Bharaths Blog

6 things every US Visa Holder should know and do

2012-01-19T19:07:00.000-05:00

This is a land of opportunities.Let not the immigration speed bumps slow you down.From my experience here are the six things you should understand and follow for a smooth ride.

1)File Your Green Card on Day One.Once i was happy with the pay and stay , I got my green card filed as soon as i switched to my second employer after six months in the country.

Click here to read my article on this topic

2)Never sign any employer agreements for Visas and Green Cards.

Click here to read my article on this topic

3)File your green card under EB2 and not EB3

Click here to read my article on this topic.

4)Basics of green card porting process.

Click here to read my article on this topic

5)Use your EAD ASAP.

Click here to read my article on this topic

6)The Vendor Concept For IT Consultants

Click here to read my article on this topic.

Stay up to date with the happenings in immigration world and make the right moves at the right time what ever it takes - switching your employer or paying out of your pocket. All the very best.

Pursuing a PhD in USA

2011-12-13T14:56:00.000-05:00

Thanks to my Cousin Ramakrishna Tippireddy for sharing these details and his experience. He did his graduation and masters from

India

and is currently pursuing his PhD from the University of Southern California.

The Important First Step

Before you get started with the application process, it is important for you to be clear on why you want to do your PhD. Once you are clear start researching about your areas of interest and search for the Professors and research groups working in those fields. Contact the Professors with your CV and express your interest in their work. If they like your CV they may show special interest during the application process which makes a big difference to your application.

PhD Application process:

The PhD application process is similar to that of Masters (MS). At a high level these are the key areas which will be covered in detail in the sections below.

1) Decide on the area of research

2) Choose a University

3) Get in touch with the Academic Advisor and apply.

Application requirements:

1) Undergraduate/Masters GPA

You can apply for PhD with a Bachelors Degree. Having a Masters degree is not a requirement .While doing PhD, you can also get a masters degree simultaneously. In either case, GPA is an important criterion. The GPA from the last two years of college is the key.

2) Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores

GRE is also very important and different universities give different weightage for GRE.GRE is mandatory.

3) TOEFL

TOEFL exam is required for international students whose native language is not English

4) Recommendation letters (3-5 depending on the university)

Recommendation letters play a crucial role in PhD admission process. The reputation of the faculty recommending in the area of research is key for your chances to get admission and funding.

5) Personal statement

Personal statement describes you research interests and also demonstrates your writing skills. A well written personal statement is required.

6) Publications

If you have any journal publications and/or have attended any conferences it will have good weight.

The PhD process

Once, you get the admission for PhD, the PhD process can be generalized as follows.

1) Course Requirement

Depending on your research requirement, you will have to the course work. You will have to do 8-10 courses, if you have a master’s degree and 15-18 courses if you start after bachelors. Some of these courses will be counted for your Masters degree.

2) Screening/Qualifying exam

With in first 2-3 semesters, you have to pass a screening exam to continue in the PhD programs. This exam varies from university to university; it is either written, oral or combination of both. It is to test if you can continue in the PhD program.

3) Thesis Proposal (candidature)

In your PhD programs, you need to submit a new thesis which is novel and original research work. This is another exam in which you need to propose the problem you will be working on for your thesis. For this you need to form an advising committee

That consists of 5-6 faculty members. You have to convince the committee that your proposed thesis can be completed within the stipulated time of PhD program and is of quality research. Once you pass this exam, you will be PhD candidate.

4) Thesis Defense

After the proposal, the PhD candidate should continue his work towards finishing the goals set up during the proposal. When the work is finished he has written the thesis and defend in front of the defense committee consisting of a group of faculty members specialized in his field. After successful defense, he has to submit the thesis to the University to get his degree.

In the process of research work you will get to attend many conferences to present your work and publish your work in reputed journals. It is important to get your work published in reputed journals.

Pros and Cons of PhD

Pros:

1) If you like research, it is very exciting to invent/discover/find something new

2) You will have in depth knowledge about your research area,

3) Can try for academic positions (very stable, more freedom on your work)

Cons

1) Area of expertise is narrowed as you get specialized

2) Long time commitment (4-6 yrs)

3) Be prepared for frustrating times

My Experience

I did my bachelors and masters from India and came to US for my PhD. I didn't have any intentions of doing PhD during my bachelors. Only reason for doing masters was to get a good job. During my masters, I liked my research work that I did as a part of my ME thesis. My Professor encouraged me to go for higher studies. These two things motivated me to go for a PhD.

Before coming for PhD I worked for a couple of years in India. It is good experience to work in industry to understand the practical problems. I

In the application process, I searched for faculty working in my area of research and

Also got advise from my ME thesis advisor. I contacted many professors, and then applied to selected universities.

I am currently, in 5th year of PhD. During the PhD, I got to attend many conferences,

Meet experts in my field and also got an opportunity to work in a research lab. PhD duration is lot of fun if we make use of the time properly. Some times it can be frustrating when you can't produce convincing new results. These are all parts of PhD process.

I suggest you go for your PhD only if you are passionate for research. PhD for the sake of a degree is not worth doing. With this I would like to express my best wishes for every PhD aspirant.

Check the following link for further details:

http://www.grad.jhu.edu/admissions/apply/

Ramakrishna Tippireddy

The Vendor Concept For IT Consultants

2011-12-08T13:37:00.001-05:00

Understanding the layers of the vendor onion is a must for every IT consultant .Though you have the required skills and work permits you can not just work as a consultant directly for a company in the

. Corporations in the

hire consultants only through a preferred vendor. Preferred Vendor is nothing but a business term for a body shopping company. And this preferred vendor will in turn have his preferred vendors who employ you. This can be compared to the Computer Networks OSI Model where the layers below provide services to the layer above. The only difference in our case is that we are the only layer that provides services to all the layers above.

Even when you get paid on a 80-20 percentage basis, depending on where you stand in the food chain you end up getting paid half or less than what the client pays the preferred vendor. So working directly for the preferred vendor or the client should be our goal as a consultant. Not all preferred vendors process our visas and green cards. And that is just one good reason why we should get your green card processed ASAP through the employer we work for. Having a green card or at least an EAD will help us switch to different vendors and work directly with the client or preferred vendor.

While we get busy doing our best at our new clients place we should also keep up with the happenings in the technical as well as immigration spaces. And when you are ready do not hesitate to run your own company to skip one or all the layers in between. In the consulting business even a dollar an hour makes a big difference and running pay checks and handling taxes is no big deal.

Read the following articles for further details:

1)Employer agreements for Visas and Green Cards

2)Use your EAD ASAP

3)File Your Green Card on Day One

4)Start your company today

5)Tips to start your company

5 Ways to Eradicate World Hunger In Our Day

2011-12-03T12:53:00.001-05:00

One US Dollar serves 8 meals

One Mouse click serves 1.1 cups of rice

When we see a skinny child deprived of food in a remote African/Indian village on TV we feel sympathetic and intend to help them. Let us take it to the next step of compassion by acting and making it a part of our life and we will eradicate hunger from this planet. One percent of the time and money we spend on celebrating a happy moment in our life, One percent of the time and money we spend on researching and buying electronics, One percent of the time and money we spend on our vacation is all that is needed.

Read more on hunger around the world by going to bread.org and http://www.wfp.org/. Here is how we can end hunger by making the steps below a part of our day - please remember and act.

1) What we and our family should do

Assess how much food is wasted in our household and find a way to reduce it. At every meal time remember those without enough to eat.Serve more meatless dinners a week using non animal sources of protein that require fewer of world’s resources to produce. For me the easiest way to give up eating any unhealthy food or eating just to satisfy the palate is to think about those I can serve.

Give one percent of our paycheck to the local schools or other places which serve food. Read my article on Providing Snacks to students during the study hours.

2) Serve at the Community Food Banks

Volunteer a local food bank or other program that server people who are hungry. Visit secondharvest.org to find local food banks or inquire locally.

3) Donate leftovers

Spur donations of good leftover food. Encourage restaurants, hotels, caters at work and even universities to donate usable food. In the US Bill Emerson Good Samaritan food donations act of 1996 protects donors from liability .Check secondharvest.org for more details. Many countries and cities have toll free numbers we can call for our leftovers to be picked up. If not there is our opportunity to start one.

4) Work through Religious groups

Hunger doesn’t have a religion. I go to a temple which cooks and serves food to the community every Sunday. I help cutting the vegetables and cleaning the utensils. I am sure there will be similar events at your church, mosque or respective religious places. Suggest to your religious community to study hunger and your faith traditions response.

5) Use Technology To Serve

A)Click every day

Its free and it takes only a few seconds and we can do it every day .We click and the website advertisers contribute.

Click by going to thehungersite.com to help feed a child.The hungersite.com provides 1.1 cups of rice per click
The literacysite.com provides books to children for every click.
Serve rice while we play the Vocabulary game

Bookmark these URLs and click them every day.

B) Support by placing links to these programs on our blogs and websites

Example:

Copy Paste the HTML from the link below on your blog or website to help Children with Autism.

Help Children With Autism.

What we do will have a positive ripple effect. For example by serving snacks during the evening study hours before the final exams the results were astonishing. Better education will result in better if not job opportunities which in turn will build a better family and society.

Please act and share these with your family and friends.When we act as an individual we do something.When we act together we do everything to end hunger and poverty.

From Glasgow to Iona via Oban:Lost in his creation

2011-11-29T11:13:00.001-05:00

The journey Glasgow to Oban is a four hour mixed genre movie titled 'Scenic Beauty' watched from the window of the scottish rail. Off the train in to the Craignure ferry - water surrounded by islands or islands surrounded by water - its not time to decide but to just get lost in nature! The bus waits for the ferry to drive us on a single lane road with C-Sections:) for the oncoming vehicles to wait.As the top of the hills kiss the clouds tears of joy flow as tiny water falls.

Though we see Iona from the other side its no time to swim but to wait for an other ten minute ferry to the Island The courteous hotel cab driver(owner of a restaurant) was waiting to pick us up to the Ardoran House! The Sacred Land with a population of one hundred and thirty five is full of spirit and isolated beauty. Scotland-The Land of scenic brilliance!

నాలుగు గంటలు స్కాటిష్ రైల్ కిటికీలోంచి చూసే సినిమాలో ఆ దేవుని స్రుష్టి లోని అందాని జుర్రేసుకుంటూ ఒబాన్ చేరుకున్నం.

