Moving to the States??

[Dazed Poppet]

hello friends~
so my boyfriend and i have been together for about 2 and a half years now, and he is very likely moving to Washington (state) in the summer to live with his friend. he asked me if i would be able to live out there with them (and their one other friend) in the next few years
now i am all for this idea but i am completely in the dark as to what moving to the states involves. i live in canada, and i'm currently finishing up my first year in university (i am turning 19 later this year)
i have a LOT of student loans right now, which i intend to pay off in the next year or so bc i'm taking a year off of school to work full time, and will be living with my mum

now my problem is, i don't know how to go about moving to the states (getting a green card/citizenship or whatever) and i do really really want to move there with my babe and his friends, but it seems like a lot of work :$

if any of you have ever moved to a new country, or just have more knowledge on the subject, i'd really appreciate any advice you may have to give :3 xx  

[Miss_XxAriaxX]

So, I assume you want to finish your studies before joining him right?

You still have a few years to think about it and plan it.

1st find a job during the summer to start decrease your loan, and save money to travel to washington.

If you can visit washington, do it. See if you like it there. See if you can find a job there too (after you graduate or during summer).

I knew people in university that during summer they would find job in another country or city where they can also live with someone they know from there...

For the other questions that you have . I don,t know  

[cool4]

If you find work in the States (relevant to your degree...ect) or graduate school it will be a lot easier to get a Green Card. Though as for the actual process I am both a Canadian and an American Citizen so I am not sure.  

[Ms Arduenna]

Hi there! I'm originally from Northern Ireland and immigrated to the states a few years ago.

Things may have changed since I went through the system idk, and I don't know if there are special "allowances" for Canadian citizens either, but basically... unless you plan on getting married and/or pregnant, your best bet is to get a work or student visa. They're only good for a year, but it's a start. For something more permanent, talk to an immigration lawyer about your options.  

[Zabethlyburn]

I have to agree.
Work/student visa would be the way to go.