What the general procedure a foreigner (European, for instance) would have to go through to make sure he can move to NYC, get a cheap room there and find a work that will pay for that cheap room (I'm thinking about 800$/month?)?

Talk me through all the details and options, please (visa, work permit, insurance, ...). Would it be possible or even easier to just go on "a long holiday"? How that this correlate to employment? Would this make having a "proper" job illegal/impossible in the U.S.?

Thanks for the info. I'd love to find out as much as you could share!

I wish you luck but that would be hard even here in NEBRASKA!

tinaz said:

I wish you luck but that would be hard even here in NEBRASKA!

Thank you, but nah, this is not something I intend to do or something. Just asking out of interest.

I might have to try my luck in NYC at some point (musical career-wise), but that's years from now. I'm really just asking out of general interest about how things work over there.

I would start by looking at these website to see what the US Government requires:

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html

Next I would plan on spending more than $800/month total. Monthly metro cards alone cost $104 so if you're going to be living somewhere in the outer bouroughs you will be taking the subway and bus every day. I would think that if you want to pay $800 or less you are looking at sharing an apartment or renting a room in someone's house.

Save your money. Then, save some more. Then save more.

jone70 said:

I would start by looking at these website to see what the US Government requires:

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html

Next I would plan on spending more than $800/month total. Monthly metro cards alone cost $104 so if you're going to be living somewhere in the outer bouroughs you will be taking the subway and bus every day. I would think that if you want to pay $800 or less you are looking at sharing an apartment or renting a room in someone's house.

Save your money. Then, save some more. Then save more.

Cool, thanks.

Yeah, I think renting a room in someone's house is probably the cheapest way. I had a quick look in the internet and I saw rooms in Brooklyn for about 600-700$/month.

But, fucking hell, public transport is expensive! What about food etc.? Is everything more expensive once you step foot into the city, or is it rather a case of knowing where to go and which areas to avoid?

Getting your visa may prove complicated...I don't know the fine details, but my cousin's wife waited five years to get hers. Of course, Honduras is a high-volume immigration country, so your situation would probably not be as difficult as hers.

I can't help you out with the room/board situation. I would suggest that you reach out to New Yorkers to confirm whether or not the area that you're looking to settle in is worth it. Brooklyn is a happening place nowadays (depending on the area). I think it's also good for the music scene, which I know is important for you. Long Island City (Queens) is by many accounts the next "happening" place so you can still find inexpensive places to live there while new condos are being built.

Good luck if you decide to go through with this!

Dave1992 said:

jone70 said:

I would start by looking at these website to see what the US Government requires:

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html

Next I would plan on spending more than $800/month total. Monthly metro cards alone cost $104 so if you're going to be living somewhere in the outer bouroughs you will be taking the subway and bus every day. I would think that if you want to pay $800 or less you are looking at sharing an apartment or renting a room in someone's house.

Save your money. Then, save some more. Then save more.

Cool, thanks.

Yeah, I think renting a room in someone's house is probably the cheapest way. I had a quick look in the internet and I saw rooms in Brooklyn for about 600-700$/month.

But, fucking hell, public transport is expensive! What about food etc.? Is everything more expensive once you step foot into the city, or is it rather a case of knowing where to go and which areas to avoid?

Yes, pretty much everything in New York is as expensive as hell. Craigslist can be useful, but it's also full of apartment scams. Be careful which neighborhood you end up in. Since you're a guy, you may not care as much but as female there are definitely areas where I would not feel safe living. You would also want to make sure they were close to public transportation. Are they furnished or unfurnished? If the latter, then you'll either have to ship your furniture or buy it here.

$600/month for a room + $104 for metro card + ?? for cell phone + don't forget electricity! = doesn't leave you with much for groceries or money just for "fun" stuff on an $800 budget.

Might be a good idea to visit New York for a week first to get a feel for how things work instead of just packing up and moving here.

[Edited 11/13/12 7:51am]

What is a visa?
A visa is a photo i.d. issued outside the U.S. which allows you to enter the U.S. on a temporary or permanent basis. The two main types of visas are immigrant (permanent residency) visas (also known as green cards), which let you live and work indefinitely INSide the U.S., and non-immigrant visas, which allow you to live and/or work in the U.S. on a temporary basis. If you apply INSide the U.S. you can receive a non-immigrant statusbut not a visa. Only a visa gives to the right to enter the U.S. As an example, if you decided to travel outside the U.S. with a valid status you would have to reapply for a visa in order to re-enter.

