ahmadka

Hi everyone, I had a few questions to ask regarding H-1B and H-4 Visas. My situation is as follows: I'm currently in the US (not yet married) and my H-1B application was picked in this year's H-1B lottery, and so is currently under processing (Change of Status). I'm also planning to get married in October this year back in home country. So I have a couple of questions:

1) Assuming my H-1B Change of Status is approved and I go home to get H-1B stamped, how long will this stamping usually take if my profile is clean (no criminal record, etc.) ?

2) How soon after getting my H-1B stamped can my future wife start her H-4 Visa application ?

3) How long do H-4 visa applications usually take for someone who has never been to the US ?

Thanks in advance

So meaning I WILL be able to avail CPT and OPT, right ?

Hi guys ... So I did a Masters before from the US from 2009 - 2011 while being on J-1 Visa. Note that during this time I did not work in the US, nor did any internship. In fact, till now I've never worked in the US. Now I want to go to the US again on F-1 visa to do a second Masters from there, but this time I want to avail CPT and OPT opportunities too when I'm there. Question is, is there are rule because of which I might be denied CPT or OPT as I've already done a Masters from the US before while being on J-1 Visa ?

Any suggestions regarding this ?

Thanks for that. Is there is a similar document for FY 2015 (i.e. which gives the stats for last year's H1B lottery) ?

Plus, you're right - there's no real way to determine how many of those MS/PhD candidates got their advanced degrees in the US.

No one knows about this ?

Hi guys, so I had a question to ask. I hope its the right forum section for this type of question

I've been told that certain US based companies are willing to hire F-1 students who are on their OPT, and are willing to sponsor them for Green Card (Employment based) directly, if they sign a contract to work with that company for an agreed number of years (2 years, 3 years, etc.). A quick google search reveals that while technically it is possible to go from F-1 to Green Card directly, I'm not sure if the contract part is legal or not. Is it ?

Plus, what are the chances that such an F-1 to Green Card transition is approved ?

Hi guys .. So I know that USCIS annually publishes how many industrial H1B applications were received, however I can't find any place which gives a breakdown of that number in terms of how many applications are for candidates who did a Masters degree in the US (and hence have a second try at the 20k lottery), and how many applications are for candidates who did a Bachelors degree in the US, or didn't do any degree in the US (who can only fight for a spot in the first 65k lottery) ..

For example, this year USCIS stated that 233,000 applications were received. However I don't how does this number breakdown according to the aforementioned criteria.

Does anyone know where to get such stats ?

Would love if someone can chime in to address what I said above ..

Thanks for your feedback people

How do I prove I have 'strong ties' to my country ?

Except my elder brother who lives in Dubai, all my family (even distant family) lives within my own country ... I don't know anyone within my family who is an expat to any country, and I have no family, no uncles, etc. in the US.

My parents are both alive but are old. Although my father still works after having been honorably retired from his lifelong occupation a few years ago, my parents would still like someone to stay with them here, and so I don't have a problem coming back.

Does this help satisfy their need that I have 'strong ties' to my country ?

What else can I do to prove that I intend to come back after my program ?

Thanks, for you might have misunderstood a little (My explanation may have been faulty).

The two Masters programs are discrete, and the first one finished in May 2011, when I returned back to my country. Since then, it has been over 3 years now that I've been within my home country (excluding 1-2 very short visit trips abroad. So I guess I am eligible to apply for an F-1 Visa now, right ?

I mean, there's no law as such which denies a person the F-1 visa, after they've completed their previous J-1 program, AND have also been in their home country for at least 2 years after coming back from their J-1 program ?

Hi guys .. I've had a question in my mind for a few weeks which I wanted to address, even though I don't have any evidence to suggest that it can be a problem for me ..

I did Masters in ECE through Fulbright scholarship from 2009 to 2011, while being on the J-1 Visa. Now I'm planning to do a second Masters in CS from a US university.

So I'm wondering if there's any law of rule which prohibits a person from getting an F-1 Visa if they've already held a J-1 visa previously at some point.

