Ask me about US immigration.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Ask me about US immigration.

The Dagda: Nov 22, 2005

flavor posted:

While it's good for some general orientation, some of the problems with this chart are:

1) I know from first-hand experience that some of the durations are exaggerated,
2) It doesn't cover things like the Green Card Lottery and investments below $1 million,
3) By its very nature as a chart that was made for a 2008 article, it will never get updated.

It also doesn't cover why something is "easy" or "difficult".

How exaggerated are the durations, and in what kind of situations? I ask because I've only worked with immigrants on the low-income end (dealing with asylum and/or undocumented people), so barring asylum and hardship my impression of the U.S. immigration regime is that it's really hard to get in.

Are you mostly working with people who are trying to get employment visas?

# ¿ Aug 26, 2012 21:06

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 23:17

The Dagda: Nov 22, 2005

flavor posted:

I guess I should first explain that I'm not a lawyer and that everybody should absolutely double-check everything I'm saying here. I'm just a guy who immigrated into the US and who knows several other people who did the same thing or are in the process. Once in a while I'm just interested in sharing some of my experience with people in similar situations and helping them out. I'm really sorry if I gave any other impression.

My first hand experience is that it took me a little over four years to go from nothing to citizen using the sequence that's on the very top of that chart. Posts on forums like visajourney.com at the time showed similar timelines.
The chart says that the best case is six to seven years, so either me and the other people were imagining things or the chart is simply wrong.

Sometimes it's hard to tell on the internet but I wasn't trying to be accusatory or anything, I was just curious about your experiences. Thanks for sharing. I'm also not a lawyer (yet) but I used to work for a refugee resettlement organization and before that, with a couple community organizations that worked primarily with immigrants.

I think it's likely that the infographic is just wrong, or is measuring an average rather than the "best case" scenario as it advertises. Nuclear family reunion like you did is actually (kind of) a surefire way to get into the U.S. even if it takes a long time. The people I worked with usually had no U.S. ties or had already violated immigration law once, and so were subject to penalties for that reason.

RICHUNCLEPENNYBAGS posted:

Are the processing times they list on their Web site generally accurate? I'm getting anxious waiting to hear anything about the K1 visa I petitioned for.

e: Also I mean, as far as I understand it it's pretty rare to get rejected for a fiance visa... right?

As far as I know (again, I'm not a lawyer) it is indeed pretty rare to get rejected for a fiance visa. Where are you or your fiance coming from?

# ¿ Aug 26, 2012 22:26

The Dagda: Nov 22, 2005

Sharks Below posted:

Do you mean that I have a consular interview here in Australia? Gosh. I'm pretty far from the consulate.

The K3 visa seems like it would allow me to live in the USA while we wait for processing.

"To be eligible for a K-3 nonimmigrant visa, an individual must:

�Be married to a U.S. citizen
�Have a pending Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, filed by the U.S. citizen spouse on his or her behalf."

I take it that would have to be filed by my future husband while he is in the USA and I am not, as well? But that it wouldn't take long to process then I could join my husband in the USA while we wait for the I-130?

I don't know if this guy's information is correct, but he states that K3 processing is taking around 5 months, while I-130 processing is taking much longer these days: http://www.lexisnexis.com/legalnews...ork-around.aspx

# ¿ May 20, 2014 03:40

The Dagda: Nov 22, 2005

redreader posted:

Seriously. The usa has some kind of third-world style immigration system. Those already in are like 'it's tough ain't it, kid' but seriously it's just dumb and bad.

Now think about how family petitions are possibly the friendliest part of the system, and things like employment visas, humanitarian statuses (like for victims of DV, or asylum), and the enforcement system are even more byzantine and frustrating.

# ¿ Nov 25, 2014 14:03

The Dagda: Nov 22, 2005

a posting ghost posted:

Was this an aside or did you think this answered my question in its entirety..I am asking about how strictly and uniformly immigration laws are enforced since Mexicans et al are getting a pass now. How do they make the distinction? Unskilled labor? From central american countries? Wheres the line. I wanna hear from the OP or his closest equivalent

Uniformly. I don't know why you think what's happening now is that Latinos specifically are getting a pass unless you are a voracious reader of right wing websites. "All these rights" people without legal immigration status get are not based on national origin, they're usually universal rights (e.g. education for children). There are immigration benefits that are based on national origin - like special visas for afghan interpreters, a status for Cuban defectors, or Temporary Protected Status for nationals from disaster areas, but that's different from what you're talking about.

