Merged: All About H1B Visa

[chocolatefever]

^wow, you're lucky!   ang fear ko kasi baka humingi ng first and last PLUS security deposit since wala pa akong credit history.  thanks for the tips sis. yeah it would be a plus talaga pag kasama na ang utilities esp. water kasi i like to take long showers hahahaha.

to our sisses with h1bs, how long after you applied was your social security card mailed to you?

[xthine]

^I had to put up a security deposit and 1 month advance, I did not have a credit history.  I did everything from back home in the Manila at that time since I could only enter the US 10 days before work started.  If you think you might be getting a pet (I have 2), go over their pet policies/breed restrictions/fees.  Other things  I looked at were: having a washer and dryer in the unit, what type of garage they had, reviews of the complex, distance from where I work etc.  HTH

If I remember correctly my SS card was mailed to me within a month.

[gnela_21]

sis chocolatefever, tama si sis xthine. Take into consideration mo din yung pets, washer/dryer, garage, reviews of the neighborhood etc. Sa case namin, we should have looked for an apartment na nag-aallow ng pets una pa lang. Kasi ngayon, I want to have pets na, hindi pwede since hindi allowed dito. Hassle naman na lumipat para dun, kasi medyo madami na din kaming gamit. Kaya baka saka na talaga yung pets. With the washer/dryer, usually mas mahal yung mga apartment na meron kang sariling in-unit. Kami dito, we have a laundry area (4 washers and 4 dryers) na nasa basement. $1.25 per load sya (nag-increase na nga, before 75 cents lang).

Try mo din tong website for apartment reviews: http://www.apartmentratings.com/ Make sure that you check the neighborhood. I remember may complex kaming pinuntahan na madaming itim (not being a racist or anything) but I got scared. Parang ghetto kasi. I got the feeling na hindi ako safe kapag maglalakad sa labas specially at night. Yung apartment namin ngayon, UCB kami. Halo-halong race which is ok naman. May mga neighbors pala kaming pinoy din, although late ko na nalaman. Nakasabay ko sila sa laundry area.

[chocolatefever]

^^xthine so you paid 2 months plus security deposit? thanks for the tips; i'm currently researching online and taking note of the features of the apartments i'm interested in. luckily i have friends in the area i'm moving to, and i'll be visiting them in a couple of weeks so they can help me apartment hunt.

^sis gnela, thanks...i always check that website when an apartment complex catches my interest to read the tenants' reviews.   sometimes photos can be deceiving. minsan ang ganda ng itsura but the apartments have very low ratings and daming complaints. i scratch those off my list.


i don't have pets (left my doggy in manila) and an in - unit washer dryer would be nice, but a laundry area in the complex will do as long as it's not too far from the unit and the other tenants are not creepy, hehe. at my uncle's apartment complex where i'm staying now, they have a laundry area within the complex and it's okay naman since they have about 8 washers and dryers.  awkward lang sometimes to "harvest" your underwear when there are other tenants in the laundry room too.

[xthine]

^  Was checking my email and found the receipt  it looks like I paid for  1 month's rent + security deposit with some prorated fees.   Soon after I moved in I had to pay that months rent too.

[gnela_21]

sis chocolatefever, kamusta? were you able to find your apartment?

[chocolatefever]

^hi sis, thanks for checking up on me! yes nakahanap na ako ng apt. and good thing they only required a deposit and first month's rent is due upon move in. i just gave them my SSN and a letter from my employer.

my next hurdle is renting a car. i dont have a car yet and plan on doing long-term car rental. kaya lang they require proof of coverage (insurance) so i don't know how to go about that. researching on non-owner liability insurance.  any tips on this will be appreciated! thanks sisses!

[gnela_21]

^uy that's good! Buti you've got your own place na! Naku, regarding sa long term car rental, wala ko alam na details kasi usually we rent, mga days lang, mahaba na isang linggo. Goodluck sis!

[xthine]

I looked into renting a car the first time I got here, all I remember is that it's expensive esp. If you don't have a US issued license..had something to do with insurance. 