వో గంట ఫెర్రీ - నీళ్ళతో చుట్టబడిన నేలా, నేలతో బందించబడిన నీరా అని నిర్దారించుకొనే సమయం కాదు అది.జస్ట్ అలా చూస్తూ వుండి పోవడమే...

ప్రియుడి కోసం ప్రేయసి ఎదురు చూస్తున్నట్టు ఫెర్రి కోసం బస్సు ఎదురు చూస్తోంది.సింగిల్ లైన్ రోడ్డు మా వింజమూరు రూటు గుర్తు చేస్తుంటే అక్కడక్కడా సి సెక్షన్లలో ఎదురువచ్చే బండులు ఆగాయి.కొండంచున మబ్బుల తియ్యటి మొదటి ముద్దుకి పులకరిస్తూ ఆనంద బాష్పాలు చిన్న్ని చిన్ని జల పాతాలై పారాయి.

పది నిమిషాల మరో ఫెర్రి దిగగానే మాకోసమే ఎదురుచూస్తున్న క్యాబ్ డ్రైవరు అయోనా లో మరో రెస్టారెంటుకు ఏకైక వోనరు.నూటముప్పై అయిదు జనబాతో పురాతన కట్టడాలతో నెండిపొయిన అయోనా ద్వీపంలో రూము కిటికీలోంచి అలలు అలా చూస్తూ...

Finally not disappointing the last mode of transportation we flew from Glasgow for one last stop in London.

రైలు ,బస్సు,ఫెర్రి తో పాటు ఫ్లైటును నిరాశ పరచకుండా లాస్ట్ స్టాప్ లండంకు తిరుగు టప్పా కట్టేసాం.

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7 steps to go Onsite/Abroad on your job

2011-11-20T10:04:00.001-05:00

1) The 'WHY' is important?

Either quick money or exploring the planet, there is a reason why you want to travel abroad and it is important to develop clarity on this WHY. Knowing WHY will help you set your goals and also choose your path to go abroad. Here is my article on choosing your path.

2) Know the two types of companies

Companies like Tata Consultancy Services will assure onsite opportunities with in a certain time period. Ask them clearly during the interview about their onsite rotation schedule and how long it will take for you to get there.

The second kind of companies have good enough workforce employed abroad and their offshore base is mainly to get the work done for cheaper. These companies send you abroad on short trips which can range from a couple of weeks to six months.

If your goal is to go abroad on lengthy trips then you should choose the former.

3) Make your Onsite goal time constricted

Talk to you manager and understand how things work at your organization. Set up your goals and deadlines by which your company should start processing your visa. Read my article on life space analysis and goal setting.

4) Learn and Share Something New Everyday

Work on your technical and interpersonal skills that will help you once you are onsite and also your career long term. Even when you are onsite make this a habit. While it is easy to get lost in your daily work schedule, it is important to stay up to date with the happenings outside. Sharing what you have learnt will not only give you instant feedback but also helps improve your presentation skills.

This will help you create opportunities for yourself in the worse of market situations.

5) Follow up with your Manager

Talk to your manager on a regular basis. Choose a good time to talk .Start of the week and early mornings are good.Know the current context of his life and work to determine a good time. Give him a hint thorough your email subject on what you want to talk about (going onsite etc).Forget about the bossy image and talk to him like you talk to any other human :)

6) Embrace the change and it will never embrace you

The respect at work, the praise from your manager, the technologies you work on only matter as long as you have inner peace and they help meet your short and long term goals. If they can not keep their word you should move on. To a different team or to a different company which can meet your goals as you meet theirs. The relationship between you and your company is not beyond a fifteen day or a months notice. Remember they will do the same when they can’t keep you anymore for business reasons.

Never get frustrated and learn from your experience to improvise at your new work place.

7) Leave on a good note

This is a small world and your manager today can be your CEO tomorrow or your lead today might work for your startup later. Yes there are politics, yes they play games but no you should never play the blame game and always leave them on a good note. If not, just leave.

To end it on a philosophical note - Live this moment happily, keep doing all that you can with determination, help others and you will discover the real magic. Things will happen!

3)Interview Tips:Things to remember

4)Almost There: HR Round Questions and Answers

5)Interview Tips: Stay Focused While You Wait

Use your EAD ASAP

2011-11-17T16:57:00.001-05:00

When your priority date becomes current and when you file your I-485, you can and should file for your Employment Authorization Document (EAD).With an EAD you can switch to a different employer from who filed your GC after 180 days from when your I -485 was filed. Your GC process will continue and you will get your green card depending on the processing times. In the mean time the EAD allows you to work for any employer by filing an AC21 every time you switch jobs. It’s merely letting USCIS know that you are switching to a new employer and your job duties at the new employer are the same as your current or those mentioned in your green card labor application.

Advantages of using your EAD:

More employment opportunities
You can also apply for an EAD for your dependents who are then authorized to work
Better Positions - I have seen companies offering senior positions for those on EAD.
No H1B visa stamping hassle

Once you use your EAD you no longer hold your visa status. You should apply for an Advance Parole (AP) document to travel out and come back to the

. You should renew your EAD once every two years and Travel Document every year. You or your employer/attorney can renew them online by paying the appropriate fee and send in the supporting documents. You will receive the EAD and AP documents by mail.

Dump all the assumptions and the fears that come with them , talk to your lawyer if you are in doubt and use your EAD As Soon As Possible.

Here is a good article on How to utilize AC21.

