eliza-klein

Hi everyone!

So I am in the U.S. since the end of January where I started a 12-month internship in Finance.

My boss is now asking me what visa I would need to be able to stay after my J1 visa expires in January 2016.

We couldn't apply for an H1B visa as I am not graduated yet. I will have a Bachelor's Degree in October 2015.

I did the DV Lottery, but sadly with no luck. I have no possibility to get married nor do I have enough money for an investor visa.

So after looking up all possible info given by the DoS and every immigration page on Google, I am asking for your advice.

Is it possible to get a second J1 Visa?

Everything I read is that J1 visa can be renewed but only it doesn't exceed the maximum program length. The J1 Intern visa has a maximum period of 12 months (according to the very useless official J1 website).

If there was a way I could get another J1 visa, I could stay and my employer would file for an H1B in April 2016.

I am not subject to the 2-year home residency rule.

As I will graduate in October 2015, I can only apply for the J1 Intern visa because for the Trainee one you need to have finished your studies for 12 months or more.

Please help. If you have other visa ideas, let me know too.

Thank you,

- Eliza

Hey luoxuan,

I did get my visa after a while and yes, I am in the U.S. right now.

The fax number is on the U.S. Embassy (Paris) website under Contacts. I just told them about my situation.. That no-one told me about AP and that I need my visa because the internship is mandatory for my business school program. That's all.

Did they told you that your case was going to AP when you had your interview?

Are you a French citizen or a Chinese citizen? Because it's more difficult to get a visa in Paris if you're not a EU citizen.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Eliza

Hello guys,

I've got a call today from the paris Embassy telling me they've got my Fax today (I sent it on Jan 5th), that they found the problem and that they are going to send me my visa this week.

So here's my timeline:

Dec 23rd 2014: case opened

Dec 24th 2014: administrative processing

Jan 8th 2015: status updated date changed to 8.01

Jan 13th: Ready

Jan 13th: back to AP in the afternoon

Let's see if I'll get my visa!

Hello guys,

Still AP today. So for now about 3 weeks.

Status updated date changed yesterday to Jan 8th 2015. At least someone is watching my application.

Hello everyone!

I got a little bit confused the last days so I'd like someone's opinion on my issue.

I went to my interview at the Paris Embassy on December, 24th for my J1 Visa. All papers were in order, that just after a couple minutes the vice-consul who did my interview told me that my visa was approved and that I would receive my passport with the Visa in it back in 4 days.

It's almost been 2 weeks and not having received my passport back, I looked up the CEAC website and my Visa Status is 'Administrative Processing' (Your visa case is currently undergoing necessary administrative processing. This processing can take several weeks. Please follow any instructions provided by the Consular Officer at the time of your interview. If further information is needed, you will be contacted).

I read all over the internet that this happens when they need additional information on your application and that you are told during the interview and that they hand you a special sheet that tells you further instructions.

I never got a sheet and he said everything was okay and that I would receive my passport back...

So now I am getting worried that I won't get the visa in time. My internship starts on Jan, 19th and my flight is on Jan, 13th...

Did anyone experience the same as me?

Thank you very much for any help.

Eliza