[kay_olive]

good day mga sister

ask ko lang po sana kung papaano ba nakaka kuha ng H1B visa. kailangan ba mag punta sa POEA para mag hanap ng employer?

or puwede dito sa online hanap ng employer na opening job?

thanks po ng marami

[pretinnes]

hi,

would just like to inquire about changing from EB3 to EB2. may nakapag try na ba dito? my hubby inquired why he was placed under EB3 considering he has 5+ years experience(sabi ko dito before 5 years lang experience niya. mali pala ako.). and iyong kasamahan niya, pinagalitan ang company nila at nagbantang kasuhan sila kasi under EB3 siya eh 5+ years din experience niya. so now etong company pumayag na under EB2 sila. si officemate last december nagpasa ng mga additional requirements, etc so nakatanggap na siya ng receipt number. now si hubby naman last february lang nagpasa. sabi ba naman ng employer na

Because we are not in recruitment stage where we can currently submit  PERM/Labor certifications to the Dept. of Labor, we have to start a new one.  It will be approximately 9 months before we are able to submit a new PERM /Labor certification.

1. The first step is requesting a prevailing wage determination.  Due to a recent regulation change at the Federal level, this  can now take up to 2 months.
2.  After we receive that we will need to advertise for the new position that we would be offering you. Once our “Recruitment Period” is over we will then be able to submit a new PERM application on your behalf.

wala daw sila sa recruitment period kaya di nila ma process. after 9 months pa daw.  totoo ba tong pinagsasabi nila? feeling kasi namin pinapatagal lang talaga nila para magkapera  pa sila sa amin, to think na 60% lang ng sahod napupunta sa mga employees nila. can anybody help us? nag research kasi ako at eto nakita ko:

Procedure
Step 1: Wage Determination Form
The employer files a Wage Determination Form with the local (state) Department of Labor to ensure that the employer is paying “the prevailing wage” for the job and the profession.
The Wage Determination Form must be certified by the Department of Labor.
Step 2: LCA . Form ETA 9035
The employer petitioning for H-1B status must file a labor condition application ‘LCA’ with the U.S. Dept of Labor.
The LCA (form ETA 9035) must be certified by the DOL before the H-1B petition is filed with the Dept. of Labor.
Step 3: Form I-129
The employer files with form I-129 with the USCIS. A decision is usually issued in two to six weeks.

Processing Times:
LCA: 7 Days
USCIS – New Petition: 2-3 Months
USCIS – Transfer or Renewal/Extension: 2-3 Months
USCIS – Premium Processing Service: 15 Days

[sayuri15]

question lang po.... h1b holder. kailangan pa ba pumunta sa embassy for change of status from single to married?
pano processing ng mga dependents?

[gnela_21]

Hi Sayuri. For the H1B holders, there's no need to change the marital status. If the dependents wish to accompany the H1B holder, they just need to present the Marriage Certificate (in NSO paper) for the spouse and the Birth Certificate (in NSO paper) for the child/ren.

If the dependents are appearing in the embassy without the H1B holder, they should have all the documents that the H1B holder has presented when he applied for the visa. Those documents are listed in the US Embassy website: http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwhni11.html

[xthine]

^I'm on an H1b, if I get married to an american citizen where do I go to file for a change of status to a permanent resident?  Do we have to go to a Philippine embassy for that? 

[gnela_21]

^I'm on an H1b, if I get married to an american citizen where do I go to file for a change of status to a permanent resident?  Do we have to go to a Philippine embassy for that?

Congrats sis! Sorry but I have no idea about the change from a H1B to fiance visa. Better to consul an immigration lawyer!

[xthine]

^Thank you I did some looking up online it seems processing is through USCIS by mail. I've got an appointment with the Phil. Consul next week, maybe I could ask them too.

[chicnsassy]

ano ba ang usual na tanong sa embassy about H1B? by the way, nurse po [textspeak!] sister ko. approved yung h1b nya march 30, nafile noong november 5 pa. thanks

[gnela_21]

^ Usual questions are regarding her work experience, questions about the company that she will be working for, office location, salary etc. Basta it's best that she knows everything there is to know about her employer. Goodluck!

[chicnsassy]

^thanks sis! you are very helpful 

[luxurious]

ano ba ang usual na tanong sa embassy about H1B? by the way, nurse po [textspeak!] sister ko. approved yung h1b nya march 30, nafile noong november 5 pa. thanks

swerte ng sis mo. Hirp kasi nagyon makakuha ng h1b visa. I was denied last year