Lost !! which visa apply for

[sandrine29 1]

Hi everyone,

i'm French , 39 !

i have been trying to look for a job by distance for over 2 years ! now i'm desperate !! i'd like to join my friend in AZ, but i wonder what kind of visa i should apply for.

I went to the American embassy site but i'm lost with the tons of detailed visas offered and do not really get what kind of visa would suit me the best !!

could you please help me to get the best solution for me to be able to work into the States or to immigrate there and finally be happy with my son and my friend !!

i worked in the French Navy for 16 years and quit last June ! I have a high school diploma and some associate's degree courses (one year in american civilization and one year in technical courses to be a trilingual personal assistant)

thank you so much,

the more i read the sites for visas the less i understand even if i have good skills in English !!

i really need to be guided by all of you !! thank you so much for helping me here !!

i intend to visit in the US next March but would like it to be my last visit and then be able to settle down next Summer or after

THANK YOU ALL

[mngoalie 10]

There isn't a way to easily immigrate unless you are a family member, i.e. spouse, child, parent.

There are work visas, but those require a company to sponsor you over.

[kzielu 1,149]

There isn't any visa you can apply for unless your son is US citizen and can petition you. For any kind of work visas you would have to find employer to file for a work visa (lots of requirements to do that though) but these have nothing to do with immigrating. It would have to be followed by employer filing for a green card.

But again - if your son is US citizen, that's the easiest path - look up guides at top of the page.

[Cathi 5,782]

The only way to get a work visa is with a company willing to,sponsor you. And if that were the case they would have to prove said job cannot be filled by a qualified American. Getting a work visa isnt just as simple as applying for a job. You mentioned you have a son, is he here in the US?

[HK12 273]

I wonder if this is just a translation problem. Is your "friend" (amie) your girlfriend? If she is and you got engaged, you two could apply for a K1 Fiance visa.

[sandrine29 1]

There isn't a way to easily immigrate unless you are a family member, i.e. spouse, child, parent.

There are work visas, but those require a company to sponsor you over.

There isn't any visa you can apply for unless your son is US citizen and can petition you. For any kind of work visas you would have to find employer to file for a work visa (lots of requirements to do that though) but these have nothing to do with immigrating. It would have to be followed by employer filing for a green card.

But again - if your son is US citizen, that's the easiest path - look up guides at top of the page.

The only way to get a work visa is with a company willing to,sponsor you. And if that were the case they would have to prove said job cannot be filled by a qualified American. Getting a work visa isnt just as simple as applying for a job. You mentioned you have a son, is he here in the US?

I wonder if this is just a translation problem. Is your "friend" (amie) your girlfriend? If she is and you got engaged, you two could apply for a K1 Fiance visa.

thank you all !

well i thought it was the only way to apply for - getting a sponsor; So as i intend to visit next March , i will try to look for something, even try to get an interview and see what happen

the other path would be to transfer some skills i have (as a native french speaker and become a french teacher in the future, or in IT as i worked in it for 16 years in the Navy but i do not have any degree in it !)

my son lives with me, he's french and would just come under 21 year dependent child

my friend is currently my boyfriend but we don't know each other for too long and it's hard by distance to set a strong relation, we would like to do things right !!

i will carry on this way and try to find a solution

thank you to anyone who could give me other ideas :=)

[Soul Froosh 31]

it's risky coming in under the pretext of "looking for work".

If a specialist job came up naturally that required you to relocate, or you were transfered within an existing job - then you have a case for a work visa.

Border control might scrutinize your intentions if you came in with those motives.

Your best bet is K-1 through your boyfriend.

You can simply visit your boyfriend in March. Keep things simple with border control. You're visiting your boyfriend and show proof of ties back home and intentions to not overstay.

See how the relationship goes and then perhaps go down the K-1 route.

[sandrine29 1]

it's risky coming in under the pretext of "looking for work".

If a specialist job came up naturally that required you to relocate, or you were transfered within an existing job - then you have a case for a work visa.

Border control might scrutinize your intentions if you came in with those motives.

Your best bet is K-1 through your boyfriend.

You can simply visit your boyfriend in March. Keep things simple with border control. You're visiting your boyfriend and show proof of ties back home and intentions to not overstay.

See how the relationship goes and then perhaps go down the K-1 route.

maybe there 's a prob of vocabulary but when i say i would look for a job i don't mean applying for one.

my visit is first for my friend then i intend just to look for opportunities; i won't work under illegally status; Maybe do some interviews but that's all no more.

i don't want to wait years before getting a K1 visa; we want to do things wrong and getting married would take time as we are settling our relation by distance which is not good at all : -)

i will try to find an intership or try for studies too

i'm sure there is a way ! how do others? LOL keep hope is the best way to succeed !

[sandrine29 1]

@nick : i will have to go back anyway, my son will stay in France for Winter term vacation ! lol

so there is no way i stay there, just enjoying and try to find a solution while i m there !

thanks for your idea :-)

[Soul Froosh 31]

Oh yea, I understood what you meant. I wasn't insinuating you would apply and work illegally.

I was just warning you to not through border control with "looking for work possibilities".

EDIT: sorry, the tone of my post is probably lost in translation a bit. I wasn't implying you would overstay or work illegally.

Just to be careful how you go about your trip, specifically answering at the point of entry what your intentions are during the visit.

Edited November 21, 2013 by Nick Loves Rosie