Trumps new merit based immigration policy

[MovingToFlorida 71]

I found this article from 2017 but it explains the merit point system Trump talks about. We are definitely not low income people but we are F3 family based applicants 37 years of age so it doesn't look good for us if this passes. I don't really understand the 5 yr thing. 

 

Does anyone know at what part of the process this would start affecting people?  We are case completed just waiting for our interview appointment date. We are so close! I am really hoping since we've gotten this far maybe we could be ok. I'm worried

 

https://www.daytranslations.com/blog/2017/08/merit-immigration-system-9637/

[Boiler 46,277]

How would it pass?

[JFH 12,191]

Firstly, that link is someone’s blog and therefore their opinion and interpretation, not official government policy. 

 

Secondly, the points-based system is for those coming here through employment. It won’t apply to immediate family (at least not in the same way - they are tightening up on the financial evidence for family-based applicants but if your mother doesn’t have a PhD she’s not going to be denied, for example). 

 

Siblings and adult children categories have long been debated as to whether they should be scrapped. I can’t think of another western country that allows people to bring in siblings and adult children. It’s not sustainable. My husband and I calculated that when I get my citizenship (eligible next month) I can petition 19 additional people. Two parents, 4 siblings, their spouses and between them 9 minor children. Obviously that won’t happen - they have no reason to leave the UK and I’m old enough not to need my parents with me but many people from developing countries petition upwards of half a dozen other people (who can then in turn petition others, etc). 

Edited August 20, 2019 by JFH

[MovingToFlorida 71]

6 minutes ago, JFH said:

Firstly, that link is someone’s blog and therefore their opinion and interpretation, not official government policy. 

 

Secondly, the points-based system is for those coming here through employment. It won’t apply to immediate family (at least not in the same way - they are tightening up on the financial evidence for family-based applicants but if your mother doesn’t have a PhD she’s not going to be denied, for example). 

 

Siblings and adult children categories have long been debated as to whether they should be scrapped. I can’t think of another western country that allows people to bring in siblings and adult children. It’s not sustainable. My husband and I calculated that when I get my citizenship (eligible next month) I can petition 19 additional people. Two parents, 4 siblings, their spouses and between them 9 minor children. Obviously that won’t happen - they have no reason to leave the UK and I’m old enough not to need my parents with me but many people from developing countries petition upwards of half a dozen other people (who can then in turn petition others, etc). 

Yes I can see where that can get a bit crazy. I didn't know the merit system was only for employment based. 

 

It's my husbands father sponsoring him (then along with myself and 2 young children) so 4 total. He father does not have a PHD but he's pretty well off. My husband and I are upper middle class and will have no trouble sustaining ourselves without government assistance. 

 

I can see reasons why they might shut down people with visas like us. It's just 13 yrs of waiting and getting so close it would break our hearts for it all to fall apart now. 

[JFH 12,191]

3 hours ago, MovingToFlorida said:

Yes I can see where that can get a bit crazy. I didn't know the merit system was only for employment based. 

 

It's my husbands father sponsoring him (then along with myself and 2 young children) so 4 total. He father does not have a PHD but he's pretty well off. My husband and I are upper middle class and will have no trouble sustaining ourselves without government assistance. 

 

I can see reasons why they might shut down people with visas like us. It's just 13 yrs of waiting and getting so close it would break our hearts for it all to fall apart now. 

You see where the government sees the problem. Your father-in-law is bringing in 4. In 5 years time you will all be eligible for citizenship. And then you and your husband can bring in your siblings with their spouses and children, you can bring your parents, who can then bring their siblings, etc. What starts off as 4 in some cases soon becomes 14 or 24. They have to draw the line somewhere. Otherwise the quality of life for everyone here will decrease with housing shortages, overcrowded schools, job shortages, etc. 

 

Why would it “break your hearts” if the family categories were abolished? It’s not like you’ll never see your father-in-law ever again. You won’t be banned from visiting. You’ll still be married to your husband and have your children with you. What exactly will you be losing apart from an opportunity? It sounds like this is all about you moving to the US just because you can rather than a family reunification. Hence the government often rumbling about scrapping these categories. There’s not much family reunification going on, which was the original purpose of the policy. 

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

  If you need a good reason why siblings can be an issue.  In our case there are 20 living siblings.  Most are married and most have multiple young children.  We are already at over 100 people and climbing just from one person getting their US citizenship ( no we did not petition them )   Then start on the spouses bringing their families and it won't take but one more immigration wave ( parents and siblings/families of spouses)  to hit 500 -1000 people. 

[NikLR 13,232]

~~moved to general immigration discussion from Canada regional forum.  Topic not regionally specific~~

[MovingToFlorida 71]

On 8/20/2019 at 3:08 PM, JFH said:

You see where the government sees the problem. Your father-in-law is bringing in 4. In 5 years time you will all be eligible for citizenship. And then you and your husband can bring in your siblings with their spouses and children, you can bring your parents, who can then bring their siblings, etc. What starts off as 4 in some cases soon becomes 14 or 24. They have to draw the line somewhere. Otherwise the quality of life for everyone here will decrease with housing shortages, overcrowded schools, job shortages, etc. 

