someone please help

TheRealCanadian said:
It can be easy to get, but the caveat is that not only do your job and qualifications need to be on the TN list, but the offer letter needs to be written in a specific way. There are certain phrases that can be required, and there are others that will cause the border agent to reject you on the spot.

Generally speaking, unless the company recognizes that they will need to deal with immigration you will not get a TN, so you will still need to find a sponsor.
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what exactly does the company need to do for me to get the TN then? they need to write the offer letter?
 
TheRealCanadian said:
Absolutely, in a specific way.
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alright...well thanks for the help. I aint gunna worry about getting a TN1 yet..i aint even finished high school LOL...for now ill just focus on getting into college and getting my student visa


thanks for the help everyone
 
TOOK, for the F-1 visa you'll be required to show that someone can sponsor you with an insane amount of money (several 10 grand). It may not actually cost that much if you live frugally and can qualify for a nonresident tuition waiver by something like on campus work, or an academic competitive scholarship, but you won't get those until you're already enrolled (probably at least a semester or more) so you'll have to show the cash availability up front. Therefore, an undergraduate degree in the US can be rather expensive for an international student (or his/her sponsor). Graduate education is a little different, usually assistantship positions are available that can pay for your education and they'll also be counted towards the funds you need to show to get your F-1.

You may want to consider adding on a law degree to your technical writing degree (maybe technical writing undergrad in CA, work in US on TN1 for a while, then get a law degree in the US)... then you can become a patent attorney and make $$$.
 
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austriacus said:
TOOK, for the F-1 visa you'll be required to show that someone can sponsor you with an insane amount of money (several 10 grand). It may not actually cost that much if you live frugally and can qualify for a nonresident tuition waiver by something like on campus work, or an academic competitive scholarship, but you won't get those until you're already enrolled (probably at least a semester or more) so you'll have to show the cash availability up front. Therefore, an undergraduate degree in the US can be rather expensive for an international student (or his/her sponsor). Graduate education is a little different, usually assistantship positions are available that can pay for your education and they'll also be counted towards the funds you need to show to get your F-1.

You may want to consider adding on a law degree to your technical writing degree (maybe technical writing undergrad in CA, work in US on TN1 for a while, then get a law degree in the US)... then you can become a patent attorney and make $$$.
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thanks for the advice...so you think i should get my technical writing degree then do that for awhile under a TN1...And then get degree in law? do i need a technical writing degree to become a patent attorney?

How long would i have to go to college to get a law degree? and can i get sponsored through my job as a patent attorney? i should beable to since its basically being a lawyer rite?
 
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TOOK, there will be a form I-20 you get from your school to apply for your F-1, and it'll have a dollar amount written on it like $40,000 for example and it'll ask for a bank letter that certifies that this amount is available to your sponsor for your studies. Unless you can submit such a letter, no F-1 for you. (At least that's how it was when I was on F-1. I inflated the amount a little bit for the example, mine was like $20,000 ten years ago.)
 
austriacus said:
TOOK, there will be a form I-20 you get from your school to apply for your F-1, and it'll have a dollar amount written on it like $40,000 for example and it'll ask for a bank letter that certifies that this amount is available to your sponsor for your studies. Unless you can submit such a letter, no F-1 for you. (At least that's how it was when I was on F-1. I inflated the amount a little bit for the example, mine was like $20,000 ten years ago.)
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so i cant get a student loan then??
 
TOOK, whatever you do for your undergraduate degree, I suggest you work for a while before you go on for graduate education/law degree/MBA whatever, because it'll give you a better perspective as to what you're interested in.

A technical writing degree is not required for a patent attorney but technical writing skills are, so I thought it would make for a good combination... plus, you'll get to (hopefully) work with interesting new technology as opposed to writing service manuals or user manuals. But as a patent attorney you have to be willing to pay great attention to detail and sometimes use many repetitive phrases, plus there's lots of written communication with the USPTO, it can definitely be a demanding job. What makes a patent attorney more valuable than an attorney or technical writer/engineer alone is that they need to know law AND have technical skills to do their job. I guess I forgot to mention the six figure salary, sorry. :D (If you're lucky and good.)

Of course this is my own bias, so follow your own interests. Maybe you love writing user manuals for how the IKEA furniture is properly assembled. I'd rather become an urban planner ... :p

[My apologies to all technical writers reading this, I'm sure all of you are doing a great and valuable job!]
 
