nurse immigration lawyer - $400/20 mins ??

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I will schedule an appointment with an immigration lawyer. The fee is $400 for 20 mins. :uhoh3: With the limited time and costly fee, I want to ask everybody here on what are the most important questions that you think I need to ask/clarify regarding nurse petitioning. What do I need to know in choosing an immigration lawyer/firm? I know that I should also ask for my other options with the current retrogression. :o I have to organize everything before I meet up with the lawyer..

Remember, 20 minutes only! :smackingf

By the way, if anyone here has a question specific to this topic, maybe I could ask him as long as I still have minutes left.. I hope one who's knowledgeable and doesn't just go blah-blah.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
I was told by a nursing skilled facility (with only 150 bed capacity) to hire my own lawyer before we start the processing of my H1B visa. I was in cali on a tourist visa at that time, took my nclex exam and passed it. I went back to pi because a lawyer advised me to do so since my visa is about to expire and i do not want to be caught overstaying there. I want to do everything legally. I've read a lot of threads here about working visas and how slim would be the chances for a newly BSN grad with no hospital experience to get one. Now my question is, should i still hire my own lawyer since i already have an employer in cali willing to do direct hire or are they also giving me a false hope since working visas are not for newly grad rn, even with a bsn degree,proof of passing the nclex, and an employer?

The employer has to apply for H1b not you and H1b is supposed to be used by a specialist and if you are newly qualified then you do not meet requirements. Unless the facility is affiliated then it will be capped which means application is filed in April with a Oct work date and no t guarantee you will get one as it is very much a lottery due to the high demand from all over the world. You could pay the lawyer but he will have to do a lot for your employer. It would probably be more advantageous discussing this with a H1b expert who has experience in nurses rather than on the boards but I do feel your lack of specialised experience will be your downfall as it does not meet requirements

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The employer has to apply for H1b not you and H1b is supposed to be used by a specialist and if you are newly qualified then you do not meet requirements. Unless the facility is affiliated then it will be capped which means application is filed in April with a Oct work date and no t guarantee you will get one as it is very much a lottery due to the high demand from all over the world. You could pay the lawyer but he will have to do a lot for your employer. It would probably be more advantageous discussing this with a H1b expert who has experience in nurses rather than on the boards but I do feel your lack of specialised experience will be your downfall as it does not meet requirements

I am currently a volunteer at a secondary hospital with less than a hundred bed capacity. Being at the hospital 40hrs/wk, i also get the chance to be rotated in other areas such as the OR and the out patient department/ER. I am aware that volunteer experience is still different from a regular staff experience but would it still count somehow? Can anybody give me an estimated range of how much usually does a lawyer ask for H1B visa processing?? :typing

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

When looking at specialised areas you are usually looking at gaining great experience and sometime doing courses in that area just gaining experience isn't enough

This may give you an idea on costs and process http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=9737ea468d6c7110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=2411c9ee2f82b010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

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Nursing homes are under quota for the H1-B visas and you are to be considered a specialist to get one. Training or working as a volunteer in a hospital in your country does not count as actual work experience here in the US.

OR training is usually six months on average full-time and not with someone just rotating thru there.

A big red flag just went up when rereading your post. You have stated that your future employer is asking you to pay for the attorney's fees; this is actually not permitted with the H1-B visa. All fees must be incurred by the employer and they cannot be taken out of your pay later on as well, so that just means that you will be getting an automatic denial on this application. You can read more about this directly on the website for the US State Dept.

If the employer is not paying 100% of the costs for the visa fees and the attorney then there is no way that you have a chance at this visa. You also need to be aware that it is by lottery system so chances of getting one is quite slim as well as the fact that applications will not be accepted until next April for a start the following October as well. And proof that they are paying 100% of the costs need to be submitted as well and the government will follow up with that. Currently all H1-B visas are being investigated by our government.

Save your money.........................

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