US Green Card/VISA - help (from the UK)
Dec 31, 2002 | 6:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: London, England
Posts: 780
US Green Card/VISA - help (from the UK)
Dear Flyertalkers,
Apologies for the non-travel element of this thread, but hoping for some general advice, particularly from UK-residents.
Am keen to get an application in ASAP for a work permit (preferably the so-called Green Card) in the US. Have work options open to me towards the end of '03 in the Orlando area but want to try and avoid the temporary work permit option that goes with an employment transfer.
Help appreciated in how to move this along - all I've done so far is visited the uk-based us embassy website (little help), and gone onto the us immigration website and initiated the application, but have yet to complete the forms.
Thanks in advance.
Andy
(apologies for duplicate post - browser lost connection)
[This message has been edited by influential (edited 12-31-2002).]
Apologies for the non-travel element of this thread, but hoping for some general advice, particularly from UK-residents.
Am keen to get an application in ASAP for a work permit (preferably the so-called Green Card) in the US. Have work options open to me towards the end of '03 in the Orlando area but want to try and avoid the temporary work permit option that goes with an employment transfer.
Help appreciated in how to move this along - all I've done so far is visited the uk-based us embassy website (little help), and gone onto the us immigration website and initiated the application, but have yet to complete the forms.
Thanks in advance.
Andy
(apologies for duplicate post - browser lost connection)
[This message has been edited by influential (edited 12-31-2002).]
Jan 1, 2003 | 2:03 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Transplanted to SF, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA Gld 1MM, HH Gold
Posts: 112
I am not an expert on this tho I have done what you want to do and gotten the green card from the UK.
Firstly, I assume you want advice from UK citizens who are US residents rather than UK residents.
As I understand it (and I could be wrong) it is nigh on impossible for UK citizens to get green cards straight away without getting one of thouse exemptions for making a substantial investment in the US ($2m+) - which it doesn't sound like you are suggesting you can do.
If you have an Irish passport, apply in the greencard lottery and you will have a good chance (50%?) but less than 5% if you are a UK citizen. I believe the situation is driven by a UK limit to reduce 'brain drain' emmigration - the UK limits US entrants to make sure that the US retaliates to limit UK immigrants (sounds kinda wacked but that is what I was told). I know that I have had US friends kicked out of the UK for coming over for extended training programs.
So - to cut a long story short - if you are transferring with a company and you have over 1 year of tenure before you come then you can come on an L1 visa. If you can get your company to classify you as 'management' then you can get an L1A - from which, a green card is (was) a shoe-in in less than a year with about moderate cash/legal effort. L1B's take about 3 years and more cash and legal effort to convert since your company does less to prove how valuable you are to them in the first place (the INS takes more on trust from your company with those). If you have less than 1 year of tenure then you get an H1 visa which again takes 3 years or so to 'upgrade' but needs even more involvement from your company to prove your value to the USA as a permanent resident. There are lesser visas and more variations on the ones I mentioned but all my expat friends have used the above methods to get over here!
Basically, if your current or future employer will not 'import' you then you are probably a long long long way from a green card
That is the limit of my knowledge/misinformation so others will have to add or amend but good luck!
The Cap'n
Firstly, I assume you want advice from UK citizens who are US residents rather than UK residents.
As I understand it (and I could be wrong) it is nigh on impossible for UK citizens to get green cards straight away without getting one of thouse exemptions for making a substantial investment in the US ($2m+) - which it doesn't sound like you are suggesting you can do.
If you have an Irish passport, apply in the greencard lottery and you will have a good chance (50%?) but less than 5% if you are a UK citizen. I believe the situation is driven by a UK limit to reduce 'brain drain' emmigration - the UK limits US entrants to make sure that the US retaliates to limit UK immigrants (sounds kinda wacked but that is what I was told). I know that I have had US friends kicked out of the UK for coming over for extended training programs.
