Temporary Visas

Yes. A national of Chile, currently admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant in a category eligible to change nonimmigrant status, may apply to change to H-1B1 nonimmigrant status. Note that the applicant must be in the U.S. in a nonimmigrant category which is eligible to change nonimmigrant status, of course.

Yes. A national of Singapore, currently admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant in a category eligible to change nonimmigrant status, may apply to change to H-1B1 nonimmigrant status. Note that the applicant must be in the U.S. in a nonimmigrant category which is eligible to change nonimmigrant status, of course.

The U.S. Government has eliminated the $50 (US) reciprocal issuance fee for all non-immigrant visas for Indian citizens, effective immediately, according to U.S. Ambassador to India David C. Mulford, in a press release on November 9, 2006. However, Visa applicants, who are Indian citizens, will still be required to pay the application fee of $100 (US). The Consulate General of the U.S. announced:

The M-1 visa is intended or individuals wishing to pursue nonacademic or vocational studies. The M-1 category includes students in vocational or other nonacademic programs, other than language training.

Yes. Extensions and renewals are allowed for H-1B1 visas.

The U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, which took effect on January 1, 2004, created a new class of non-immigrant work visa for Singaporean citizens: the H1B1.

The main requirements for an H-1B1 visa (for Singaporeans) are as follows:

You first must apply to study at a SEVIS approved school in the United States. When you contact a school that you are interested in attending, you should be told immediately if the school accepts foreign national students.

Spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of age, regardless of nationality, may receive derivative E visas in order to accompany the principal E visa applicant to the U.S.

The primary requirements for an E-1 Treaty Trader visa are as follows:

In Borat! The Movie (full name Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan), Borat Sagdiyev, who claims to be a Kazakhstani journalist, travels to America in order to make a documentary about the United States, at the behest of the Kazakh Ministry of Information. This raises the question: is Borat an illegal alien?

Yes. Singaporeans are still eligible to apply for traditional H-1b visas. Singaporeans are NOT required to apply for H-1B1. Each individual Singaporean can decide which visa (traditional H-1b or H-1B1) is best for his or her personal situation.

The H-1B1 is a special visa for citizens of Singapore only. It is similar to an H-1B visa. Its key advantage is that it allows Singaporean citizens to avoid the H-1B quota which often runs out quickly.

Many foreign programmers, and other professionals, who would like to work for YouTube and Google wonder whether YouTube and Google sponsor individuals for H-1B visas. As you can see from the following chart, Google does indeed sponsor H-1B workers. Therefore, after the acquisition of YouTube by Google, Google will likely continue to sponsor individuals for H-1B visas provided that the H-1B quota, established by the U.S. government, has not run out.

Wee Shu Min is the 18 year old daughter of Wee Siew Kim, a current Member of the Parliament of Singapore in the Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency (Jalan Kayu), representing the current ruling People's Action Party. She is purportedly a student in Raffles Junior College's scholarship program.

An E-3 visa applicant must meet the academic and occupational requirements, including licensure where appropriate, for admission into the United States in a specialty occupation. If the job requires licensure or other official permission to perform the specialty occupation, the applicant must submit proof of the requisite license or permission before the E-3 visa may be granted. In certain cases, where such a license or other official permission is not immediately required to perform the duties described in the visa application, the applicant must show that he or she will obtain such licensure within a reasonable period of time following admission to the United States.

The Labor Dept. Administrative Review Board ("the Board") addressed what circumstances constitute termination of employment for purposes of the employer's H-1B obligations in the case: Amtel Group of Florida v. Yongmahapakorn, 04-087 (ARB 9/29/06).

The H-2B nonimmigrant visa is available for foreign workers who come to the U.S. to perform temporary nonagricultural work, which may be one-time, seasonal, peak load or intermittent.

On October 23, 2006, the USCIS clarified how it would be handling the “returning worker” exemption to the H-2B numerical limitation which was extended for Fiscal Year 2007 by H.R. 5122, section 1074. President Bush signed that legislation on Oct. 17, 2006. The USCIS noted that the one year exemption will remain in effect until September 30, 2007.

L-1 visas are available for intracompany transferees, i.e., certain types of employees who are transferred from a foreign company to a related company in the U.S.