In scenario #3, I also know of someone who fell in love in the Philippines. They got married THERE. She came back to the US and filed paperwork to bring him WHILE HE REMAINED THERE. It took them about 6 months, living apart, and he finally got his green card. He is now a citizen.
Furor grows over Arizona's illegal immigration law
by Sam Whiskey 213 Replies latest jw friends
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BurnTheShips
It took months for him to live here legally. Before then, he would come down from Canada to visit his fiancee as a tourist and leave a few days later.
When he got the ability to live here, he was still waiting for permission to work. He was here for several months when I last spoke with them, and still hadn't been granted permission.
This is what actually happened. I am not making anything up.
BTS
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hemp lover
"This is what actually happened. I am not making anything up."
I have a friend from London going through something very similar. Another problem for them is that getting a visa costs $1,000 (whether you're approved or not) and they don't have it right now, so it's easier for him to go to England first (now that they're married). I'm not sure what that $1,000 is for exactly - just taking her word for it.
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bluesapphire
It took months for him to live here legally. Before then, he would come down from Canada to visit his fiancee as a tourist and leave a few days later.
When he got the ability to live here, he was still waiting for permission to work. He was here for several months when I last spoke with them, and still hadn't been granted permission.
I'm 100% sure you are not making anything up. I'm just pointing out the difference between MY situation and this situation and there are major differences.
It took months apparently to get him qualified for a tourist visa which would rarely if ever give a right to work. That is not uncommon. It takes months for some of my relatives in Costa Rica to get tourist visas also. Especially after 9/11, it's even harder.
He is starting off the bat trying to establish legal residency/green card status/with right to work. I don't know anything about the length of time that takes because I came here as a child and was ALWAYS ELIGIBLE for citizenship after the 30 month residency requirement.
Bottom line is that if someone is here legally with a right to work after 5 years it's a piece of cake to get their citizenship as long as they have no criminal record.
Establishing permanent residency/green card is what seems to take a long time. And this has NOTHING to do with race.
I do have relatives who established permanent residency through employment. My cousin's husband works for Colgate. The company promoted him in CR and obtained his legal residency/right to work paperwork for him to bring him to New Jersey. Once here, he established the same for his wife and daughters. They have been here over 10 years now and are all citizens.
If I were a person who lived in another country and wanted to live here, I would find out what jobs are in demand here (nursing for example and thus we have a gazillion Philipino nurses), I would select a career geared toward that. I'm not saying it's easy to become a resident. But it IS easy to become a citizen once you are a resident.
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bluesapphire
I have a friend from London going through something very similar. Another problem for them is that getting a visa costs $1,000 (whether you're approved or not) and they don't have it right now, so it's easier for him to go to England first (now that they're married). I'm not sure what that $1,000 is for exactly - just taking her word for it.
Visa's are getting harder and harder to come by and they are especially hard to get when:
1. The person is a young adult and the likelihood of their staying past the expiration of a tourist visa is high;
2. The person has no career in their home land;
3. The person has no property to speak of in their home land.
There are administrative costs for these services. $1000 is a LOT but someone has to pay for the associated costs.
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Robdar
Last night I saw Michael Moore on Larry King. I'm usually a fan but something he said is ssoooo ridiculous! He said "illegal immigrants take the jobs that Americans don't want". SO NOT TRUE!!!
Illegal immigrants take jobs that Michael Moore and other bourgeois liberals do not want and think they are too good to do, so naturally they think nobody else wants to do them.
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bluesapphire
Robdar, why do I have the feeling you are right?
I know sooooo many people who would jump at the chance of picking up some of these lawn routes (I know I keep mentioning those). And remember when kids used to have plenty of summer jobs? Remember that movie fromt he 80's "Can't buy me love" and the guy makes a ton of money riding his lawnmower and doing all his neighbors' lawns?
I can see for the agriculture jobs having migrant workers but then again NO. We can have prison inmates in low security situations do those jobs. There is so much we can do. But we need to start at the employer level. It wouldn't work otherwise. Then we can recruit from other countries based on NEED to fill vacant jobs. NO ONE should be allowed to hire someone illegally, not for maids, not for lawns, not for child care.
My dad came in 1963 and was sponsored by my uncle. They both had careers in Photogrametry and surveying and those were in high demand back then. My dad was here 8 months before getting visas for my mom, my sister, brother and myself. I know that was a long time ago. But it worked then and it could work again.
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sammielee24
Once I finally decided to become a citizen it took 4 WHOLE MONTHS !!!
And it only cost me $650 bucks.
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I'm not sure where or when you became legal, but I did it and it cost more than 650 bucks and longer than 4 months. It also took more money to have my green card renewed after a few years - plus biometrics each and every time. Citizenship will cost me even more money to apply for and more biometrics. The cost of my medical alone was $300.00 the very first time - and for people who have families including kids, the cost increases for each individual.
sammieswife
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bluesapphire
Sammie, I became a citizen on January 8, 2010!!!
I paid for biometrics as well and it was $75 bucks.
I applied in August of 2009.
Two years before that I paid $400 to renew my green card but that was MY CHOICE because I could have applied for citizenship then instead.
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bluesapphire
PS, you are right. It would be much more expensive for a family to do it. But I know more families who have done it to name here. PLENTY, including my own siblings.
I know of NO ONE who was already a resident who has said becoming a citizen is difficult. In fact, to the contrary, everyone agrees it was a piece of cake IF:
1. You've been a legal resident for 5+ years
2. You speak English
3. You have a basic knowledge of civics
4. You are not a criminal