You shouldn’t move to the USA if: 12 categories of people who shouldn’t go to America

Let’s be realistic: the USA isn’t for everyone.

Not everyone will settle in and find their place. Not everyone will feel at home within a month or even a year.

Why do we say this? Because there are categories of people who shouldn’t move to the USA, and in this article, we want to break everything down.

Why put yourself through the stress of moving, nerves, and packing if deep down you already know that a new country is not the right place for you?

We’ve highlighted 12 key points that signal you will truly find it difficult, or maybe even unbearable, to survive the first year in America and adapt afterward.

So, you shouldn’t move to the USA if you:

1. Think everything will be easy

Illusions are an immigrant’s worst enemy—you need to prepare for all possibilities.

If you’re a middle-class person thinking that everything will be handed to you in the USA on a silver platter, it’s better to forget about moving for a while and come back down to earth.

Hollywood movies are, of course, beautiful and exciting, but in an immigrant’s life, there are few fairy tales. Yes, there are many good people in the USA and many programs to help those in need, but we don’t recommend relying on anyone but yourself.

You need to prepare not only financially but also mentally. You must be ready to solve problems and handle issues from the moment you land at the airport to the point of finding a job in your new location.

If you treat problems as challenges or tasks, ready to search for solutions with enthusiasm and without losing hope—welcome to the USA!

2. Don’t like change and aren’t willing to adapt

If change is the worst ordeal for you and you find it hard to adjust, moving and adapting will become a nightmare, one that you’ll recount to your grandchildren with wide-eyed disbelief.

Immigration is like jumping into a tunnel with many twists and turns, and at each turn, there’s a choice waiting for you. You will constantly need to change, apply your knowledge and skills, engage your mind, and adapt. Ultimately, immigration is a new life in a radically different reality that requires a “new you.”

3. Don’t want to learn English

If learning English is hard for you, you don’t like it, you can’t stand it, or you’ve already come up with another excuse—don’t move to the USA expecting that somehow people will understand you.

Yes, there are people who haven’t learned English even after 30 years of living in America. But can they really be considered true Americans, those who never venture outside their neighborhood?

They aren’t well-adapted, often earn less, and don’t strive to live like Americans.

Recommendation from the editorial team:

School-level knowledge won’t be enough. Courses and tutors won’t be enough either. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn English at all. Any extra knowledge will be useful and might even save you in a specific situation.

When you arrive, you’ll notice that Americans speak and write differently than what you were taught in textbooks. They drop letters, shorten sentences, and have unique speech habits and accents!

But the knowledge you’ve accumulated will help you speak faster, ask questions, and understand answers.

Be diligent, learn English before you move to the USA and after you arrive, and you’ll soon find yourself reading Stephen King in the original and understanding everything.

4. You just want to take a look

If you’ve decided to “just go and take a look,” then there’s no need to play the green card lottery—it’s better to get a tourist visa. Perhaps, at this stage of collecting documents and facing initial rejections at the embassy, you’ll realize that “this isn’t for you, and you have more important things to do.”

For those who come with a carefree attitude, an empty head, and no understanding of what’s going on—their life in the USA will not be easy.

You need to prepare by reading a lot about America: about the people as well as the laws.

It’s better to know most of the information about adaptation and the challenges you’ll face, so you’re not caught off guard or thrown into panic or distress.

5. You don’t have any skills but expect a lot

There’s a type of person who prefers to complain from the couch rather than get up and do something. These people have few skills but expect a lot from others—they believe everyone owes them something, even the President of the United States.

If you follow the mindset that the government owes you everything just because you exist, you probably shouldn’t move to the USA.

America is a capitalist country, a land of fierce competition. Here, everyone earns based on their knowledge, persistence, and determination—how hard they are willing to work, learn, and hustle.

6. You don’t like Americans and don’t appreciate America

If that’s the case, why are you even reading this article?

After moving to the USA, everything will feel foreign and unpleasant to you. You won’t be able to look forward to the future with a smile, spot opportunities, or seize them because you’re constantly in a negative mindset.

Why torture yourself?

Perhaps it’s better to consider other countries or continents?

Eastern countries, Asia, Europe? The world is vast, and there’s a place for everyone.

7. You are already used to living at home and are not particularly eager to leave

If everything is going well for you, and you don’t want to start from scratch, you love your city, enjoy your country, and have everything you ever dreamed of, why are you even considering immigration to America?

Ask yourself this question.

If there’s no answer—meaning the move doesn’t fulfill any of your needs, and you can’t envision your life in the U.S.—we have some discouraging news for you.

There’s a high chance that your immigration will be short-lived, you won’t take it seriously, it will cause you many headaches, and leave unpleasant memories.

You will deeply regret leaving everything behind and crossing the ocean.

Most likely, you’ll return home within a year.

It’s just a waste of time and money.

Want to see America? Take a tour!

8. You are pessimistic

If from the outset you expect inevitable and irreversible failure, we advise you not to go to the U.S. In a new country, you will face ups and downs. Getting upset each time and falling into depression is a path to nowhere.

9. You can’t control your habits

Upon arriving in the U.S., you may need to rethink your daily routine, change your usual food products, and switch to household chemicals from American stores.

You might also need to give up smoking and regular alcohol consumption if that’s something you enjoy.

You will have to adopt new habits in a new country, surrounded by new people.

If you are not ready for these and other possible sacrifices to achieve your goal, immigration to the U.S. is not for you.

10. You can’t control yourself and accept people for who they are

If you are categorical, conservative, racist, a bully, or prone to making mean jokes about people who are different from you—immigration to America is not for you.

The U.S. is home to many nationalities and people from different corners of the world. They have different skin colors, religions, orientations, and even hair colors.

If you can’t be politically correct with people who differ from you in any way, or if you love to argue about these differences, it’s better to stay home and work on yourself.

11. You believe only your opinion is right, and everyone else is wrong

In America, people will treat you with respect, even if they think you’re not entirely right, or completely wrong. They will try to find a compromise with you.

If you’re the kind of person who loves to prove that “you’re the only smart one, and everyone else is foolish,” people might tolerate you for a while, but if you really overstep, they might call the police for disruptive behavior.

Be friendly, study conflict resolution, learn how to debate without raising your voice or resorting to insults like some less thoughtful individuals.

Behave properly, or don’t come to the U.S.

13. You are scared and hesitant

America is for free-spirited, determined, friendly, persistent, and open-minded people.

If you understand that the first while might be challenging and not as glamorous as portrayed in “rags-to-riches” movies, then you’re on the right track.

The main thing is to keep your chin up, look optimistically toward tomorrow, work towards your goals, stay active, and understand that all your problems are solvable, as long as you work to solve them.

We wish you an easy immigration process to the U.S. if you’ve made up your mind.

And for those who are afraid or comfortable at home, take time to think it through and make a decision “for yourself,” not because someone else wants it or due to imposed stereotypes.