Foreign Student Questions

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Sounds like you know more about it than I do. Had no idea one could get a green card after only waiting a certain period. You could come over and get married...that would speed up the process....

My friend who is furloughed from Delta married a gal from Trondhiem (spelling). The Norweigens made fun of him for wearing long underwear...which cracked me up.

[/ QUOTE ] but he liked her first before they got married right? Cuz I have a girlfriend whose Thai married to an american guy (they fell in love) and when asked by the "whoever it is that does the interview for a greencard thing - can't remember the name - brain fart!!" she said they had to know absolutely everything about the other person and if they didn't know eachother THAT well, she would have been sent back to thailand THAT day.... just coming over and getting married to an american is NOT a good way to go about it nor is it an easy process (from what i hear)... it's also extremely costly...
 
The whoever it is that does the Green Card thing used to be called the Immigration and Naturalization Service. It is notw called the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.

As for having to know absolutely everything about your spouse, that is a figment of imagination from the Green Card movie. Yes you do have to show evidence to prove you married in good faith, and not to avoid immigration laws, but by no means do you have to know everything. For my wife and I we just showed the immigration inspector our wedding pictures, joint car titles, insurance and jointly-signed apartment lease. We answered a couple of questions like "where/when did you meet?" and "how long have you known each other?" but that's it. The actual interview took less than 15 minutes.

It is a costly process. The INS fees alone added up to around $1000. Add on fingerprinting, getting pictures taken, travelling to your local INS office etc etc etc and it becomes quite an ordeal.

I didn't find the process very hard. So long as you're careful to fill out the forms correctly, it is not that bad. It takes a long time to be processed (before 9/11 it took me around 6 months, now it's longer and in immigrant-heavy communities, it can take as long as 2 years), but that's more about the INS being backed up than anything else.

Now, if you come over in a category which does not have unlimited visa numbers or in an employment category which requires Dept. of Labor Certification, then the waiting time just to travel to the US and the process becomes exponentially more difficult, hence the need to ensure "good faith marriages" since it is considerably easier that way.

Incidentally, if you do get a Green Card on the basis of being married to a US Citizen, and your marriage is less than 2 years old at the time you get your green card, it is valid for only 2 years. You then have to file a petition with the INS to have that 2 year conditional period removed. If you're married to the same US citizen that petitioned you to become a green card holder, no sweat. If you get divorced before 2 years is up, then a LOT more explaining needs to take place.

Way too much information I know....but since the topic was brought up, thought I'd share 1st hand experience.

Ray
 
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If your from Norway, how to you plan to solve the little problem of not being able to work/live in the US? Don't put the cart before the horse. That's an American saying that means don't think too far ahead. Before you think about working for Delta you gotta figure out how to be a resident of the USA. Not trying to be mean or anything....

Oslo rocks. I used to have layovers there and we stayed at the Grand Hotel.

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Trust me, I DO worry about getting my "green", but my mother living in St.Louis with a permanent residentcy among with my babysister, what should help me out a little.
But at thyis point , the waitinglist for people in my "class (based on family reunion)" is about 4 years. So, I'm trying to figure out how to speed this process up.
It's typically me to plan far ahead. I have to be sure how things are going to be like, because of a bigass bankloan I'll have to sign up for etc.
Yeah, Oslo is great. Like it there, but I'll go for Florida anytime!
Thanks for the intrest anyway. I do need some good advice along my path of becoming an airline pilot.

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I would personally come over here on a student visa, and do a 4 year US college degree. Soon after you get here (but not less than 3-6 months) get your mother to file a petition for you to get a visa number. By the time you finish college, your visa number should have come up, at which time you can file to adjust status to a permanent resident.

Don't let your mom file a petition for a visa number too quickly or else they could theoreitcally kick you out for misrepresenting your intentions to get your student visa, but do it after about 3-6 months of being here. That way you can "Serve your time" doing something worthwhile and also be in the US.

By the way, I can't remember the exact age limit, but if you're under a certain age (18 or 21 I think) then you can get an immediate visa number and file for permanent resident straight away.

Ray
 
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Sounds like you know more about it than I do. Had no idea one could get a green card after only waiting a certain period. You could come over and get married...that would speed up the process....

My friend who is furloughed from Delta married a gal from Trondhiem (spelling). The Norweigens made fun of him for wearing long underwear...which cracked me up.

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LoL
Well, it gets pretty cold up here. You got the word Trondheim right! Well done, buddy.
I have a chance of getting my green' just by waiting, because I've got family living in the US.
 
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Ok, thanks. Do I hvae to have a degree within aviation, or could it pretty much be anything? Like computer science? =)

I'm trying to find out where I'm at, and what I need

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the degree can be in anything. as long as it is a Bachelors. the airlines are mainly looking at the degree as a way of determining if a person is driven to accomplish something. It is also wise to get a degree in something else you are interested in (I'm working on Hotel Management) just in case the airline gig doesnt pan out (furloughs, medical stuff, damn terrorists).


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I know its important to get a degree. You say the airlines look at the degree as a way to see if a person is driven to accomplish something. But isn't spending the time and money to get all your ratings a way to show that? I just don't get it.
 
Think of it like this. You own a business and want to hire the most qualified employee possible to work for you. You recieve 100 resumes for your 1 opening. Weeding thru this stack you find all are equally qualified expect that, 99 applicants have a college degree 1 does not. Quess which resume goes directly in the trash....
 
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I know its important to get a degree. You say the airlines look at the degree as a way to see if a person is driven to accomplish something. But isn't spending the time and money to get all your ratings a way to show that? I just don't get it.

[/ QUOTE ] nope - they like to see how you handle "long term commitments".. you can get your ratings pretty darn quick depending on your financial situation, but it takes a lot of determination and a lot longer time to get your degree and it also lets them know that you've expanded your knowledge beyond or including aviation by going to class and obtaining a bachelor's degree...
 
Awesome new signature Kristie! (or maybe it isn't new, but it's the first time i have seen it) Go anyone but Bush! And right on the money with the degree thing too.
 
Thanks!!
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