Options for moving to the USA

Jaoibh

Hi all,

I'm an IT professional for the last 12 years and looking at options for finding work and moving to the USA (Boston) for a few years or possibly staying if it works out.

I have a wife and 3 year old son.

I don't have a degree but I'm in a middle management position in a global company. I'm very happy with my current company and there might be the option to move. But for now I'd like any information I can get on moving the family over without sponsorship.

Is there a particular solicitor or company that helps with this process?

Anyone that can give me some information on this I'd really appreciate it.

Regards

D

jaymcg91

To get a H1B you need to be highly educated. To get a J1 visa you need to be in education or just finished.

Honestly, the company sponsoring you is the only chance you have, that's an L1 visa.

Otherwise you can apply for the Diversity Lottery next year.

Anyway, the likelihood of you getting in is remote.

Most people have got in through the H1B (which requires a Bachelors degree minimum), marriage to an American or because of an American parent. If you have $500,000 to invest in a business you can get an E1 visa.

Try Canada, they are MUCH more immigrant friendly.

ProudDUB

It's virtually impossible to move to the US under your own steam unless:

- You are a recent college graduate. (And even if you are, the visa is only good for one year.)
- You are married to a US citizen.
- You are the child of a US born parent, or a US citizen.
- You are hired by a US company, as you have skills or qualifications that are in short supply in the US.
- You win a green card in the annual diversity lottery.

In the absence of all of the above, getting your company to transfer you over there is the most likely option. They would have to sponsor you for the work visa too. There is no work visa that you can apply for for yourself. An independent solicitor or company can't do it for you either, unless the company in question is the one that is hiring you.

InTheTrees

ProudDUB wrote: »

- You win a green card in the annual diversity lottery.

It may take a few attempts but this is a good option.

Full unrestricted green card.

cena

just while proud dub says child born to American parent.

What would happen if you where on holidays in that states and your other half has the baby in the states.
Does that become an American?

ProudDUB

InTheTrees wrote: »

It may take a few attempts but this is a good option.

Full unrestricted green card.

There are some restrictions. If you get it, you have to actually use it and live in the US full time. If (for arguments sake) you want the freedom of being able to come and go as please, but you still want to be able to live in Ireland for large chunks of time, you run the risk of having the green card taken away from you.

The green card lasts for 10 years. Renewing it is largely a formality, just like renewing your drivers license. But you won't be able to renew it, if you are convicted of certain serious crimes (murder and what not) during the interim.

But yeah, if you get one, you plan on living in the US full time & you are a relatively law abiding citizen, having a green card is as good as it gets.

silja

cena wrote: »

just while proud dub says child born to American parent.

What would happen if you where on holidays in that states and your other half has the baby in the states.
Does that become an American?

The child becomes an American yes. And you are saddled with big medical bills. The US citizen child cannot petition you for a visa until s/he is 21.

cena

silja wrote: »

The child becomes an American yes. And you are saddled with big medical bills. The US citizen child cannot petition you for a visa until s/he is 21.

Why 21 are they class as an adult than like when we turn 18 here?

ProudDUB

silja wrote: »

The child becomes an American yes. And you are saddled with big medical bills. The US citizen child cannot petition you for a visa until s/he is 21.

Yep. The child qualifies for citizenship, but the parents do not qualify for citizenship based purely on the grounds of having a US born child. If the parents decide to stay on after the birth, they are still illegal aliens who face the same issues and challenges as other illegal immigrants do. In fact, they will probably face more, as they will pop up on officaldoms radar when they try to access healthcare and educational services for their child.

There are also new rules & regulations governing who can & can not apply for citizenship based on their parent being born in the US. If the child returns to his/her parents country and does not spend X number of years living in the US, they lose their entitlement to citizenship, or their ability to petition for citizenship for their family. (It's one or the other.) I don't know all the rules off the top of my head, but I think it is something like the child must have spent 5 consecutive years living in the US prior to the age of 14. If they didn't, they lose their entitlement rights.

iusedtoknow

jaymcg91 wrote: »

To get a H1B you need to be highly educated. To get a J1 visa you need to be in education or just finished.



Most people have got in through the H1B (which requires a Bachelors degree minimum), marriage to an American or because of an American parent.

