Staying in the USA just got a lot easier for Australians since the US Congress created the new E3 work visa May 10, 2005. The new visa, for Australians only, works much like the H1-B visa work visa but can be renewed indefinitely unlike the H1-B. By granting over 10,000 E3 visas the US government has effectively increased the opportunities for our friends from down under to stay and work in the US. The H1-B visa has a cap of 65,000, cannot be renewed indefinitely, and applicants compete with citizens from around the world.

The new work visa has special significance for gay and lesbian Australians in binational relationships wishing to say in the US. Australia is among 16 nations around the world that allow their citizens the right to sponsor their partner for immigration purposes. US immigration law and the Defense of Marriage Act cureently make it impossible for queer US citizens to sponsor their gay partners for immigration purposes. However, the Permanant Partners Immigration Act is being re-introduced in the US congress to change US law to support binational immigration.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald