webby1983

Hi Everyone,

I've been offered a job based in Columbus, Ohio but I'm desperately trying to get a visa in time to start in March.
The job is with a race car team and I work as a race car mechanic so I originally looked at the P1 visa but after a lot of phone calls I discovered it may not be possible. I then had a a phone call from an attorney in Ft. Lauderdale who has had a lot of experience with visas in the motorsport industry. He told me that he was able to get me a J1 visa that would allow me to do everything legally and he can get it for me within 1 and a half months. Trouble is it only lasts for 18 months and he told me there is no way I can get an extension on it.

If I take this job in the USA I would be looking to move out there permanently in the long run, obviously I will have to go out on temporary non-immigrant visas at first but I would like to look at getting my green card ASAP.

The thought which I had was to go out on the J1 visa this year and look at trying to transfer to an H2-B visa in October, that way I can stay out there for a maximum of 3 - 4 years (enough time to apply for my green card)

I need to know if this plan would work though or if there are any rules that would deny me transfering from a J1 to a H2-B ???

I'd appreciate any help at all.

Machelon

webby1983 Wrote:
    > Hi Everyone,
    >
    > I've been offered a job based in Columbus, Ohio but I'm desperately
    > trying to get a visa in time to start in March.
    > The job is with a race car team and I work as a race car mechanic so I
    > originally looked at the P1 visa but after a lot of phone calls I
    > discovered it may not be possible. I then had a a phone call from an
    > attorney in Ft. Lauderdale who has had a lot of experience with visas
    > in
    > the motorsport industry. He told me that he was able to get me a J1
    > visa that would allow me to do everything legally and he can get it
    > for
    > me within 1 and a half months. Trouble is it only lasts for 18 months
    > and he told me there is no way I can get an extension on it.
    >
    > If I take this job in the USA I would be looking to move out there
    > permanently in the long run, obviously I will have to go out on
    > temporary non-immigrant visas at first but I would like to look at
    > getting my green card ASAP.
    >
    > The thought which I had was to go out on the J1 visa this year and
    > look
    > at trying to transfer to an H2-B visa in October, that way I can stay
    > out there for a maximum of 3 - 4 years (enough time to apply for my
    > green card)
    >
    > I need to know if this plan would work though or if there are any
    > rules
    > that would deny me transfering from a J1 to a H2-B ???
    >
    > I'd appreciate any help at all.
    >
    > --

be very carefull with the J-1's "2-year home presence" rule.
Depending on your ocpupation or degree and your country's requirements
you may be obligated to return to your country once the J-1 expires for
2 years. And it is very hard to avoid that rule. You have to find out
about the list of ocupations/degrees that the 2-yr rule applies.

Posted via http://www.mymigration.net