Not 100% accurate. The authorites count 1 year as being 4 years of relevant work experience. So on 12 years experience, the OP could technically squeeze through, but it would need to be a solid case completed by damned good lawyers

iusedtoknow

cena wrote: »

Why 21 are they class as an adult than like when we turn 18 here?

it's called the age of majority. Most countries are 18, however there are some exceptions (japan, New Zealand =20, Canada 19) etc

jaymcg91

iusedtoknow wrote: »

Not 100% accurate. The authorites count 1 year as being 4 years of relevant work experience. So on 12 years experience, the OP could technically squeeze through, but it would need to be a solid case completed by damned good lawyers

Also, with all due respect, middle management? There are people at the top in their fields who want those visas. Technology industry is where a majority of those visas goes.

He should try Canada.

iusedtoknow

jaymcg91 wrote: »

Also, with all due respect, middle management? There are people at the top in their fields who want those visas. Technology industry is where a majority of those visas goes.

He should try Canada.

H1b is such a flexible visa though, I know coders that are on it, and I also know higher execs that are on it. It really depends on the company's needs.
My company do shy away from them though and concentrate more on L1 category rather than anything else


And yes...Canada would be easier

cactusgal

Hi, sorry to hijack this thread, but I was wondering ... I'm American, but live in Ireland (have both US and Irish citizenship). If I have children in Ireland with my Irish partner, will it be possible for them to get US citizenship through me? I was born and raised in the USA.

Thanks!!

Ponster

cactusgal wrote: »

Hi, sorry to hijack this thread, but I was wondering ... I'm American, but live in Ireland (have both US and Irish citizenship). If I have children in Ireland with my Irish partner, will it be possible for them to get US citizenship through me? I was born and raised in the USA.

Thanks!!

That's most likely a question that you're gonna need a 100% correct answer to rather than listing to our opinions

Best contact your embassy. http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/abroad/events-and-records/birth.html

AFAIK it's possible but if you leave it too late it involves the family moving and living in the US for a certain amount of years before getting citizenship.

silja

cactusgal wrote: »

Hi, sorry to hijack this thread, but I was wondering ... I'm American, but live in Ireland (have both US and Irish citizenship). If I have children in Ireland with my Irish partner, will it be possible for them to get US citizenship through me? I was born and raised in the USA.

Thanks!!

If you have lived in the US more than 5 years, 2 of which after age 16, then yes. You will need to do CRBA (Consular Record of Birth Abroad) once the kids are born- ie you have a short interview at the embassy and bring the kids along, show proof that you resided in the US long enough, and get a certificate similar to a birth cert, with which you can get get them US passports. We did it for our twins, it is no bother. It's actually kinda fun because they schedule all the CRBA interviews at the same time once or twice a months, so you get to meet other Americans with babies

PaddlingShark

ProudDUB wrote: »

There are also new rules & regulations governing who can & can not apply for citizenship based on their parent being born in the US. If the child returns to his/her parents country and does not spend X number of years living in the US, they lose their entitlement to citizenship, or their ability to petition for citizenship for their family. (It's one or the other.)

Sorry not trying to Hi-jack here, do you have a link to this? I'm curious

Ponster

PaddlingShark wrote: »

Sorry not trying to Hi-jack here, do you have a link to this? I'm curious

I don't have a link but I have a French/American friend, born in France but lived for 10 years in the US and has a US passport. Her kids will have to live 5 years in the US before they are 18 in order to qualify for citizenship.

silja

Ponster wrote: »

I don't have a link but I have a French/American friend, born in France but lived for 10 years in the US and has a US passport. Her kids will have to live 5 years in the US before they are 18 in order to qualify for citizenship.

I think you- or they- may be missunderstanding. Babies can still get US citizenship based on the parent, and they re supposed to be registered right away. It is the parent that needs 5 years presence, not the child: http://dublin.usembassy.gov/service/special-consular-services/birth-registration.html

satyrios

cactusgal wrote: »

Hi, sorry to hijack this thread, but I was wondering ... I'm American, but live in Ireland (have both US and Irish citizenship). If I have children in Ireland with my Irish partner, will it be possible for them to get US citizenship through me? I was born and raised in the USA.

As far as I know, yes, but you have to get right on it as soon as they're born. You should contact the State Dept. or the consulate in Dublin though.

The State Dept website (which I can't link to as a new user) says:

"Parents of a child born abroad to a U.S. citizen or citizens should apply for a CRBA and/or a U.S. passport for the child as soon as possible. Failure to promptly document a child who meets the statutory requirements for acquiring U.S. citizenship at birth may cause problems for the parents and the child when attempting to establish the child’s U.S. citizenship and eligibility for the rights and benefits of U.S. citizenship, including entry into the United States."

and

"Birth Abroad to One Citizen and One Alien Parent in Wedlock

"A child born abroad to one U.S. citizen parent and one alien parent acquires U.S. citizenship at birth under Section 301(g) of the INA provided the U.S. citizen parent was physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for the time period required by the law applicable at the time of the child's birth. (For birth on or after November 14, 1986, a period of five years physical presence, two after the age of fourteen, is required. For birth between December 24, 1952 and November 13, 1986, a period of ten years, five after the age of fourteen, is required for physical presence in the United States or one of its outlying possessions to transmit U.S. citizenship to the child.) The U.S. citizen parent must be the genetic or the gestational parent and the legal parent of the child under local law at the time and place of the child’s birth to transmit U.S. citizenship."

