I am outraged!

[EasternDE 35]

In fact, in this country I know about, a lawyer told me that if the spouse of a citizen is an illegal alien, the police cannot touch this alien for any reason (immigration wise) because family law is more powerful than immigration law. Therefore, if police ask an illegal alien for papers and s/he proves that s/he is legally married to a citizen, s/he is left alone.

But that is off topic for the discussion in this thread. The important thing to remember is that nothing changes if nobody does anything. But if people organize and do not dismay, some kind of change is brought about sooner or later.

Portugal is considered right now as the "backdoor" of Europe and is getting blamed by the European Council for this matter.

The thing is, before everything you describe, a. you need to be able to enter the territory, b. get married (most european countries won't let you if you're on a tourist visa).

Even if you manage to get through this, and if they leave you alone, it doesn't mean you'll have a life. You won't be able to work... and again it will take you years before you can have a real status in that country.

I don't think this is off topic. An example of what it's like in another country is always good.

Seriously, the difference between our two countries immigration process was one of the main reasons why I would move to the US, rather he'd move to France. So could I allow myself to complain about it? I don't think so... Anyway I'm not a USC.

But don't get me wrong, I understand the whole purpose of this thread.

I honestly think they're already aware of it and probably working on it too.

If you guys feel like taking actions, why not. Why not using that elegant letter I've readen in a previous post and send a copy to USCIS, your congressman and the president. If you are 500 to do so, for sure it will have some kind of an impact.

Now come ask me again in 6 months, and if my case is still pending, there are many chances I'll be way more aggressive on the topic.

[clueless_in_usa 8]

Portugal is considered right now as the "backdoor" of Europe and is getting blamed by the European Council for this matter.

The thing is, before everything you describe, a. you need to be able to enter the territory, b. get married (most european countries won't let you if you're on a tourist visa).

Even if you manage to get through this, and if they leave you alone, it doesn't mean you'll have a life. You won't be able to work... and again it will take you years before you can have a real status in that country.

I don't think this is off topic. An example of what it's like in another country is always good.

I tried to convey that in my European example the immigration process does not take years like you described about France.

Yes! A person has to be able to secure a way to enter to this country, now made more difficult due to Shengen requirements.

No! It is not difficult at all to get married as a tourist. The person only needs an address (and a few other legal documents), which is easily satisfied by using the address of the citizen. Like I said, once there is a relationship established with a citizen (even cohabitation), the alien acquires many of the rights of the citizen.

Yes! The alien cannot work until s/he gets the residence card. However, as a spouse of a citizen, this step is very easy if you follow the rules. It does not take years for sure. It takes less than three months. And by law, the alien can start the naturalization process just after one year living in this country.

I wish it were this simple in the USA

[RISURF 0]

Why is everyone shooting him down? None of us is happy with the way this process is handled and that VSC is so far behind CSC. If he wants to try to organize a letter-writing campaign, why discourage him? Are we so beaten down by "the man" that we believe that this process is actually satisfactory? In this day and age and with the technology available to us, NOTHING should take as long as this does.

Here, Here. We are but cattle moving ever slowly to the mans slaughterhouse....We must have lost our spirit somewhere between England, Soviet Union and the Middle East.