As mentioned earlier, there are several visa processing centers (VPCs) that work with International Business Machines (IBM) to handle I-129F petitions for employment authorization. These VPCs are typically paid by employers to process visas on their behalf using information provided by the employer.
The number of employees an employee is allowed to sponsor actually depends upon two things: 1) The amount of time it takes to complete the petition process 2) How many people in your organization can be sponsored via this system
If you have a very large company then they may already have such a system in place, making the first criterion irrelevant. It also means that if one person in your department has all the necessary credentials then they could potentially get authorized even though there isn’t anyone else in your department who does!
In these cases, the second criterion becomes important because now you need to find someone else in your department to take over the role so that yours can remain empty.
A student traveling to the USA for an educational program can apply for a MSC (Master Student Certificate) visa. This is not a standard F-1 or J-1 visa, instead it is specific to students.
You must show that you are enrolled in an accredited academic institution in the US, and attending a formal educational event at your school. The event you attend has to be related to education — something like a conference would be fine, but not a party.
The other requirement is that you have to return home after the event. You cannot stay in the country while studying here!
If all of these conditions are met, then your department can process the application on behalf of the student.
The most popular use of this visa is for tourism. People traveling as tourists from Australia can spend up to one year in the United States on an MSC Visitor Status.
This doesn’t mean that you are able to live and work in America, however! You must return home at some point during your stay, or you could face deportation!
You also cannot visit family in the US while on an MSC tourist visa. This rule exists to prevent people who might be living off the grid because they don’t want outside contacts from finding them later.
Some countries require their citizens to have Permanent Resident (Green Card) status before allowing them to enter the country as a non-immigrant visitor. Others may deny entry if you try to extend your stay past the initial 90 day limit.
Certain items cannot be brought into the country while on a business or tourist visit. These include, but are not limited to: illegal substances (drugs), firearms, ammunition, tobacco products, large sums of money, and/or materials that can be used for unlawful purposes.
It is your responsibility as an alien traveling with a MSC visa to know what you are permitted to bring back into the United States. If you are arrested for smuggling, you may face deportation!
This could also result in having your MSC visa revoked which would prevent you from re-entering the US for up to 10 years.
The other requirement is that you must have a confirmed ticket to your return destination. This can be done in one of two ways: via air travel or train/bus tickets. You will need this before you arrive at the MSC Visas Processing Centers in person to apply for the visa.
If you do not have this confirmation, then unfortunately you cannot proceed with applying for the visa. Your documents would not be verified as authentic – which could result in denial of the visa and/or exclusion from the country!
We recommend confirming your flight and train/bus trip well ahead of time so that there is no chance of something changing.
The final step in receiving your visa is to go visit one of many U.S. Immigration Inspection Centers (IIs) or VISA PREP STATIONS where you will be interviewed by an agent.
These facilities are located across the country, typically in major cities. Some agents may ask you about family members while others may not. Your interview will depend on what they ask as well as how you respond!
The II location can vary quite a bit. For example, some may only have enough space for a few people at once whereas others may have very long lines.
What kind of questions do they ask? Agents might want to know if you own any expensive items such as fur coats, jewelry, or cars. They also look into whether or not you live with someone and if so, what kind of relationship you have. This is all part of determining if you qualify under the F-1 student category.
Agents determine if you fit this classification by looking at your I-20 form, which is like your passport but it has additional information about you. These include things like your name, nationality, proof of enrollment, and more.
After you have submitted your application, you will receive an email stating that your documents were received and being processed at the MSC Visas International Headquarters in India.
This can take anywhere from one day to several weeks, depending on the number of applications they have for processing. At this stage, your documents will be gone through by lawyers and/or consultants to verify their validity and authenticity.
During this process, your documents may need to be scanned or photocopied which requires someone with access to computer software and scanners/copiers. This could be a lawyer, consultant, friend or family member who has these resources.
MSC VISA HUB is now open!
We have opened our doors to help applicants apply for the MSC Visa as a third-party service.
While there is no set dress code at this visa processing center, you do not want to look too casual or in-and-out of the facility. You don’t want to come across as someone who doesn’t have commitments outside the house so they can hang out here and there.
Business formal is your best bet if you would like to make an appearance at the MSC Visas. For men, that means white shirt with black pants and dress shoes (no sneakers). For women, similar looks but with lighter shades of clothing are better.
Something simple and elegant is perfect. We recommend buying online and shipping and handling being covered by insurance because it may take some time to get these items.
Make sure to check for any size limitations before picking up the item. Some brands limit how many times you can wash their clothes due to performance reasons.
As mentioned earlier, you will be required to present your passport along with two copies of your visa application when visiting an embassy or consulate for processing. You can bring these documents directly from home or have someone drop off the items for you.
It is very important that you do not wait until the day of your trip to order your passports as some countries require up to seven days before they are able to process them. If this happens, you would need to start the visa process all over again!
We recommend ordering early so that you do not waste any time in doing so. Many sites offer fast shipping so it’s easy to stay prepared.
