madwa

Hi,

I am currently living and working in the UK, I have just been offered a job near Chicago which I am going to accept, so me and my family would move over to the states (Wife + 2 kids). The company is very keen for me to start as soon as possible and they seem confident that visas won’t take long...

I have read a lot of posts on this forum about the H1B, this is the visa I am expecting them to sponsor me for as it looks like I meet the criteria. I understand there is a 65,000 limit and this has been reached, then from the 1st April applications can be submitted for starting work from 1st October 2010.

Is there any other way the company could be thinking of getting\sponsoring me for a visa that I might not have thought about... (It is not voluntary, government or University affiliated). They are partners with the company I work with in the UK but I don’t think that it could be classes as an internal company move.

Any thoughts would be great.

Thanks!

Noorah101

Why not just ask them directly? Why guess?

Rene

Bill_S

There might be, but you don't reveal enough facts.

(In before a certain someone posts the same thing)

madwa

They gave me a verbal offer on Thursday last week however I am still waiting on the formal job offer in writing, which I am expecting later in the week.

This was going to be one of my first questions once they had made the formal offer, but in the meantime it would nice to get an estimate...

madwa

What facts do you need?

Bill_S

What is the job?
What is your citizenship?
What level of education do you have?
Where were you educated?

You've said you live in the UK, but we don't know your citizenship. For example, if you happened to be a Canadian citizen, you might qualify for TN status under NAFTA, depending on the job and your education. If you are a world leader in your field, you might qualify for an O1 visa - we have a couple on this board.

madwa

What is the job?
Technical Pre Sales Consultant (IT Programming/Developer)
Currently have 4 years relevent work experience

What is your citizenship?
British

What level of education do you have?
Bsc Mathematics & Computer Science (First Class with Honors)

Where were you educated?
Here in England, never lived abroad

Thanks!

S Folinsky

An attorney with knowledge of the immigration laws of the United States can set up a suitable question tree to determine what can be done. Quite often this is done via a through written questionnaire. The list you were given was a but a start.

md95065

You are almost certainly looking at an H1-B visa for which the best (and, with any luck, also the realistic) case is that the company's attorneys get your application in by April 1, you get approved, and can start work October 1.

Since it is now March 1, that is only 7 months and, when it comes to getting US visas, 7 months is not a long time.

nettlebed

Note that the prospective employer has the option of premium processing for the H-1B.

E3only

Could I add (unfortunately) there are no gaurantees that the application will be approved. Qualifying for visa is one thing (which you do) but getting the visa is completely different story.

I jumped on to mention this, point being - lead your UK life per normal. H1B is a ramdom approval process and qualified as you are, does not translate to approval.

I am sure, experts would correct me if I am wrong.

Could I add though, I have no intention to sound negative. With 9.5+% unemployment rate - you might get lucky i.e. the 65k applications might take time to be approved as employees will concentrate more on people already in US

nettlebed

That certainly happened last year: I can't remember how long all 65,000 took to go, but they definitely didn't go on the first day, like previous years.

Also, with the US government cracking down on H-1B fraud from "consulting" firms, the prospects are better this year for genuine applications.

md95065

Premium processing isn't going to get them there any sooner than October 1, 2010 ...

S Folinsky

But they can get the denial within 15 days which puts them ahead on the appeal process.

md95065

Well, nothing is certain until you actually have the visa and are admitted to the US, but I don't agree that the H1B process is "random" - if you are appropriately qualified you shouldn't have too much trouble getting a visa.