Read the following articles for further details:

1)Employer agreements for Visas and Green Cards

2)File Your Green Card on Day One

3)Start your company today

4)Tips to start your company

Insurances for your company

2011-11-10T14:46:00.000-05:00

As soon as you hire your first employee you must buy the workers compensation insurance that covers them if they are accidentally injured at work. Once you partner with another company or vendor you should buy the liability insurance which will cover your corporation from third party losses.

If it’s mandated by the state, employers must provide workers’ compensation (WC) coverage for all of their employees, including seasonal and part-time workers. States like Pennsylvania audit companies for Workers Comp coverage on a regular basis. Never delay buying one to avoid penalties. The one exception from buying WC insurance is working for your own company. You can request the state for exemption by filing a UC-8 exempt form. Workers Comp insurance premiums are calculated on the basis of the employee’s salary. They have a fixed rate per every hundred dollars you pay in wages.

Liability insurance offers protection against third party insurance claims, i.e., if one of your vendors or clients suffer losses because of your employees. Most of the vendors require the certification of this coverage to start doing business with you.Your liability insurance premiums vary depending on the industry you are in.

I use Hartford, one of the leading insurance providers. Check their website for details and quotes http://www.thehartford.com/business/ .Also get quotes from other insurance providers like state farm to compare and decide. To start with one employee the total insurance premiums for these two insurances will be less than eight hundred dollars per year. And remember that these premiums are tax deductible and to renew them each year.

Port Of Entry:Talking to the Immigration Officer Etc

2011-11-01T18:26:00.000-04:00

Spend the last one hour of your long and tiring flight journey to freshen up, double check the I-94, Customs Declaration forms you have filled.Along with the passport keep all the documents that you took to the visa interview handy.

There will be two lines at the port of entry. One for the US Citizens, Green card holders, and another for the Visa Holders. The Immigration officer looks at your passport, visa, and I-94 form,questions about the purpose of your visit, takes digital picture and digital finger prints, stamps your passport and provide a departure date on I-94.

In some cases you will be sent for a second interview. And if that happens do not panic.You are not alone and there are many visa holders who go through this process each day. Look at it as a double check on their part. As soon as you get in, the immigration officer will take your documents and will ask you to wait as they pull up your immigration information. No matter how long the wait is , stay focused and relaxed. And when it’s your turn, wish the officer with a smile.Answer to their questions slowly and confidently. Do not over talk, just answer to the point. All they want to know is how long you are going to stay in the US and why. No matter how many times and how many ways they ask you the same question reply patiently and provide the required documents/proof.

Despite your long stay in the US, anticipate and be prepared for this every time you fly out of the country and come back to the Port Of Entry on a Visa.

One Village One India : Updates and Future Events

2011-10-24T17:36:00.002-04:00

I am glad to inform you that we have received the Pan Card required to setup a bank account for our non profit charity organization One Village One India. The next task we will be taking up is to extend our snacks during study hour program to four other schools in Vinjamur mandal. This will happen pre-exam season in March 2012.

Schools that are covered currently:

Z.P. HIGH SCHOOL,Vinjamur

Total of one hundred and fifty students.

Schools that will be benefited in 2012 :

Z.P. HIGH SCHOOL (GIRLS),Vinjamur
Gundemadakala ZP High School
Katepalli ZP High School
Utukuru ZP High School

Total of one hundred and fifty students.

One time sponsorship for this event is five thousand rupees or hundred dollars per school. The permanent sponsorship for this costs one lakh rupees or two thousand dollars for these four schools. You can read more on the permanent solution by going to the following post .

Providing snacks to students during the study hours.

Your contributions will help provide quality nutrition which in turn will improve the quality of education for hundreds of poor children.If you are interested in donating for this cause, please send me an email to - thippireddy.bharath@gmail.com

I will summarize the contributions made as blog posts to allow transparency.

Employer agreements for Visas and Green Cards

2011-10-19T17:11:00.000-04:00

As we hop from one employer to another or from one consulting position to another we come across corporations whose values range from professional to unethical. The ethical ones do your H1b Visas/Transfers and green cards with out making you sign any agreements. While the second kind look at it as an opportunity to make you their slave.

Any agreement or offer letter you sign with your employer or vendor should not obligate you to work for them beyond a two week notice or a months notice in some cases. Read every line and in between them and make sure you understand every point. Talk to a lawyer if you are not sure and if your employer does not give you enough clarification. Try to add a clause which explicitly states your two week notice.

Bare the application fees if you have to and do not sign any agreements that bond your to slavery.If you have already signed such agreement talk to a lawyer and see what it takes to break the bond. In most cases these agreements do not stand in court and your employer does not want the hassle of getting black listed either. What looks like a great opportunity to sign any kind of agreement today might soon be obsolete as the markets improve and you find better opportunities. Never sign an offer letter or contractual agreement that obligates your duration of employment in exchange for your green card or visa fee/sponsorship.

No conditions apply.

Read the following articles for further details:

1)Use your EAD ASAP

2)File Your Green Card on Day One

3)Start your company today

4)Tips to start your company

Florida Part 2:Miami The Paradise

2011-10-03T16:01:00.000-04:00

At the end of a beautiful key west day!

If there is place in the US that we would like to go back to, thats Miami/Key West. Not just because I love water/sea but it’s just a spiritual Nostalgia!