So - to cut a long story short - if you are transferring with a company and you have over 1 year of tenure before you come then you can come on an L1 visa. If you can get your company to classify you as 'management' then you can get an L1A - from which, a green card is (was) a shoe-in in less than a year with about moderate cash/legal effort. L1B's take about 3 years and more cash and legal effort to convert since your company does less to prove how valuable you are to them in the first place (the INS takes more on trust from your company with those). If you have less than 1 year of tenure then you get an H1 visa which again takes 3 years or so to 'upgrade' but needs even more involvement from your company to prove your value to the USA as a permanent resident. There are lesser visas and more variations on the ones I mentioned but all my expat friends have used the above methods to get over here!
Basically, if your current or future employer will not 'import' you then you are probably a long long long way from a green card
That is the limit of my knowledge/misinformation so others will have to add or amend but good luck!
The Cap'n
Jan 1, 2003 | 7:55 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Tri-State
Posts: 1,888
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by influential:
Dear Flyertalkers,
Apologies for the non-travel element of this thread, but hoping for some general advice, particularly from UK-residents.
</font>
Dear Flyertalkers,
Apologies for the non-travel element of this thread, but hoping for some general advice, particularly from UK-residents.
</font>
Jan 1, 2003 | 8:42 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Fort Worth TX
Programs: Earned status with AA, DL, SPG, HH, Hyatt, Marriott, Seabourn, NCL, National, Hertz...I miss my bed!
Posts: 10,927
If you are looking for a US based immigration lawyer, I highly recommend Carl Shusterman in LA.
www.shusterman.com
If all else, his website is one of the most comprehensive sites I have found.
www.shusterman.com
If all else, his website is one of the most comprehensive sites I have found.
Jan 1, 2003 | 11:26 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 1,455
My advice is to first find out what it is possible to do without a laywer. I got a Green Card through the lottery and while I have heard of tons of others doing the same for thousands upon thousands of dollars in lawyers fees, I did it for about 60 cents in postage. The lawyers will always tell you they are necessary, but beware, because that may well be total bollocks 
If you are a UK citizen then you cannot apply via the lottery. As mentioned though, if you had a Irish passport or if you happened to have been born in another country you could apply. I don't think you have anywhere near a 50% chance of winning the lottery, as many people try for years and years, but it is much more likely (though probably less profitable) than your local lotto
Anyhow, I am just rambling, and don't really have any direct info to help you sorry. Good luck!
If you are a UK citizen then you cannot apply via the lottery. As mentioned though, if you had a Irish passport or if you happened to have been born in another country you could apply. I don't think you have anywhere near a 50% chance of winning the lottery, as many people try for years and years, but it is much more likely (though probably less profitable) than your local lotto
Anyhow, I am just rambling, and don't really have any direct info to help you sorry. Good luck!
Jan 1, 2003 | 12:10 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Cool,CA AA EXP, HH Diamond, 4 star Dad!
Posts: 543
Well i've been through this process .. from H1B to Greencard and I can tell you there is NO easy way to do it..
The ONLY option you have available to you initially is to find an employer that is prepared to file a request for non-immigrant worker.. this is a great deal of work for an HR department to go through and MOST wont do it.
I got here by having a contract house take me on as W-2 and paying my lawyers fees and application fees.. it took SIX years and an H1 extension before my greencard was approved..
Right now its going to be practically impossible for you to get a job in the US, they have to demonstrate that there are no US workers available.. and there are quite clearly plenty right now...
The ONLY option you have available to you initially is to find an employer that is prepared to file a request for non-immigrant worker.. this is a great deal of work for an HR department to go through and MOST wont do it.
I got here by having a contract house take me on as W-2 and paying my lawyers fees and application fees.. it took SIX years and an H1 extension before my greencard was approved..
Right now its going to be practically impossible for you to get a job in the US, they have to demonstrate that there are no US workers available.. and there are quite clearly plenty right now...
