F2 to H1 for residency?

C

coolbabe76

Registered Users (C)
hi all
i am on a 5 year F2 visa since dec 2004.
i am applying for residency starting july 2006.i will be finishing step 3 by jan 2006.

is it easy going on H 1 from F 2?
is there any special paperwork i need to do?

anyone having any experience/story of this type of adjustment of visa status?

thanks
 
> i am on a 5 year F2 visa since dec 2004.

Will you be getting a degree? If yes, you might want to get yourself an OPT work permit. That way, you are less likely to get bitten by the H1b quota issues.

> i am applying for residency starting july 2006.i will be finishing step 3 by
> jan 2006.

This should work, at least time-wise. It takes a couple of weeks to get the step3 result but you should be still in time to get your H1b with regular processing. (you can upgrade to premium later if you have to).

> is it easy going on H 1 from F 2?

Have you ever heard about anything easy as it relates to USCIS ??

> is there any special paperwork i need to do?

The employer has to file I129 (and a 'Labor Condition Application'), and you have to file a 'change of nonimmigrant status' request. Not aware of any 'special' paperwork. Of course, once your I129 is approved you could also leave the country and re-enter, depending on where you are from this might be the solution with less hassle and waiting times.

Good luck finding a residency on H1b. Tread lightly when discussing this issue with residency directors (even better, don't bring it up at all). Many hospitals are to cheap and too skiddish to file H1bs for their residents (they fear that by defining you as 'worker', they loose the right to work you into the ground for >100hrs/week)
 
hey thanks for the reply.
i am on F 2 so i cannot take a degree course ,so no OPT for me .
I have applied to progs that offer H 1 and J 1 ....but if not in the interview,when is the right time to bring up the issue of visa sponsorship with the PD?

Thanks again
 
> i am on F 2 so i cannot take a degree course ,so no OPT for me .

Oh right, so you are a F1 dependent.

> I have applied to progs that offer H 1 and J 1 ....but if not in
> the interview,when is the right time to bring up the issue of visa
> sponsorship with the PD?

Once they are ready to make you a pre-match offer. Or after you have matched there. If you bring it up before they make a decision, it can be a factor to work against you. Later on you can still wrestle them.

I wouldn't bring it up on your end. If they bring it up, so be it, but don't talk about it up front and don't put it into your CV.
 
I am not sure if not bringing the visa issue up at all until the match is the right tactic. Some hospitals have a "strict" rule of no H1, these are usually top university programs and I know as a fact that if they want they will make all sort of exceptions. But if you don't have the right connections and you match to one of these programs, they might say either take J or we will find someone else and be sure that there is always a cousin waiting for someone to drop out.
Now, can't you get an employment authorization on F2?
I will purue that for now. In the interviews try to find out if the program sponsors H or no, if not from the PD, from the secretary or other interviewees.
 
If they want you, they will get you an H1b. Places that won't interview folks looking for an H1b outright will go along with it if they are looking at finding a replacement 2 months before they need your warm body on july 1st.
 
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