After leaving the US in May 2011, I went to the US again once for only 2 weeks in May 2012 for attending my Masters Commencement. I went on a Visitor's Visa, which is still valid, but hasn't been used since May 2012.

So can this be a problem for me, or am I just being paranoid ?

By the way, I want to do a second Masters because of a change in career path .. My existing degrees are causing problems for me so I want to correct that ..

In my previous post above, I wanted to write the following for the last sentence:

Even if there is a person who genuinely wants to come back, how does he/she convince them ?

But it also has to be the TRUTH. Doesn't sound convincing to me here -- doubt it will convince the visa officer.

That's what I was asking earlier ... How does one convince the VO ?

Even if there is a person who genuinely wants to come back, does he/she convince them ?

Back in my country we say: they pretend to pay us and we pretend to work. The authorities are aware that a lot of people will stay at least for a while and there are easy ways to do that like OPT/STEM. IMHO as long as you prentend not to stay, they will pretend to assume that you won't unless your intent is obvious.

Yeah that's probably true. But then if that's the case, why is considered bad if a person even makes a small remark to try and get some work experience there ?

Also, given the points I mentioned above, is there any obvious 'flaw' in my profile which might reduce my chances for getting an F1 ? Anything at all ?

And how do you 'convince' the VO that you will return ? Is there anything one can do to help with this ?

Not probably. You have to say that you are going to come back.

Got it ! No 'probably' anymore

But even then, how does one convince the interviewer that you will come back ? How does this happen ? I can't expect to just say that I'm coming back, and assume that the interviewer will take my word for it ... So how do I convince them ?

Some points which I can say are:

1) That currently, I have NO family/relatives in the US .. Not even the any distant family ... My entire family is based in Pakistan .. (Can probably show that I have ties here)

2) My parents are based in Pakistan too, and currently I'm the only one living close to them .. My elder brother is based in the UAE (only one in my entire family outside Pakistan)... (Again, can probably show that I have ties here)

2) I'm not married ... Might be taken negatively ? Although I have no intention of going to the US for marital purposes ..

3) My J1 assignment was actually for MS + PhD .. But I came back after MS voluntarily because I felt PhD is not for me (even though I passed the Prelim) ... This can probably show that I didn't care of staying in the US anymore than I needed ..

4) Came back from the US after Masters on time promptly, 2.5 years ago ..

5) I went to the US last year for 2 weeks, for attending my Graduation, and came back on time .. Went on a Visit VISA, which is still active ..

6) Never went out of valid visa status ..

7) First Masters was in Electrical & Computer Engineering, which turned out to be a waste, as I don't practice in those fields .. So that's why .....

8) ..... I am applying for second Masters to sharpen my skills in the my true profession: Software Engineering, which I've been working in for the past 2.5 years ..

So given this background and reasoning for a second Masters in the US, can I say I have an average to good chance of securing an F1 Visa ?

Sorry I forgot to mention that ... I have completed the 2 year J1 requirement. I'm in my 3rd year back from the US, so that should not be a problem I think ..

Well I can of course tell them during the interview that I do intend to come back .. that's not a problem .. Besides, I might have to anyway for a number of reasons, such as my parents are all alone in my home country, and permanently leaving them in their old age isn't something I'd voluntarily like to do ... And although I can most probably afford the second Masters on my own, I do have some financial obligations, which might limit me to coming back ..

So I can tell them during that interview that I will most probably be coming back (which in all honesty, might just be the case ..) ... But I'm not sure what they'll believe in their mind when I say this ... I mean won't they wonder why am I going for a second Masters ? .. Of course I have reason for this: to specialize in my true professional field .. But still, they might say why a second Masters ... ?

Or am I just being paranoid, or taking this too seriously ?

Where is everyone ?

It is reset every April - you appy April 1st, visas are issued October 1st. Ones that will be given out October 2013 were gone in 5 days and they took so many applications (more than visas available) that they had to do a lottery.

You can apply whenever you want, just be aware of the visa (un)availability and associated timing.

Hmm ... Okay so I assume it will be the company that files the H-1B on 1st April, right ?

So if thats the case, the next time visas are filled are on 1st April 2014 ..

So if I'm aiming for 1st April 2014, by when should I actively start applying around ?

I think you're misunderstanding process a bit - there are no jobs that come with sponsorship. There are jobs posted - if a suitable candidate requires sponsorship and company is willing to that, it will. Remember they need to make sure they do not have somebody available locally. You won't see a posting that explicitly says "Included H-1B sponsorship".

Also - be aware that earliest time one can get H-1B visa is October 2014. Cap for this year's was met after just a few days and is gone.

I don't understand. Why Oct 2014 ? Isn't the quota reset every April/May ?

Also, do you mean to say I shouldn't even apply for jobs now ? If yes, then when should I start applying then ?

If you did, it would be a scam.

Not sure what you were referring to there exactly ..

Yeah I know its probably a bit late to post in this thread again, but since I'm still stuck in the same loophole, I thought I should give this another go ..

Most go to Indian outsourcing companies, the stats are out there.

Can you tell me a few names maybe ? Just so I have an idea of kind of companies you're referring to exactly ..

Microsoft does not get all or majority portion of H1, Some part does go to outsourcing company but there are many many companies in US that hire and file for H1 visa.
Being in software industry is a + for you and degree from US does certainly help.

As far as I can tell, Microsoft, along with 1 or 2 other companies, get like the most of the H1B quota. The rest of the companies probably just get like 5~ 20 per year, and getting into that will be virtually impossible I think !

However having said that, can you also point me in the right direction on how to find such companies ? Maybe my research methodology was wrong ..

I agree, being skilled in the software industry, and having a degree from a US school definitely helps!

I used to work in IT recruiting, and we would sponsor H1-B visas for non-US Citizens all the time if they were the right match for an open position. Do you have any finance experience? And where in the US do you want to live/work? I ask, because in New York City, you would probably have a pretty good chance of getting a finance company (think large banks and financial institutions like Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, American Express, Fidelity Investments, Moody's, JP Morgan, etc.) to sponsor you given your background (from what you say). Do a Google search for US IT recruitment companies and then send your resume in ... couldn't hurt?

Unfortunately I don't have any main finance experience ...

But same thing as before .. Do I really stand a decent chance of getting considered without even being in the US ?

Hi guys ... I want to know that is getting a H1-B the only main way of entering the US for work purposes ? Because this is what it seems to me ...

I know about the L-1 visa, which you get if you're in a non-US company which transfers you to their US branch ... Although I am currently in such a company, I doubt I'll get transferred anytime soon, as I'm not that high up the food chain .. :/

Hence why I'm asking what other options I have ..

And if it is the case that H1-B is the only route, then I guess I have to get selected by Microsoft ? .. I say this because they're the main guys who get most of the quote in that 65k limit, as far as I know .. :/

--

A little bit about me:

I'm currently in South East Asia, and did my Bachelors in Computer Engineering from one of the top universities here .. I then did my Masters from Georgia Tech in the US via Fulbright Scholarship (again in Computer Engineering), so my academics are quite strong I think ... I'm in the software development industry, and have been working in my country for the past 1.5 years ..

So the company which is sponsoring me is responsible for paying the entire fees ? .. Do I pay anything at all ?

Also, another thing confusing me is that suppose a US-based company decides to offer me a job today, and is also willing to sponsor me .. So then would the file everything now, or would they wait for next year for the 65k and 20k counters to reset, and then apply ?

Or should I go job hunting early next year or something ? ... I dont fully yet understand the timing of all these application things ..

Lastly, was is the best and most efficient way to find companies which are willing to sponsor international job hunters these days ?

And, there is a site named h1base.com, which claims to assist you in the whole H-1B application process, and they claim to send your resumes to HR managers in companies they know are sponsoring H-1B visas ... They also claim to have been acknowledged by a number of sites, businesses and universities in the US, but I'm still not sure if its a scam or not .. Any ideas?