Post doctoral fellowship query on H4 visa?

Dear Sir,

I am Kavitha. Done PhD and having 13 years of teaching experience in India. Recently moved to USA because of my husband’s job and he has H1B visa, so mine is H4. Kindly help me out by answering my couple of questions below:

  1. Do we have any consulting firms in USA which are helping to get teaching job? just like, how engineers get job through consulting firms, if any company is ready to offer job.

  2. Anybody obtained Postdoctoral fellowship, when they applied on H4 visa?

  3. if so, converting visa status from H4 to J1, is University is taking care?

  4. After completion of Post doctoral fellowship, I am eligible to work on J1 visa or visa status is going to change as H4.

  5. What other options are available to continue my career in USA? Kindly let me know.

Thanks in Advance!!!

Regards,
Dr.Kavitha

  1. Not that I am aware of…but, there maybe, try to search online.
  2. Visa status is different from your award, if you get it, you may be eligible to change visa status.
  3. In general, you will need to file for Change of status, university will provide you the documents for the application…
  4. Well, as long as you have your fellowship, you can do it on J1…once it ends, you may need to change your status back…again, check with your school.
  5. If your husband has green card process started and to certain level like approved I-140, you can get EAD to work. As you have done PhD, I highly recommend that you apply for jobs at Universities for Assistant professor or even at community colleges, they will sponsor your cap exempt H1B visa and you can start working. The beauty of this is that, they do not have any quota and you can start working anytime and no need to wait till April to File for H1B.

Dr Kavitha,
You can try to find a very good immigration lawyer who can file for your EB1 Green card petition, if your Doctorate and experience qualifies you for it. That solves many of you(and may be your husband’s) immigration limitations exists today. Just FYI

Thanks for the information ImmiGeek. Kindly can you recommend any good immigration lawyer surrounding of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania state, if you are aware off .

  1. Do we have any consulting firms in USA which are helping to get teaching job? just like, how engineers get job through consulting firms, if any company is ready to offer job.

You have to explore local universities, their present workforce needs and walk your resume into select departments. Academic candidates benefit from posting on Indeed website when they clearly indicate locations and subject areas of interest.

  1. Anybody obtained Postdoctoral fellowship, when they applied on H4 visa?

You can study but you can’t work on H-4. A fellowship is a paid position. As Kumar said, you qualify for cap exempt H1B and can start working at most universities once approved. However, J1 is an inferior option to do this due to set time limits on this type of visa.

  1. if so, converting visa status from H4 to J1, is University is taking care?

Your conversion should be from H4 to H1B and not J1. Yes, university will take care of this.

  1. After completion of Post doctoral fellowship, I am eligible to work on J1 visa or visa status is going to change as H4.

You are not eligible to seek employment on J1 but only move from one fellowship to the next. Not a good option.

  1. What other options are available to continue my career in USA? Kindly let me know.

Find a position, teaching or research. Apply, get selected. Request university to process H1B. As Immigeek stated, based on your performance, publications etc you will be eligible for EB1 green card category reserved for ‘outstanding researchers / professors’ in a few years.