Work Abroad in The USA

Work In The US As A Specialty Worker:

The US H1B Visa is one of the most popular ways to work in the US. It is a visa that must be applied for by an employer on behalf of a specialist employee. Since the visa is granted to specialists, typically applicants hold at least a Bachelor’s degree and are from fields such as IT, finance, architecture, medicine, science etc. AMI Education and Immigration helps employers with filing for H1B petitions for their employees. We also help employees from across the world get hired by companies likely to sponsor them for an H1B visa.

US H1B Visa Details:

  • The H1B Visa is one of the most competitive visas to apply for. Due to there being an annual visa cap, there is a huge demand from US employers applying for this visa. Additionally, since it is a route to a Green Card, it is one of the best visas to apply to work in the US.
  • Under the H1B, successful petitioners can:
  • Live and work in the US
  • Extend the stay in the US
  • Change employers during H-1B status
  • Stay with their dependent spouse & children (aged under 21) in the US

Documents Required:

  • The H1B is a point based visa system and you need a minimum of 12 points for your application to be assessed. You must have:
  • A Bachelors or Masters degree from the US (or an equivalent in your country)
  • Or 12 years work experience
  • Or a mix of education and work experience
  • You are awarded points as follows
  • 3 points for every 1 year of college studies
  • 1 point for every 1 year of work experience
  • Once you score a minimum of 12 points, your H1B petition can then be prepared.
  • H1B visa cost:
  • Standard H1B Filing Fee is currently – $460.The standard H1B filing fee is for the 1-129 petition.
  • H1B visa base filing fee is set to increase by 21% from $460 USD to $555. The proposed fee increase will be effective from October 2nd, 2020.
  • On the payment confirmation screen, you will be presented with payment options and further details of how to initiate payment. The fee is good for a year from the date of payment. You must take an appointment within one year for your visa interview.

H4 Visa:

  • An H4 visa is a non-immigrant dependent visa. The visa does not grant you permanent residency, but it gives you the right to live, study, and work in the US.
  • Who is eligible?
  • Spouse of the H type visa holder
  • Children under the age of 21 whose parent is an H visa holder
  • The validity of the H4 visa
  • The validity of the visa is dependent on the visa of the sponsor who is also called the principal applicant.
  • The visa is usually sponsored by the spouse or parent having the H type visa. The H4 visa becomes invalid when the visa of the sponsor expires.
  • Privileges of the H4 visa
  • You can get a driver’s license
  • You have opportunities to study in the US
  • You qualify for financial services, such as banking and an H4 visa loan
  • Work permission for the H4 visa holder
  • The holder of the H4 visa may work part-time, full-time or not at all.
  • The H4 visa holder is permitted to start any form of business.
  • The holder of the H4 visa may continue to be eligible for EAD even if he does not seek employment.
  • Documents required for application
  • US visa interview appointment letter
  • A valid passport
  • Copy of the primary visa holder’s passport
  • Photograph of the primary visa holder and applicant together
  • Passport-sized photograph of the applicant
  • Confirmation page of the online DS-160 form
  • Visa fees receipt from the relevant bank
  • A copy of the primary visa holder’s form I-797
  • A letter from the primary visa holder’s employer stating the nature of the relationship between the primary visa holder and employer
  • Pay stubs from the primary visa holder’s current place of work
  • Original marriage certificate
  • Original birth certificates of children

L-1A Visa:

