First up, a huge thank you to everyone who expressed sympathy with my travel difficulties during Eastercon. I did have to go through the story rather a lot of times, but I was happy to do so because everyone I spoke to was clearly interested and friendly.
The thing I was telling people at the con, because I found out about it a day or two before the con started, is that I now know why none of the lawyers have got back to me yet. The H1B temporary work visa has a season. There are a limited number of them available, and in the past they have run out very quickly (under Dubya sometimes in a matter of days). So the period around the opening of a year’s allocation is the busiest time of the year for immigration lawyers. The opening date is April 1st. I’ll expect to hear back from people in a couple of weeks time. When visas are concerned, patience is a virtue.
I am currently back in Darkest Somerset and have all of my computers working (though I am now afraid to move the netbook, which kind of defeats the object of having an ultra-portable PC). Email has been attended to. The next job is to catch up on blogging. I also need to start packing up my stuff so that it can be transported to the cottage.
Enjoy the thrill of moving!! /sarcasm (but no /support, that never closes!)
Hi Cheryl,
I was at the Hugo netcast at NWcon. I waved hi, but you didn’t see me. I really enjoyed hearing the nominees as they were announced. It went smoothly from our end. Thanks for doing it!
Amy T.
cottage = yay. Folks being supportive = yay.
Actually, the H1Bs have been positively, if that makes sense, effected by the current economic situation, so when I looked for some for a business opportunity last year there were still 30,000 left in September. During the boom it was so bad that they were effectively offering them as a lottery.
They’re quite pricey though but at least they’re transferable between employers when you have one and give a reasonably straight if long path to a Green Card.
Good luck!
Of Course I Looked it up ..as who would not who was not much given toward Trust And the Thought that the US of A wouldn’t Realize your Manifest Virtues.
It’s even more Complicated than I had Thought, and I can appreciate that, from the US of A s Bureaucratic Perspective your/their need for you to Invest Large Sums of Money Over there in Business Development … or, alternatively, that there is a Need that you should Invest Your Fame in rather Specialized professional activities that aren’t necessarily within your own declared Professional Portfolio of Skills. This requirement is Greater than I had supposed, for as I see it … MONEY , uck ! .. how Plebeian!
Anyway I found this …
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1271.html
Hum … ‘ P-3 Artists or Entertainers who perform under a program that is culturally unique ‘
But your skills with the Nose Flute are Renowned !
Surely you can’t have forgotten to mention them?
All the very best with the cottage. I hope you find it comfortable.
Good luck!
Good luck with the H1B Visa possibility.
Looks like there’s a bit of confusion here. I will not be applying for an H1B. To start with there’s no way I’d get one without a very supportive potential employer. And secondly under the terms of an H1B you are forbidden from doing paid work for anyone in the US except the company that sponsored your visa, which would mean I’d have to drop several existing clients.
I mentioned the H1B only to explain why I’m not getting any response from lawyers right now.