CFI in America

[Pace152]

Hi everybody,

Can anybody please tell me if it's possible to get your FAA CFI in America and then work here as an Instructor?

I'm a UK citizen and I'm currently in Florida doing my FAA IR and CPL and I was thinking of adding my FAA CFI to this and then instructing in America under a visa. Unfortunatly I can't seem to find out which visa you could do this under (if any) and even it it would be possible at all.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[T1000]

Hello pace.

I recently got my FAA CPL/IR, and had a look if I could work out in the states as a CFI too as a limey citizen. I asked about working on a J1 visa that a friend of mine did in South Carolina, but the school e-mailed:

"CAN HAVE NO HIGHER THAN A PPL AND NO MORE THAN 49.9 HOURS LOGGED SINCE RECEIVING HIS PPL. HE COULD ONLY BE SPONSORED FOR AN M-1 BUT WOULD HAVE TO RETURN TO THE UK AFTER TRAINING AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO WORK IN THE US
WHICH WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE IN HIS BEST INTEREST."

So, unless your present school sponsors for the J1 or you've got a green card I think you're out of luck.

"Have you seen this boy?"

[Pace152]

Thanks for your reply Mon Ami, I kinda think you're right. Ive been checking around and they do make it difficult. Did you look into a H1B visa though? Its a temporary work visa that I reckon may'be could be used in this situation.

[PicMas]

Gents,

Its all a matter of how the rules are interpreted. If you hold an FAA PPL with more than 50hrs logged, you will not be eligible for a J-1 visa. Unless you find the "right" flight school.

If you hold a JAR ATPL with 50,000hrs P1 on A380, you can still get a J-1 as long as the US authorities don't know about your foreign license.

Right or wrong?!? Thats how it works, have seen it working on several occasions (not with 50,000 A380 hrs though)