F-2
Spouse of F-1. Most probably an engineer. (Boy, it puzzles me. How come
F-1s manage to get engineers for spouses considering that dude
engineers in India are never equal to dudette engineers?). Can also be
BComs, BScs or high school pass or failed with big, fat dowry.
Yet to see a male variety of this species.
J-1
Works in a public sector or one of the CSIR labs. Manages a trip to
America on public money under the guise of a no-credit-hour-crash-course
in some damn topic in some univ. Hitch hikes every evening to local K-mart
or Walmart but rarely buys anything, because when he sees the price tag
he first converts the $s to rupees and multiplies it with 300% custom's
duty. Opens his mouth wide open and proceeds to the next article.
Whomever he meets, the first question is, is it better to buy a
VCR here or at Dubai or Singapore on the way back home? Insists on
taking pictures everywhere, in front of the coke machine, inside and
outside of McDonalds etc. He needs to show all these photographs followed
by a lecture on the coke machine, to all his neighbours and colleagues in
India.
H-1
Previously F-1. Wonders how F-1s can live 'n' number per apartment.
Owns a Toyota Corolla or Honda Accord (95% confidence Intervals). Fully
satisfied with his car. Starts discussion with new immigration laws,
labor, Monterry, multiple entry, cut off dates, etc.
H-1 Multiple Entry
Managed to get a leave of 24 days and goes home. His mom shows two
albums full of photos of prospective brides of H-1 multiple. Rejects
all. Interviews 28 girls in 22 days. Time is running out. Now or
Never. Last interviewee looks okay. Hitch. No big dowry.
(Conscience: Hurry up, if you don't use this opportunity you will not leave for the next three years). Okay. H-1 multiple becomes an idealist. No dowry. Just befor the muhurat, he thinks, "Album #2, Photo #13 looks better than this girl. Pch. Anyway, I am getting married. YaaaHooooooo...!!!!. Scene changes. H-1 multiple comes back to US. After two months: He looks at the telephone bill. International calls to India. Total $606.01. Closes all the windows and doors of the apartment. Cris aloud "Mujhe meri bibi chahiye, kaerrrrrr, baerrrrrr". (I want my beloved wife, I can't wait). Joins the "Mujhe Meri bibise milao andolan". Starts a letter writing campaign for the same cause. AT&T announces a new plan. "Reach out Bibi". You pay $3 when you are an F-1 and you will get a 2% discount when are a certified member of the above said andolan.
H-4
She has seen H-1 multiple a couple of years back for a day or two for
interview and then wedding. After 2 years finally comes to America. Sees a
couple of guys with bouquets in the airport.
She thinks, "the guy with bald head looks funny. Oh no, he is hugging
me. Oh, is he my hubby. What happened to his hair? His head looks and
glows like a sylvania-laxman bulb!!!". (Illayaraja's music for mixed
feelings in the background). Any way, she manages a smile and touches his
feet. Whatever maybe her background (B.Tech, BSc home science, MA
anthropology etc.), she gets applications for MS in Comp. Sci. from nearby
univs and the hubby encourages her to pursue education in the
above said field.
Green Card (Male)
A couple of kids. Resents people calling his kids ABCDs. Starts small
talk with "down payment for new house, school districts, taxes etc."
Thinks he understands baseball rules.
Green Card (Female)
Couple of kids. Resents being called "auntie" by the FOB (Fresh Off the
Boat) F-1 from nearby damn university. Starts discussion, "kids, cost
of diapers, Texas saree palace, Macy's, gold price difference in
USA/India".
P-1 (Pallu visa)
He just completed his MBBS. Desperately wanted to come US of A.
Marries an ABCD. Uski pallu pakadke aaya. (Held tight to her saree and
sailed to US of A). FiL (Father-in-Law) gives him an old station wagon.
MiL (Mother-in-Law) asks him to run errands. Go to indian grocery
store, get milk etc. Cries insult. Decide to study hard for ECFMG or
whatever and plans to suck money from sick and non-sick patients.
S-1 (Saala Visa)
Green Card (female) manages hubby to sponsor her good-for-nothing-naalayak
brother for greeen card. S-1 lands in ishtates. Finds work at the indian
grocery store or indian restaurant. Bugs his BiL (Brother-in-Law) to loan
him $10,000 to open a convenience store or an ice cream shop. BiL sheds
tears and the money. Two years later S-1 is still moving toor-dal bags
in the grocery store.
I-1 (Illegal and best)
Gets on a ship as a deckhand in Bombay. One and a half years later,
sneaks into US through Canada somehow. Mostly found in Northeast or
Southwest of US of A, in the gas stations with a big smile and shouting
"Haanji, aap kahan ke hain?" Establishes with the INS, that he is
working in the gas station of California farmland for the past 13 years
and gets a green card less $2,000 lawyer fees.
B-1 Bullshit Visa
He bullshits to TCS or whoever body-shopped him here that he'll render
his services faithfully to the company, but tells his jigri dosts to
find an opening in their companies. Piles on in their apartment and
refuses to even consider going back home. The only chap in the whole
gang who is not homesick!