  • The L-1A Visa is a US-issued non-immigrant visa. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues this visa for foreign directors or managers being transferred to U.S. offices of their company. International businesses that do not have associated offices in the U.S. may also use an L-1A visa to send a manager or executive to create one there.
  • The L-1A visa is one of two categories of work visas in the L-1 visa category. Its equivalent, the L-1B visa is for staff with advanced skills who choose to migrate to the U.S. for a five-year period. Upon expiry, the applicant may again apply for the L-1 visa holder status only after working for the parent, subsidiary, branch or affiliate of the organization for at least one year outside the U.S.
  • L1 Visa Requirements:
  • There are two main requirements for an L1 visa: employer requirements and employee requirements.
  • Employer Requirements:
  • A qualifying relationship must be formed between the employer within the US and its international branch/subsidiary/affiliate that employs the applicant. This indicates that the two organizations are in some way tied by their ownership or association with each other.
  • Furthermore, the employer needs to be doing business in the US and at least one other country during the visa holder’s stay in the US.
  • Employee Requirements:
  • With an L1 visa, the applicant must have been working for the international employer for at least one year in the preceding three years before they were admitted to the U.S.
  • This employment must have been in an administrative, corporate, or technical area of expertise and their prospective jobs in the U.S. must be within the same fields.
  • L1A Visa to Green Card:
  • An L1A visa applicant has a relatively straightforward way of acquiring a green card since it falls under an EB-1C Green Card. This does not require a PERM Labor Certificate, cutting off the processing time by up to 8 months.
  • The employer just needs to file an I-140 petition to qualify for the green card. If the applicant has been accepted, he files for a status adjustment (Form I-485).

L2 Visa:

  • L2 visas are also known as L1 dependent visas. The L2 visa is granted to the spouses and dependents of L1 visa holders. An L2 visa is a non-immigrant visa.
  • L1 dependents include:
  • Spouses of visa holders
  • Dependent children under the age of 21
  • L2 visa holders can:
  • Live in the U.S. temporarily
  • Study full-time or attend college in the U.S.
  • Apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) to work in the U.S.
  • Change your visa status to another non-immigrant visa like F1, B1/B2, H1, and L1, and
  • Travel in and out of the US on brief international trips
  • Documents required for L2 visa application:
  • A completed Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application.
  • Valid passport
  • Passport photo
  • Original marriage certificate
  • Original birth certificates for each dependent child
  • Written approval of the employer of the primary L1 visa holder
  • Employment verification letter from the L1 visa holder’s employer
  • L1 holder’s Form I-797
  • Visa application fee
  • Visas issuance fee

R1 Visa:

  • An R1 visa is for those who want to work in the United States as religious workers. It is a short-term visa.
  • Eligibility Conditions
  • First of all, you will have to work at a part-time job in the US, meaning that you’ll spend at least 20 hours a week at work. At the same time, you need to get a job that has to do with your religion. To put it another way, you have to either work in a religious position or be a minister there. This means you ‘re not going to be suited to R1 Visas if your work is anything other than religious. You are also entitled if you have a bona fide religious charitable organization and you were a member of the religious community before applying for a visa and you spent at least two years in that role before applying for an R1 visa. You can also be a worker for an employer who also has a religious non-profit organization in the US. You are not eligible if you are not going to work in a religious group or a church or is not going to do anything related to their activities. These visas are particularly for religious workers who have a job in the area, and no one else. Being a volunteer also won’t bring an R1 Visa. You have to be a paid worker-otherwise you can’t apply.
  • Documents Required
  • A Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) Form
  • A passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay.
  • Passport photo taken in the last six months.

R2 Visa:

  • The R2 visa is a temporary US visa that authorizes an R1 visa holder’s spouse and unmarried child (under 21 years) to enter the US. The holders of R2 status may remain in the country for as long as the holders of R1 remain in legal status. In other words, once the principal R-1 person loses legal status, an individual loses his / her R-2 status.
  • R2 visa holders can:
  • Take part in a full-time study course in the US
  • Travel freely in and out of the US during the validity of the visa
  • Apply for permanent residency status
  • However, the R2 visa holder cannot work in the US.
  • Documents Required
  • All documents required for an R-1 visa.
  • Original birth certificate for each child
  • Marriage registration certificate
  • Copy of spouse’s passport
  • Proof of financial support
  • Copy of the contract between the employer and the R1 religious worker

How AMI Education and Immigration Can Help You?

