Clare37

I am considering whether it would be at all feasible to take up an unfunded postdoctoral fellowship offer in the USA. I would be living with my fiance who is a US citizen so strictly speaking I wouldn't require funding. I'm just not sure whether there would be some rule which prevents this arrangement. eg a requirement that I come to the US with my own funds. Also I would be interested to know what visas people generally use for postdoctoral fellowships (funded and unfunded).

I'd be grateful for any advice on this issue. Thanks in advance.

dukeynorton

Hey there, I am a postdoc here in the USA (from the UK). What sort of job offer do you have? I would be very careful of taking a postdoc that is "unfunded" - it sounds iffy to me. It's more common to supply funds for a year or so whilst you source your own funding. What do you mean by unfunded anyway? Is there any money for consumables etc or are you non-lab based?

As far as the visa goes, I think that if they are not supllying funds, you will need to prove that you have the money to support yourself, but I would have thought that living with your US fiancee would help with this. I'm probably not the best person to ask regarding the visa, there are more qualified people on here to help you with that, just sit tight.

Clare37

Thanks for your input. I am a social scientist/ non-lab based. I am generally looking for research jobs in the US primarily in universities (as this means H1B visas are not limited by a quota). In one reply to a speculative letter regarding a research post, a professor said that they would love to hire me but had no funding at the moment but if i was prepared to fund myself that I could come as a postdoc for 2007 to 2008.

Lilyella

Hi Clare,

I'm not sure what visas are normally used for postdoc fellowships; would there be an element of training or education for you? In that case it could be J1 (training visa allowed for certain institutions) or F1 (student visa). If it's simply a job where your skills are required it would be either H1b, or O1 (for an "alien of extraordinary ability"). However, that there would be no salary probably rules out the latter two.

Something to bear in mind: the fact that you're engaged to an American means that you're automatically deemed to have "immigrant intent" -- and certain visas, including J1s and F1s, don't allow the applicant to have immigrant intent.

I tend to think that your best bet would be to get your boyfriend to sponsor you for a fiancee visa, a K1. It would take at least a few months to come through, and you'd have to marry within 90 days of you arriving in the US, but you'd be allowed to do whatever kind of work you wish, paid or unpaid.

AdobePinon

Doesn't sound good unless you can get sponsorship. That's what the profs always say. As others have said, you'd usually be looking at H1B / O1 (which would require a direct salary), or F1 / J1. F1 has limitations on salary / hours. J1 *may* expect you to exit stage left after the position, and both F1 / J1 would require you to prove funding to get and use the visas.

Regardless, to go this route, the funding must be secured before you leave the UK.

If you're serious, Lilyella has provided you with the best solution.

dukeynorton

I agree, many profs will take just about anybody as long as they have money (no disrespect to you of course). I would try and push him for some funding, at least for a short while. If not, I would look somewhere else.

Most postdocs I know are on J-1, but as mentioned, this may not be suitable for you given your immigration intent.

Clare37

Thanks for the information everyone.