Merged: All About H1B Visa

[gnela_21]

ai sorry for my ignorance. tnxs po.. 

Uy ok lang yun. Just stating the info that I know. Medyo madami kasing paikot-ikot sa tungkol sa visa. Madaming klase sila, best if you will inform yourself para you know the besy way to go. There are many websites that can help.

[gnela_21]

just got through Day 1 of POEA processing today...hindi pa tapos!  ang hirap pala maging OFW!    i really hope POEA does something to organize and streamline the process. naka ilang akyat-baba ako sa 2 flights of stairs, all because ang gulo gulo ng instructions na binibigay ng mga tao doon.  swear, i am not being mareklamo, talagang hassle!!!

kung ganyan parati parang nakakatamad tuloy umuwi at magbakasyon dito   good luck to me tomorrow...)

We've been there sis. Sobrang abala ang process sa POEA. Alam mo ba na na-move yung date ng flight namin dahil hindi nila matapos on-time yung papers sa POEA? Kelangan mo ng MAHABANGGGGGGG pasensya. Goodluck sis. Kapag natapos na yan, ok na. Yan lang naman ang hassle.

[chocolatefever]

^sis gnela, finally natapos ko na today! so tiring.   question, everytime i come home for a visit to manila, kailangan magpa medical ulit and pay all those fees?

btw, love your "signature"...that's one of my favorite songs, dig right?

[gnela_21]

^sis gnela, finally natapos ko na today! so tiring.   question, everytime i come home for a visit to manila, kailangan magpa medical ulit and pay all those fees?

btw, love your "signature"...that's one of my favorite songs, dig right?

Haha, regarding sa question mo, I still don't know  . Kasi di pa kami umuuwi since dumating kami last Sept 2008. Baka next year pa kami umuwi, June 2011. I'll let you know in case mas mauna kami umuwi. May ni-send yung employer ni husband na email regarding balikbayans, kung pano sa POEA. Hindi ko pa gaano iniintindi since malayo pa naman kami uuwi.

Haha, yup! Dig yung kanta. Super fan ako ng Incubus. Yan ang isa sa mga perks living here in US, you can always catch your favorite bands in concert lalo na sa summer (na maaabutan mo na!). I've seen them twice when they visited Manila last 2004 and March 2008, tas last year dito sa Chicago. Super masaya, nasa pit kami! Since sa Cali ka ma-aasign, taga dun lang sila. Sa Calabasas, CA malay mo magkapitbahay lang kayo ng city!

[pretinnes]

^pasagot sa question ni sis chocolatefever: no need na magpa medical kung uuwi ng pinas but you have to go to poea kasi may papasign ka dun. have to ask my hubby later sis.

[chocolatefever]

^^hahaha sis gnela, oo nga no!

^sis pretiness, thanks! buti naman...sana sandali nalang ang procedure. but i'm sure kung ano ano na naman ang babayaran!

[pretinnes]

^sis mabilis lang daw sa poea the last time umuwi siya basta valid pa visa mo. and may binayaran din daw konte...

[mom_wanwan]

^sis gnela, finally natapos ko na today! so tiring.   question, everytime i come home for a visit to manila, kailangan magpa medical ulit and pay all those fees?

btw, love your "signature"...that's one of my favorite songs, dig right?

Hi sis, let me help in answering your question. Everytime you go home for vacation sa Phils, you will have to register and secure an E-RECEIPT or OEC (Overseas Employment Certificate) again at the POEA main office in Ortigas, Balik-Manggagawa Processing Service Area at the airport (the OFW lounge) or any POEA Regional Center. If you don't have the OEC or E-Receipt, you will not be allowed to leave the country coz it will serve as your travel exit clearance.
Here are the fees as of Dec. 2009:
POEA Processing Fee: Php 100.00
Medicare Coverage Premium: Php 900.00
OWWA Membership Contribution: US $25.00 or peso equivalent
*An OFW with valid OWWA membership and Medicare coverage will only pay Php 100.00 for POEA processing fee.
Got this from the POEA website.
Hope this helps!

