How to live illegally in Manhattan and travel around the country: the experience of Russians

Nikita S. came to the United States from Moscow almost two years ago - in May 2016. A year ago, his tourist visa expired, which did not stop him from renting an apartment in a prestigious area of ​​Manhattan, traveling around the country and, moreover, living without working.

Фото: Depositphotos

I met him by chance, but as is customary lately, on Facebook. Our mutual acquaintance, a realtor by profession, published a status question: tell me, how do illegal immigrants rent housing in the US?

And Nikita famously answered: They pay for a year in advance and then live in Manhattan!

“Excuse me, are you an illegal?” - timidly clarified someone from commenting.

- Yes, I am illegal! - Nikita answered boldly. And then he added that he lives on Third Avenue and Thirty-second Street. That paid in advance not only the entire amount of the lease, but also seven thousand on top - the agent and two pledges. And now he rents the second room on Airbnb and does not hurt.

I think that not only I was stunned by such information (I just want to put a smiley on it). I immediately wrote to Nikita and offered to call. I really wanted to know the details. And he did not refuse, but on the contrary - he told his story of life in the USA in as much detail as possible.

I had an open visa in the United States, and I was pulling on something, but two years ago, when I was completely unbearable to live like that, plus my friends pressed me - a friend from Portugal and a friend from New Jersey, I understood - it's time! I love Russia, but I cannot stand the gang that seized power, and it was precisely this arbitrariness of the authorities that escaped.

Nikita, how old were you then?

I was 33 of the year. Before that, I sold my apartment in Moscow and for a year and a half I studied bitcoins and generally cryptocurrency and everything connected with it. He gave part of the money from the sale of housing to her sister, she has two daughters and no husband, help will not interfere. Part of paid for the debts, and some invested just in Bitcoins. Then the "coins" rose in price, and I rushed to the United States with this money. 18 flew in May and first lived with a friend, and then went to a friend in Oklahoma.

By bus?

Yes, 35 hours of hell (laughs). But in this state I saw that America, which you will not see in New York. For example, I realized that all these stories about the opium epidemic are not an exaggeration at all.

Depression, poverty, in general, is not at all what we see in and around New York. I stayed there for six months and could no longer. Came back.

And I decided to rent an apartment, my girlfriend just flew to me and I absolutely did not want to live with her in some room, with someone ... First I searched through my acquaintances, then I connected the agent. The requirements, however, during the search had to be changed, housing was found more modest than I wanted. My apartment is worth $ 2,350, it is located between the second and third avenues. There is no living room, but it is a “vest” and it is perfectly rented daily. In winter, a little less, now fullness more. On average, I get two thousand a month from it, if you consider that I do not go to restaurants to eat steaks of one hundred and fifty dollars, and in general I have modest requests, I have enough.

And how much did you have to spend on this apartment?

Forty thousand dollars I gave. Yes, someone will say - what are you? You could buy an apartment for the money in Moscow! Yes, he could. But I despise the state, as a device, any, I do not want to be tied to anything. My parents died, all I want is to travel myself, to niece my nieces around the world ... and to have real estate in Moscow is not my goal.

Nikita, and yet you are attached. Here you have a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, now many who read this interview are perplexed - since he ran away from the arbitrariness of the authorities, why did he not apply for political asylum in the United States, for example? As a result, you have become an illegal here, if you leave back, then you will not be allowed to enter the US, because you have violated the law ... As they say, what is the profit?

I did not want political asylum in the United States for two reasons: first, I don’t want to be a citizen of this country because I don’t want to pay taxes here. I am sure that cryptocurrency will grow, and I will become a rich enough person, I don’t want to share my money with anyone. I basically despise the state and do not want to do it anywhere. By the way, like Pavel Durov, you read what he thinks of it all. Secondly, if I applied for a refugee, I would not be able to travel to Russia for five years, which I don’t want to do.

For two years, only one friend came to me here! Not so easy to get to the USA. And then, I'm tied to Russia.

And the third. I'm not going to show the US authorities that I was here illegally all this time.

Here it is more detailed, of course. You are not only boldly writing on Facebook that you are illegal, so now you also boldly declare that you will leave the border not through the airport?

The main thing that I understood while living in the USA is that one department here does not intersect with another. Well, someone on Facebook will see that I am illegal here - and? And nothing. And on the street, they just can't grab me and send me somewhere. I am protected. And I want to leave the country through Mexico. I'll tell you - I traveled from the USA to Canada in the Niagara region. None of the US border guards stuck my nose in my passport, they check it on the way back or in Canada, but not at small check points like this. I'm going to get to Mexico and leave the country there. My passport is about to expire, I will have to go for a new visa and passport. At the interview in the American embassy, ​​and this is on condition that I want to return to the United States again, which is not a fact, I will say that I left the country before the time it was supposed to, and explain why there is no stamp about crossing the border.

But there will be a stamp about crossing the border with Mexico. And the date.

I now think about it the least.

There are two hundred countries in the world, the USA is far from being the most ideal. I lived here, now I will live in another place.

My next step is Hong Kong. In general, I love Asia and I think that China has a huge potential and future. I will soon get on the train, I will not pull thirty hours on the bus with dubious personalities, and therefore I will not go to the border by train. And there in Hong Kong!

But! I understand you didn’t even have to work properly in the USA?

All my work on the Internet. I am writing articles there and doing cryptocurrency. Now, by the way, I am closely following the new project of Pavel Durov. This is a man who will change the world, you'll see! And my life will change too.

Read also on ForumDaily:

To cheat and stay: how does the fake visa industry in the US

Why Philadelphia is the most dangerous city for illegal immigrants

In New York, immigrants can get free legal assistance in their native language

Semi-legal housing in New York: how not to get caught

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.