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usa_in_gulf
Joined: 10 Aug 2009
Posts: 133
Location: Gulf
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 Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:45 am Post subject: |
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Just as the above poster mentions.. to get an American green card/immigration visa.. its not a matter of simply marrying someone.. first step is an interview (where you submit your immigration application). At this interview (both husband and wife must attend), you have to prove that you are in a "real marriage"-- how did you meet, how long have you known each other, where do you plan to live in the US, and you will be asked for pictures of your wedding party (not mandatory, but they will ask for them.) If you are in a legitimate marriage, your application will then be submitted to immigration for review. After about 2 weeks, you will be told if your application is approved or denied. If its approved, the spouse who will be given the green card, must then have a medical exam, background check, etc. The petitioning US spouse must show proof of payment of taxes and proof of adequate funds to support the "green card" spouse.
And then you go to a second interview! At that second interview, you submit the aboved mentioned items--along with answering further questions. After this step, the "green card" spouse is either denied or given an immigrate visa. If given immigrant visa, the spouse must enter the US within 6 months of getting the visa. After that, the spouse must maintain residency in the US, pay taxes, and be phyically present inside the US for a minimum of 18 months out of 3 years in order to get a US passport. If the "green card" holder at any time is deemed to have given up his/her residency in the US, his/her green card can be revoked. If the green card holder is out of the US for over 6 months, this can be seen as giving up residency....
The green card--based on marrige- holder is given a 2 year temporary green card-if the marriage is less than 2 years old at the time of application. Both the husband and wife must apply to have this temp status removed before the 2nd year anniversary. At that time, you must again prove that you are living together as husband/wife.
Additionally, each step cost money! Not a cheap process!
Sooooooooo.. bottom line.... not something you can fake!! |
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AndrewR
Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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It makes me wonder:
With all these people who want but can't get citizenship in other countries, why don't they just have a 'Citizenship Exchange" program?
For example, if Frenchman A wants to live/work in the US and American B wants to live/work in France, why not just let them trade citizenships? Even stevens. Everybody's happy. The populations remain stable.
There are lots of Americans who wish they could be Europeans and probably an equal number of Euros who wish they could be Americans. So just let them trade places.
Has anyone ever thought of this? |
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jonniboy
Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 751
Location: Panama City, Panama
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| Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:42 am Post subject: |
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| AndrewR wrote: |
It makes me wonder:
With all these people who want but can't get citizenship in other countries, why don't they just have a 'Citizenship Exchange" program?
For example, if Frenchman A wants to live/work in the US and American B wants to live/work in France, why not just let them trade citizenships? Even stevens. Everybody's happy. The populations remain stable.
There are lots of Americans who wish they could be Europeans and probably an equal number of Euros who wish they could be Americans. So just let them trade places.
Has anyone ever thought of this? |
They probably have but it's not just an issue of populations. If Joe Public, an unskilled factory worker from the US swaps with Jose Tendegrees, a highly skilled English speaking Spaniard, then it's not really a fair trade as Spain loses more than the US in that case. That's why many countries have points based systems that reward people for skills and qualifications. For such a system to work the people swapping would need to have equal qualifications and language skills. |
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AndrewR
Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Then maybe countries should just have an unskilled citizen exchange program. Since the skilled and highly-educated can usually get in a lot easier anyway. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:27 am Post subject: |
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Not feasible, I'm afraid. Unskilled laborers are much less likely to find work in foreign countries and more likely to end up on the dole.
Think: without local language skills, how would one go about finding a paying job to begin with? Yeah, you might be able to dig ditches without being able to communicate via normal speech with your work colleagues, but construction jobs? Service jobs? Can't be done.
Limit 'unskilled' to only those who know the local language? Defeats the purpose, right? |
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AndrewR
Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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| spiral78 wrote: |
Not feasible, I'm afraid. Unskilled laborers are much less likely to find work in foreign countries and more likely to end up on the dole.
Think: without local language skills, how would one go about finding a paying job to begin with? Yeah, you might be able to dig ditches without being able to communicate via normal speech with your work colleagues, but construction jobs? Service jobs? Can't be done.
