Many Australian nationals seek to live and work in the United States while on E-3 visas. That said, some may wonder whether it is possible to possess two E-3 visas. Please continue reading and reach out to the Lightman Law Firm to learn more about whether you can have two concurrent E-3 visas and how our legal team can help if you’re looking to do so. Here are some of the questions you may have:
Am I allowed to have two concurrent E-3 Visas?
Though you are only allowed to have one status at a time, meaning you are not allowed to be here on two different types of visas, you are allowed to possess two E-3s at once. For example, you can be here on either two part-time E-3 visas or one full-time E-3 visa and one part-time E-3 visa. That said, if you’re looking to live and work in the U.S. with two E-3 visas, your best chance of getting both approved is if you’re going to work for two substantially similar jobs that both clear the minimum prevailing wage application.
Why do I need to have similar jobs?
Though it is not absolutely necessary, you’re more likely to get both E-3 visas approved if the jobs are similar in nature. This is because the individual reviewing your application is more likely to believe that you can, for example, work essentially the same job but for two different employers, rather than two totally different jobs that require entirely unique skill sets.
In most cases, people will select their full-time job as their primary E-3 visa and their smaller, part-time job as their secondary E-3 visa. This is because their secondary job is, in some ways, less likely to be scrutinized than if it was their stand-alone E-3 application.
Should I apply for both E-3 visas at the same time?
If possible, yes, you should apply for both visas at the same time. Doing so will simply make for a cleaner process with fewer dates to keep track of in terms of work authorizations and other things of that nature. However, if, for example, you were living and working in the U.S. on an E-3 visa and then you were offered a part-time job at a later date, you can absolutely request a secondary E-3 visa separately. That said, we strongly recommend applying for both visas at the same time, as this can potentially save you a great deal of headaches in the future.
If you would like to learn more, simply watch the video below, wherein Attorney Matthew Curtis of the Lightman Law Firm speaks about concurrent E-3 visas and the process of obtaining them.
