dino100

Hi All,


I have some q's concerning VISA options to the U.S.


Background-I'm 37 and a British national living and working in the UAE for the last six years. I work in commercial/corporate real estate for a globally recognized firm in hotel investment, based out of Dubai. I have 16 years experience, I'm an Associate VP and I have no degree. I have approx. US $300k in cash plus I own a property in the UK so I can demonstrate I would not be a drain on public services.


I am considering a job offer to work on a large scale real estate project in Seattle, WA for another company. Having read some of the sticky posts, I assume I am not eligible for the L1 visa and that either an H1-A or H1-B visa would be the best route.


1. Are my assumptions correct on the visa route?
2. Would applying for either visa be under "non-immigrant" or "immigrant" and what, if at all, would be the most advantageous route?
3. Does a visa need to be applied at or by a certain date in the fiscal year?


Thanks for any guidance on this.


DINO100

Twinkle0927

L1 is for intra-company transfers so would not be applicable in your case.

All of the options you have mentioned are non-immigrant visas although there is the possibility of eventually becoming a permanent resident later down the line.

The employer must apply for the visa for you. When you spoke to them about the job, I am assuming you mentioned to them that you currently have no permission to work for them and that they will need to sponsor you for a visa?

Please be aware that H1B applications open in April and are valid from that October. So the earliest you would be able to start work (if you were successful) would be October 2017. If the employer is looking for someone now, what are the chances of them waiting that long for you when there could be someone local who could start immediately and not require the employer to spend thousands on visa costs? Look at it from the employer's perspective and ask what you bring to the table that makes it worth waiting 11 months for you and spending all that money on you? It is also an over-subscribed category so not everyone that applies will get one.

Your savings and property in the the U.K. will have no bearing on your application for a work visa. It's about being the right person for the job with the right qualifications. It is for degree-level positions. You haven't said what the job is on the real estate project.

Noorah101

The employer files a petition. The OP would apply for the visa, if the petition is approved.

I agree, more information is necessary regarding the position.

OP, there is very little for you to do at this point. If the company is interested, they will file a petition for you in April 2017 for a start date in October 2017 if your application gets through the lottery drawing. H1B is always over subscribed.

Rene

Pulaski

The usual advice from a friendly attorney who posts here occasionally is that a consultation with an experienced immigration lawyer would be appropriate as there are other routes to getting a visa to work in the US. For example if you are British and the company is British-owned then an E-2 might be appropriate, or a direct application for a green card through an EB-x (x = 1, 2, or 3) might be a viable route.

Ray

https://www.uscis.gov/eir/visa-guide...b-requirements