Working in the US

[RIJ 0]

Apologies if this is posted in the wrong place, but since this topic is neither marriage or family related, I thought this was the best place.

I am a British citizen currently living in Japan. My Japanese partner is going to the US to study for 1 year and I would like to go also.

I have read all about US visas and I believe I need a non immigrant work visa. My specialist area is IT and I have been told that, as a foreign national, I have a relative chance of obtaining such a job if I apply.

However, I have 2 specific questions that the information provided by the US government on their websites are unable to answer, due to their obscure nature.

Number 1 - can I, as a British citizen, apply for a working visa for the US, from Japan?

Number 2 - can I apply for a working visa from within the US (eg, assuming I am already there on a tourist visa)?

I did have an option of paying 2000 yen ($20) to submit an email to a user-pay service to answer my questions, but I declined this kind offer.

Ultimately, I would like advice on how hopeful my chances are of obtaining a work visa in the US; if anyone has any information or advice in this area, I would be most appreciative.

Many thanks for reading!

[Amby 490]

I think they only accept a certain number every year and they are usually over their limit the very first day they're accepting applications and then it's a lottery type thing. I could be wrong though

also, I think you have to be sponsored by an employer

Edited April 9, 2008 by Amber&Neil

[William33 110]

Apologies if this is posted in the wrong place, but since this topic is neither marriage or family related, I thought this was the best place.

I am a British citizen currently living in Japan. My Japanese partner is going to the US to study for 1 year and I would like to go also.

I have read all about US visas and I believe I need a non immigrant work visa. My specialist area is IT and I have been told that, as a foreign national, I have a relative chance of obtaining such a job if I apply.

However, I have 2 specific questions that the information provided by the US government on their websites are unable to answer, due to their obscure nature.

Number 1 - can I, as a British citizen, apply for a working visa for the US, from Japan?

Number 2 - can I apply for a working visa from within the US (eg, assuming I am already there on a tourist visa)?

I did have an option of paying 2000 yen ($20) to submit an email to a user-pay service to answer my questions, but I declined this kind offer.

Ultimately, I would like advice on how hopeful my chances are of obtaining a work visa in the US; if anyone has any information or advice in this area, I would be most appreciative.

Many thanks for reading!

Number 1 - can I, as a British citizen, apply for a working visa for the US, from Japan?

Yes, but it is much easier if you have a job offer from a US company; said company will sponsor your working visa. Suggest you start applying soonest.

Number 2 - can I apply for a working visa from within the US (eg, assuming I am already there on a tourist visa)?

No. Visa's can only be obtained from abroad. A visa is in fact, an entry permit. Not much use if you are already here.

Edited April 9, 2008 by William33

[Alex+R 0]

If she's starting Fall semester 2008 you probably won't make that. Maybe next year? I would try a different route.

[RIJ 0]

If she's starting Fall semester 2008 you probably won't make that. Maybe next year? I would try a different route.

Would that also apply if I have a job offer?

Actually, it's my intention of getting a visa sponsored by a company who are offering me a job.

If that happens, I don't have to worry about any 'lottery' type situation, right?

Thanks very much for the replies, it's nice to know that I can do this without having to return home first.

[Alex+R 0]

Yeah, that also applies if you have a job offer. If you don't have a job offer, you're pretty much screwed in the first place. Like someone said, there's a quota for the H1B applicants, and it's usually filled on the first day every year, all by people with job offers.

One visa you could try is the one where you work for peanuts on a ski resort for a season or something. Or a J-1 intern visa. There are some poorly paid internships that you could probably get to start in the fall. You could set it up that way.

Or you could just come as a tourist for three months at a time like twice and see if you can telecommute to your job.

It really depends on how bad you want to come here for that year.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Your employer would need to sponsor you for H1-B visa. These are capped annually and all the available visas are snapped up immediately. That would be your most challenging obstacle, I would have thought. Though I am not an expert on how it works, there have been a few people in my company hired on such visas.

[Alex+R 0]

Also, it kills me to say this, but it would seem that the opening day was April 1 and they accepted petitions from April 1 to April 5 for the lottery. This is for FY 2009.

It would seem you'll have to go a different route.

But, keep in mind we're not super knowledgeable about work visas here -- only family visas.

eta: Just to make it clear, all the H1B applications are people with job offers, so having a job offer doesn't bump you ahead; it's actually a prerequisite for applying.

Edited April 9, 2008 by Alex+R