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Alex Bogdan

Working for experience

By Alex Bogdan in Working & Traveling During US Immigration

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Alex Bogdan Newbie

Alex Bogdan   0

Posted
Timeline
Posted

Hello! I am will travel to the US in December, and will be staying at least a month. I am a photographer in my country, I would really love to shoot some weddings or help a photographer, as an assistant, just for the experience. If I'm not getting paid, is that illegal? I don't want to cause or to do anything illegal. Thank you.

Boiler Grand Master

Boiler   45,670

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
 Timeline
Posted

Yes

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

geowrian Grand Master

geowrian   22,337

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (pnd) Country: Philippines
 Timeline
Posted

If you're a guest and just taking nice photos, that's fine. If you are acting as a photographer for the wedding (displacing a US worker) or assistant to the photographer, you've likely crossed the line into unauthorized work.

Timelines:

ROC:

Spoiler

7/27/20: Sent forms to Dallas lockbox, 7/30/20: Received by USCIS, 8/10 NOA1 electronic notification received, 8/1/ NOA1 hard copy received

AOS:

Spoiler

AOS (I-485 + I-131 + I-765):

9/25/17: sent forms to Chicago, 9/27/17: received by USCIS, 10/4/17: NOA1 electronic notification received, 10/10/17: NOA1 hard copy received. Social Security card being issued in married name (3rd attempt!)

10/14/17: Biometrics appointment notice received, 10/25/17: Biometrics

1/2/18: EAD + AP approved (no website update), 1/5/18: EAD + AP mailed, 1/8/18: EAD + AP approval notice hardcopies received, 1/10/18: EAD + AP received

9/5/18: Interview scheduled notice, 10/17/18: Interview

10/24/18: Green card produced notice, 10/25/18: Formal approval, 10/31/18: Green card received

K-1:

Spoiler

I-129F

12/1/16: sent, 12/14/16: NOA1 hard copy received, 3/10/17: RFE (IMB verification), 3/22/17: RFE response received

3/24/17: Approved! , 3/30/17: NOA2 hard copy received

 

NVC

4/6/2017: Received, 4/12/2017: Sent to Riyadh embassy, 4/16/2017: Case received at Riyadh embassy, 4/21/2017: Request case transfer to Manila, approved 4/24/2017

 

K-1

5/1/2017: Case received by Manila (1 week embassy transfer??? Lucky~)

7/13/2017: Interview: APPROVED!!!

7/19/2017: Visa in hand

8/15/2017: POE

 

JFH Grand Master

JFH   12,190

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: United Kingdom
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

As has been mentioned, if you are taking pictures on your holiday for your own personal enjoyment, this is not work. But taking pictures for someone else is considered work. Also helping a photographer with setting up and carrying the equipment, staging the shots, etc is considered work. 

 

You are able to attend short courses or seminars as a visitor so if you want to gain some knowledge or try some new techniques in that setting, you could. 

Edited by JFH

Timeline in brief:

Married: September 27, 2014

I-130 filed: February 5, 2016

NOA1: February 8, 2016 Nebraska

NOA2: July 21, 2016

Interview: December 6, 2016 London

POE: December 19, 2016 Las Vegas

N-400 filed: September 30, 2019

Interview: March 22, 2021 Seattle

Oath: March 22, 2021 COVID-style same-day oath

 

Now a US citizen!

MacUK Proficient

MacUK   983

Posted
Filed: Other Country: United Kingdom
 Timeline
Posted
1 hour ago, larnar1309 said:

Taking pictures that you are not being paid for is not illegal

It is if taking those pictures is something that a USC or LPR would have been paid for.

August 2000: We start e-mailing. I'm in Bosnia, she's in Florida

October 29th 2000: She sends me e-mail asking if I would marry her

October 29th 2000(5 seconds later): I say yes

November 2000: She sends me tickets to Orlando for when I get back

December 6th 2000: Return from Bos

December 11th 2000: Fly to Orlando, she meets me at airport

December 22nd 2000: I fly back to UK

January 3rd 2001: She flies to UK (Good times)

Mid February 2001: Pregnancy test Positive

Mid February 2001: She flies back to US

March 2001: Miscarriage, I fly to US on first flight I can get

May 2001: I leave US before my 90 days are up

June 2001: I fly back to US, stopped at airport for questioning as I had only just left

September 2001: Pregnancy test Positive again

September 2001: She falls sick, I make decision to stay to look after her as I am afraid I may have problems getting back in.

April 16th 2002: Our son is born, we start getting stuff together for his passport

March 6th 2003: We leave US for UK as family

Early April 2003: Family troubles make her return to US, I ask Embassy in London about possibilities of returning to US

April 16th 2003: London Embassy informs me that I will be banned from the Visa Waiver Program for 10 years, my little boys first birthday

June 13th 2006: I-129f sent

August 11th 2006: NOA1 Recieved

After our relationship breaks down she admits to me that she had never bothered to start the application process

SusieQQQ Grand Master

SusieQQQ   11,586

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Timeline
Posted (edited)

This is exactly like an unpaid internship, which is also working for free “just for experience”.. It’s still work and requires a work visa. Easy enough to verify on official US sites. The first one that came up on google from the US embassy in Germany, a bunch of others all saying the same thing.

 

https://de.usembassy.gov/unpaid-work-is-work-make-sure-you-have-the-correct-visa/

Edited by SusieQQQ
 
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