As this is likely in the context of working towards an FAA IR, I'd highly recommend doing the basic license while doing the IR. Some flights can IIRC be combined, which is always worth doing, and it is just much more efficient. Just one visa/tsa application, too.
As Al says, do the CPL rather than the PPL. If you are technically smart, the FAA CPL is quite natural to swat up for as most of it is aircraft-technical stuff, with very little garbage and IIRC zero big-jet stuff (there is a thing called ATP and Type Ratings for that
).
Also, historically, "commercial pilots" have been better treated than private pilots, when any grandfathering is being haggled over.
And a CPL/IR enables you to work as a paid pilot for an aircraft owner (N-reg obviously in this case), worldwide, no AOC required.
The PPL ME IR require TSA and most of the others don't. The Visa is an old debate (not getting into the 18hrs/week bit and the conflicting guidance on the web) but nowadays TSA and Immigration are joined up so if you apply for TSA and not get a Visa, they may well pick you up for it. And US Immigration are mostly not nice people.
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