I am still an Immigrant (green card). Is this the best visa for my fiance?

[bulls96 0]

Hi there.

I am from the Philippines. I migrated with my family 5 years ago to the US. Went in and out of the US to finish schooling. But had the re-entry permit so the count to 5 years of residency was not broken.

Anyway... I want to marry my gf of 7 years already, and want to know which visa is applicable for her and is the best for us. I know i am not qualified for the K1 or K3 visa since i am still an immigrant.

We are both planning to go into medical residencies in the US. So time is of importance.

Which is the fastest way for her to be able to start working here in the US as a doctor? Should i marry her now and apply for this Spousal visa or should i file for Citizenship now and wait til i can get her a K1 or K3 visa? Which way will be faster for her to be able to work here in the US?

Please do help me. This is a very important decision in my life right now and i want to do the right thing. Residency starts in July and i want to know if i should propose, marry alreaddy or wait for citizenship and marry.

Thank you so much!

[Yodrak 7]

bulls96,

Having a re-entry permit does not serve to avoid the Continuous Residence or Physical Presence tests for naturalization. It serves to make it easier to re-enter the country if you've been gone for more than 1 year.

How does your fiancee plan to get into the USA to perform her medical residency? You might want to discuss your situation in a consultation with an immigration attorney to determine the 'best' option for accomplishing your objectives.

Yodrak

Hi there.

I am from the Philippines. I migrated with my family 5 years ago to the US. Went in and out of the US to finish schooling. But had the re-entry permit so the count to 5 years of residency was not broken.

Anyway... I want to marry my gf of 7 years already, and want to know which visa is applicable for her and is the best for us. I know i am not qualified for the K1 or K3 visa since i am still an immigrant.

We are both planning to go into medical residencies in the US. So time is of importance.

Which is the fastest way for her to be able to start working here in the US as a doctor? Should i marry her now and apply for this Spousal visa or should i file for Citizenship now and wait til i can get her a K1 or K3 visa? Which way will be faster for her to be able to work here in the US?

Please do help me. This is a very important decision in my life right now and i want to do the right thing. Residency starts in July and i want to know if i should propose, marry alreaddy or wait for citizenship and marry.

Thank you so much!

[Boiler 45,572]

Hi there.

I am from the Philippines. I migrated with my family 5 years ago to the US. Went in and out of the US to finish schooling. But had the re-entry permit so the count to 5 years of residency was not broken.

Anyway... I want to marry my gf of 7 years already, and want to know which visa is applicable for her and is the best for us. I know i am not qualified for the K1 or K3 visa since i am still an immigrant.

We are both planning to go into medical residencies in the US. So time is of importance.

Which is the fastest way for her to be able to start working here in the US as a doctor? Should i marry her now and apply for this Spousal visa or should i file for Citizenship now and wait til i can get her a K1 or K3 visa? Which way will be faster for her to be able to work here in the US?

Please do help me. This is a very important decision in my life right now and i want to do the right thing. Residency starts in July and i want to know if i should propose, marry alreaddy or wait for citizenship and marry.

Thank you so much!

There is a good guide on the USCIS web site that determines the requirements for being able to apply for Citizenship. It looks like you have a bit of a wait, but less than that of a LPR applying for a Spouse. You can file now as a LPR if you are married and then upgrade when you get Citizenship, or wait if you want to go down the fiancee route.

How does she intend to get her US Medical Residency? Really a seperate issue given the timelines.

[bulls96 0]

There is a good guide on the USCIS web site that determines the requirements for being able to apply for Citizenship. It looks like you have a bit of a wait, but less than that of a LPR applying for a Spouse. You can file now as a LPR if you are married and then upgrade when you get Citizenship, or wait if you want to go down the fiancee route.

How does she intend to get her US Medical Residency? Really a seperate issue given the timelines.

I have read in the USCIS that the re-entry permit doesnt count as a continuation of the 5 year requirement, but we were told before that if it was for schooling purposes it would be an exception and they would consider it. So is this true?

If it is not true, if i marry her now, how long a period are we gonna be talking about before she gets a green card?

She is planning to get an H1B Visa for medical residency, so as to not to conflict if we get married... but the problem is her grades arent that stellar to be accepted easily to a hospital which will sponsor the H1B visa. So i am thinking she would have better chances if she gets a green card... but how long will she have to wait if ever?

If we marry now, but apply for her visa only when i get upgraded to a Citizen, would that be quicker?

TIA

[Yodrak 7]

bulls96,

I have read in the USCIS that the re-entry permit doesnt count as a continuation of the 5 year requirement, but we were told before that if it was for schooling purposes it would be an exception and they would consider it. So is this true?