Blue are the skies ,Blue are the clear water beaches surrounding us for the four hour drive to Key West; It’s a drive in and to the paradise.

As we touch the southern most tip of US , Cuba was just ninety miles away.The street that never sleeps where anytime is party time!

Though the south beach reminds me of the Maipadu beach back home, it gets deeper as soon as we step in.

Weather reminds me of Bangalore as it rains every evening, but it only helped us drench further!. Dive in to the sea, off in to the swimming pool and then in to the hot water Jacuzzi right next to the pool.

Lying back on the south beach chair listening to the waves that never stop talking we discover answers to every question that life has in mind.

ఇక్కడ మేము ఎన్ని సార్లు అయినా ఎప్పుడైనా వెల్లిపోవడానికి రెడీ గా వుండే ప్రదేశం ఏదయినా వుంటే అది మయామీయే.

దారి పొడవున్న రోడ్డుక్కి అన్ని వైపులా క్లియర్ వాటర్ బీచ్లు చేరబొయే అందమయిన కీ వెస్టుని ప్రతి క్షనం గుర్తు చేస్తు వుంటే నాలుగు గంటల డ్రైవ్ అలా స్వర్గ లోకపు అంచుల దాకా సాగి పోతూనేవుంటే బావున్ను అనిపిస్తోంది.

మరో తొంబై మైల్లు అట్లాంటిక్ లో ఈదేస్తే కుబన్ సిగార్లు చవకగా వూదేయొచ్చంట.అదే అమెరికా కి సదరన్ మోస్టు పాయింటు.నిదురే ఎరుగని దువాల్ స్ట్రీట్ లో పార్టీలకు వేల పాల వుండదు.

మయమీ సౌత్ బీచ్ ఇసుకలో గొడుగు కింద కుర్చీ వేసుకొని పనుకొని అలుపెరుగని అట్లాంటిక్ అలలతో మాటలు వింటూ ఈ బిజీ లోకన్ని మరచి పొతే అందవా అన్ని ప్రస్నలకు సమాదానాలు?

సాయంకాలం అయ్యే సరికి వర్షం బెంగులూరు వాతావరనాన్ని గుర్తు చేస్తుంటే ముద్ద ముద్ద గా తడచి , మా సింహపురి మయిపాడు బీచ్ లో లా కాకుండా అడుగు పెట్టగనే పీకల లోతుకు మునిగిపోయి ,అటు నుంచి అటే హోటల్ వెనక పూల్ లో దుంకి,పక్కనే ఎదురు చూస్తున్న వేడి వేడి జకుజీ లో సేద తీర్చుకొని కాని రూంకి చేరలేదు.

Duval Street - Any time is party time!

Clear are the waters,Clear are the skies

Palm Trees Florida (TM)

Parasailing-Just the beginnings of the adventure!

South Beach Miami From our balcony

Naren-One of those best friends from college

Talking to the tides

Ferry around miami downtown

Expensive celebrity homes

Brad Pitt owns that one..

Lets start with some coastal american lunch

Followed by some Middle Eastern Fish Kabobs for two straight days

Served with pita bread and hummus

Nights make it look even more beautiful

Beyond the five elements and senses

2011-10-03T09:56:00.000-04:00

Within and beyond the reach of my five senses that keep my mind wandering,within and beyond the five elements that make up my body you exist.The so called tough times of my life were only when i took things in to my hands forgetting you.But you were always there for me blessing in disguise.I now love the tough times as they only move me closer to you.No matter how much my mind and body roam around ,only when i close my eyes to see the lotus feet of you do i fell an unlimited happiness!

UK Visitor Visa for non US Citizens in USA

2011-09-23T18:33:00.001-04:00

U.S. citizens do not need a UK visa for tourist or business travel to this country for a stay up to 6 months. A valid U.S. Passport is required.

In addition to the 125 dollar visa fee we payed a 150 dollar expedite fee to the consulate and 175 dollar ABriggs fee per applicant. But its worth every penny when its a travel for your cousins wedding! Thanks to ABriggs expedite visa services, we have got our six month multiple entry UK visit visas in two days. And that is definitely the way to go when time matters. If you are in a hurry and want to use ABriggs here is the one stop Abrigss Link.Their customer service is always available on chat from their website or on phone to answer all your queries or track your passports.

For normal processing which on an average takes a month, you can fill in the form by going to the following link.VISA4UK Link.This is lengthy and tiring and you can always save the application on any page to continue later.Visa4uk will send you an email with the confirmation number and instructions to log back in. If you are applying as a family, you can fill in separate applications and then mail them together.

Print and mail the application along with all the supporting documents listed on Abriggs page to the embassy.You have to mail the documents to the appropriate UK Consulate depending on where you live in the US. Go to this link to find yours.

In addition to the documents listed on the ABriggs page, send them as many supporting documents as you can. Following are the additional documents we have sent.

IRS Returns

Home Lease/Mortgage Document

Copy of the first page of the sponsor’s passport

Wedding Invite

Wedding Certificate

Cents and Dimes:What to do with the change?

2011-09-18T14:44:00.002-04:00

Unlike the previous generation we neither know the value of a dime nor do we have the patience to count and use the cents .Never underestimate the value of the change you piled up over the years on the dashboard of your car,in a Coffe cup on your desk or at home.I have just printed my seventy five dollar starbucks gift card from the CoinStar machine for my change.So save the change in a easy to reach and safe location.

