| Posted: 01 May 2010 at 5:05pm | IP Logged | 12
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As a LEGAL immigrant to this country, I can perhaps offer a shade of insight to the process of immigration.
When my wife signed her contract with Redding Medical Center 15 years ago, under the recently adopted Free Trade Agreement she could have gone to the airport that afternoon, had her passport stamped with a temporary work visa and gone to work in the US for the term of the contract. Had I gone with her, I could have applied and received a guest visa subject to six month renewals. But on a guest visa, I would not be entitled to work or attend school during my time in the US. Not a very inviting prospect. Plus, the timeline for applying and receiving a green card while WITHIN the United States was calculated at three years. Far better, we were told, to have that green card when you first come across the border.
So, instead of rushing south immediately, with her contract promising steady employment in-hand we applied for green cards. As my wife's employer wanted her down as quickly as possible, our applications were fast-tracked with INS.
After six months we learned our applications were denied. Not by any fault of our own, mind you. No dark secret that tipped the security background check. Rather, any application that has not been processed after six months is automatically denied. (Yes, you read that right: We got a six month timed-out denial on a FAST-TRACKED application.)
We appealed the denial, got into a different queue and two months later we both had green cards.
Eight months from initial application to green card in-hand. Fast-tracked, with sponsorship from a major medical corporation and attorney representation, and it took eight months. PRE 9/11. Goodness knows how tough the process is today for anyone unskilled and without a sponsor or representation.
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