Work VISA and bringing the family along
Sep 12th 2018, 8:12 pm
#1
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Joined: Sep 2018
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Work VISA and bringing the family along
Hi all,
I'm new to the site. Hopefully this is the right place to ask this question.
I am interviewing for a job as a full-time data scientist for a firm in LA. If offered the job I’d be sponsored by the firm for my VISA. Would the type of VISA I get, mean I could bring my wife and baby son along with me? Or would I need to organise separate VISAs for my family?
Thanks,
Thomas
I'm new to the site. Hopefully this is the right place to ask this question.
I am interviewing for a job as a full-time data scientist for a firm in LA. If offered the job I’d be sponsored by the firm for my VISA. Would the type of VISA I get, mean I could bring my wife and baby son along with me? Or would I need to organise separate VISAs for my family?
Thanks,
Thomas
Sep 12th 2018, 9:37 pm
#3
Just Joined
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Re: Work VISA and bringing the family along
Hi
i haven’t been told yet but from doing some research I’m pretty sure it would be a H1b which I suppose means I can bring the family over on a H4. My wife doesn’t want to work and will look after our son as we only plan on being there for a couple of years.
Has anyone had any experience with getting a H1b visa? Does it involve interviews, medical check, criminal
record check etc etc ? Or is it smoother and simpler. My wife is concerned about the invasive nature of getting US Visas.
Thanks
i haven’t been told yet but from doing some research I’m pretty sure it would be a H1b which I suppose means I can bring the family over on a H4. My wife doesn’t want to work and will look after our son as we only plan on being there for a couple of years.
Has anyone had any experience with getting a H1b visa? Does it involve interviews, medical check, criminal
record check etc etc ? Or is it smoother and simpler. My wife is concerned about the invasive nature of getting US Visas.
Thanks
Sep 12th 2018, 9:46 pm
#4
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Joined: Feb 2013
Location: State College Pa.
Posts: 1,585
Re: Work VISA and bringing the family along
If your putative employer is in any sort of a hurry, it won't be an H1. That's used up this year, and, IIRC, the lottery open again until next April, when visas will be available for next October.
And yes, it's "invasive", it's their country, they don't want to let just anyone in, so you will have to provide copious paperwork.
And yes, it's "invasive", it's their country, they don't want to let just anyone in, so you will have to provide copious paperwork.
Sep 12th 2018, 10:15 pm
#5
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Re: Work VISA and bringing the family along
I mentioned specific requirements such as the medical exam etc. These are definitely invasive (without the need for sarcastic quotations)
You say the H1bs are gone for this year but are you including the 20,000 that are set aside for people with advanced degrees? That’s what I’d be getting if offered the job.
has anyone had H1b VISA experiences they can share?
You say the H1bs are gone for this year but are you including the 20,000 that are set aside for people with advanced degrees? That’s what I’d be getting if offered the job.
has anyone had H1b VISA experiences they can share?
Last edited by ThomasC; Sep 12th 2018 at 10:24 pm.
Sep 12th 2018, 10:28 pm
#6
Deep in the woods of CT
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,002
Re: Work VISA and bringing the family along
I thought steveq was pretty succinct. There is a search function which will reveal dozens of threads about H1B experiences. It is a lottery and you will have to provide a police report, among other things, and the employer will have to show a US citizen can’t do the job. A wiki at the top of the main page of this section of the forum goes into detail.
Sep 12th 2018, 10:39 pm
#7
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Re: Work VISA and bringing the family along
The medical is not invasive. There is no probing of your bits and pieces. There is a chest X-ray, (or an immune response test ?) for TB/vaccination status.
I had blood pressure measured, and little else.
You say the H1bs are gone for this year but are you including the 20,000 that are set aside for people with advanced degrees? That’s what I’d be getting if offered the job.
The alternative, if you're in demand enough, and have the right qualifications, is probably the O-1, again, a three year limit, but extendable.
Sep 12th 2018, 11:02 pm
#8
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Posts: 946
Re: Work VISA and bringing the family along
You do not need to have a medical for H1b/H4 visa. The medical is for those becoming permanent residents so if you decide to go for a green card later on, you'll need to do a medical. It's not invasive: you have to give details of vaccinations, need to prove you do no have TB (via blood test or x-ray) and do not have syphilis (via blood test).
