Tips on Obtaining a Work Visa
Whether you are relocating because of a job, or will be looking for a job once you move overseas, you will have to apply for, and receive, a work visa. In short, a work visa allows you to legally gain employment in another country aside from the one that you are an official citizen of. If you are transferring within the same company, they should be able to help you in getting a work visa. If you plan on working at an entirely new place, you will have to get one on your own.
You will need to do a fair amount of research before getting a visa. This is because every country has different rules and regulations regarding what needs to be defined in the visa itself. You can find this information from the consulate or embassy in the country that you plan on moving to, either contacting them by phone, or going to their website. This is important because there could be a number of restrictions that are placed upon your visa in order for it to be legal. As an example of one restriction, some countries do not allow both spouses in a marriage to work. Also a lot of countries are hesitant to grant a visa to a foreigner if it is a job that can be performed by a resident. Last, if you are working a job that requires you to be licensed like a doctor or lawyer, your license may not be valid in the country you are moving to.
Obtaining and Following Your Visa
There is a lengthy process that is involved in order to get a visa. You will need a passport from your home country to start with. The passport itself could take a month or two to get, so you will need to plan your timeframe accordingly. Also, there will be paperwork that you will need to fill out, which differs depending on the country you are going to. There are also fees that will have to be paid to file the documents, and to obtain the visa itself. You may also have to get a criminal background check, as well as a medical exam, so the country you are moving to knows you are not a felon, a wanted fugitive, or carrying a debilitating disease that could spread into their country.
Once you obtain your visa, you will need to follow the restrictions that are placed on you carefully. Failure to abide by the restrictions could lead to deportation. Most visas have a timeframe that they are active for. During this time, you will either need to take steps to become a legal citizen of your new country, or work to apply for a new visa that will cover the longer period of time that you plan on working. It may sound like a lot of work, but if you plan on acquiring any type of job in the country that you are relocating to, you will have to get a work visa so it is legal.