See the Guide to Naturalization on the USCIS web site, starting about page 19.

She is planning to get an H1B Visa for medical residency, so as to not to conflict if we get married... but the problem is her grades arent that stellar to be accepted easily to a hospital which will sponsor the H1B visa. So i am thinking she would have better chances if she gets a green card... but how long will she have to wait if ever?

If we marry now, but apply for her visa only when i get upgraded to a Citizen, would that be quicker?

The H1B visa was a possible alternative that I had in mind when I asked you how your fiancee planned to get into the USA to do a medical residency. But you seem to think that's a long shot, and perhaps you are correct. Again, have a consultation with an experienced US immigration attorney to discuss the options that may be available.

Yodrak

[Boiler 45,572]

There is a good guide on the USCIS web site that determines the requirements for being able to apply for Citizenship. It looks like you have a bit of a wait, but less than that of a LPR applying for a Spouse. You can file now as a LPR if you are married and then upgrade when you get Citizenship, or wait if you want to go down the fiancee route.

How does she intend to get her US Medical Residency? Really a seperate issue given the timelines.

I have read in the USCIS that the re-entry permit doesnt count as a continuation of the 5 year requirement, but we were told before that if it was for schooling purposes it would be an exception and they would consider it. So is this true?

If it is not true, if i marry her now, how long a period are we gonna be talking about before she gets a green card?

She is planning to get an H1B Visa for medical residency, so as to not to conflict if we get married... but the problem is her grades arent that stellar to be accepted easily to a hospital which will sponsor the H1B visa. So i am thinking she would have better chances if she gets a green card... but how long will she have to wait if ever?

If we marry now, but apply for her visa only when i get upgraded to a Citizen, would that be quicker?

TIA

It sounds like you are confusing the requirements with maintaing permanent residency and those for obtaining Citizenship.

The latter are quite specific.

Last time I looked it was about 6 years for a LPR to sponsor a Spouse, so whatever your Citizenship timeline is, it is likely to be quicker than going the LPR route.

It might be a bit quicker to go the Fiancee route once you have your Citizenship.

Did not think non University Hospitals were exempted from the H1 quota, might be wrong. But normally you would be looking at finding an Employer first to sponsor you by April for a 1st October start.

Now I am sort of assuming you have the nouse to research this yourself, but a session with an immigration lawyer does no harm.

[bulls96 0]

It sounds like you are confusing the requirements with maintaing permanent residency and those for obtaining Citizenship.

The latter are quite specific.

Last time I looked it was about 6 years for a LPR to sponsor a Spouse, so whatever your Citizenship timeline is, it is likely to be quicker than going the LPR route.

It might be a bit quicker to go the Fiancee route once you have your Citizenship.

Did not think non University Hospitals were exempted from the H1 quota, might be wrong. But normally you would be looking at finding an Employer first to sponsor you by April for a 1st October start.

Now I am sort of assuming you have the nouse to research this yourself, but a session with an immigration lawyer does no harm.

I might not have mentioned this... but my gf has a TOURIST Visa, up until 2008 i think.

Now my concern is will I be able to get her to live with me here in the U.S. IF we get married now?

And i just talked with a friend, he didnt know it would be this hard to get her to the US. As far as he knows, once we marry, she can come live with me because i am a green card holder. Call it wishful thinking but is this true? So having a green card, being able to work here, or just being able to get her here in the US are completely different issues and have different procedures?

Please help me clear my mind. I am so confused. And like i said, its a life-changing decision, i hope i make the right one.

[Yodrak 7]

bulls96,

That's why you should invest in a consultation with an immigration attorney.

I'll bet that many people spend more on their monthly cable TV plus internet connections, yet they consider a consultation with an immigration attorney to be too expensive for making a knowledgeable "life-changing decision".

Yodrak

..... like i said, its a life-changing decision, i hope i make the right one.

[bulls96 0]

bulls96,

That's why you should invest in a consultation with an immigration attorney.

I'll bet that many people spend more on their monthly cable TV plus internet connections, yet they consider a consultation with an immigration attorney to be too expensive for making a knowledgeable "life-changing decision".

Yodrak

..... like i said, its a life-changing decision, i hope i make the right one.

ok any recommendations? there are so many out there i dont know where to start

[Yodrak 7]

bulls96,

The AILA's member attorney locator, on their web site, is a good place to start. Being an AILA member is no guarantee that an immigration attorney is a good attorney, but it's a positive sign. Then see what kind of feeling you get about each office as you call around to several in your area to inquire about a consultation. As with any service provider, you can ask for references and follow through by checking the references.

