becciburt

So moving to the US (more than likely Austin, Texas) is in my partner and I's 10 to 15 year plan.

We are both 23 right now, he works as a Software Developer for a Petroleum and Oil company and is doing a p/t masters in Petroleum Engineering. I am just waiting to start my MSc in Social Work which I will finish at the start of 2017.

From what I can tell we would be applying for employment based visas Third Preference Category, correct? Or by my partner getting a L1 or E1 visa?

How long did the process of originally starting to apply to actually moving take for you?

Is there anyone that was there to talk you through it?It all seems like a mine field to me!

Does having distant family in the US make any difference? I have second cousins over there!

Noorah101

Having distant relatives does not help.

How long immigration takes will depend on what visa you get.

At the moment, it sounds like you are looking for a work visa route, correct? Has there been a job offer from an employer who will sponsor a work visa? Nothing will happen until then.

An L1 intercompany transfer visa can be obtained in just a few months. An H1B will be much longer.

Rene

S Folinsky

Unfortunately, you don't begin to give enough information to people to give informed answers. From the nature of your questions, you seem to indicate that your partner's current employer is thinking of transferring him to Texas.

Clarification would be in order. Take care.

becciburt

Yes we are hoping to go down the work visa route but have only just started to look into it all.

No job offer has been made, from what I have read the L1 intercompany transfer does seem the most feasible but that route would all center on my partner getting a job in a larger company.

Owen778

Your best bet is him finishing his MSc then joining an international operator with either headquarters or a major presence in Houston or Dallas, then hoping for an international transfer on an L1 visa. I don't see a way for you to live in Austin itself unless he changes careers.

Once a company offers an L1 transfer and it's accepted, the move comes very roughly three months later, near instantaneous on your overall timescale, but there's quite a bit of variation in that.

However, L1 is a non-immigrant visa, and there is no guarantee that his move will be made permanent. The company might be willing to sponsor a green card, but it's up to them.

Oh, and you'd need to be married, obviously.

superkruz

My friend received his L1 this month - from when his application was submitted till getting the visa took less than 2 weeks.

Pulaski

This long.

Owen778

I think you might be confused, as that's impossible with the way the process currently works.

Premium processing is supposed to mean that one stage of the process, the processing at USCIS, takes a maximum of 15 days. Even that often takes longer, because of USCIS issuing RFEs (requests for evidence), but the time from submission to receiving your passport back with the visa in it also includes delivery to USCIS, delivery from USCIS to the local consulate, waiting for date of interview at consulate, visa printing and passport delivery.

Plus my post talked about three months from the offer of a transfer to the move itself. At the front end, that includes negotiation of the package and preparation of the application and supporting documents. At the back end, that includes time to arrange travel, pack and have movers in, maybe sell or rent out a house, and say goodbye to friends and family.

superkruz

Confused...No, surprised...Yes. I spoke to him the day when he was busy completing the visa application forms and I told him that the processing time (per the website) was one month. I don't know what the attorneys did but approximately 2 weeks later he had a visa and a few days later he was in the USA with a L1 visa.

H Bomb

We decided we wanted to move to USA about 7 years ago. Has taken that long to get one of us in a job at the right company at the right time to be given the chance to move. We finally go in 5 weeks.

L1 is your best route - and with your partner working in oil and petroleum I would say that is your best route and Texas is your destination. Or Alberta in Canada then you dont have the visa issue.

christmasoompa

They'd still need a visa for Canada, they can't just stroll in and start working.

H Bomb

Of course - but I was under the impression that the Canadian Visa process was somewhat easier than the USA.
Clearly I didnt make it sound like that - but that is what I meant

christmasoompa

Ah, I see!

But tbh, I don't think it would be any easier for the OP. To get a Temp Work Permit for Canada, they'd first need a Labour Market Opinion. A LMO is something that the employer must apply for, to prove that they've advertised the job across Canada and been unable to find a Canadian willing, or able, to do the job. It's quite an onerous process and also costs the employer.

Once they've found an employer prepared to spend out for the LMO app and go through the paperwork and hassle of it (the employer has to do it, the employee can't), the LMO takes around 3-4 months to obtain. Once they've got the LMO they can then apply for a Temp Work Permit.

The only time I'd say it's much easier is for people who are in 'trades', as there really isn't a US visa for them, but Canada is often more in need of them and the LMO can be got for any job. So somebody without a degree or in a trade job stands much more chance of a visa for Canada, but for the OP I'd say either is possible really.

Owen778

That doesn't make any sense to me, but OK.

lizzyq

Sounds to me like it was 2 weeks from filling in & submitting DS-160 online. There is no indication of timescale to get the actual petition approved.