Part II

Two years of MS was so good with various experiences all the way both good and bad and finally, what to do after MS, go for a PhD wow, thats one of the good decisions I have taken, thought would be happy without any immigration issues but all is not well, transferring to another university from the previous one required a lot of work since I need to make sure I will be on status during the summer I graduate, with good timing I was able to keep in my F1 status, started in UIC (university of Illinois, Chicago). Three years passed by happily, got married, had a kid, was good at managing home, shool, research and part time work at Motorola which was funding me, until the day came when my F1 visa expired, so now if I go to india, I need to go through all those things, I experienced the first time to get my F1, to hell with it. I just stayed here until I finished PhD (note, you are in-status, if you dont go out of the country).

This is even more frustrating, I just cannot go anywhere, cant visit my parents, my home town nothing could be done. I need to apply for OPT (Optional Practically Training) to be on status and get work authorization during the last semester, from the day I applied for OPT, to this day, I have been looking at the USCIS (Immigration services) web-site every day to track something or the other. Now the PhD is coming to an end and I need a job. The bad-economy had its hand on me. None of them were willing file for my H1b (work visa) which I badly need if I need to visit india. I have no way of getting my F1 renewed since I graduated. With this in mind, my husband through a desi consulting company, applied for a visa, which got approved quickly. I did not have any problems getting the H1b as most people say except that I spent $$$$$$$.....too expensive. If it was me I would never had done. Better sit at home on a dependent visa. When the consultant wanted to start marketing, the first thing he said was, "REMOVE THE EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FROM YOUR RESUME, its occupying so much space, you dont need to stress it, a line would do". I moment I heard this, I broke into tears. My education is what I consider my plus point, I have toiled all these years and I hear the words that there is no place for your education in you resume?

It was my luck before I had to work with such people, I got a full-time position at another company through one of my professor's contacts At the time I interviewed for this full-time job (the whole process took about three months with 2 phone interviews and an on-site one), I did not apply for an H1b and was willing to continue on OPT without sponsorship and told the same in HR interview. I was willing to take the risk of being on OPT even after the visa expired. They offered me a job, since it was through some contacts of my professor, I never knew that this position does not offer H1B. I told my manager before I started working about my H1b and they said, they can do it sometime next year.

The most desired job and I have happily accepted the offer and started working from june 1st with OPT. But after a couple of weeks, the H1b approved earlier proved to be my enemy. The point that both of me and my manager missed is that my H1b included a "Change of Status". My H1B would kick off automatically on October 1st and I will have to work with that Desi Consulting Company. My current company was kind enough to accept to apply for another H1B before october 1st when I explained them the point of "Change of Status" which was different from my first HR conversation. However, it was my bad luck, one or the other either from my company's side or from my attorney's side are on vacation and my application did not go out to USCIS until september 13th. Mean while, the desi consulting company kept on calling me since october 1st, the magic date is nearing. At last I told them, I will not be working with them. They were so upset ( Why should they ever be, its me who spent $$$$$$ for my visa and I am pretty sure, they did not even spend half of that amount for the visa????, god knows). They said they will send a revocation letter. This terrified me though many said that revocation would not have any effect since my H1 is already fired. But the people who have been this situation would know, whats this torture is like. Though we applied through premium processing, I had 2 weeks of wait time and finally, I got the new H1B approved on september 29th (yet to get my documents). I should say my F1 to H1b transition was smooth unlike some others, but the days of waiting were the most frustrating. In a way, my consulting company was good enough to give me my 797 immediately after they received it. My company is kind enough to file my H1B on time. Here now I am waiting for my documents, and longing to make a trip to india after 3.5 long years...