Edit: I guess you could be referring to the fact that there are different tiers of enforcement priorities - for instance, recent arrivals, people with criminal convictions, and people without close family ties to the U.S. are more likely to be deported than others. But again, it's not based on national origin.

The Dagda fucked around with this message at 04:52 on Jan 1, 2015

# ¿ Dec 31, 2014 15:31

The Dagda: Nov 22, 2005

a posting ghost posted:

http://news.yahoo.com/illegal-immigrants-drivers-licenses-under-california-law-012921086.html

It's basically an admission that they can't control the flow of illegals in and through the state. Why are you even bringing the right wing into this, it's a simple fact.

Are you saying a Nigerian who hopped the border without papers could get a drivers license without problems in California then? And Texas..and many other states that can't handle the influx.

People want to get political and point fingers instead of owning up to this reality I see. Nobody talks about this.

I don't believe that they don't profile by national origin. Illegal immigration is an issue of national origin....

Anyone have a better answer? The OP?? What is going on at our southern border?

I am an immigration lawyer, I have given you the best answer that can be given under the circumstances of your ignorance. Educate yourself more.

# ¿ Dec 31, 2014 16:23

The Dagda: Nov 22, 2005

a posting ghost posted:

If you are so educated about the issue yourself and instead of giving evasive non-answers, tell me why those 1.4 million illegal immigrants are not deported when they go to get those drivers licenses. I am not saying they should be, I am just pointing out that illegals (from certain countries) are currently tolerated because it is the only option, and I am still trying to find out where the line is exactly. I am surprised you are an immigration lawyer to be honest. Currently the laws of the united states are being shirked because there is no other choice, they can't handle the scope, much like marijuana possession. Does it really just come down to cheap labor then? I'm asking someone else now, it's clear you've reached the limits of your ability to explain.

Edit - also i showed you were wrong about the rights thing, drivers licenses are a pretttty big right. It turns an undocumented immigrant into a documented one for starters. All they need after that is an SSN..maybe that's next??

Do better.

# ¿ Dec 31, 2014 22:41

The Dagda: Nov 22, 2005

a posting ghost posted:

So illegal immigration is the elephant in the room that we "tactfully" dont talk about in this thread eh? Got it.

No, that's not the problem.

# ¿ Dec 31, 2014 23:54

The Dagda: Nov 22, 2005

Happy 2015 everyone, I hope you all get to ride this America gravy train while it lasts, before the illegals take all our jobs and suck up our welfare with their special rights.

# ¿ Jan 1, 2015 03:57

The Dagda: Nov 22, 2005

a posting ghost posted:

No no, it's better than that, they do the jobs no one wants to do and they also pay into welfare programs but don't get anything back. Downside is wages get depressed for everyone over time. And they don't get special rights, just the ones that an unskilled permanent resident would otherwise get. Looks like I'm the one telling the immigration "lawyer" (paralegal?) about their field now..

You're right, you know everything there is to know about immigration now. I guess you'll just have to get out of the thread, since there is nothing for you here.

# ¿ Jan 1, 2015 04:37

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 23:17

The Dagda: Nov 22, 2005

Mister Adequate posted:

Speaking of her brit boy, one question I do have:

When I was younger (About a decade ago now) I changed my name via deed poll. Obviously they've got provisions for that on the forms, because name changes are fairly common, but will they actually require evidence of the name change or is simply informing them that I previously had a different name on the forms enough? If they do want evidence, at what stage do they want it - when Pikestaff sends the forms in to the USCIS, or when I send stuff to/go to the embassy?

Thanks We've got most of the other paperwork sorted out, it'd just be handy to know this before I mail her the pictures.

Does your old name appear on any other documents you're submitting, like on a copy of your birth certificate? If so, you should submit evidence of your name change to USCIS. As far as I know you wouldn't need to bring proof of name change to the embassy as well, but if it were me, I'd bring it just in case.

# ¿ Jan 3, 2015 17:49

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Ask me about US immigration.