Enigma365

Rather than post a new thread, can I follow up on OPs question and ask about myself.

I am a software developer, with a full degree and 7 years of experience. I am keen to move to the US but realise I need to get a company to sponsor me for a H1B visa. So far in my applications, I have had virtually no responses and definitely nothing positive.

1. Does anyone have any tips on improving my chances? Has anyone here any personal experience on getting a H1B?
   
2. I am currently living in London, would being in the US on a tourist visa and making myself available for interviews help much?
   
3. I am currently very honest about needing visa sponsorship in job applications. Would I better off not mentioning that until later, for fear of needlessly scaring off potential employers?

Like I said anyone with personal experience or knowledge would be really really helpful..

iusedtoknow

Not too sure about the h1-B process as I am on the L1 (though it looks like I could be moving to H1 next year)

For number 3. Continue being honest....it will save you and the interviewer time. My company have a strict policy of internal movement only (ie intercompany transfer for IT staff). We have an extensive interviewing process and more times than I can count, we've gotten to the final stages of a great candidate only for them to tell us that they need sponsorship.

Recognition Scene

By far the easiest way is to join a US company and look for opportunities to transfer to the US (which is what I, and most of my Irish friends over here, did. Though for me it was more an accident ). It's fairly unlikely for you to find someone to hire you on a H1B off the bat... assuming the job was offered to you now, they'd need to wait til April to file the visa application, and it would be October before you'd be allowed over to work. Obviously companies won't typically want to wait that long...

iusedtoknow

Recognition Scene wrote: »

By far the easiest way is to join a US company and look for opportunities to transfer to the US (which is what I, and most of my Irish friends over here, did. Though for me it was more an accident ). It's fairly unlikely for you to find someone to hire you on a H1B off the bat... assuming the job was offered to you now, they'd need to wait til April to file the visa application, and it would be October before you'd be allowed over to work. Obviously companies won't typically want to wait that long...

+1

Visas cost around 10000 for the company. Most of the H1B's i know work for external consulting firms such as Tata etc and come in that way.

Enigma365

Most of the H1B's i know work for external consulting firms such as Tata etc and come in that way.

Thanks for the advice guys.

With regards to consultancy firms. I have been approached by a couple of these. If I can find one of these that are legitimate, should I consider this or is it a bad idea? I know many are dodgy and ask the applicant to pay filing costs themselves, which is illegal, and I would def avoid those.

By far the easiest way is to join a US company and look for opportunities to transfer to the US

My concern for this would be finding a job where a transfer to the US could be guaranteed (I know I have to work outside the US for a year first).

Recognition Scene

I think you'll find almost all of those consulting companies are dodgy, at least in my experience. That's not to say you can't get over that way, but expect them to screw you over $ wise. For example, from an Indian side of things, "desi consultancies" in the US are famous for this.

I think you will find it hard to land a job that will guarantee you a transfer to the US after a year (though ironically that is exactly what I had as a grad... they don't do that any more though). First Derivatives in Newry are worth trying your luck with for that though, the vast majority of their consultants are send abroad. One of my best friends is just back from NYC with them. He was sent there after 3 weeks or so in the firm! He was there 5 years.

Dave1442397

The best way to get in with an H1B is probably through the Indian companies, but as stated above, they will screw you on salary. You're a hostage and they know it. They are also a pain when it comes to taking days off, wanting things scheduled way in advance so they can maximize their billing every month.

I work for a large financial company, and most of our onshore H1B people have not had their contracts renewed as of Dec 31, 2014. The company is now using a wholly owned Indian subsidiary whose people are all in India and cost 20% of what they pay us here in the US.

It would be far better in the long run to join a US company and get sent here.

InTheTrees

It seems the visa lottery is still the best way into the USA.

Gives you a full green card too.

Enigma365

It seems the visa lottery is still the best way into the USA.

Gives you a full green card too.

Yeah but odds of getting it are pretty small.. Would prefer not to rely on a lottery.

It is a pity there is no points based system like in Canada or Australia. If anyone knows of any Java development roles in Los Angeles that may sponsor a visa...let me know