How can I obtain a US visa?
There are a variety of ways to obtain a visa, but the most common are through a U.S.-based employer sponsor or a family member who is a U.S. citizen. Most work visas require you to have a firm job offer with a U.S. company before applying. If you are a highly-skilled professional, it may be easier for you to find work in the U.S. than if you are an unskilled worker. If you are being persecuted in your home country it may be possible to obtainrefugee or temporary protected status. Read about the various visa categories to see which visa may suit your situation and check our career links page to find online U.S. job resources.

How long will it take to obtain my visa?
The visa application process varies widely among different types and categories. Some types of non-immigrant visas, like J-1 exchange visitor visas, can be applied for and issued in one day, while others, like H-1B visas and L-1 visas may take several months to process. Many immigrant visas, on the other hand, carry quotas which may cause the processing of your application to be delayed for years at a time. For example, some types of green card applications from the Phillippines are backlogged ten years or more. For more info, view the "Priority Date" charts.

What rights does a green card bestow?
A "green card", also known as an "alien registration receipt card" and as Form I-551 or its older version Form I-151, gives you the right to live and work legally in the U.S. and to travel freely outside the U.S. as long as you make the U.S. your permanent home, do not commit any deportable crimes, and report all income to the U.S. government.

When do green cards expire?
All green cards carry an expiration date after ten years of issue, after which they must be renewed, or you may apply to become a U.S. citizen.

Dave1992 said:

It's MUCH cheaper there than in Australia!

ZombieKitten said:

Dave1992 said:

Cool, thanks.

Yeah, I think renting a room in someone's house is probably the cheapest way. I had a quick look in the internet and I saw rooms in Brooklyn for about 600-700$/month.

But, fucking hell, public transport is expensive! What about food etc.? Is everything more expensive once you step foot into the city, or is it rather a case of knowing where to go and which areas to avoid?

It's MUCH cheaper there than in Australia!

Mind you, those probably were very dodgy and tiny...

Dave1992 said:

Oh sorry - I was kind of thinking about groceries and public transport costs, but...

Our apartment which is tiny, one bedroom, 30 mins from CBD by train is rented out at $1200 per month. It has a washing machine, little study and a private courtyard and it's quiet, ground floor at the back of the complex.

I think that's exhorbitant to be honest, but that's how much it is here!

ZombieKitten said:

Dave1992 said:

Mind you, those probably were very dodgy and tiny...

Oh sorry - I was kind of thinking about groceries and public transport costs, but... Our apartment which is tiny, one bedroom, 30 mins from CBD by train is rented out at $1200 per month. It has a washing machine, little study and a private courtyard and it's quiet, ground floor at the back of the complex. I think that's exhorbitant to be honest, but that's how much it is here!

It is expensive, but I wouldn't call it exorbitant, relatively speaking. Depends on your area, really. Most small flats in the "middle class" areas in Vienna cost at least that much, too... Absolutely speaking, though, living has become extremely expensive, of course.

Dave1992 said:

When I was renting as a student you could get a place like that for about $80per week. Mind you that was 20 years ago :-P

The area is nothing special. It's a suburb mainly made up of blocks of flats built around mid 60s. The thing it has going for it is that it's one train stop from the university, which means its a suburb full of students and at the same time, that's one of the things that makes it a not such a nice area.

Dave1992 said:

What the general procedure a foreigner (European, for instance) would have to go through to make sure he can move to NYC, get a cheap room there and find a work that will pay for that cheap room (I'm thinking about 800$/month?)?

Talk me through all the details and options, please (visa, work permit, insurance, ...). Would it be possible or even easier to just go on "a long holiday"? How that this correlate to employment? Would this make having a "proper" job illegal/impossible in the U.S.?

Thanks for the info. I'd love to find out as much as you could share!

I always recommend the website city-data for people that are looking for detailed info on cities in the US and elsewhere.

Their Forms section is very informative.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/

I did this 20 years ago, but marrying an American made it much easier.