Engineer's Guide to US Visas • Hacker News Board

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#121

Post by tsax » Tue, Mar 04, 2014, 4:43 PM UTC

MRSallee wrote: post #95

nodemaker wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Similar story here. Indian citizen with a US masters degree. Left after working in the US for a year, travelled around SE Asia ,and then moved to Amsterdam! Can choose to work four days a week, have side projects and take 26 days of vacation a year. H1B is totally a sucker's game.

You both mentioned being able to do side projects. Do US visas prohibit that?

Yes, at least the H-1B does prohibit earning income from any other 'projects' other than your sponsored job, with the exception of capital gains/interest from holding assets.

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#122

Post by x5315 » Tue, Mar 04, 2014, 4:45 PM UTC

coin wrote: post #114

"Getting a bank account is fairly straightforward, and most don't require a SSN." I don't know about this. It's pretty much impossible to open a bank account without a SSN or TIN.

I got my bank account with just my passport.

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#123

Post by ma2rten » Tue, Mar 04, 2014, 4:54 PM UTC

nodemaker wrote: post #44

jbarham wrote: post #38

I'm Canadian and worked for over four years a software engineer in SoCal on work visas (TN then H1B). My wife, an Aussie and high school teacher with several years of teaching experience in top international schools in Asia, couldn't legally work in the US. So she volunteered teaching ESL at a local adult school. Ironically many of her students were Hispanics who had originally entered the US illegally. Doubly ironic…

Similar story here. Indian citizen with a US masters degree. Left after working in the US for a year, travelled around SE Asia ,and then moved to Amsterdam! Can choose to work four days a week, have side projects and take 26 days of vacation a year. H1B is totally a sucker's game.

I did the opposite: Studied for Masters degree in Amsterdam. Worked for Dutch company. Left. Travelled around SE Asia. Moved to Los Angeles to work for start up.

I think if I wanted to I could easily work for 4 days; much easier than in Holland, but that was bigger company. Also, there is no limit on the vacation I can take.

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#124

Post by ma2rten » Tue, Mar 04, 2014, 4:57 PM UTC

kartikkumar wrote: post #49

nodemaker wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Similar story here. Indian citizen with a US masters degree. Left after working in the US for a year, travelled around SE Asia ,and then moved to Amsterdam! Can choose to work four days a week, have side projects and take 26 days of vacation a year. H1B is totally a sucker's game.

That's cool! I was born in India but was brought up near The Hague. Any chance you might be able to share where you're working at the moment? Interested in know what opportunities there are in and around Amsterdam and Rotterdam. If you'd rather not post publicly, feel free to shoot me an email: me@kartikkumar.com. Thanks!

layar and Booking.com are intersting companies in Amsterdam.

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#125

Post by thelonelygod » Tue, Mar 04, 2014, 5:00 PM UTC

mdda wrote: post #81

I'm surprised no-one mentioned the E-2 (Treaty Investor) visa. It allows someone from a Treaty country (which includes a lot of developed countries) to start a business in the USA. It's not an intent visa, though (more on that later). I'm from the UK, and did the E-2 application myself (having found that it took as much time to explain to a lawyer as to write the application). My initial investment was $100k (enough…

My parents moved my entire family here on a h1 when I was younger. We obtained our Green Cards about 5 years ago.

I'm about to graduated college and go start working in NYC. My parents are currently starting the process to get citizenship and I'm choosing not to do it mainly because I'm not sure if I want to stay in the country for the rest of my life and didn't want to be stuck in the US tax abroad issue.

You mentioned that getting a green card does in fact put you into the US tax regime semi-permanently. Do you have any links or more information about that?

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#126

Post by canistr » Tue, Mar 04, 2014, 5:19 PM UTC

falsestprophet wrote: post #109

canistr wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a game of semantics for border services. If you have an engineering degree, it doesn't matter. If you get your employer to change your title from "Developer" to "Engineer" it works out.

It isn't a game of semantics. “Engineers may not fill computer-related jobs under TN classification unless they have credentials as computer or software engineers from institutions that recognize computer or software engineering as bona fide engineering specialties offering full engineering credentials, such as professional engineering licenses.” http://www.tnvisabulletin.com/nafta-tn-blog/2010/6/21/degree...

That's precisely what I mean by it being a game of semantics. Any computer/science-related degree gets you through the border. Anecdotally, I've heard numerous friends claim that the distinction at the border was their title being changed from "Developer" to "Engineer". Mind you, they all had various computer-related degrees but the scenarios were different depending on whether their degree was titled "Computer Engineering" or "Computer Science".

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#127

Post by wil421 » Tue, Mar 04, 2014, 5:20 PM UTC

auctiontheory wrote: post #104

wil421 wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

2. Health Dont believe the hype if you work for a company that is going to sponsor your visa, chances are they will provide health insurance. I pay $25 a month for myself and $175 if I had a family of 4. My girlfriend uses Obama Care and pays $21 for basic insurance. Unless you are self employed then chances are you wont be paying much and now with the new health plans even these plans are affordable.

> My girlfriend uses Obama Care and pays $21 for basic insurance. I used Obamacare for the month of January. My plan cost $507, I received the card on the 30th of the month (so the plan was unusable before then), and they (Blue Shield) were impossible to reach. They have a very understaffed phone line for Obamacare users, separate from their "regular" service for group plans.

She also paid $600 for January on a nonObama plan and was just issued a refund of $500 once she switched to an Obama plan. Sounds like you choose the wrong plan and network.

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#128

Post by ricardonunez » Tue, Mar 04, 2014, 5:23 PM UTC

mdda wrote: post #81

I'm surprised no-one mentioned the E-2 (Treaty Investor) visa. It allows someone from a Treaty country (which includes a lot of developed countries) to start a business in the USA. It's not an intent visa, though (more on that later). I'm from the UK, and did the E-2 application myself (having found that it took as much time to explain to a lawyer as to write the application). My initial investment was $100k (enough…

How the E-2 renewal process work? I have a friend considering E-2 with $50k to $100k, and his concern is how bad the renewal process is.

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#129

Post by foobarqux » Tue, Mar 04, 2014, 5:30 PM UTC

ojbyrne wrote: post #78

donohoe wrote: post #69

Credit History It would be worth adding a note about Credit history and some simple steps you can do to start establishing a good one. I recall getting a joint-loan with my wife (girlfriend at the time) to get things started. I'm sure there are many other ways.

Secured (not pre-paid) credit cards worked for me.

Do you know of a no-fee secured credit card that is easy for a foreigners apply for online?

Re: Engineer's Guide to US Visas

#130

Post by Dewie » Tue, Mar 04, 2014, 5:32 PM UTC

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #58

blacktulip wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is wrong with China's health service? It is far more affordable than US

便宜没好或，好或不便宜 All the Chinese public hospitals are about long waits, giving red envelopes to your doctors, overprescribing antibiotics and IV drips, and scammy Chinese medicine. I have private insurance; the hospitals are way better but the prices make the USA look cheap. Put it this way: USA has first world health care problems, china has developing world health care problems. If you want cheap quality medical tourism…

> Put it this way: USA has first world health care problems, china has developing world health care problems.

As one might expect of countries that are first world and developing world, respectively. When people complain about the US healthcare system, the implicit comparison is probably other first world countries.