Yodrak

bulls96,

That's why you should invest in a consultation with an immigration attorney.

I'll bet that many people spend more on their monthly cable TV plus internet connections, yet they consider a consultation with an immigration attorney to be too expensive for making a knowledgeable "life-changing decision".

Yodrak

..... like i said, its a life-changing decision, i hope i make the right one.

ok any recommendations? there are so many out there i dont know where to start

[terps76 0]

Hi! I just want to share experiences of my friends for medical residency. 5 of them went there to finish the last step of the USMLE and they all passed, most with flying colors. However, none of them is a green card holder or a citizen thus its been years and they still haven't been matched for any hospital. Although they say if you don't have a preference field of specialty you wouldn't have a problem. One of them went back here in Manila to start her residency training cause after 3 years she wasn't matched.

That was my problem too I cant decide what career path to choose(doctor or pharmacist) since I am on a CR/IR visa, I dont want to waste more time and do the USMLE and not be matched.

Anyways, I just want to share this so your girlfriend will think of the field she wants to specialize in or perhaps another option while she is waiting for her citizenship. My friends from med school are working as nurses right now while they wait for their green card, as for me, I will take the Pharmacy liscensure exam (NAPLEX and FPGEE) until my citizenship comes.

Good luck.

[bulls96 0]

Hi! I just want to share experiences of my friends for medical residency. 5 of them went there to finish the last step of the USMLE and they all passed, most with flying colors. However, none of them is a green card holder or a citizen thus its been years and they still haven't been matched for any hospital. Although they say if you don't have a preference field of specialty you wouldn't have a problem. One of them went back here in Manila to start her residency training cause after 3 years she wasn't matched.

That was my problem too I cant decide what career path to choose(doctor or pharmacist) since I am on a CR/IR visa, I dont want to waste more time and do the USMLE and not be matched.

Anyways, I just want to share this so your girlfriend will think of the field she wants to specialize in or perhaps another option while she is waiting for her citizenship. My friends from med school are working as nurses right now while they wait for their green card, as for me, I will take the Pharmacy liscensure exam (NAPLEX and FPGEE) until my citizenship comes.

Good luck.

Hi. I know. Thats why I am gonna urge her to take the step 3 for an H1B visa. I just want to be with her during residency Your Visa Journey is quite interesting. Hope i could ask a few questions. Is your hubby a LPR or a USC? I noticed you got your papers complete in about a year. How long a wait do you still have for an interview?

[terps76 0]

Hi. I know. Thats why I am gonna urge her to take the step 3 for an H1B visa. I just want to be with her during residency Your Visa Journey is quite interesting. Hope i could ask a few questions. Is your hubby a LPR or a USC? I noticed you got your papers complete in about a year. How long a wait do you still have for an interview?

My husband is a USC. Going by the timeline for CR/IR, we are expecting our interview by march since we got our case completed in Nov. We are hoping to know the sched before January ends thats why i keep calling NVC.

Good luck to both of you.

[bulls96 0]

Hi! I just want to share experiences of my friends for medical residency. 5 of them went there to finish the last step of the USMLE and they all passed, most with flying colors. However, none of them is a green card holder or a citizen thus its been years and they still haven't been matched for any hospital. Although they say if you don't have a preference field of specialty you wouldn't have a problem. One of them went back here in Manila to start her residency training cause after 3 years she wasn't matched.

That was my problem too I cant decide what career path to choose(doctor or pharmacist) since I am on a CR/IR visa, I dont want to waste more time and do the USMLE and not be matched.

Anyways, I just want to share this so your girlfriend will think of the field she wants to specialize in or perhaps another option while she is waiting for her citizenship. My friends from med school are working as nurses right now while they wait for their green card, as for me, I will take the Pharmacy liscensure exam (NAPLEX and FPGEE) until my citizenship comes.

Good luck.

So what visa are you in now? are you currently in the US? So your plan is to take a job as a Pharmacist to get a Working Visa... but arent your papers gonna be approved soon?

[terps76 0]

.

So what visa are you in now? are you currently in the US? So your plan is to take a job as a Pharmacist to get a Working Visa... but arent your papers gonna be approved soon?

I am here in Manila right now, we are on CR/IR visa. The interview is coming(hopefully) thats why I am studying at the moment to be a pharmacist since the process for the USMLE is longer than NAPLEX. So, I can take the exam for pharma either on June or Dec. Perhaps later on when we are settled already then thats the time I might pursue a career as MD.