Unique situation..illegal alien for 20 years

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

She could always talk to a Congressperson, and given her twenty years of otherwise being a law-abiding member of society, she could request a Private Bill. It is a long shot, though.

Congress can... pass a special law, often called a "private bill," that grants citizenship to one person or to a small group of people. Private bills are very rare and very difficult to get. Usually Congress reserves them for those who have done a tremendous service to the U.S. or for certain individuals on exceptional humanitarian grounds.

[lynJer 7]

Im wondering how she got a licence????

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Im wondering how she got a licence????

Driver's License and even SSNs were a lot easier to get 20 years ago...

[Leatherneck 693]

The terms "foreign nationals" simply identifies people who are not US citizens, regardless of their immigration status. I'm a foreign national, or an immigrant, or an alien. Personally I don't feel offended by any of these terms.

Point made, I don't dispute the term "foreign nationals," nor do I have an issue with the term. My point is no one refers to illegal aliens as "foreign nationals." Any attempt to do so would really be very PC, considering there are activist groups that don't like the term 'illegal alien' and prefer terms like, 'undocumented immigrant ' or 'undocumented worker.'

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Point made, I don't dispute the term "foreign nationals," nor do I have an issue with the term. My point is no one refers to illegal aliens as "foreign nationals." Any attempt to do so would really be very PC, considering there are activist groups that don't like the term 'illegal alien' and prefer terms like, 'undocumented immigrant ' or 'undocumented worker.'

I prefer "Human Beings" endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights...

[jaycali 415]

Just a question here because it was mentioned earlier that she could adjust status if she was the immediate relative of a USC.

Can a person with 20 years of overstay simply adjust status? The USCIS only forgives up to 180 days, and would need an extreme hardship waiver otherwise, no?

[jaycali 415]

As for what to call illegals, "undocumented worker" or "undocumented immigrant" strikes me somehow as a way to blur out the differences between lawful and unlawful immigration. That would be a bigger insult to legal immigrants than anyone else in my opinion.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Just a question here because it was mentioned earlier that she could adjust status if she was the immediate relative of a USC.

Can a person with 20 years of overstay simply adjust status? The USCIS only forgives up to 180 days, and would need an extreme hardship waiver otherwise, no?

The only requirement is that she last entered the US legally, which she did, on a B1/B2 visa. The overstay would only apply if she tried to reenter the US.

Edited March 6, 2012 by ☼

[Robert&Karen 264]

Calling an illegal alien an undocumented immigrant is like calling a drug dealer an unlicensed pharmacist.

[jaycali 415]

The only requirement is that she last entered the US legally, which she did, on a B1/B2 visa. The overstay would only apply if she tried to reenter the US.

So the 180 day forgiveness, 3/10 year bar, and extreme hardship waivers only apply when applying from outside the country?

[Boiler 46,130]

She probably does have a valid SSN from 20 years ago.

She has lived here for 20 years, what is the sudden issue?

[jdh 103]

She probably does have a valid SSN from 20 years ago.

She has lived here for 20 years, what is the sudden issue?

If you read through the start of the thread, you may have missed it, but the issue is that she is likely finally going to be outed at some point soon - during or after her divorce proceedings. Now she has to figured out what she wants to do about that - the general consensus believing her only course of action will be to leave the country.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

So the 180 day forgiveness, 3/10 year bar, and extreme hardship waivers only apply when applying from outside the country?

They only apply when trying to enter the United States. (BTW, just having a visa, doesn't mean you will be allowed to enter the US. The DOS, USCIS, and CBP are each separate fiefdoms. You have to run the gauntlet of all three, before you are safely on US soil. However, once here, a completely different set of rules applies.)

Edited March 6, 2012 by ☼

[Boiler 46,130]

If you read through the start of the thread, you may have missed it, but the issue is that she is likely finally going to be outed at some point soon - during or after her divorce proceedings. Now she has to figured out what she wants to do about that - the general consensus believing her only course of action will be to leave the country.

As somebody pointed out, so what?

Not as if they will do anything.

She could go bang on their door and they would ignore her.

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

I think the issue is she no longer has a job,if hubby div,then no income. No GC,she will now have a hard time getting a job legally. Having a SS number gets you no where now.