Work visa with a record??? HELP

[steveinbsas]

Just kidding but I remember that a couple of months after G.W. Bush started his period, jumped out to the media that he was arrested drunk many times when young, nevertheless he got a second period! so take it easy!

Presidents have terms. Secretaries of State have periods.

 

[BAbound]

I appreciate all of the input guys, at least it gives me several different points of view. Just to clarify all of these things are over 5 years old, almost six. I have a little time before I will be applying for the visa (a few months) so I will get back state side and hurry to get the FBI report and see what it looks like. If my company has to find out, so be it. I've been with them for almost three years and have done great work, that's why they want me in Argentina.

Another question related to the visa, has anyone heard of the Representative of Foreign Company visa. I have an LLC back home and would consider sacrificing a few of my own dollars to obtain the visa on my own. Has anyone heard of it? Maybe this is easier to get approved than a temporary residence business visa?

 

[BAbound]

Are you already working with someone in your company to get the visa?

Do you know who will be presenting your file to migraciones?

Being up front about something like this might be far less damaging than keeping it a secret until someone you are working for is "surprised" by seeing it on your FBI report.

Just food for thought.

As of right now no one is working on the visa, my contract isn't finished being negotiated which is taking quite a long time.

Regarding the file to migraciones, I have nobody at this point.

And being upfront may be a good way to confront this, I will find out more once I receive the FBI report.

 

[MizzMarr]

By the way, you can't order your FBI report in the States and bring it with you. It has to be issued AFTER you've left the country, otherwise they can assume that you've just been on some crazy crime binge after getting your report. Reports also take 2-3 months (or more) to receive. Good to know when you're plotting your timeline, especially if you will need more than 1 report (one for you, one for them).

 

[steveinbsas]

By the way, you can't order your FBI report in the States and bring it with you. It has to be issued AFTER you've left the country, otherwise they can assume that you've just been on some crazy crime binge after getting your report. Reports also take 2-3 months (or more) to receive. Good to know when you're plotting your timeline, especially if you will need more than 1 report (one for you, one for them).

If someone applies for a visa at an Argentine consulate in the USA wouldn't they have to have the FBI report issued in the USA? Is the delay that great? Perhaps it takes longer when they reject the fingerprints...as some have reported here.

Perhaps it would be possible for BAbound to get a local police report (that only covers the past five years) and apply for the visa in the US. I think this is still possible in NYC. I got this type of five year report in Chicago in 2000 (for a multiple entry visa to Mexico) and I actually used a "report" issued by my home town police in Rock Island, Illinois for my Argentine visa rentista in 2006 (which I applied for here). The home town report (actually just a letter) may not be acceptable today, but someone posted not long ago that the NYC police report was accepted by the consulate when they applied for their visa in New York.

 

[mini]

Perhaps it would be possible for BAbound to get a local police report (that only covers the past five years) and apply for the visa in the US. I think this is still possible in NYC. I got this type of five year report in Chicago in 2000 (for a multiple entry visa to Mexico) and I actually used a "report" issued by my home town police in Rock Island, Illinois for my Argentine visa rentista in 2006 (which I applied for here). The home town report (actually just a letter) may not be acceptable today, but someone posted not long ago that the NYC police report was accepted by the consulate when they applied for their visa in New York.

That's an interesting point! It makes more sense for him to apply for the visa in the US before he gets here. And if he applies in the US it is possible to substitute the local/state police report for the FBI one? Good thinking, Steve.

 

[MizzMarr]

True, I hadn't considered that the application process could be started within the US. Good thinking indeed.

However, it is my understanding that migraciones no longer accepts State police reports (as of approx. beginning of this year), but ONLY accepts FBI reports. I could be wrong, but that's the last intel I received. There's probably info on the migraciones website about it. As to receiving the report, unfortunately it does take as long as 12 weeks to issue. As I understand it the delays are due to budget cuts and sheer backlog. My partner's took 15+ weeks to issue, but only took that long due to a credit card signature issue.

 

[steveinbsas]

True, I hadn't considered that the application process could be started within the US. Good thinking indeed.

When I applied for my visa in 2006 I was told that work visas could only be issued at Argentine consulates OUTSIDE Argentina and I think a BAexpat veteran posted that here as well. Apparently, this was meant to discourage foreigners from coming to Argentina in search of employment. At that time I heard of individuals going to Uruguay to "pick up" their work visas.

However, it is my understanding that migraciones no longer accepts State police reports (as of approx. beginning of this year), but ONLY accepts FBI reports. I could be wrong, but that's the last intel I received.

You could be right, as well. Both of my reports were issued by city police departments. The Chicago report (2000) was a standardized form letter and there was a window at the central police station exclusively for this purpose (the letter was ready in less than 20 minutes). I composed the letter for my home town police report and faxed it to them. It included all of my personal data and the "issuing" officer's signature was notarized. I then had it "Apostilled" at an Illinois Secretary of State office and sent to me in BA. Migraciones accepted it without comment, but that was in 2006.

 

[steveinbsas]

Things change here all the time and what was valid in 2006 most likely is not the way it is done in 2010. Why not ask a lawyer who has current knowledge of the situation rather than this guessing game.

Since the OP is in the USA and there probably aren't many Argentine immigration lawyers around, I suggest he ask at the nearest Argentine consulate. They should know what is acceptable, even if the documents need to be sent to BA for final approval. If they give the green light for a local police report that's probably the OP's best chance to get the visa and keep his prior record under the radar.

Even if a lawyer took his case (and his money) it will still be a "guessing game" until a visa is issued.