Hello community,
I was a short-term for an IT company, let's call it Micrsoft Research. After a stay as a short-term scholar for 5 months, I wanted to apply for a J1 visa (now: research scholar category) for a duration of 2 years since I got a job offer by the company for this duration. The job offer as a "long-term supplementary" included 401K and health coverage.
Unfortunately, the officer was annoyed by the duration of 2 years and immediately suggested an H1B application. I got the 221(g) 'missing documents' form, written on it was 'H1B application'.
After a kind email of me stressing the J1 category and a letter of my project's manager repeating the 2 years research goal, I received the final denial according to 214(b) a week later.
As this decision was rather suprising to the company, my attorney and me I consider re-applying in the following weeks. The only change possible is switching teams and go for a shortened duration of 6 or 9 months. A longer stay at the company isn't possible anyways, as I am trying to get into a PhD program in the EU/UK/US. TL;DR: J1 sounds perfect for me, but didn't work out. Should I re-apply?
My questions: What could have been the killer last time (no PhD on my side?; too good of a job offer?; idiosyncratic officer?)
Is a shortened duration enough to consider re-applying?
In short:
Me: 1x B.Sc., 2x M.Sc., no PhD
Done: Short-term scholar (J1) (March-August 2018)
Applied for: Reserach Scholar (J1), duration of 2 years; Applied: October, Received 221(g) 'Missing documents' sheet; final denial: 214(b).
Re-apply: Reserach Scholar (J1), duration of 6 or 9 months
I was a short-term for an IT company, let's call it Micrsoft Research. After a stay as a short-term scholar for 5 months, I wanted to apply for a J1 visa (now: research scholar category) for a duration of 2 years since I got a job offer by the company for this duration. The job offer as a "long-term supplementary" included 401K and health coverage.
Unfortunately, the officer was annoyed by the duration of 2 years and immediately suggested an H1B application. I got the 221(g) 'missing documents' form, written on it was 'H1B application'.
After a kind email of me stressing the J1 category and a letter of my project's manager repeating the 2 years research goal, I received the final denial according to 214(b) a week later.
As this decision was rather suprising to the company, my attorney and me I consider re-applying in the following weeks. The only change possible is switching teams and go for a shortened duration of 6 or 9 months. A longer stay at the company isn't possible anyways, as I am trying to get into a PhD program in the EU/UK/US. TL;DR: J1 sounds perfect for me, but didn't work out. Should I re-apply?
My questions: What could have been the killer last time (no PhD on my side?; too good of a job offer?; idiosyncratic officer?)
Is a shortened duration enough to consider re-applying?
In short:
Me: 1x B.Sc., 2x M.Sc., no PhD
Done: Short-term scholar (J1) (March-August 2018)
Applied for: Reserach Scholar (J1), duration of 2 years; Applied: October, Received 221(g) 'Missing documents' sheet; final denial: 214(b).
Re-apply: Reserach Scholar (J1), duration of 6 or 9 months