[chocolatefever]

^sis mom_wanwan, thanks! that info will be very useful to other OFWs who haven't gone home yet, as well   buti naman pala na after the initial 100USD fee, 100PHP nalang ang processing fee.

Pricey din ang POEA process, i spent roughly 8000PHP for the POEA fees (6,750+ for the OEC and other POEA fees, 1,200 for the medical).

Sana for that amount, less hassle na ang process. I think the forms, including the endorsement for medical, should be available online for download. That way, the OFWs can go get their medical where it is convenient, and not go all the way to POEA just to get an endorsement. Also, the steps to follow for processing should be also available online.  Hindi rin kasi accurate ang instructions ng "concierge" sa ground floor. Sabi umakyat daw ako sa 2nd floor.  When I got to the 2nd floor, kumuha daw ako ng number sa guard sa baba! And ang guard na may number, nakatago sa isang pasilyo na wala man lang sign na "get your numbers here!" Grabe talaga!

BTW, to all future POEA first timers, make sure your job offer / contract contains a clause saying that your employer will be in charge of repatriation of your remains in case you die abroad.  Kung wala naman, may waiver naman that you can sign pero ipapa notarize pa.

[mom_wanwan]

^ You're welcome sis! We had the same problems sa POEA. Yang number sa guard, I wouldn't even know about that kung di lang sinabi ng kasama ko. And yung repatriation of remains clause na yan din ay hinanap nila although meron naman clause sa contract namin about it. We explained it to them na nandun sa contract namin yun, still they insisted na kailangan pa rin i-sign ng employer namin yung form that they gave for it. Feeling ko pang-delay lang nila yun, kasi marami na kong kilala na yun din ang hinanap sa contract kahit na-mention naman dun. Oh well, buti nalang tapos na ang phase na yan para sa tin 

[pretinnes]

^hi sis,

ilang years na hubby mo as h1b visa holder? nakapag extend na kayo?

[gnela_21]

^hi sis,
ilang years na hubby mo as h1b visa holder? nakapag extend na kayo?

I'm not sure if this question is for me, pero sagutin ko na din. 2008 sya na-approve, so mag-2 years pa lang this year. Hindi pa kami nagpa-extend.

[first_timer]

actually yung extension thing din ng working visa ang gusto ko malaman:  L1 visa holder ako,  my visa will ends in December 2010.  my questions are:
1.  how soon pwedeng mag apply for extension.  USCIS says at least 45 days before the visa ends.  okay na kaya kung September?
2.  my i-94 and my driver's license will also ends in Dec 2010, i understand to get a new visa, i need to have it stamped pa sa Pinas; kung wala ako balak umuwi sa Pinas, can i still have my driver's license extend using the receipt notice or notice of action from USCIS?  how about my i-94?  hindi ba ako magka ka problema kung magbabakasyon ako or lalabas ng US then makikita ng IO na [textspeak!] 1-94 ko is expired na.  will showing them my notice of action suffice?

thanks sa mga replies ninyo, mga sisters!

[pretinnes]

actually yung extension thing din ng working visa ang gusto ko malaman:  L1 visa holder ako,  my visa will ends in December 2010.  my questions are:
1.  how soon pwedeng mag apply for extension.  USCIS says at least 45 days before the visa ends.  okay na kaya kung September?
2.  my i-94 and my driver's license will also ends in Dec 2010, i understand to get a new visa, i need to have it stamped pa sa Pinas; kung wala ako balak umuwi sa Pinas, can i still have my driver's license extend using the receipt notice or notice of action from USCIS?  how about my i-94?  hindi ba ako magka ka problema kung magbabakasyon ako or lalabas ng US then makikita ng IO na [textspeak!] 1-94 ko is expired na.  will showing them my notice of action suffice?

thanks sa mga replies ninyo, mga sisters!

