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Sep 12, 2013

Learn More about J1 Visa & E3 Work Permit Visas to USA

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If you are a graduate and are hoping to come back to the United States, then you will have to understand the basics of getting your visa. There are two ways you can go – you can get either the J1 Visa USA or the H1b Visa.

United States Capitol

Now there are many programs who offer both types to IMG’s, but for the most part you will find that most programs prefer to offer the J1 over the H1b because it is sponsored by the ECFMG and doesn’t cost any money to attain. On the other hand, a program who offers the H1b visa has to sponsor the person and it comes with more paperwork and with more financial investment. The J1 Visa USA is basically given to an IMG with the assumption that they will do a return-of-service (ROS) to their home country when they finish the US residency program. This visa is easily attained and is the most common type given in each medical residency match year. While this visa usually forces the resident back to their home country for their ROS, there are certain options that can allow them to waive their return such as performing a certain number of years in an underserved area in the USA.

The E3 Work Permit Visa to USA is targeted towards citizens of Australia who wish to settle down in the United States. This Work permit E3 visa has many common features with the H-1B visa.

Flag of the United States of America
Flag of the United States of America (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This visa also permits the spouses of the visa holders to work in the United States. It is not necessary for the spouses and children to be the citizens of Australia. There are no age restrictions as well for an applicant to be considered eligible. It is mandatory that the applicant has a job offer in the United States in prior before he applies for his visa. United States does not recognize the same sex relationships for immigration, thus only straight couples are permitted here. With this, birth and marriage certificates from the Department of Births, Deaths and Marriages are to be submitted.

For each immigrant under the E 3 Work permit Visa to USA, the immigrant’s employer has to apply for a “Labor Condition Application or the LCA and file it with the US Department of Labor. The top of the form should mention a note saying that it is meant for an applicant under the E 3 visa who is a citizen of Australia. After obtaining this certificate, the applicant has to apply for the visa at the US Consulate. This visa is valid for only twenty four months; indefinite extensions are also permitted under this program. Here, it has to be ensured that the immigrant does not show any intention of residing permanently in the United States. It should not exceed beyond the period mentioned on the LCA. If the applicant is already in the United States on some other visa program, he is permitted to change his visa status. However, if he is on a program that has waived off the visa restrictions, he is not permitted to change his visa status.