Monthly Archives: February 2008 - Page 3

Teach English and Learn Spanish: An Interesting and Profitable Combination

Posted by on February 27, 2008 Comments Off

When a reader recently wrote in to ask, “I am interested in teaching English (as a foreign language) in a Spanish-speaking country (mainly because I desire to reach some fluency in the language). I was, needless to say, intrigued since I myself teach in the Spanish-speaking country of Colombia. The correspondence finished up with, “Is there any country that you would recommend as being the best place to learn Spanish?” That was it, I was hooked. Here’s some of what my response contained plus some added tidbits.

As for locations where the L1 (first language) is Spanish: The two best for newly-minted EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers are Mexico and Ecuador, in my opinion. Briefly, here’s why: Read more »

Costa Rica Travel Requirements

Posted by on February 27, 2008 Comments Off

Every year, more than one million visitors travel to Costa Rica. To determine the requirements of international travelers, you have to contact the Costa Rican consulate or embassy well in advance of the travel dates.

Travelers from the U.S, Canada, and UK who have a valid passport are allowed to stay without a visa for 90 days. The passport must be valid for six months, beyond the period of intended stay. The passports of UK nationals should be endorsed with British Citizen, British Overseas Territories Citizen or British National (Overseas). Read more »

How an Immigrant Spouse Can Become a US Citizen

Posted by on February 27, 2008 Comments Off

Immigrating into the United States is not as easy as it used to be. Just 10 or 20 years ago, it was simple to cross the border and gain citizenship into the United States by filling out the proper forms. Immigration laws have really gotten a lot more strict, however, and in order to become a citizen of the United States and is often necessary to hire an American immigration attorney to guide you. This will not only help you to be able to gain entry into the United States without too much difficulty, it will also help you to be able to avoid any pitfalls that might slow down the process along the way. Read more »

The Types Of USA Visas To Reunite Families

Posted by on February 27, 2008 Comments Off

Under the current immigration laws that regulate the flow of immigrants into the US, there are two categories of USA visas that are issued: the non-preference visa and the preference visa.

Those who are wanting to emigrate from their homelands and those who will benefit from either of these two types of USA visas will subsequently qualify to live and/or work in the United States.

The applications for them are subject to a strict annual quota of 675,000 only. There is a preference system in place for the issuing of these visas and there are four categories of preferences for family-sponsored immigration and five types of preferences for employment-sponsored immigration. Read more »

How to Immigrate Your Spouse to the United States

Posted by on February 27, 2008 Comments Off

An Immigrant also known as a “lawful permanent resident” is a person whom was born in a country other than the one that they are trying to immigrate to who has been given the right to live and work permanently in that country. There are many hoops to jump through if you are a American citizen and you would like your spouse to become a lawful permanent resident.

It can be a very trying time being away from your spouse while they are trying to immigrate to the United States. If you have the money it is always nice to hire a knowledgeable immigration lawyer who knows the process well. The services of a person like this can be invaluable to you. The process of immigrating can be very complicated and time consuming if you do not know what you are doing or have some one on the payroll who knows what they are doing. If you are planning on completing the process of immigrating your spouse on your own here is a brief overview of the requirements and the process for spousal immigration. Read more »

The V Visa To Spouses And Minor Children

Posted by on February 27, 2008 Comments Off

V visa is a temporary visa available to spouses and minor children (unmarried and under 21years of age) of U.S. lawful permanent residents or green card holders. The V visa has been especially formulated by the Legal Immigration Family Equity Act of 2000 (LIFE Act) to allow permanent residents of the U.S. to stay with their spouses and children while the immigration process proceeds.

Who all are eligible for the V visa? To qualify for the V visa an individual: Read more »

O-1 – Non-Immigrant Visa Option for Professionals With a Valid US Job Offer

Posted by on February 27, 2008 Comments Off

The O-1 visa is available to physicians, scientists, engineers, and indeed to persons in any occupation who have risen to the top of their field. Such status must be evidenced by sustained recognition and satisfaction of at least three of eight evidentiary criteria;

1. Original contributions of major significance;
2. Material published about the alien;
3. Nationally recognized prizes, awards, distinctions;
4. Evidence of service in a leading or critical role for distinguished organizations;
5. Evidence of having served as a judge of the work of others;
6. High salary in comparison to others;
7. Authored scholarly articles, abstracts of presentations;
8. Membership in societies that demand outstanding achievement. Read more »

Visa Options for Physicians

Posted by on February 27, 2008 Comments Off

Physicians are subject to a number of unique provisions relating to their eligibility for visa issuance. Also because of the nature of U.S. licensing for medical doctors, physicians often obtain either J-1 visas or H-1B visas for substantial periods of time before they can actually practice medicine in the U.S. This in itself may impose special burdens on the physicians’ desire to be in the U.S. beyond training the physicians’ needs. In a Memo made available 12/20/06 the USCIS reversed prior position that H-4 counts toward the H-1 six year limit. It no longer does!

Fortunately, there are a number of strategies that may be implemented to deal with the problem by either putting a “freeze” on the accumulation of additional H-1B status while obtaining an alternative basis of employment, or by providing the legal foundation to extend H-1s for seven years and beyond. Read more »

L1 Visa Renewal Challenges

Posted by on February 27, 2008 Comments Off

The L1 visa is one of the most popular vehicles by which the owners of foreign businesses can obtain permanent status in the United States by expanding operations to the United States. The process is carried out in three steps:

First, the initial L1 visa is issued for a period of one year to set up operations of the new U.S. branch;

Second, the L1 visa must be renewed based (in part) on the first-year record of the U.S. branch; Read more »

The Cost of Living in Japan

Posted by on February 27, 2008 Comments Off

Japan, and especially it’s capital city of Tokyo, have been notoriously famous throughout the years as being among the world’s most expensive places to live. Those who have experienced a ten dollar cup of coffee in the Ginza, or noticed the stylishly packaged melons for sale at airport tourist shops for 10,000 yen will attest to this fact. Yet the truth of the matter is you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy a comfortable and enjoyable life style in Japan. One of the major considerations in regard to avoiding the potentially high cost of living is deciding where to reside. As rent will consume as much as thirty percent of your income, choosing a suitable area to live becomes a number one priority when trying to hold on to your yen. Read more »

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