Hi Andi,

Thanks for writing in with your question – moving to the US can be tricky or complicated unless you have a reason to go.  Visas for living and working in the US can be hard to get, they are very specific and can be difficult to qualify for.

Albania has been making some big steps in the right direction in the past few years. The LGBT community is protected from discrimination by a 2010 law. I realize Albania still has a way to go until it’s like some other gay friendly cities around the world, but things are getting better there. That being said, leaving your home would be a huge undertaking, but there are options.

If you are still in school, there is the option of applying to universities in the US to continue your education. You would be required to take some tests catered to the US education system, but there are thousands of students who attend US universities from all over the world and who go through the processes required to do so. There is some information here on student visas, the steps to follow, and what you’ll need to apply:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html

Most of the other visas (work visas, tourist visas, etc) are listed there as well, but they may not apply to you. The work visas are very specific and the tourist visas are very short.

Other options you might also consider could be looking at other cities that are nearer to you, European cities like London, Berlin, or Barcelona. These are gay friendly cities that have just as much to offer as San Francisco and may have different, closer opportunities for you. Educational institutions to look into, job prospects, or even just places nearby that you can easily travel to. You can visit, meet people, and learn more about what exactly you want and where you’d like to end up. If that interests you, it would be worth checking out the embassies for any of those countries to learn more about travel, working, and/or studying in any of those places.

Although things may seem tough or terrible where you are right now, you are still young. You will undoubtebdly meet people, which is the first step to creating a circle or friends that you choose to surround yourself with. You may not have to go across the world to San Francisco to do this, you may be able to do it at home or nearer to you.  Stay optimistic and take advantage that, although San Francisco may be far, you have plenty of great cities near you that will fully accept you for who you are.

I wish you all the best and hope that this was helpful – don’t hesitate to be in touch with us again if you have other questions.

Best,
Brad