Aviezer

> Hi Members,
> You all might have also filled out the DS 156/157 forms. Can you name
> a hotel address in the question that asks where you will stay
> initially? Can you give address of family member and if so is there a
> chance that they will perceive me as a potential immigrant and decline
> visa? Please let me know. Thanx

The rule for the I-94 is you give the address that you will be staying
for the 1st night. If you are visiting family it can be their address. I
left the address empty on the DS156 and it wasn't a problem since we
are comming to work and not to visit family, it may just be the case
that you have no one. That will not be an issue, the E3 visa requirments
do not require you to know where you will be living but rather where you
will be employed.

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nikiAkl

> The rule for the I-94 is you give the address that you will be staying
> for the 1st night. If you are visiting family it can be their address.
> I left the address empty on the DS156 and it wasn't a problem since
> we are comming to work and not to visit family, it may just be the
> case that you have no one. That will not be an issue, the E3 visa
> requirments do not require you to know where you will be living but
> rather where you will be employed.

Thanks for the reply mate. I am waiting nervously for the interview
date, which is still a few weeks away! I will inform the forum about
the outcome after the interview. Thanks to every1 on this forum for all
the info posted.

Niki

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lizabelleNY

> Just an update that our visa have been approved today. We handed in
> all passports of our family. My experience show that E-3 is pretty
> easy to have at the moment provided you have the essential documents.
> The officer didn't even want to have a look our child's birth
> certificate.
> Next, can someone pls post some advice about how to get social
> security number in the US with E-3 and E-3d? Any recommendation of
> websites for new comers to the bay area of SF?

For your spouse to get a SSN, she needs to have her EAD (employment
authorization document) first.

--

lizabelleNY

> Hi,
> I will be going to the US later this year and intend to apply for the
> E-3. As I understand it, my wife will be able to get work
> authorization.
> Has anyone had experience with this so far?
> Can we apply for the work authorization for her only when we arrive in
> the US? or can we do it prior to arrival?
> Once the application for work authorization has been submitted, how
> long must we wait?
> Thanks for your help
> Flux

I am here as a J2 (but planning to get an E3). You can only apply for an
EAD once you have arrived in the US as they copies of the primary's I94
form. It takes about 90 days to process and is $175.

--

Ameristrasian

> I am here as a J2 (but planning to get an E3). You can only apply for
> an EAD once you have arrived in the US as they copies of the primary's
> I94 form. It takes about 90 days to process and is $175.

Hi I'm an Australian citizen living in New York. Today I had the
wonderful news of being offered a job as a software consultant for a
company that has offices in New York and in London. I was originally
going to work in London but I stopped off in the US first under the
VWP, now I've decided to work here for a long time.

My biggest concern right now is with regards to filling in the online
LCA document. The question that asks "Period of Employment" - I don't
know how long I will be working in the US for ..it could be 2 years it
could be 20 years! What should I enter? Am I legally bound to only
remain in the US for that period or may I renew my E3 VISA after 2 years
irrespective of my original declaration?

Secondly, since I am under the VWP - will I have to goto Canada or
London to get my VISA processed? I was originally on a one-way ticket to
London with an Australian working-holiday VISA when I had my change of
heart. Would it be advisable to use that original ticket to do the VISA
interview in the UK and then fly back as soon as possible or sohuld I do
it in Canada?

Thanks for your help everyone - today is one of the happiest days
of my life!

--

lizabelleNY

> Hi I'm an Australian citizen living in New York. Today I had the
> wonderful news of being offered a job as a software consultant for a
> company that has offices in New York and in London. I was originally
> going to work in London but I stopped off in the US first under the
> VWP, now I've decided to work here for a long time.
> My biggest concern right now is with regards to filling in the online
> LCA document. The question that asks "Period of Employment" - I don't
> know how long I will be working in the US for ..it could be 2 years it
> could be 20 years! What should I enter? Am I legally bound to only
> remain in the US for that period or may I renew my E3 VISA after 2
> years irrespective of my original declaration?
> Secondly, since I am under the VWP - will I have to goto Canada or
> London to get my VISA processed? I was originally on a one-way ticket
> to London with an Australian working-holiday VISA when I had my change
> of heart. Would it be advisable to use that original ticket to do the
> VISA interview in the UK and then fly back as soon as possible or
> sohuld I do it in Canada?
> Thanks for your help everyone - today is one of the happiest days of
> my life!

Congrats!!

I have a query about the education requirements for the E3. Do you have
an Honours degree as well as your undergrad? I am looking into the whole
E3 thing (currently on a J visa with my husband), and I was told by the
immigration person at my work in New York, that as I would need a US
equivalent degree, that just my 3 year undergrad would not be enough -
and I would need at least 3 years relevant work experience to make up
for the honours year.

Has anybody else had any experience with this?

