'Merican B1 visa
- Thread starter agnes
- Start date
No but I can't see how it'd be any different from you applying for a H1B.
You can only apply for those visas on April 1st so you'll have to leave the US to apply and then it's usually the following October before you can relocate. You'll also have to be incredibly lucky to get picked first time. Mine wasn't picked to even get looked at 2 years ago and I work with a few people from various different countries that weren't picked first time either.
EDIT: Unless of course you're super clever and you can enter with an O1 visa at any time.
You can only apply for those visas on April 1st so you'll have to leave the US to apply and then it's usually the following October before you can relocate. You'll also have to be incredibly lucky to get picked first time. Mine wasn't picked to even get looked at 2 years ago and I work with a few people from various different countries that weren't picked first time either.
EDIT: Unless of course you're super clever and you can enter with an O1 visa at any time.
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Been thru it all.
E2 investor visa to get in back in 2004, (with a wife, make the wife the president) so you can get an EAD card) find a job, be Mr Nice, get them to sponsor you, then switch to an H1B employment visa while you wait for the greencard you'll of applied for thru an EB3 petition.
its a lengthy challenging process. But worth it.
For the rest of the world, it actually seems like the wait times are not all that long according to the bulletin. When i was doing it, it was like a 6-7 yr wait on EB3. so maybe a good time to do it.
https://travel.state.gov/content/vi...in/2016/visa-bulletin-for-september-2016.html
Remember its not any ol' job, but a job that an American is not able to fulfill. IT works well as you can write off applicants due to the skill set being so specialized.
E2 investor visa to get in back in 2004, (with a wife, make the wife the president) so you can get an EAD card) find a job, be Mr Nice, get them to sponsor you, then switch to an H1B employment visa while you wait for the greencard you'll of applied for thru an EB3 petition.
its a lengthy challenging process. But worth it.
For the rest of the world, it actually seems like the wait times are not all that long according to the bulletin. When i was doing it, it was like a 6-7 yr wait on EB3. so maybe a good time to do it.
https://travel.state.gov/content/vi...in/2016/visa-bulletin-for-september-2016.html
Remember its not any ol' job, but a job that an American is not able to fulfill. IT works well as you can write off applicants due to the skill set being so specialized.
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Nope, not at all, this is a common myth. An H1B visa has absolutely no such requirements. The only thing a company sponsoring an H1B visa must do is prove that there was an opportunity for a resident American to apply for the job, e.g. there was an online job listing. There is absolutely not need for the sponsor to show they tried and failed to hire an American etc.
An H1B visa if for a skilled laborer though. Skilled is define as needing a bachelors degree or 5 years work experience. So yes, you can't apply as a burger flipper for in-and-out, but it is very general requirement and easilly fulfilled by pretty much anyone who is going to get a job with a company willing to pay for the visa.
Cool, thanks guys, here is the background behind the questions.
My partner has an option to go to the US (paticularly MN) to work, obviously being sponsored by her current employer and being moved by them into their office over there. She is VERY treasured by her company and it will only mean very good things for her career. So, naturally I'm 100% supporting this choice.
We are not married, but no doubt will be at some point, but not marrying for the sake of me getting over there easier. So, that path is ruled out.
I was under the impression a H1B required a company to sponsor you BEFORE you arrived. So, unable to get there and start working.
Where as a B1 in my understanding means I can look for when when I get there.
I've not looked into the dates etc of when I can and can't apply and I'll most likely be going to an embassy once I know my path.
So yea, I've got 10 years in IT infrastructure support, I'm 2nd/3rd line now, advanced knowledge and skill in some systems which is very saught after by companies with said software.
My downside, I've not a single qualification behind me, never went to uni, never bothered with MS certs/Cisco/etc etc, I just prove I can do the work through references and experience.
Hopefully that will help, thanks again guys.
My partner has an option to go to the US (paticularly MN) to work, obviously being sponsored by her current employer and being moved by them into their office over there. She is VERY treasured by her company and it will only mean very good things for her career. So, naturally I'm 100% supporting this choice.
We are not married, but no doubt will be at some point, but not marrying for the sake of me getting over there easier. So, that path is ruled out.
I was under the impression a H1B required a company to sponsor you BEFORE you arrived. So, unable to get there and start working.
Where as a B1 in my understanding means I can look for when when I get there.
I've not looked into the dates etc of when I can and can't apply and I'll most likely be going to an embassy once I know my path.
So yea, I've got 10 years in IT infrastructure support, I'm 2nd/3rd line now, advanced knowledge and skill in some systems which is very saught after by companies with said software.
My downside, I've not a single qualification behind me, never went to uni, never bothered with MS certs/Cisco/etc etc, I just prove I can do the work through references and experience.
Hopefully that will help, thanks again guys.
agnes, your best bet is to post this question on britishexpats forum. It's a very friendly forum that is full of people who want to help you as much as they can. Some of the posters there are very knowledgeable (myself excluded 
). The forum link is http://britishexpats.com/forum/us-immigration-citizenship-visas-34/.