 

Why would it “break your hearts” if the family categories were abolished? It’s not like you’ll never see your father-in-law ever again. You won’t be banned from visiting. You’ll still be married to your husband and have your children with you. What exactly will you be losing apart from an opportunity? It sounds like this is all about you moving to the US just because you can rather than a family reunification. Hence the government often rumbling about scrapping these categories. There’s not much family reunification going on, which was the original purpose of the policy. 

Well I don't appreciate that comment. You don't know our reasons for moving. It's very much about family. We do not have family here.  My parents have passed away and I am an only child. So no it's not just moving to move. Its so we can raise our children with theor grandparents. Have family support among other things. We have wanted and hoped for this for 13 years so of course it would break our hearts. It's a life changing thing for our family. I wasn't asking my question to be lectured  or tell me that I have no reason to be upset if we can't move. Everyone has their own reasons different from yours and your reasons are not the only valid ones. 

[MovingToFlorida 71]

On 8/20/2019 at 3:28 PM, NigeriaorBust said:

  If you need a good reason why siblings can be an issue.  In our case there are 20 living siblings.  Most are married and most have multiple young children.  We are already at over 100 people and climbing just from one person getting their US citizenship ( no we did not petition them )   Then start on the spouses bringing their families and it won't take but one more immigration wave ( parents and siblings/families of spouses)  to hit 500 -1000 people. 

Ok well for us we won't be doing that. They could put a limit to secondary sponsorship like that if they wanted. 

 

For me it makes me frustrated that people can meet a stranger and marry them and have them move on a year or 2 over someone being full on family members, children of a US citizen and they wait 13+ years. No wonder there are so many fraud marriages and people using people for visas. 

[vince88 57]

I guess it's better for the government to enforce the merit based system without scrapping the family based petition and combine the 2 system together. Therefore, only eligible person from the family that can get the petition and should tackle the problems with unskilled people coming to the states and be a public charge.

[Boiler 46,277]

Current situation dates back to 60's and I have never been quite sure why they did what they did and what they expected to happen, however that can be said about a lot of Political decisions, very few seem aware/concerned about the long term impact. Somebody else problem.

 

Now there is an argument that things change and what may be acceptable in the 60's makes no sense 50 years later so why should they not assume things would change. However the way the US in particular is set up, it is particularly difficult to change things, especially when there will be 'losers'.

 

So nothing much happens.

[Crazy Cat 42,563]

13 hours ago, MovingToFlorida said:

No wonder there are so many fraud marriages and people using people for visas. 

If there was a large number of fraud marriages, wouldn't they be detected at the Removal of Conditions stage (2 year Green Card)?  My statistics seem to show that only 1 to 3  percent of I-751s (Removal of Conditions) are denied.

A failed marriage does not always mean a fraudulent marriage.

Edited August 22, 2019 by missileman

[MovingToFlorida 71]

43 minutes ago, missileman said:

If there was a large number of fraud marriages, wouldn't they be detected at the Removal of Conditions stage (2 year Green Card)?  My statistics seem to show that only 1 to 3  percent of I-751s (Removal of Conditions) are denied.

A failed marriage does not always mean a fraudulent marriage.

Not just fraud marriages but people using people (making them believe they love them etc) to get visas. I'm not saying it's the majority but it does happen a lot. There's even a whole show on tv about it. 

[CON 34]

17 hours ago, MovingToFlorida said:

Ok well for us we won't be doing that. They could put a limit to secondary sponsorship like that if they wanted. 

 

For me it makes me frustrated that people can meet a stranger and marry them and have them move on a year or 2 over someone being full on family members, children of a US citizen and they wait 13+ years. 

I can sympathize with you as I have family members who waited 20+ years to get to the US as a "single person."  She couldn't get married due to her petition stating she is single, or she would have to start all over again with the process.  I have a brother who is still left in our home country because he did get married.

 

Fiances have 90 days to become spouses. You have to agree that spouses have to be a priority?

 

I understand you are frustrated, waiting 6 months+ is hard enough for most while you count years.  But please don't downplay how strangers meet and fall in love.  I'm sure you have a beautiful love story yourself where you met a stranger and fell in love. Through the same strangers' father you will get to the US in due time. 

 

On a side note, I met my fiance over 30 years ago, we just reconnected. The struggle is real for all of us!

Good luck and God Bless

Edited August 22, 2019 by CON

[MovingToFlorida 71]

2 hours ago, CON said:

I can sympathize with you as I have family members who waited 20+ years to get to the US as a "single person."  She couldn't get married due to her petition stating she is single, or she would have to start all over again with the process.  I have a brother who is still left in our home country because he did get married.

 

Fiances have 90 days to become spouses. You have to agree that spouses have to be a priority?

 

I understand you are frustrated, waiting 6 months+ is hard enough for most while you count years.  But please don't downplay how strangers meet and fall in love.  I'm sure you have a beautiful love story yourself where you met a stranger and fell in love. Through the same strangers' father you will get to the US in due time. 

 

On a side note, I met my fiance over 30 years ago, we just reconnected. The struggle is real for all of us!

Good luck and God Bless

I definitely do not think this is the case for all people that meet and fall in love. I am just saying it does happen.