Hmmm...Interesting post. Typically - I would say something that is illegal is illegal but in your case you were a minor so couldn’t really hold it against you. In my opinion - you have two options:

Option 1: Apply to a company on international grounds and ask them to sponsor you on H1-B Visa. (Very-Very Difficult)

Option 2: Apply to a MS program as an international student and get your visa status changed to Student Visa. Upon your graduation - you will have work permit to get a job in US and then your job will apply for H1-B Visa. (You should consult a lawyer)

In any case, you will be in limbo for a long time.

Third and most expensive and unlikely option is that you can invest one million dollars in a start-up that creates a minimum of 10 fulltime US Jobs and you automatically get US Citizenship :)

Of course - you have already identified 4th Option of finding a spouse here who is already a citizen of US :)

Anyway - Good Luck!

I've talked to many lawyers... there is no way to do it since the visa is also expired and I'm already in the states. So options 1+2 are out the door. So is #3... and as for #4, I don't believe I can since you need a SS, otherwise I would of done it.

Thanks for the suggestions tho

unreal, no matter what your stance is on how people should enter this country, i think we should all agree that if you've been here 10+ years, paid taxes, and have no criminal record, citizenship should be automatic. my father immigrated to the states with his parents when he was 4, they came and were granted legal residency but it took nearly 50 years for him to finally get citizenship and not for lack of trying. it was a proud day when we went down to LA and watched him go through the ceremony and swearing in to become a citizen but it just made me so upset that it took so long. what's crazier is that he was a police officer for nearly 10 years, was a small business owner (which made him a millionaire) and created 15 jobs in California, never went a year after 18 without paying taxes, and went through the citizenship process five times before they finally granted it (the previous four times he was just told "we'll call you when we're ready to make you a citizen"). for a country that was founded because of taxation without representation, it's pretty backwards the way we treat tax paying "visitors". i know none of this helps you but i was in need of a rant on the subject. :)

Definitely helps. Good morale booster

I know someone exactly in the same boat as you (i.e. not legal status and needs to get married if they want to stay and be hired legally). He does things through 1099s as well. There are seriously legal repercussions and as a result, he can't be legally employed. Been programming for a really long time and even has his CS degree. Unfortunately the best he can do is contract work.

Oh...and I forgot to mention one more option is to join US Army and earn your citizenship through honorable service :)

I would focus on iOS.

If you can get reasonably good at that (and you should be able to), people will pay you.

I really wish I could, the only problem is that I have to save for a mac (hackintosh maybe?), but since I have no way of getting a legit job, its gonna be hard to get enough for the apple tax

Are you good?

If yes, then you're very hireable.

If no, then practice, learn and get better.

The rest doesn't matter as much.

Agreed. You might have trouble getting a job with GloboCorp but you should have no problem finding work with small businesses. If you are great at what you do and can create value for their business then people will be scrambling to pay you in whatever way possible.

Good point on the scrambling, never saw it that way.

I have a passion for learning everything around the industry, I have been commended for my work ethics and design skills regularly by peers and professors.

I don't know what else I should focus on

Same - I am in a similar position.. I had to take MBA classes and get into a CPT program. So officially I am doing a paid internship.. Companies will agree to work with you if you're good..