As for your question, you'll most likely receive the same answer on the british expat forums as I'll give you: get married. It really is the most simplest. Your partner will likely get an L1A or L1B visa (inter-company transferee), and if you get married, you will be eligible for an L2 spousal dependent visa. This will allow you to work for anyone (once you get your Employment Authorization Document). If you don't get married, you could be eligible for a B2 cohabitation visa, but you cannot work with it; not even remotely for a UK company from the USA. The H1B visa is a potential route for you, but you have to have a US employer to sponsor you for the visa, which costs thousands of dollars. Most employers only qualify for the capped H1B visas, which means that the soonest that they can apply is April 2017, for a visa that won't be granted until October 2017, if successful. In addition to this, the employer only has a 1/5 in chance of getting a visa in 2017, given how oversubscribed it is. However, there are cap-exempt H1B visas, which certain institutions can qualify for (not-for-profit higher education institutions, not for profit research organization or a governmental research organization, certain for-profit (e.g. consulting/contracting) firms, etc). Investment visa (EB-5) is a possibility, but you have to have hundreds of thousands of dollars of spare money that you can afford to lose, and not many people have that.
The visa waiver program allows you to travel to the USA for 90 days without having to get a visa, and you'll be admitted as a tourist (leisure trip) (B2) or business (meetings with clients, etc) (B1). Technically, you can apply for a "change of status" from B1/B2 to H1B, but the chances of finding an employer to sponsor you and having everything wrapped up and done in 90 days are quite low. If you do have to leave, you *shouldn't* return to the UK and come back straight away, as the border agents won't take too kindly to that. The general rule of thumb is "stay outside of the USA for longer than you are in the USA". If you visit the USA for 90 days, you should return to the UK for at least 91 days, before returning, etc.
). The forum link is http://britishexpats.com/forum/us-immigration-citizenship-visas-34/.As for your question, you'll most likely receive the same answer on the british expat forums as I'll give you: get married. It really is the most simplest. Your partner will likely get an L1A or L1B visa (inter-company transferee), and if you get married, you will be eligible for an L2 spousal dependent visa. This will allow you to work for anyone (once you get your Employment Authorization Document). If you don't get married, you could be eligible for a B2 cohabitation visa, but you cannot work with it; not even remotely for a UK company from the USA. The H1B visa is a potential route for you, but you have to have a US employer to sponsor you for the visa, which costs thousands of dollars. Most employers only qualify for the capped H1B visas, which means that the soonest that they can apply is April 2017, for a visa that won't be granted until October 2017, if successful. In addition to this, the employer only has a 1/5 in chance of getting a visa in 2017, given how oversubscribed it is. However, there are cap-exempt H1B visas, which certain institutions can qualify for (not-for-profit higher education institutions, not for profit research organization or a governmental research organization, certain for-profit (e.g. consulting/contracting) firms, etc). Investment visa (EB-5) is a possibility, but you have to have hundreds of thousands of dollars of spare money that you can afford to lose, and not many people have that.
The visa waiver program allows you to travel to the USA for 90 days without having to get a visa, and you'll be admitted as a tourist (leisure trip) (B2) or business (meetings with clients, etc) (B1). Technically, you can apply for a "change of status" from B1/B2 to H1B, but the chances of finding an employer to sponsor you and having everything wrapped up and done in 90 days are quite low. If you do have to leave, you *shouldn't* return to the UK and come back straight away, as the border agents won't take too kindly to that. The general rule of thumb is "stay outside of the USA for longer than you are in the USA". If you visit the USA for 90 days, you should return to the UK for at least 91 days, before returning, etc.
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B1 visa doesn't let you work for a US company. It is a visa to allow people to visit the US for business reasons, such as a conference or training, etc.
As above. You really have to consider marriage, by far the easiest solution. Without any degree or certificates it might be hard to find any company to sponsor a visa but an H1B would be your only chance without marrying (unless you have $500,000 USD to invest in the US).
Your other options include:
*Become a world class athkete musician,artsist etc.
* Start your own company and when it reaches a certain size open a US subsidiary which you become CEO of.
* Move to a country that is allowed in the green card lottery. Stay there long enough to become a citizen if that country, denounce UK citizenship. Enter the green card lottery year after year after until you get in.
Seriously,just get married.
As above. You really have to consider marriage, by far the easiest solution. Without any degree or certificates it might be hard to find any company to sponsor a visa but an H1B would be your only chance without marrying (unless you have $500,000 USD to invest in the US).
Your other options include:
*Become a world class athkete musician,artsist etc.
* Start your own company and when it reaches a certain size open a US subsidiary which you become CEO of.
* Move to a country that is allowed in the green card lottery. Stay there long enough to become a citizen if that country, denounce UK citizenship. Enter the green card lottery year after year after until you get in.
Seriously,just get married.
Yeah marriage might be the best option. Just make sure you do it in the US while you're here on your tourist visa. It has to be 'spontaneous' though. If you have it all planned then you need to have a special visa for that. You also have to get everything applied for before your 90 day tourist visa expires and then you can't leave the US before you get your green card without a load of hassle, if at all. It was a few years ago that I did it so I can't remember exactly.
get married to a pizza.
our company often send us to the US for training courses, they have never mentioned any sort of visa being needed we just travel on ESTA as you would as a tourist, might have to look into this if we are doing it wrong
Soldato
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My company does this a lot too: its not an issue. The key things to answer when asked at immigration are:
- Your salary is being paid by the UK subsidiary
- You are not there selling anything
- Your departure date
I've always traveled on an ESTA for business and told them so at immigration. Never had an issue.