Thanks

--

Aviezer

> Hi I'm an Australian citizen living in New York. Today I had the
> wonderful news of being offered a job as a software consultant for a
> company that has offices in New York and in London. I was originally
> going to work in London but I stopped off in the US first under the
> VWP, now I've decided to work here for a long time.
> My biggest concern right now is with regards to filling in the online
> LCA document. The question that asks "Period of Employment" - I don't
> know how long I will be working in the US for ..it could be 2 years it
> could be 20 years! What should I enter? Am I legally bound to only
> remain in the US for that period or may I renew my E3 VISA after 2
> years irrespective of my original declaration?
> Secondly, since I am under the VWP - will I have to goto Canada or
> London to get my VISA processed? I was originally on a one-way ticket
> to London with an Australian working-holiday VISA when I had my change
> of heart. Would it be advisable to use that original ticket to do the
> VISA interview in the UK and then fly back as soon as possible or
> sohuld I do it in Canada?
> Thanks for your help everyone - today is one of the happiest days of
> my life!

LCA should be the smallest concern, filling online is easy and fast and
approved in seconds.
"Period of Employment" enter 2 or 3 years, the E-3 is only givven for 2
years anyway.
You cac legally stay so long as you legally extend your E-3, you are not
bound to anything other than that.
Canada or London doesn't matter, they are both not your home so pick the
one that is easier for you and shorter in waiting time.

--

Ameristrasian

> LCA should be the smallest concern, filling online is easy and fast
> and approved in seconds.
> "Period of Employment" enter 2 or 3 years, the E-3 is only givven for
> 2 years anyway.
> You cac legally stay so long as you legally extend your E-3, you are
> not bound to anything other than that.
> Canada or London doesn't matter, they are both not your home so pick
> the one that is easier for you and shorter in waiting time.

Sorry I have no idea about the educational requirements - I was under
the impression that an undergraduate degree was sufficient so long as it
passed the appropriate accreditation equivalency test, on top of the
minimum numbers of work experience.

Do the consular officers also take into account additional
certifications on top of university degrees? For instance, would they
recognize vendor certifications such as Microsoft or Cisco or
Brainbench, for instance?

Lastly, my company's HR is having problems filling in the LCA document
online - they appear to be confused by the fact that so much of the LCA
document uses the term H1B so prevalantly in the document that it's
becoming a concern to them as they're not sure whether H1B can be used
interchangably with E3 in those contexts where the question is
regarding H1B.

--

Ameristrasian

> Sorry I have no idea about the educational requirements - I was under
> the impression that an undergraduate degree was sufficient so long as
> it passed the appropriate accreditation equivalency test, on top of
> the minimum numbers of work experience.
> Do the consular officers also take into account additional
> certifications on top of university degrees? For instance, would they
> recognize vendor certifications such as Microsoft or Cisco or
> Brainbench, for instance?
> My company's HR just successfully completed the LCA document. This is
> so exciting! Now I just have a question ...how do I arrange for an
> interview in the consulate of London? They don't have an
> international number to call and I would prefer to go there since my
> original one-way ticket terminates there so it makes sense for me to
> make use of it.

My HR guy just sent me the approved LCA in PDF format. I'm just
wondering - do I need to still get my HR guy to print it out and sign it
when I submit it to the consulate or is just printing out the unsigned
LCA sufficient?

--

Thething

> Hi I'm an Australian citizen living in New York. Today I had the
> wonderful news of being offered a job as a software consultant for a
> company that has offices in New York and in London. I was originally
> going to work in London but I stopped off in the US first under the
> VWP, now I've decided to work here for a long time.
> My biggest concern right now is with regards to filling in the online
> LCA document. The question that asks "Period of Employment" - I don't
> know how long I will be working in the US for ..it could be 2 years it
> could be 20 years! What should I enter? Am I legally bound to only
> remain in the US for that period or may I renew my E3 VISA after 2
> years irrespective of my original declaration?
> Secondly, since I am under the VWP - will I have to goto Canada or
> London to get my VISA processed? I was originally on a one-way ticket
> to London with an Australian working-holiday VISA when I had my change
> of heart. Would it be advisable to use that original ticket to do the
> VISA interview in the UK and then fly back as soon as possible or
> sohuld I do it in Canada?
> Thanks for your help everyone - today is one of the happiest days of
> my life!

The E3 is for 2 years - just put 2. You may renew the E3 as long as you
like, but only in 2 year increments or less.



I don't think you need to leave the country. Just get the LCA approved
and get the I129 filed with the USCIS. When the visa is processed it
will come with a new I94 card for your passport. If you are here on VWP
that might add a wrinkle to it so I would check with your employers
immigration attorney.

The only downside to this approach is that you won't have am actual visa
stamp in your passport (the little sticker with your photo on it) so if
you leave the US, you will need to make an appt to get a visa stamp at a
consulate before you can get back in. You can do that in Canada but the
easiest way is to do it back home if you go there for a vacation, as the
Canadian embassies are very busy. You used to be able to do it by mail
inside the US but they stupidly cancelled that program.

Congratulations and enjoy New York!

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