# Travel >> Travel Preparation >> Travel Planning

How to Move to America From Australia

Many people from Australia who would like to move to the United States for new opportunities. Perhaps you want to study or attend college in the United States, or maybe you want to get a job and a fresh start in life. You may be worried about how long it will take to move legally to the United States. There are specific ways you can consider as you look at options for moving to America from Australia. A green card is your path to permanent residency and citizenship in the United States.

Relative who is a United States citizen
Employment offer in the U.S.
Money to invest in a U.S. business
Student visa
Green card or visa application

Instructions

- 1
  Determine if you are an immediate relative of a United States citizen. This means you must be the child (unmarried and under 21 years of age), spouse, or parent (if the child is 21 years or older) of a U.S. citizen. Your immediate relative must file a Form I-130 for you. Having an immediate relative who is a citizen is usually the fastest route to a green card.
- 2
  Obtain a green card through employment. This means you must have a permanent job offer in the United States. Either this job must require a high degree of skill or the employer must prove there are no available and qualified United States citizens to fill the position.
- 3
  Invest large amounts of money in a United States business. If you are an investor of a substantial amount of money in an enterprise that creates U.S. jobs, you can apply for and receive a green card.
- 4
  Apply for a student visa. If you are planning to only move to America temporarily, you may apply for a student visa. For academic students, this would be an F-1 visa. For exchange students, this is a J-1 visa.