# Visa overview



## Robogirl (Apr 21, 2008)

Hi there

Can you please tell me about which types of visas which is available to going to the US.

The price and the average waiting time.

Summary:
Male: 38 years old, works with Computer Science (programming/dataware housing) Is the primary applicant and needs to get a full time job.

Female 31 years old: works with computer Science (helpdesk/support 1st and 2.nd level) If there is a job, I can work, maybe only part time. Don't know if I would be satisfied being a housewife.

Child: Girl 18 month old, guess she neeeded a private nanny if I had to go to work, there isn't much places to get child looked care for.

Timeline: Do ya think it would be possible to move august next year, or does it take lonker to get a visa.

My husband once wrote a company, they told him he needed to have the rights to work in the US before applying for jobs, so I guess it's not easy to be sponsored.

Kind regards Mette


----------



## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Programmer with datawarehouse is a fairly wide range of experience. Can you elaborate a bit more?

Unless you have the financial means to apply for an investment related visa, first degree family willing to sponsor a visa or your country of birth qualifies for the GC lottery your husband has to find an employer not only willing to hire him but to sponsor a work related visa which in turn is also an annual lottery. Has he looked into employment with a firm with US subsidiaries to move by means of internal transfer?

Your job experience as helpdesk support I/II will not support a job related visa.

What makes you want to move to the US? What do you expect to find here for you and your child?


----------



## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Hi Mette,
Though you've asked what appear to be nice, simple questions, I'm afraid there isn't such a nice, simple answer. The US visa system is complicated and has many options. A few of the variables include: your nationality, your current country of residence, your educational background, how long you expect to stay in the US (i.e. permanent resident or just to live there for "a few years").

It's clear that many companies won't bother looking at the applications of foreigners unless they already have the right to work in the US. The company needs to be able to justify hiring a foreigner (especially in areas where there are lots of unemployed people), and it needs to be a fairly critical position, where the employer is willing not only to pay their part of the fees, but also to wait however long it takes (usually several months) to get the visas approved and the new hire moved over to start work. If there is someone available locally who can start work tomorrow, there's no point in dealing with foreign applicants.

To at least partially answer your questions, there is a schedule of the fees for various immigration forms here: Immigration Forms. It will also give you some idea of the cost for the employer.

There is also the Diversity Lottery, if you and/or your husband are eligible based on background and occupation. 

Take a look at the visa information on the website of the US Consulate in Denmark Visas - U.S. Embassy Copenhagen, Denmark. Though it's not the easiest reading, it should give you some idea of the various types of visas and the process involved.
Cheers,
Bev


----------



## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Robogirl said:


> Can you please tell me about which types of visas which is available to going to the US.
> 
> The price and the average waiting time.


Think you're going about this the wrong way, but from what you've told us so far, the following MAY be possibilities...

EB2, EB3, EB5, H1b, L1a, L1b, E2, DV1 and their respective spousal/child counterparts.

Waiting time varies from a month (L1a with blanket visa) to, say, half a dozen years (EB30. Cost to you varies from nothing (L1a with company paying) to a million bucks (EB5 where you lose the lot).


----------



## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

Other things to consider:

Are you married? The US does not recognize any form of domestic partnership for immigration visas, so if one of you got a visa, the other would still not have the right to live in the US. If you are married, the trailing spouse may not have a right to work, depending on the visa type. I think only trailing spouses of people transferred under the Li visa can work.

A full time nanny will be very expensive. The only people I've ever known who had one either had family money or were partners in law firms or something similar.

Your best option for immigration is to find a job with a US company or one with offices in the US, work their for a few years and establish yourself, then look for a transfer.


----------



## Robogirl (Apr 21, 2008)

Oki, thank you very much you guys. I will show this thread to my husband, and I think we will call the embassy in Denmark, to figure out what would be the best way for us.
Yes we are married, the whole system sounds very tough. And still, a lot of people moves here, so why can't we 

Health Insurance, is that about $1000 a month for a family of 3, or what could we expect if it is not covered by a company ?

Thx

Mette


----------



## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Robogirl said:


> Oki, thank you very much you guys. I will show this thread to my husband, and I think we will call the embassy in Denmark, to figure out what would be the best way for us.
> Yes we are married, the whole system sounds very tough. And still, a lot of people moves here, so why can't we
> 
> Health Insurance, is that about $1000 a month for a family of 3, or what could we expect if it is not covered by a company ?
> ...


If you're Danish, the E2 is out.

The embassy doesn't do advice.

$1000/month for a family for health insurance is not unrealistic. If you are not on a group policy, pre-existing conditions will be excluded.


----------



## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Robogirl said:


> Oki, thank you very much you guys. I will show this thread to my husband, and I think we will call the embassy in Denmark, to figure out what would be the best way for us.
> Yes we are married, the whole system sounds very tough. And still, a lot of people moves here, so why can't we
> 
> Health Insurance, is that about $1000 a month for a family of 3, or what could we expect if it is not covered by a company ?
> ...


Further to what fatbrit said, the embassy might be able to do some advice, but only if you are asking about a specific situation for a specific type of visa - like "can my auntie in Omaha sponsor us as family?" (BTW, the answer to that is "no.") They won't help you at all with the question "what sort of visa is best for us?"

Yes, it is difficult (and getting harder all the time). What your husband needs to do is investigate how to get a job that will eventually lead to a transfer to the US. (The L class visas are pretty much the only employment related ones that lead to a green card.) He should ask about opportunities through his present employer, and if he works for a small company with no international ties, then start investigating jobs with larger, international companies with US branches.

These things can take several years to plan and organize.
Cheers,
Bev


----------

