engaged in certain occupational activities vital to the continued well being of this country - medical doctor, nuclear scientist, aeronautical engineer, etc., or b) An applicant can establish that he/she will invest a minimum of one million (US) dollars in a business located in the United States. Otherwise lawful immigration is a near impossibility (unless, of course, the immigrant can establish that he/she will be a major money contributor to the Clinton/Gore Democrat party.) Needless to add, this law has been enacted during the Clinton/Gore Administration. Norm PS: have located a gun-friendly (or at least less anti-gun than the UK today and the US of the future) country. Details available off-list. -- It wasn't Clinton who came up with this, it was passed in 1986 although the regulations have been changed numerous times. The only way to immigrate into the US that is relatively straightforward is to marry a US citizen. There are immigration lotteries in some countries but not the UK. The immigrant investor bit above is complex, you have to bring in at least $1 million, or $500,000 if the Dept. of Labour has identified the area you're moving to as impoverished. However, you must employ at least ten US citizens. But, and it's a big but, if you bring in enough money and invest it in someone else's business or property, the INS will investigate to see whether the investment indirectly leads to the employment of ten or more US citizens. This is how rock stars and so on immigrate to the US. I have to say a know people who've gotten into the US under the immigrant investor provisions. The INS has a tough time enforcing it because no-one can hire ten people straight off the bat, so the INS has to check back with you. But if you have five employees they're unlikely to deport you if it means putting five people out of work. You can get work permits to get into the US, the best one is the self-employed worker permit, for people who would not ordinarily work for another such as dentists for example. But it has to be renewed every year, there has to be a need where you set up shop, and you have to remain engaged in that business. The number of visas granted to people under (a) is miniscule, you have to be someone really special to get one. You can always claim political asylum, that's how a lot of people stay in the US but it's much harder now the cold war is over. You can also immigrate if you have an immediate relative who is a US citizen, but the application process can take ten years or more. This is the "family reunification" programme. Another way of getting into the US is an intra-company transfer, but this only applies while you work for that company. My uncle worked for DuPont for many years in Delaware, and had to leave when he wanted to change jobs. Steve. (who spent three hours on hold with INS several years ago to get this info.) Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A http://www.topica.com/t/17 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