1. i think you can apply 6 months before the visa will expire, correct me if i'm wrong. as soon as you are eligible to apply, do it na sis kasi medyo matagal processing nila. nangyari kasi sa officemate ni hubby is matagal na approve ang extension nila. around december expiration ng visa and they were supposed to go home to pinas by january. hindi sila makabook ng ticket because wala pa nga ang approval. around januray na din sila na approve so february na sila nakauwi.  july ata finile ng company ang extension nila and sa vermont iyon. napatagal pa is because hiningan sila ng RFE. better be sure nalang din so agahan mo apply ng extension.

2. with the driver's license, hindi naman nagka problem sa ganyan husband ko. dinala lang niya iyong approved i-797 and the requirements.

saan ka pupunta outside US? i believe kailngan mo talaga ang approved visa kung gagawin mo iyan. kasi the visa is needed to enter US eh since expired na iyong visa mo, you have too have the new and approved one upon entering US. that means you need to go home and have it stamped. pero if you have no plans of going outside US, okay lang naman. as long as you have the approved i-797.

hth

[ms.pooh]

hi mga sis, may question lang sana about H1B visa. just in case mag apply ako/iapply ako ng company for an h1b visa, is there any possibility that my hubby can work there as well? aside from immig visa/PR ano pa ba yung ibang option na visa for foreigners na may working rights ang mga spouse? thanks

[gnela_21]

hi mga sis, may question lang sana about H1B visa. just in case mag apply ako/iapply ako ng company for an h1b visa, is there any possibility that my hubby can work there as well? aside from immig visa/PR ano pa ba yunga ibang option na visa for foreigners na may working rights ang mga spouse? thanks

I was just discussing this to another sister here. Anyway, to answer your question, if you will be under H1B visa, your husband will be able to accompany you with an H4 visa (i'm currently under H4 now). As you may already know, H4 visa holders are not allowed to work. For him to be able to, there are several options:

1. GC/Immigrant filing - Once you are approved for GC, your dependents will be approved as well, he'll have his EAD.

2. H1B - He can look for employers that can sponsor him for working visa as well.

3. Student Visa - Although he can study under H4, if he'll change his status to student visa, he'll be allowed to work for a max of 20 hrs per month. Downside of this, his rate will be change from local to an international rate. Which means it will be more expensive to study. International rates are usually 3 times the amount of a local.

There may be other options that you can check, better ask an immigration lawyer. Goodluck

[sayuri15]

hi... i have some questions... i was approved for an h1b visa... but i'm 5 months pregnant.... pwede na po ba ako magprocess sa poea? how about the medical exams?

[gnela_21]

hi... i have some questions... i was approved for an h1b visa... but i'm 5 months pregnant.... pwede na po ba ako magprocess sa poea? how about the medical exams?

Congratulations! Although I may not be of any help siguro since wala pa ako kilala na under H1B visa tas preggy while processing. Most ng kilala ko, dito na sila nabuntis at nanganak. Better to ask your employer din siguro. God Bless!

[chocolatefever]

on apartment hunting

i'll be apartment hunting soon. what is the standard first time payment for most apartments, is it 1st month's rent + deposit or 1st and last plus deposit?

just want to be ready...wala pa namang relocation allowance binigay ang sponsor ko.

[gnela_21]

on apartment hunting

i'll be apartment hunting soon. what is the standard first time payment for most apartments, is it 1st month's rent + deposit or 1st and last plus deposit?

just want to be ready...wala pa namang relocation allowance binigay ang sponsor ko.

Actually depende sa apartment terms. Usually 1 month's rent lang ang deposit. Sa case kasi namin, we were lucky. Half lang ng rent yung deposit namin, tapos yug 1st month's rent namin, it was free. So the following month na kami nagbayad. Oh, ang meron palang application fee per applicant. Mga $30-50 yun. I-rrun kasi nila yung background check as well as credit history.

Advice ko, look for an apartment na madami ng inclusions like heat, gas, water and waste disposal. Para electric, cable and internet na lang sagot mo. Meron naman yung mga ganun. Dito kasi sa IL, since OA ang winter, kelangan talaga na yung heat namin will be shouldered by the tenant landlord. Para kahit i-crank up mo yung heater, ok lang kasi libre. Goodluck, exciting yan.