You'll need lots of documents for H1b but your wife on H4 will only need birth certificate and marriage certificate if I recall correctly. The process was easy for us. All they asked me (H4) was when we got married and to show my certificate and asked my OH (H1b) where they studied, which company they would work for and what they would be doing there. We were in and out in minutes. Of course, this was before Trump-times so things may be different now. Your wife will not be able to work on a H4 (ever). You note that this is not a problem as she will be looking after your son. Note that cost of living is extremely high in LA so your salary will need to be able to support you all and anything less than $100,000 a year is going to be a struggle.
The 20,000 H1bs that are set aside are for people with advanced degrees *from US institutions* I believe and you still have to go through the lottery for those. Applications open for H1b (capped) on 1April each year for an October start. If you are lucky enough to be selected (1 in 4 chance with current number of applications), you cannot start before Oct 1 the same year. So you'd be looking at an October 1, 2019 start if you get through the 2019 lottery.
Now, if this firm is a not for profit institution they may apply for a H1b (uncapped) which means that you do not have to go through the lottery and you can start at any point.
Other alternative is to start working for the firm now at a distance (if possible) and move over after a year on the L1 visa (company transfer).
You'll need lots of documents for H1b but your wife on H4 will only need birth certificate and marriage certificate if I recall correctly. The process was easy for us. All they asked me (H4) was when we got married and to show my certificate and asked my OH (H1b) where they studied, which company they would work for and what they would be doing there. We were in and out in minutes. Of course, this was before Trump-times so things may be different now. Your wife will not be able to work on a H4 (ever). You note that this is not a problem as she will be looking after your son. Note that cost of living is extremely high in LA so your salary will need to be able to support you all and anything less than $100,000 a year is going to be a struggle.
The 20,000 H1bs that are set aside are for people with advanced degrees *from US institutions* I believe and you still have to go through the lottery for those. Applications open for H1b (capped) on 1April each year for an October start. If you are lucky enough to be selected (1 in 4 chance with current number of applications), you cannot start before Oct 1 the same year. So you'd be looking at an October 1, 2019 start if you get through the 2019 lottery.
Now, if this firm is a not for profit institution they may apply for a H1b (uncapped) which means that you do not have to go through the lottery and you can start at any point.
Other alternative is to start working for the firm now at a distance (if possible) and move over after a year on the L1 visa (company transfer).
Sep 12th 2018, 11:04 pm
#9
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,390
Re: Work VISA and bringing the family along
Please note: VISA is the trademark of a credit card. You are talking about a Visa and/or visa, if you prefer.
As for being invasive, yes, the US will investigate potential immigrants to the US. As a work visa is not an immigration visa, I.e. does not give the recipient a green card and permanent residency, the medical will not apply to you.
A medical is to insure that you do not have a communicable disease that can be passed on to others in the US. Those with criminal histories are scrutinized as to whether they are repeat offenders or have committed crimes of moral turpitude. BTW even visitors using the VWP to vacation in the US are subject to investigation, i.e. completion of an ESTA. Those with a criminal history cannot use the VWP and must apply for and be granted a formal tourist visa. It is the world we live in today.
As for being invasive, yes, the US will investigate potential immigrants to the US. As a work visa is not an immigration visa, I.e. does not give the recipient a green card and permanent residency, the medical will not apply to you.
A medical is to insure that you do not have a communicable disease that can be passed on to others in the US. Those with criminal histories are scrutinized as to whether they are repeat offenders or have committed crimes of moral turpitude. BTW even visitors using the VWP to vacation in the US are subject to investigation, i.e. completion of an ESTA. Those with a criminal history cannot use the VWP and must apply for and be granted a formal tourist visa. It is the world we live in today.
Sep 13th 2018, 3:29 pm
#10
DE-UK-NZ-IE-US... the TYP
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,855
Re: Work VISA and bringing the family along
I mentioned specific requirements such as the medical exam etc. These are definitely invasive (without the need for sarcastic quotations)
You say the H1bs are gone for this year but are you including the 20,000 that are set aside for people with advanced degrees? That’s what I’d be getting if offered the job.
has anyone had H1b VISA experiences they can share?
You say the H1bs are gone for this year but are you including the 20,000 that are set aside for people with advanced degrees? That’s what I’d be getting if offered the job.
has anyone had H1b VISA experiences they can share?
Visa U.S.A. Inc., Jobs & Salary for Foreign Workers | myvisajobs.com
I can only speak to the Green Card medical, as none was require for my visa. Because my vacaination records were not in English I was given booster shots, but that was not part of the standard medical (it was quicker and cheaper than organizing translation). I think I recall undressing down to underwear for examination, which was less “intrusive” than the medical for New Zealand Permanent Resident Status. They look for signs or drug abuse etc.
