any info about benefits, education, taxes??

[chuck 0]

Our K-1 visa has been approved and my fiance will be moving here in February.

Will will be living in NJ/PA area (close to Philadelphia).

I was wondering if anyone had some info or a few good websites with some info about benefits available for new immigrants. I was looking for info about educational benefits, and tax information. I will add her to my health insurance, so that should cover her healthcare.

She has a bachelor's degree, but was looking to take a refresher class in english. Would it be best to check some of the local communities colleges, or high school for some advanced ESL classes? Or are there schools that specialize in this?

And on to taxes. After going to classes, how do the taxes work for an immigrant?

Sorry if these questions have been answered before, but i am new to all of this and only want the best for her. Thanks for bearing with me.

Chuck

[rob&ana 0]

I am no expert in taxes...

though I am an immigrant.

I guess the only benefits she will have, is that by marrying you, she would start paying tuition fees just like any other american (not more expensive ones that they charge to foreign students).

As far as taxes, I guess that if next time you report your taxes, and include her as your wife (filing as married), you will get a juicy tax return. There are absolutely no tax cuts for her. As soon as she starts working, she will get tax deductions and will have to file just like any other american.

I am sorry I cannot be of more help, maybe someone here will know more about i...

Good luck!

[WretchedMidget 0]

...

I guess the only benefits she will have, is that by marrying you, she would start paying tuition fees just like any other american (not more expensive ones that they charge to foreign students).

...

Not always true. Every college/university that I looked at in Indiana, unless I had a greencard (I was married and entered on a K3) and had lived in Indiana for at least 1 year, I had to pay out-of-state tuition. Did that for 3 semesters at Indiana University, and then decided it was time to take some time off until I got the IR-1 and could file the paperwork to switch over to in-state tuition.

It depends on the individual school's residency requirements... but from what I've heard, the vast majority of schools at the post-secondary level won't grant in-state tuition unless the student is a permanent legal resident of the US, and has lived in-state for a set amount of time.