Okay, so I’ve been wanting to work in the US for like, forever. And being from the Philippines, it’s not exactly a walk in the park. I finally managed to do it, so I figured I’d share my whole messy, beautiful journey. Hopefully, this helps someone else out there!
Figuring Out the Visa Thing
First things first, I had to figure out what kind of visa I even needed. Turns out, there are a bunch of different types. I spent days, maybe even weeks, just reading through all the options. It was overwhelming, to be honest. I finally realized that the H-1B visa was probably my best bet, since it’s for “specialty occupations” – basically, jobs that require a specific degree.
Finding a Company (The Hard Part!)
This was the biggest hurdle. I needed a US company to sponsor me, meaning they had to be willing to go through all the paperwork and prove that they couldn’t find a qualified American to do the job. Yeah, no pressure, right?
So, I started applying like crazy. I updated my resume, making it super US-friendly (no photo, different formatting). I used every job site I could find. I even tried networking with people on professional social media platform, which felt weird at first, but it actually helped!
I got rejected. A lot. Like, a lot a lot. It was super discouraging. There were times I wanted to give up. But I kept pushing, kept applying, kept tweaking my resume and cover letter.
Finally, after what felt like a million applications, a company reached out! They were interested! I went through several rounds of interviews – phone calls, video calls, even some technical tests. It was intense!
The Company Said Yes! (Hallelujah!)
And then, the magic words: “We’d like to offer you the position, and we’re willing to sponsor your H-1B visa.” I think I actually cried. It was such a relief.
Paperwork, Paperwork, Paperwork
Then came the paperwork. Oh boy, the paperwork. The company’s lawyers handled a lot of it, thankfully, but I still had to gather a TON of documents: diplomas, transcripts, employment verification letters, passport copies… you name it. It felt like I was drowning in paper.
The company submitted the H-1B petition to the US government. This is where the lottery comes in. Because there are more applications than available visas, they literally do a random lottery. It’s nerve-wracking.
Waiting… and Waiting…
The waiting was the worst. I checked the status of my application online like, every five minutes. It was agonizing. I tried to distract myself, but it was always in the back of my mind.
The Good News (Finally!)
Then, one glorious morning, I got the email: My petition was selected in the lottery! I was approved! I couldn’t believe it. All that hard work, all that stress, it finally paid off.
Visa Interview at the Embassy
Next up was the visa interview at the US Embassy. I was super nervous. I practiced answering potential questions, made sure I had all my documents organized, and dressed professionally (well, as professionally as I could!).
The interview itself was actually pretty quick. The consular officer asked me a few questions about my job, my qualifications, and my plans in the US. I answered honestly and confidently (or at least, I tried to!).
Visa Approved!
And… they approved my visa! I got the stamp in my passport, and it felt surreal. I was actually going to work in the US!
It was a long tough experience from applying to different companies and gathering a lot of documents, and more so on waiting, but I did it!
The Move
After that, it was a whirlwind of packing, saying goodbye to family and friends, and figuring out all the logistics of moving to a new country. But that’s a whole other story!
it a long journey and the process is not easy and required a lot of patience, Just keep pushing!
