Can I Look For Work While I Am On A Tourist Visa?
CAN I LOOK FOR WORK WHILE I AM ON A TOURIST VISA?
When you apply for a tourist visa, you are expected to enter the U.S. for tourism only. If you enter the country to look for a job, tourism is clearly not your primary purpose for coming to the U.S. If, however, you enter the U.S. as a tourist and then receive an unexpected job offer, you may be able to explain to an immigration officer that your intent in coming to the U.S. was tourism, but now that you have been offered a job you would like to change your visa status to allow you to work. If this is the case, it may also be helpful to ask your employer for a statement explaining that you did not petition him or her for the job.
If you find a job while you are on a tourist visa, it is possible that you may be able to change your visa status after your initial entry as a tourist. You will have to leave the U.S. to do this. The immigration officer, however, has a right to question you about the reason you came initially on a tourist visa. If he or she feels that you did in fact enter the country with the intention of being a tourist he or she will likely approve your new visa. If however, the officer feels that you did not obtain your tourist visa in good faith and that you came with the intention of finding a job, they may deny your visa.
If you are from a country involved in the Visa Waiver Program you are only allowed to stay in the U.S. for 90 days. Time spent in Canada or Mexico counts towards this 90 day limit. Therefore, you will not be able to enter either one of these countries to change your visa status or to return to the U.S. for another 90 days. You will be required to leave the continent and re-enter the U.S. with a new visa. To find out whether your home country is involved in the Visa Waiver Program, visit http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html.
If you wish to travel and work in the U.S. either of the following two options will help you avoid the potential problems outlined above:
1. Enter the U.S. on a tourist visa for the purpose of travel and tourism. If you should happen to find a job while you are in the country, leave and make the necessary visa arrangements and then return to the country on a work visa; or
2. Enter on a work visa and then travel when your employer grants you vacation time.
If you are interested in traveling or working (or both) in the U.S. you may want to consult a qualified immigration lawyer to discuss your visa options. A lawyer can guide you through the visa application process quickly and easily. Contact United States Immigration Support website at www.USAimmigrationSupport.com.
