The book · one-time
The Paperwork
How to move to America from anywhere — the documents, the money, the process, and the details that decide whether a document is accepted. 26 chapters, every figure carrying the date it was read and the page it came from.
From chapter one — the book's own words
Four kinds of route exist: work, study, family, and selection.
Which ones are open to you was mostly decided before you started looking. Your job, your qualification, your relatives, your country of birth.
This chapter sets out what each door asks for, so you can see which ones already describe your life.
- Part I — Before you chooseThe four doors · Finding the official answer · What it costs, all in · How long it takes, and what sets the pace
- Part II — Your documentsMaking your name match · Civil records · Police certificates · Translation and legalisation · Showing you can afford it
- Part III — The routesWorking · Studying · Family · The Diversity Visa · Consular processing or adjustment of status
- Part IV — The applicationCompleting the forms · Assembling the package · How and where to file · The medical · The interview · Requests for more information
- Part V — ArrivalThe first thirty days · Building credit from the start · Driving · Work authorisation, payroll and tax · Keeping status, and the road to citizenship
- Part VI — Getting helpGetting help, and how to check it
The book describes how routes and systems work. It does not say which route to use or what to write on any form — and everything route-specific is also free to read with a free account, starting from three questions.