As you drop the coins in the tray,the Coinstar machine will sort the change , the amount on screen rolls up as if you won a jackpot on a slot machine in vegas.They charge a 9.8 percent service fee if you want cash for your coins.It can print several other gift cards like Amazon,ToysRUs,Itunes and not just Starbucks for free.It even filters and returns any non US currency which in my case were rupees and euros:)

You can find a Coinstar machine close to you by going to the following link.Coin Star Locator.

And the change goes to , CoinStar!

Invoices for Your Corporation

2011-09-09T16:12:00.000-04:00

Creating an invoice can’t get any better than using freshbooks.com. Subscribe, Login, Add people/clients, Generate. It’s that easy to create invoices online. Register by going to the following link- Freshbooks subscription link and create a unique url for your company and a login.

Create a client and an invoice for the client by entering the hours and the hourly rate leaving the calculations to freshbooks. As this stage the invoice will show up as outstanding. You can print it, save it as a pdf , email it to your client or snail mail it by buying stamps from freshbooks. Tracing back to your invoice change the amount paid as and when the client pays you. The invoice will change to paid status once the payment is complete. Invoices are just one of the many services freshbooks offers.

Their services are free with a limit of three clients .You can upgrade to go beyond that as your business grows. They also have a reports tab where you can check the payment history etc. Your existing billing or other software's can programmatically integrate with freshbooks using the API they expose. This is just an introductory article and there are lots of informative articles on the freshbooks blog.

Contacting USCIS :To Expedite or Get Information

2011-09-02T16:21:00.000-04:00

You can talk to a USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) representative using the below details .They will open a service request to either get you more information or to expedite your application process. Have the receipt of your pending case, pen and paper handy before you make the call.

Call 1-800-375-5283; options 1,2,2,6,1

Enter your receipt number.
Press 1 (Listen to updated case information)
Press 3 (To continue to next step)
Press 4

You call will be transferred to the service center where your case is pending. Then it will be transferred to an Immigration Officer/Representative. He might ask you for the receipt number again and a few more details to create the service request. In case of an expedite request he will read out the expedite criteria and will ask you to choose one you fall in to. Write down the service request number that he reads out for any future correspondence.

Creating as service request does not mean they will expedite you application. USCIS will contact you within five days to a week either by mail or phone to let you know if they are considering your case for expediting or if they need more details.

Here is an excellent article which lists the 12 ways to check your USCIS case status

తీహార్ జైల్లో డాడీ

2011-08-29T17:53:00.000-04:00

బంగారు కమ్మెల జైలు కిటికీ లోంచి చొరబడి నా కళ్ళు తెరిపించే ప్రయత్నం చేస్తున్న సూర్య కిరనాలనుంచీ తప్పించుకొంటూ మెత్తటి పరుపు మీద ముసుగు మొహం పైకి లాక్కొని కూలరు గాలికి హాయిగా కునుకేస్తున్న నేను టక్ టక్ అన్న శబ్దానికి ఉల్లిక్కి పడి లేచాను.ఒక చేతిలో లాఠితో కానిస్టేబుల్ సౌమ్య "సార్ లెగండి ,లేట్ అయితే టిఫ్ఫిన్ వుండదు"

ఇక్కడకి ఏ తప్పు చేసి వచ్చానో,ఎలా వచ్చానో నాకు పూర్తిగా గుర్తు లేదు,వచ్చి ముప్పై సంవస్తరాల పైనే అయ్యింది.తెల్లటి టీ షర్టు,పొట్టి నిక్కరు వేసుకొని పరిగెడుతున్న ఆ పిల్లాడు ఎవరు ? అసలు ఇక్కడకి ఏ నేరం చేసి వచ్చాడు? అడుగుదామని ఎంత ప్రయంత్నిచినా ఆగడే.కానిస్టేబుల్ రామయ్యను అడిగితే ,"ఏమో మీకే తెలియాలి" అంటూ వెటకారంగా నవ్వుతున్నాడు.ఈ రోజు ఎలా అయినా వాడి వివరాలు కనుక్కోవాలి.

ఇన్ని సంవస్తరాలు అయినా, తను జైలుకి రాని భుధవారం లేదు.నాకు ఇష్టమయిన తిను బండారాలు,పచడ్లు,పుస్తకాలు వారానికి సరిపడా తెచ్చి వుంటుంది.దేశంలోనే ప్రసిద్ది గాంచిన జైలు కనుక, బద్రత ద్రుస్య తనని లోపలకి పంపేప్పుడు చెప్పులు కూడా వేసుకోనివ్వరు.వాల్లు ఇచ్చిన దుస్తులు వేసుకొని బాంబు స్కానర్ లోంచి లోపలకి వచ్చింది మంజుల.ఎదురుగ్గా కూర్చొని వున్నా మద్యలో ఈ గాజు గోడ ఏమిటో? ఇలా ఫోన్లలొ మాటాడుకోవటం ఏమిటో ? నా కర్మ కాకపొతే.