  • The H1B visa requires the highest quality of documentation in order to give your petition a chance at success. AMI Education and Immigration has the knowledge and experience to ensure your application is thorough and meets all benchmarks. Our teams assist with:
  • To work at a branch, parent, affiliate, or subsidiary of the current employer
  • Job Search Assistance in the US
  • Preparing your documentation
  • Complete Application Processing
  • Forms, Documentation & Petition Filing
  • The H1B Visa is a life-changing opportunity for anyone looking to work in the US. Y-Axis can help you make the most of this opportunity with our end-to-end support that starts with helping you find a job, applying for a visa, applying for a PR and more. Talk to us today to discover how we can help you.

FAQ

There are 2 options to get a job in the US. The first is to obtain a job in an MNC and get posted onsite in the US. The second option is to study an MS degree in the US and search for a job there.

The application process for a US Work Visa differs depending on the location of the US Consulate/Embassy. Below are some of the common steps to be followed for the US Work Visa application:

  • Applicants must fill the DS-160 Form online and get the printout of the confirmation page upon submission. The recent photograph of the applicant along with the confirmation page must be carried to the Visa interview.
  • Applicants are offered the option to schedule an interview for submitting documents only after they pay the non-immigrant Visa fee of $190
  • Applicants must visit one of the VACs for providing fingerprint scan before visiting the US Consulate/Embassy. The VAC will also capture the photograph of the applicant.
  • Applicants must schedule an appointment for the Visa interview for submitting their application with the necessary documents

The US Working class Visas includes H-1B, L-1, etc. The USCIS website has its fee structures along with the forms that need to be submitted for obtaining these Visas. However, the cost of obtaining these Visas is to be borne by the employer and not the worker/employee.

Your current immigration status in the US or the type of US Visa that you hold will decide the duration of your Work Visa. In most of the cases, it is 12 months. Nevertheless, obviously, no individual will be offered a Work Visa that has longer validity than their authorized stay in the US.

The requirements that need to be fulfilled for the US Work Visa (Q, P, O, L, or H Visa) are:

  • Form DS -160 electronic application for Non-immigrant Visa
  • A valid passport for travelling to the US that has a minimum validity of 6 months after your stay period in the US
  • One 2X2 inches photograph taken within the past 6 months
  • You may have to pay extra fee for Visa reciprocity based on your nationality if the Visa is offered
  • You will have to pay fraud detection and prevention fee if you are an L-1 applicant on a blanket application
  • The receipt number specified on your authorized petition I-129

It may take around 5 months for processing your US Work Visa and in some cases up to 7 months. This is after USCIS – US Citizenship and Immigration Services receives your application for the Visa.

No, this is not possible. To apply for this visa, you must have a job offer from a U.S. company or organization.

This visa has a validity of three years with the option to extend it up to a maximum of six years.

Once the maximum period for the visa is over, a foreign worker must either leave the U.S. or obtain a different visa.  Otherwise he can lose his legal status and can even be deported.

Presently the H-1B visa programs issue 65,000 visas to qualifying foreign workers. However, 20,000 additional visas are issued to those eligible to work under the H-1B advanced degree exemption.

Here are the steps to apply for an H1B visa

Step 1:

Determine your visa type by reading Common Nonimmigrant Visas. Each visa type explains the qualifications and application items. Choose the visa type that applies to your situation.

Step 2:

The next step is to complete the Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) form. Be sure to read the Guidelines for Completing the DS-160 Form carefully. All information must be correct and accurate. Once the form is submitted, you cannot make any changes.

Step 3:

Once you have completed the DS-160, you must pay the visa fee.

Step 4:

You will need to login to your profile with the same credentials you used to pay your visa fee. On the website, you must schedule two appointments, one for the Visa Application Center (VAC) and one for the visa interview at the Embassy or Consulate.

Step 5:

Ensure you take the required documents with you for the Visa Application Centre (VAC) appointment.

Step 6:

After your visit to the Visa Application Centre to have your photo and fingerprints taken, you will then visit the U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the date and time of your visa interview along with the required documents.

H1B visa sponsorship:

An employer can accept a non-immigrant by hiring them for an H-1B visa to work in the United States. The worker must have at least a bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent in their country) and the position they are applying for must involve the use of specialist skills. Positions can be found in specialist fields such as architecture, law, finance, medicine, etc.