How long I can extend my visa?

I came here on J1 visa in June 2002 (J1 for 4 months to work and 1 for travel), then I changed my J1 visa on B2 (tourist visa) to end of May 2003. What I can do next? Can I try get extend this visa (B2)? Can I change for F1 or H-1B (if I will find college or sponsor worker)? I read somewhere that I can stay longer than 1 year here - but for what rules? just on one kind visa or all together J1+B2?

thanx.

I came here on J1 visa in June 2002 (J1 for 4 months to work and 1 for travel), then I changed my J1 visa on B2 (tourist visa) to end of May 2003. What I can do next? Can I try get extend this visa (B2)? Can I change for F1 or H-1B (if I will find college or sponsor worker)? I read somewhere that I can stay longer than 1 year here - but for what rules? just on one kind visa or all together J1+B2?

thanx.

of course there is mistake:

I read somewhere that I CAN'T!!! stay longer than 1 year here - but for what rules? just on one kind visa or all together J1+B2?

j1 visa usually has a annotation like "subject to home country requirement, section 212(e)" do yo have one? do you presently have a B2 (tourist visa) right now? your maximum stay is stamped on you i-94. you can apply for extension and the maximum you can get is 6 months. all in all you should not stay longer than 6 months from the expiration date on your i-94 or you will be banned from entering the US for 3 years. your best option is to find a sponsor for work asap before the 6 month is over else you have to exit and re-enter the US.

j1 visa usually has a annotation like "subject to home country requirement, section 212(e)" do yo have one?

"my has/had IS NOT SUBJECT TO SECTION (212)E. TWO YEAR RULE DOES NOT APLY - thats mean why I could got my B2"


do you presently have a B2 (tourist visa) right now? your maximum stay is stamped on you i-94. you can apply for extension and the maximum you can get is 6 months.

" right now I have B2 (I mean I-94 with class B2 to May 2003) - I've got this after my J1 for 6 months to May this year"


all in all you should not stay longer than 6 months from the expiration date on your i-94 or you will be banned from entering the US for 3 years.

"YES I know at this, but I read something like this:

http://discuss.ilw.com/eve/forums?a=...1&m=5196030902

and first two messaeges - check this out - and I don't understand whats that mean - maybe I can't stay here longer than 1 year on visa? I start from June 2002 and now I should leave USA in end of May 2003 - can I try get next extend (B2)? "

your best option is to find a sponsor for work asap before the 6 month is over else you have to exit and re-enter the US.


"I know but find sponsor here in this place where I'm is very difficult - even for me computer sepcialist"

thanx

when you arrived here in J1 did you ever left the US and enter back as B2? You have to disclose the latest date of entry. this will be the start of your one year. sometimes the INS officer at entry will only give you 3 months of stay. in this case you can only stay 9 months.

if you exit the US and applied for a B2 and re-entered using this B2, then the J1 stay is no longer counted as length of stay. lenth of stay always resets when you exit and re-entered, jus for the B2 visa.

it is tough times this year, if you are willing to transfer to a different state, your chances of landing a job are going to increase.

you have to apply for extension at least 2 months before expiration on the i-94, do it right on that date to anticipate any problem.

I wrote that I changed my visa J1 on B2 - without leav USA. Thats mean I'm here since June 2002 still without leave USA! Now it is since June 2002 ~7 months and to end May 2003 it will be 11 months without leave USA.

My question can I still extend my visa? I would like know if change status from J1 on B2 changing something like: it is different kind visa and I can't start with B2 like with new visa?

If I can't extend my visa B2 then can I try get F1 or maybe even H-1B? and still stay here without leave USA?

you have a tricky situation and the best person to answer this is an INS officer. go to www.ins.usdoj.gov and find the INS customer service 800 number. when a representative ask you, please tell them you need to talk to an INS officer. they will connect you if you insist about this.

i can tell you that filing for h1-b preserves your lawful stay, that means you are not out of status, but once you do this you have to finsih it all through out until you get a greencard. that means you cannot leave until you get a plastic greencard. if you chose to exit, youmay not be able to return back and be banned. if you cannot find an employer until may 2003, my best advise is to leave the US and re-enter at a later time. this means you have to spend money on the trip.

call ins and please update your post for everybody to take note of.