If the gentleman in Georgia is able to issue the M-1 visa (he issues the I-20 to apply for the visa, as you know), then that should be all you'll need in the way of visas to train. See if he's registered with SEVIS for a start. You will also need the various TSA clearances, and getting your fingerprints taken etc. Be wary that he
may be just stringing you along to get your training done, then once he's got your $$$, realizes the visa thing won't work (maybe he already knows?!
) you'll be in the sh1t without a way of using your hard earned certificates here in the good ol' US of A.
BigGrecian seems to know the score (as per previous threads that I've seen him comment on) with regards to "employment" visas. From personal experience, there really isn't a workable visa option as a UK citizen with only FAA qualifications (and no experience). I had a willing flight school here in Arizona wanting to hire me... we looked into it, consulted various attorneys, but it was simply a non-starter.
The option we were looking into was in the EB-3 Category, as a "skilled worker"... there would be so many stumbling blocks, it would be virtually impossible. IF we could make this work, we would then be looking at (currently, it was better a few months back, but the
priority dates have retrogressed and are currently unavailable, meaning you can't even file) 3-5 years as a rough guess from initially filing, to being able to immigrate here.
It is a very, very, VERY complicated system... at first. Then, once you think you've understood the legal aspects, the lack of information and being left in the dark once you have a current case, will pretty much finish you off!
The only real option open to me, would be to marry a yank, as I can't wangle any other visas. There are rumors that even writing something like this online, can be checked out by immigration (USCIS) and held against you if they want to get stroppy with your case.
US immigration is a grand pain in the ass. It looks good on paper, protecting current US citizens, but it's still possible to run through a desert at night, jump a fence and start a new life in a southern state. There are something like 30,000 illegal hispanic settlers in and around Phoenix alone. Hopefully, once Obama screws everything up, people may lose interest in coming here, and this long awaited "immigration reform" will allow keen, committed people from the UK and such, an easier way of moving here (if they still want to?!). We have so much trouble here in AZ from illegal hispanics, and recently a case of some Liberian immigrant kids raping each other (the victim was a girl aged 8) that it seems crazy when "decent" people can't come here legally... even if they served in the military (I did - they like that here), are a good up-standing citizen with no criminal record, bought a GM vehicle, paid $40k on flying alone etc, and put money into the local economy for the last year, while all the time not doing anything untoward, or in violation of his visa. But that's the way it is, so suck it up.
I personally, will keep trying to figure out a way to move here (my father has recently become a legal resident through marriage, long story short - maybe 6+ years 'til I can immigrate via his sponsorship) and in the mean time will try to visit from time to time as a tourist to fly in these beautiful AZ skies, where GA is still very much alive, and keep my FAA certificates current. Sad news for me, is I-94 running out Aug 19th, and flight back to Manch' next Monday.
Hopefully there is some demand for an FAA CFI/II in the UK?? Or someone has a nice N-reg I can get my hands on..? OK, I'll keep dreaming!
Regards,
Spr K, retd