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 Nandini
Nair clarifies that Conch Republic is not a real country, but
a part of the US
I have obtained a Conch Republic passport and
I wish to go there. However, I understand that there is no direct
route. I would like to get a transit visa or any other kind of permit
which allows me to enter the Conch Republic via the US.
—Rajeshwar Sharma
There is no transit visa through the US to the
Conch Republic. The latter is not a real country, it is part of
the United States, off the state of Florida. You have to follow
the same immigration rules that would apply to anyone trying to
come to the US, for example applying for a B1 or B2 visa.
Just few days back I got my Conch Republic
passport and I want to go there, only I don’t want to stay
in the US. Can I get a US transit visa to enter the Conch Republic?
If I can’t, why doesn’t the US government stop Sir Peter
Anderson from issuing Conch Republic passports? I had come to know
through the Discovery channel that the whole world has Conch passports.
If it is fake then why is the US government
doing nothing? I want to live in the Conch Republic. Is there any
connecting US flight for travelling to Conch Republic? Please give
me full information.
—Saurav Shukla
You cannot get a transit visa through the US to
the Conch Republic. I can’t comment why the US government is
not getting involved in the passport issue, probably because what
they are doing is not illegal. Maybe, it is not considered a major
concern because Conch Republic is not giving the full details of
entering its territory to those who buy the passport.
I am in the US on a B1 visa. I have found a
job here and the employer is ready to sponsor me. The company is
however new, and has just started operations.
I would like to know whether there would be
any problem if a new company sponsors me, or is there any other
way I can get an H1-B visa.
—Rohit Katiyal
I must point out that it is difficult though not
impossible to get an H1-B through a new company. The problem is
that the immigration services have to be convinced that this new
business has enough financial strength to support an H1-B applicant,
thus you need to make sure that sufficient financial documents are
in place to prove this to them.
I have a query regarding the I-94 card. I am
currently in the US. I got my business visa from India, which is
valid till December 24, 2003. My I-94 is however valid till January
9, 2004. My question is—which expiry date should I follow (December
24 or January 9)?
—Robert Collins
Your I-94 card date is the date that you should
follow that tells you how long you can stay in the US.
I am holding a valid H1-B visa, which will
expire by the end of November 2003. I have never travelled to the
US. What is the procedure to renew the H1-B visa? Do I need to apply
as a new candidate?
— R J Sreenath
As the expiry date of your H1-B is November 30,
2003, it is no longer valid. You cannot renew it since renewal is
only for people who are in the US on valid H1-B status. If a company
wants to sponsor you, they will have to file a fresh petition for
you.
Can a B1/B2 visa be converted into an H1-B
while someone is in the US? If yes, how do we go about it and if
no, what is the alternative? My company had applied for my H1-B
after 45 days of entry into the US. I have read in some of your
articles that it is better to apply after 60 days. Will there by
any problem?
—Smita Tonkk
Yes a B1/B2 can be converted to an H1-B, but it
should be filed after 60 days of entry into the US. The reason is
that if it is filed earlier, the immigration service believes that
you had a dual intent of entering the US and find a job, which violates
the B1/B2 visa. This would mean that you were not coming into the
US for legitimate B1/B2 activities but was using that just to enter
the US and look for a job. The longer period you wait for filing
your H1-B application after your entry into the US, the easier the
immigration service will be on the application. Most attorneys would
say that 60 days is the safe waiting time to file an application.
Therefore since the application was filed 45 days after entry, there
is a chance for denial. They could approve the application but deny
the change of status and tell you to go back to your home country,
get a visa and then re-enter to be in valid H1-B status.
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