Recent developments in visa processing have left many people with no time to do anything but wait. This is not only frustrating, it can be detrimental to your personal life as well as career goals.
Visas are an integral part of traveling to the United States. Without them, you would not be able to enter our country!
However, just like any other aspect of immigration to America, visas cannot always process instantly. There may be a backlog at some points, or there could even be long delays due to limited resources.
In this article, I will talk about what goes into applying for an American visa, how much time it takes to get approved, and potential things that may contribute to longer than expected waits. If you are experiencing very long delays, here are some tips for what to do next.
The employment authorization letter (EAL) or employment certification document, known as an L-Visa, allows your employer to hire you in a new position that does not require a green card.
This type of visa is good for up to three years and can be renewed once it expires. You must have proof of adequate income and health insurance during this time period.
After the initial three year authorization, employers are allowed to extend your stay through additional sponsorship documents called I-94s and EADs. These extensions can happen at any time while you remain employed with their company.
It’s important to note that if you don’t coordinate such meetings with your boss, family members, or immigration officials, then they may question why you didn’t tell them about the other job.
The days to process your visa can vary greatly depending upon various factors.
Some of the most important things that determine how quickly you receive your visa are:
The embassy or consulate staff
How well organized their department is
Whether they have enough resources (such as computer software) to complete all of their work efficiently
What kind of workload they have at any given time
If there are too many applicants, then it could slow down processing times
When we were processed, our case was in fact very close with another applicant’s due to a similar situation. We received word several weeks later than they did because theirs moved forward more quickly.
We also noticed that those who had already been processed would be informed much faster about when their visas would arrive than those who had not yet gone through the process.
General tips: remember that the length of time it takes to process a visa is just that- a general estimate! Some countries may be quicker than others.
If you have received notification that your application has been accepted, then it means that we were able to process your documents and confirm that you are eligible to come to Australia as a student!
If you do not receive this notification within one week of applying, you can assume that your application was rejected. This is very unfortunate but does not mean that you cannot apply again at a later time. You will be notified when there is an opening for new applications so stay tuned!
The next step in the processing system depends on whether you need a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) skill assessment certificate or non-STEM. These types of visas require different documentation and certification processes.
We recommend staying up-to-date on all aspects of your studies so that you don’t waste any time waiting for things to progress further. The best way to achieve this is by talking about studying with people who know you well and getting help from teachers and friends.
The next step in processing your VISA is to prove that you have enough money to stay in the United States. This is called proof of sufficient income or, more commonly referred to as “proof of money”. You will need to show an employer who pays your salary that you can afford to live on while in America.
It is very common for employers to offer their employees and employee visa (like F-visas) what they call a visa sponsorship. A visa sponsorship means that your employer must certify to US immigration officials that they pay enough money to support you during your visit.
This is not only true for F visas but also for other nonimmigrant visa types like B2 tourist visitor visas and even immigrant visas!
So how much time does it take to process an L1 visa? That depends on two things: how long it takes to check your proof of money and how long it takes to get approval from your current employer before we can verify with another one.
We cannot tell you exactly how long this process will take – there are too many variables including how quickly your employer verifies his/her own employment and whether he/she needs to be rehired after coming back into the country.
Even though we have discussed how much time it takes to process an L1 visa before, there is still one more important factor to consider- what you can do while your family member is waiting.
It’s great to know that there are some things you can do to pass the time, but unfortunately not everything is practical or possible. For example, many employers will not allow employees to take off during their employment because of lower productivity. A few others may even get in trouble by leaving the country without permission!
That being said, here are some ideas for things you can do if passing time is a major challenge. These tips focus more on staying busy than finding ways to sleep at night!
Find out who your Congressperson is and see if they have any recommendations or contacts related to immigration issues. Some people have success helping other immigrants with paperwork or offering advice about visa processes so this could pay off for you!
If possible, try to find work outside the house. This could be through volunteering, doing paid part-time work, or looking for employment online or via referral sources. Try to keep these commitments as lighthearted and fun as possible!
Try talking to your loved ones about your worries.
All too often, people begin taking steps to change their life when they should have done so much longer ago. This is particularly true with respect to professional changes such as switching careers or locations.
By setting your goal late in the process, you give yourself no motivation. You may even put off the action altogether!
The important thing to remember about changing jobs is that it takes time. It can be expensive to find and apply for new positions. And don’t forget about moving! That costs money as well.
So how long does it take to process an L1 visa? The average is 6 months, but this varies depending upon where in the process you are at any given moment.
Even though you do not have an employment contract, it is still possible to meet the requirement of having a sponsoring employer. This means that you do not need to be sponsored by someone in the workplace, instead, your close friend or family member can serve as your employer!
It is important to note that even if your visa is approved, this does not mean that you will get permission to stay in Canada. You must also fulfill the requirements for residence status after your visit.
So how much time it takes for L1 visa processing depends mostly on two things: 1) whether you require an extension and 2) what country category you fall under.
If you are already in Canada at the end of your initial 90 day period, you do not need to apply for an extension. Your current visa will automatically renew until it expires (be sure to check with our experts before booking travel so you know when your visa ends!).
If you are an American citizen, or have a passport that does not expire before June 1st, you do not need to worry about visa processing! You will be asked if you want to process your VISA as a non-immigrant (or tourist) visitor, or as a immigrant. Since we are talking about employment here, there is only one option available – immigrant.
Once this has been done, you will then have to provide proof of sufficient funds to support yourself while in Canada, and documentation confirming your job position. Once these things have been verified, it takes around two months to obtain your visa.
During this time, it is very important to remain in stable housing with adequate income. Many immigration offices require at least six month’s worth of money saved so that they know that you will not meet your obligations once you enter Canada.
It is also crucial to be able to prove that you will leave Canada upon completion of your contract because even though you may still enjoy Canadian culture, living in Canada after work would no longer be feasible due to the lack of money.
