J-1 visas with a family?
 

hi wondering if you can advise me.

as a nurse i would really like to go to USA to experience nursing over there.

I contacted an agency who are offering with a university in San Antonio as J1 visa with my family on J2 visas

obviously i am aware i can only work 20 hrs which is fine as i will be studying for a masters part time and they said my husband will be issued a work permit also

BUT
surely we will be red flagged at immigration , 2 adults and 4 children on a J1 visa?
they keep telling us no to worry about the 2yr at home thing as a waiver is likely as UK does not insist on it.

can any of you shed any light on this for us. its a long way to go to discover we gotta come home after 18 months with the children settled

jennifer

Re: J-1 visas with a family?
 

I do recall there is a weird thing about you J-2 partner ..
he can get a work permit only if he does not need the
money to support you...

And with 4 kids how will you survive ... without a large back up of funds behind you

Re: J-1 visas with a family?
 

Think from my vague recollections that Ray is right, a J2 can only work if your husband can prove the money he earns won't be supporting you. So I'd check that out, don't think it would be possible for your husband to be issued a work permit unless you have an awful lot of savings to support yourselves as well.

Also, you are aware that the max of 20 hours a week that you can work can only be on campus, right?

And just as an aside, are you sure it's worth uprooting 4 children and moving them across the world for just a year, before you have to do the same again and return back to the UK? Just seems an awful lot of cost and hassle for somebody with 4 kids, imo.

Re: J-1 visas with a family?
 

What is it you plan to do after 18 months? There is no obvious, fast way to a green card in your post.

Re: J-1 visas with a family?
 

hi
thanks for your responses.
yes we were a bit weary about the offer of J visas with a family. We thought
they were only really suitable for students to be honest.
ideally we would love green card or H visa but this was what the agency was offering.
they do say that once in states and when they become available again ,they would offer to file for a green card but who knows when that will be.?!?!
the course is 2yrs which isnt all that long and the 20 hrs work is at university hospital which is how thats covered.

think we will have to re think this or insist on alternatives.
is there anything in terms of visa choice else we could consider?

Re: J-1 visas with a family?
 

Another country?! ;)

Re: J-1 visas with a family?
 

thanks!!! lol

Re: J-1 visas with a family?
 

With retrogression I seriously doubt you will be able to stay in the US unless you get a job that meets EB2 or EB1 criteria and employer is employing you in that capacity. (masters may meet criteria) Saying that on allnurses.com I have seen many many threads where US nurses are loosing jobs, can't find jobs or pay increases have been frozen for the unforeseeable future. You may want to reconsider the idea.

I was initially affected by retrogression and until we moved to Canada in March 08 I had been waiting since 06 for a visa. Now settled in Canada, staying here, cancelled US job and loving it

Re: J-1 visas with a family?
 

silverdragon
thanks for your posting.
was wondering were you are nursing and whats it like there compared to the UK.
had an interview last week for east colchester, Truro for nursing post but havent heard anything yet. they are waiting for references.

Re: J-1 visas with a family?
 

Could have sworn I saw mention of a bill that would allow more nurses in?

Something fairly recent, no guarantee it would make it onto the books.

Re: J-1 visas with a family?
 

It died ...
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-5924

Re: J-1 visas with a family?
 

I am having a few issues with my nursing transcripts and now have to do a couple of courses so no I am not currently working but dh was the one who got the temp work permit.