<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<visa alternatives in the USA>
<green card lottery>
<1% chance>
<nothing can be done to increase likeliness />
</1% chance>
</green card lottery>
<H1-B visa (5-7yrs)>
<the most classical work visa procedure />
<25% lottery once / year in April>
<some people have failed 4 years in a row!... />
<need to wait up to 6 months before actually being able to work />
<not well thought of by employers />
</25% lottery once / year in April>
<system abused of by Indian body shops>
<increasingly difficult to get a work visa />
</system abused of by Indian body shops>
</H1-B visa (5-7yrs)>
<L1 visa (3yrs)>
<you have to work for at least 1 year for a subsidiary in Europe />
<employer can help you move from Europe to the USA, but eventually they won't be able to sponsor your application>
<after max 7 years, will have to leave />
<no career progression (because stuck in the same company) />
<e.g. Google - companies are not sponsors any more />
</employer can help you move from Europe to the USA, but eventually they won't be able to sponsor your application>
<dependent on employer>
<if made redundant -&gt; back to square one />
</dependent on employer>
<employer can't support you for applying for a green card />
<workaround: if you move with your own company (but you have to be employed abroad at least for 1 year). />
</L1 visa (3yrs)>
<0-1visa (1.5 yr + 2-3yrs)>
<evidence of local (national) achievements
+ non-immigration intent
less paperwork
= only temp residence visa valid 5 yrs />
<need extra 2-3 years to obtain green card />
</0-1visa (1.5 yr + 2-3yrs)>
<EB-1A visa (1.5yr)>
<evidence of international achievements
e.g. 4+ international publications…
+ dual intent (immigration + work)
-&gt; EB1-A less likely for people who have only started their career />
</EB-1A visa (1.5yr)>
<Preliminary questions>
<Are you planning a life time immigration? />
<Are you happy with 5-7 yr international work experience?>
<L1 visa />
</Are you happy with 5-7 yr international work experience?>
<Do you want US citizenship?>
<pay taxes wherever you work around the world />
<OR prefer a green card (which you may give up after 6 months) if you don't want to be taxed twice>
<e.g. Tinkoff gave up his American passport />
</OR prefer a green card (which you may give up after 6 months) if you don't want to be taxed twice>
</Do you want US citizenship?>
</Preliminary questions>
<little effort - only luck />
<How to choose a visa?>
<What is the level of manageability? />
</How to choose a visa?>
<mostly depends on your efforts - manageability />
</visa alternatives in the USA>