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I'm looking for some advice. I'm a 32 year old bartender in London who wants to move to New York to live and work.
Now I know that it's apparently not legally possible to work in the states without the appropriate visa, which one would have to obtain via being sponsored by a company.
My question is, is it possible for me to go to NYC on a tourist visa, look for work as a bartender and then have them sponsor me?
I know bartending is not in the specialist occupation category, but my experience is vast and I always have huge interest from prospective employers here in the UK.
Has anyone reading this done this sort of thing before? Would the owners of some bars be willing to sponsor me considering my experience is so good? What are my options?
Why not just apply for citizenship in the US? Have somebody sponser you and then just go all the way. I see tons of Brits over here living decent from time to time ( IDK why they are here ). Many unable to adjust to lack of normality in my opinion. Also IDK about Bartending. Many bartenders I see are flop-outs from college, physiologist majors with masters, musicians not playing anything at all and illustrators. Then of course their is the guy who took up auto-repair and saved enough to open his own place. That is my opinion. Why not apply for a work visa and get it renewed. I know doctors that have visas and get them renewed periodically.
My question is, is it possible for me to go to NYC on a tourist visa, look for work as a bartender and then have them sponsor me?
I've seen different answers to that quesiton. Some claim you can, some claim you cannot. Erring on the side of caution, I would say "no" while on a tourist (B2) visa. However, it seems perfectly legit if you do so on a Business (B-1) Visa. There is also the B1/B2 visa which permits both business and tourist activities. Not sure which is easier to get, so you might look into the different options.
If you are able to get any job offers, you must first return to your home country and apply for a work visa from there. You will run into problems if you apply for the work visa while in the U.S. on the temporary visa.
Your best bet is to contact your local American Embassy/Consulate for guidance. Then, verify everything they tell you with written online government sources (people don't always give out accurate info). Its easy to get tripped up in the technicalities.
Remember that advise from random strangers on the internet (myself included) is worth every dollar (or pound) you pay for it.
edited to add:
Also note that bartending in the U.S. is not the same as in the UK. Here, pretty much anyone can tend bar, regardless of skill. However, the training you likely have will put you at a different level than some "guy off the street." You should be able to be considered by some of the better establishements (stick to the mega-cities like NY, LA, Chicago, etc.).
Because (s)he has a better chance of walking on the moon than gaining U.S. citizenship. Maybe after (s)he's been here a while the odds will improve, but one step at a time here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wells5
No.
You can travel to the USA on the tourist waiver, but you can't work legally. It's much easier to get into Canada.
Look into the USA "diversity lottery" if you're not Caucasian.
They weren't asking if they could work on a tourist waiver, that's why they were asking about employment sponsorship.
You haven't said whether you're male or female. The reality is, you'll have a much easier time finding a bartending gig if you're a decent-looking female than any kind of male, though having an accent Americans consider "charming" may improve your odds a bit even as a male. The good news is any British accent no matter how gratingly working-class it might sound to posh English ears is considered "charming" here.
How easy or difficult it is to get a work visa once here is beyond me. Might as well come on over and check it out for yourself.
IMO, the chances of getting a sponsorship from a bar is slim to none, they cost a great deal of money & there is no way, they can say, no American wants or can fill that job. Bartenders is a sought after job, due to the tips. If you want to try it out & be an illegal alien, then go for it, but if you get deported, you may not be able to return for a long time. Or find someone to marry.
IMO, the chances of getting a sponsorship from a bar is slim to none, they cost a great deal of money & there is no way, they can say, no American wants or can fill that job. Bartenders is a sought after job, due to the tips. If you want to try it out & be an illegal alien, then go for it, but if you get deported, you may not be able to return for a long time. Or find someone to marry.
^^^This. You need a sponsor and a bar would have to prove that they couldn't find an American to do the job. They'd have an impossible time trying to prove that.
And you can't "apply for citizenship" either. You are required to be a legal permanent resident for five years before you can try to get citizenship.
There's probably no way you can come here, unfortunately. Yes, doctors can get in and other highly specialized professions. Our immigration system isn't very welcoming and yet they let illegals in all the time. In all fairness, the UK won't let anyone in either. Not anymore.
I know you are looking at NYC, but there is a restaurant in Rochester, called The Old Toad, in a popular neighborhood. It has a British theme. I understand that they regularly bring people over for a 6 month gig. Bartenders, servers, etc.
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