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TOOK said:
so i cant get a student loan then??
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Well, what will make your situation difficult or different from your US citizen peers is that your F-1 will require large financial resources available to you, so you may not qualify for a lot of financial aid, also because much of the federal aid won't be available to F-1 students (and neither will many of the scholarships). Fortunately I never needed a student loan so I don't know, but the US is the land of credit so I'm sure you'll be able to get some student loans, credit cards, etc. fairly easily. In fact, students are targeted by banks for loans and credit cards. I would highly suggest you don't fall into the US credit trap and get heavily indebted by the time you graduate. Watch the movie "Maxed Out" then you know what I mean.
 
austriacus said:
so you may not qualify for a lot of financial aid, also because much of the federal aid won't be available to F-1 students (and neither will many of the scholarships).
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Generally speaking, foreign students pay a great deal to subsidize the locals.

but the US is the land of credit so I'm sure you'll be able to get some student loans, credit cards, etc. fairly easily.
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If he doesn't have an SSN or a very short credit history, it's kinda doubtful. Temporary US residents aren't exactly great credit risks.
 
austriacus said:
TOOK, whatever you do for your undergraduate degree, I suggest you work for a while before you go on for graduate education/law degree/MBA whatever, because it'll give you a better perspective as to what you're interested in.

A technical writing degree is not required for a patent attorney but technical writing skills are, so I thought it would make for a good combination... plus, you'll get to (hopefully) work with interesting new technology as opposed to writing service manuals or user manuals. But as a patent attorney you have to be willing to pay great attention to detail and sometimes use many repetitive phrases, plus there's lots of written communication with the USPTO, it can definitely be a demanding job. What makes a patent attorney more valuable than an attorney or technical writer/engineer alone is that they need to know law AND have technical skills to do their job. I guess I forgot to mention the six figure salary, sorry. :D (If you're lucky and good.)

Of course this is my own bias, so follow your own interests. Maybe you love writing user manuals for how the IKEA furniture is properly assembled. I'd rather become an urban planner ... :p

[My apologies to all technical writers reading this, I'm sure all of you are doing a great and valuable job!]
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i dont think i have the grades to be a attorney anyways lol
 
TheRealCanadian said:
If he doesn't have an SSN or a very short credit history, it's kinda doubtful. Temporary US residents aren't exactly great credit risks.
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I suppose you are correct, SSN will be an impediment (he'd need a student job to get one I think), and he'll probably needs a co-signer for any loans. Heck, I even had a hard time getting an apartment with no credit history.
 
Urban planner may be interesting too if many areas in the US start undergoing a transformation away from car culture and urban sprawl and towards transit oriented development, mass transit etc. ... if and when that happens remains to be seen. They're building a commuter rail line and planning an urban-style neighborhood across from where I live, I might just wake up one day and think I'm back in Austria!
 
TOOK said:
i dont think i have the grades to be a attorney anyways lol
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Took,

When I came back to the US in 1999 on an F-1 visa I had to prove I had over 50,000 in a account to support myself for tuition and living expenses. And that was only for a junior college 2 year associates degree, expensive!

The school will decide exactly how much money is needed for tuition, living expenses ect.. The international adviser at the college you want to attend will tell you exactly how much money is needed and write it on the I-20 itself which you obtain from the school and take to the POE with you.

USCIS does not specify how much money is needed, they just make sure you have the funds available to coenside with what the college say's you need and stamp the I-20. I remember I had to bring my parents bank statement to the POE to show the IO we had the funds.

I was also 17 and from Canada when I came back to Florida, I actually moved here at 11yrs old with my parents but when they moved back to Canada I stayed then obtained a student visa at 17. I had my friends, girlfriend and life here so I wanted more then ever to live here and get a GC. My best advice to you is to study in Canada then come here with your degree. I can promise you that 10,000 dollars won't get you very far in the US. As I said I needed to show support for two years, not year to year, so 10,000 won't get you any F-1 visa. I am sure the price of tuition is far more expensive for international students then It was in 1999. You must show support for the WHOLE duration of your studies.

Married to US Citizen November 11, 2006.
Re-date for I-485, I-130, I-765, 12-11-06
NOA- I-485, I-130, I-765- 12-14
RFE I-485- 12-26-06
Biometrics(code 3)- done 01-29-07
RFE Received- 02-07-07
LUD I-765 - 02-23-07
Lud I-765 - 02-27-06 APPROVED!
ND- Interview(Tampa), 02-16-07
Interview Date - 03-20-07
LUD- I-485, I-130, 03-01-07
Interview- 03-20-07-APPROVED!!!
LUD I-130 Approved 03-20-07!!!
LUD I-485 Welcome notice sent, Card production ordered 03-23-07
LUD- Welcome notice received 03-27-07
LUD- I485 Approval notice mailed 03-28-07!!!
03-30-07 GC received!
106 days in all.
 
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