బోజనానికి నేను మటుకు లైన్ లో నిలుచోవలసిన అవసరం లేదంట.ముసలి వాడిననో? వొకప్పుడు బాగా బతికిన వాడిననో? సౌమ్య ప్లేటు తెచ్చింది.రోజంతా కూలి పని చెయ్యకుండా జైలరు లైబ్రరీ పని అప్పగించాడు.ఈ చిన్న టీవీ కూడా ఆయన ఇచ్చిందే.అప్పుడప్పుడూ బారీ బందో బస్తుతో బంగారు సంకెల్లు వేసి బయటకు తీసుకువెల్తారు.బస్సు ఎక్కుతుంటే లైన్ లో ముందర మల్లీ అదే పిల్లవాడు.ఈ సారి ఎలా అయినా పట్టుకోవాలని పరిగెత్తాను.ధన్ మని తల పై ఎవ్వరో గట్టిగా కొట్టారు.ఉలిక్కి పడి లేస్తే ఎదురుగ్గా తలుపు తెరుస్తూ నిషిత్.

యడం వైపు అబ్బాయి కొనిచ్చిన ల్యాప్టాప్.పక్కనే నెల క్రితం నేను అమెరికా ఫ్లైటులో చదువటానికి అని కొన్న సాక్షి పత్రికలో వో మూల

"సత్యం రామలింగ రాజుకి జైల్లో రాచబోగాలు"

ఆ కానిస్టేబుల్ సౌమ్య, సౌమ్య మా కోడలే,ఆ జైలరు మా అబ్బాయి ,ఆ పిల్లవాడు సందేహం లేదు మా మనవడే.కానిస్టేబుల్ రామయ్య మా వాడి ఫ్రెండు అషోక్ అయ్యి వుంటాడు.ఆ జైలు బోజనానికి లైన్లు వీసాకి వెల్లినప్పటివా? ఆ బాంబు స్కానర్లు ఎయిర్పోర్టు సెక్యురిటీ చెక్ ఏమో?...

ఇంతలో

"ఏమండీ అబ్బాయి వచ్చే టైం అయ్యింది ,మాల్ కి వెల్దాం రెడీ అవ్వండి అంటూ మంజుల"

మరి బంగారు సంకెల్లో?...

Interview Tips:Things to remember

2011-08-29T06:26:00.000-04:00

1)Titles

Dress Up Professionally

Not Casual ,Not Gaudy but Formal and Simple

Be Early

This will give you time to relax,revise and settle down.The last minute rush will only add tension and then the chain reaction of disaster.

2)Introduction

State your name with a firm handshake and a smile.Maitain eye contact when you do that and through out the interview.Wish them Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening .Though your technical rounds would have started in the morning ,your HR round might happen in the evening.So be attentive and wish appropriately.

Record and Remember Their Names

This will show them your attentiveness and memory skills , when they ask you who took your previous rounds or when the HR asks - Who took your technical round ?. Names are also necessary when you follow up later on for the result.Faces are easier to remember than names. So a quick and easy way to remember names is to associate their names with their faces and the combination with someone famous or someone you already know or something funny.The funnier the association the easier to remember.

3)The Intermission

Time in between different rounds of the interview process should be used to relax and concentrate.Here is my article on the topic - stay focussed while you wait.

4)The End - Thank and Note

The end in most cases is a beginning to follow up.So make sure you thank them for their time and get their contact details.Write down the HRs full name ,email address and phone number.Double check and confirm the details you have written down.While you get frustrated and give up as you wait for the result, it could just be a delay due to a required higher management approval.So having the contact details will keep you up to date and give you some peace of mind.

3)7 steps to go Onsite/Abroad on your job

4)Almost There: HR Round Questions and Answers

5)Interview Tips: Stay Focused While You Wait

Wishing for Annajis Health and Request to fellow Indians

2011-08-24T08:16:00.000-04:00

Thanks to courageous leaders like Anna Hazare Ji who has brought the nation together for the fight against corruption.Let us all continue supporting those inspiring leaders in every possible manner. But please do not stop there and let these energies go waste in arguing and writing about the corrupt system but act. Act by helping those who are in need for basic necessities like shelter, food and education in your respective villages and towns. Only when we all act together and do our part, will we build a better India. From a better student to a better person, better person to a better village, better village to a better country.Wishing and Praying for Annajis very good health.

Inspiring Teachers : Importance of quality education

2011-08-24T08:15:00.000-04:00

As we fight to curb corruption and fix the system it is also important that the future generations get quality education.One percent of your time and money can make a big difference.Education that will help them understand the current issues,education that will help them think and education that will make them act and resolve.

Together we can.

Hasinis Day Out

2011-08-23T17:23:00.000-04:00

Driving from Philly to Jersey ,catching the NJ Transit Train to Penn Station and roaming around the city that never sleeps is not new for us but it is for Hasini.So for a change we hopped on to the NY Sight Seeing buses which took us to the places like China Town which we have never been to.

On our way back, following the protocol we had Pau Baji,Masala Chai at Desi Galaxy and packed Biryani at Dakshin Express.The car won't start otherwise:).Oak Tree Road (Mini India) is just a half mile away from Metro Park Station.

ఫిల్లీ నుంచి కారు లో బయలుదేరి,మెట్రొపార్క్ స్టేషన్ లో నివ్ జెర్సీ ట్రాన్సిట్ రైలు పట్టుకొని పెన్ స్టేషన్ చేరి నివ్ యార్క్ చుట్టేయడం మాకు కొత్తేమీ కాకపోయినా హాసినీ కి ఇది మొదటి సారి.అందుకే ఎప్పట్లా సబ్వేలో కాకుండా హాసినీని మొదటి సారి బస్సు ఎక్కించి, నిదరంటే తెలియని ఈ నగరంలో ఇంతక ముందు వెల్లని ప్రదేశాలు, గైడు మాటలు అప్పుడప్పుడూ వింటూ చూసేసాం.

ప్రొటోకాల్ ఫాల్లో అవుతూ తిరుగు టప్పాలో, దేసీ గెలాక్సీ లో పావూ బాజి తిని,మసాలా చాయ్ తాగి,దక్షిన్ ఎక్స్ ప్రెస్ లో స్పెషల్ బిరియాని ప్యాక్ చేయించాక కాని కారు కదలదు.మెట్రొపార్క్ స్టేషన్ నుంచి ఓక్ ట్రీ రోడ్డు (మినీ ఇండియా) అర మైలే.

Here i come New York!

For a change its a bus this time

Tall

Dark and

Beautiful..

The trinity church

Work in progress - The new WTC

The Brooklyn Bridge

Bull is as busy as the gold markets

China Town Etc

Interview Tips: How to learn about the company

2011-08-15T13:21:00.000-04:00

As mentioned in my previous articles While In Campus, HR Round Questions and Answers ,researching about the company that you are being interviewed for will help you answer some of the tricky HR questions.What you talk about them will show your interest to join them and also your research and presentation capabilities.

Gather first hand information about the company from someone who is working for them.The questions you ask should be around - what they do,how big are they ,their recent achievements and the range of salaries they offer.

You can also gather this information from their website.The home page tells you what they do.The About Us section usually shows the technologies they use and how big they are.If the website does not have recent statistical data ,Google for the company name and you will find what you need and more.

Once you know the products they develop and some statistics from their website and recent press releases will help easily answer questions like the one below.

Why do you wish to join Infosys?

Infosys offerings span business and technology consulting, application services, systems integration, product engineering, custom software development to name a few. So I will get to work on a variety of products while leaning different technologies and growing continuously.

Related Articles

1)First Question on an Interview - Building Your About Me

2)7 steps to go Onsite/Abroad on your job

3)Interview Tips:Things to remember

4)Almost There: HR Round Questions and Answers

5)Interview Tips: Stay Focused While You Wait

How to deal with difficult people

2011-08-11T16:24:00.000-04:00

As humans we all have unique brains. We grow up loading these brains with beliefs and knowledge from what we perceive and experience. When we communicate with someone ,we use this knowledge to judge and see how well they fit in our life as a relative, friend, colleague etc.We cannot generalize as we alone have the capacity to change given the time and circumstances. But we need to understand the two types of people that we face in this journey and make our choices consciously to get closer to our goals.

The Good Guys

They are our mentors and supporters/friends. These are the people who will and have stayed with you throughout the roller coaster times of our lives. They know what we really are and will always coordinate and help. They care for us and will think about our future more than we do. Never ignore them but pay attention to their every word .When you have to do something against their advice, explain them patiently why you are doing it that way. Thank them at every opportunity.

The Bad Guys

We all know who they are. Identifying them in some cases is easy but in most cases they are as twisted as their tongues. As they try to manipulate and control our lives we might not know it unless we become their victim once. But if that repeats, then only you are to be blamed for. This type cannot keep their mind still even for a minute but when it comes to suggest others they try to be a Veda Vyasa or Jesus. All they need is one shake of the hand and they know how to pull you in to the deepest nonsense.

For example:

If you gave up drinking alcohol and you are following a healthy diet. a phony might say ,as long as you eat and drink moderately you can eat and drink anything .Or if you are spiritual enlightened and you go to the church every day, a phony might say, you need not go to a church or a temple at all as long as your realize the god inside you.

We will come across both these types of people in our lives. So stay away from those who try to Control and Manipulate and live with those that Coordinate and Help. A snake no matter how well you feed and pet will bite you some day or the other. Never compromise your values and beliefs just to be accepted by a bad bunch. Neither should we fight with them nor should we do something just to prove our point. If we do,we will lose the vision for our future and will waste time which your point proved cannot buy back. Stay focused on the goals you have set for yourself in the various spaces as explained in the previous article, and live with those who share your vision and you will even inspire the second type to change.

Jai Ho : South Asian Employee Connect

2011-08-10T18:11:00.000-04:00

Every year the South Asian Employee Connect program at work brings everyone together for a cultural feast. What made it special this year was Jai Ho! .While Sparsa and team of manager’s and leads mastered it for three weeks and performed to perfection have joined to copy and do the balancing act in Take 2 :)

The entire program was very well organized with Asian art work and Tasty Indian food.

ఏటా వో సారి ఆఫీసులో అందరినీ కలేస్తూ తిర్నాళ్ళ లా జరిగే సౌత్ ఏసియన్ కన్నెట్ ,ఈసారి జై హో నౄత్య ప్రధర్సన తో మరిన్ని ప్రసంసలు అందుకొంది.మూడు వారాల ప్రాక్టీసుతో స్పర్శ, మనేజర్లు , లీడ్లు మొదటి రౌండు అదరగొట్టారు.రెండో రౌండుకి నేను ఆగలేక దుంకి స్టెప్పులు కాపీ కొడుతూ చేసిన ఫేట్లు చూసి అనందించండి:)