Limit 'unskilled' to only those who know the local language? Defeats the purpose, right? |
I think it would be fair to require the 2 exchange-ers to learn the new country's language first. As for the possibility of ending up on the dole, if both people are unskilled, wouldn't the native-born usually have just as much chance of ending up jobless as the foreign-born (as long as the foreign-born can speak the language)? |
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Deicide
Joined: 29 Jul 2006
Posts: 1005
Location: Caput Imperii Americani
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:30 am Post subject: |
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| We're doomed, all doomed! |
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jonniboy
Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 751
Location: Panama City, Panama
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:00 am Post subject: |
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| AndrewR wrote: |
| spiral78 wrote: |
Not feasible, I'm afraid. Unskilled laborers are much less likely to find work in foreign countries and more likely to end up on the dole.
Think: without local language skills, how would one go about finding a paying job to begin with? Yeah, you might be able to dig ditches without being able to communicate via normal speech with your work colleagues, but construction jobs? Service jobs? Can't be done.
Limit 'unskilled' to only those who know the local language? Defeats the purpose, right? |
I think it would be fair to require the 2 exchange-ers to learn the new country's language first. As for the possibility of ending up on the dole, if both people are unskilled, wouldn't the native-born usually have just as much chance of ending up jobless as the foreign-born (as long as the foreign-born can speak the language)? |
Except for the problem that the social security systems in some European countries (principally the Nordic ones) are a hell of a lot more generous than they are in the USA so again it's not a fair trade off. |
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norwalkesl
Joined: 22 Oct 2009
Posts: 366
Location: Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-China
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| Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:10 am Post subject: |
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| AndrewR wrote: |
| jonniboy wrote: |
| adventuramust wrote: |
| I thought off and on I would see requirements indicating EU and they were from the Middle East or Europe. |
That will happen, particularly in the 15 "old" EU countries, but by "EU" they mean you must be an EU passport holder for visa requirements. Provided you have that passport, you're a native speaker and speak clearly, it really makes no difference if you've lived all your life in North America, Australia etc. |
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but how/why would you have an EU passport if you're an American or Australian???
Seems like that would be an extremely rare and lucky scenario.
I'm a US citizen and would give my left arm for an EU passport/citizenship. They don't exactly hand them out like candy. |
Quite easy and common, actually.
Usually a US or Canadian born child of first generation EU parents. The child can then obtain an ancestral or legacy passport for some EU nations. Once they have the passport to mom and dad's birthplace, they can work anywhere in the EU. I know several people like this, and I am immensely jealous.
Ireland allows 3rd generation US citizens a passport if they can prove that one grandparent is from Ireland. Germans are 'German' for a very long time, and can get one. Greece also. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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| I think Dublin may have amended the rules about one grandparent being enough for citizenship. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 12:25 am Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| I think Dublin may have amended the rules about one grandparent being enough for citizenship. |
I think so too, I think it changed a couple of years ago.
Also, about Germany, I'm pretty sure that Germans can only have ONE citizenship after the age of 18, BUt am not sure what happens if the parents of a child have different citizenship.
If you're interested in EU citizenship, be aware that LOTS Of paperwork in involved. My mom was born in Romania, her father as well. Her mother lived there for 20 years and became Romanian. I've been trying to get citizenship for nearly 10 years. And there's always SOME thing that I'm missing. Last time it was because my papers were in the wrong order, 2 1 3 instead of 1 2 3. Not even stapled, so I changed the order and they still weren't accepted. I was told to come back in three months, since the consel was going on vacation"! |
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Deicide
Joined: 29 Jul 2006
Posts: 1005
Location: Caput Imperii Americani
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| Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 12:37 am Post subject: |
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| I got mine in less than a year. Father is Hungarian, just applied and paid a bunch of money for it. Basta. |
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Dragonsheart
Joined: 23 Mar 2009
Posts: 21
Location: Melbourne Australia
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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| AndrewR wrote: |
| jonniboy wrote: |
| adventuramust wrote: |
| I thought off and on I would see requirements indicating EU and they were from the Middle East or Europe. |
That will happen, particularly in the 15 "old" EU countries, but by "EU" they mean you must be an EU passport holder for visa requirements. Provided you have that passport, you're a native speaker and speak clearly, it really makes no difference if you've lived all your life in North America, Australia etc. |
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but how/why would you have an EU passport if you're an American or Australian???
Seems like that would be an extremely rare and lucky scenario.
I'm a US citizen and would give my left arm for an EU passport/citizenship. They don't exactly hand them out like candy. |
Dual Citizenship.
I`m an Australian but have a Polish/EU Passport because both my parents were born in Poland.
So best of both worlds so to speak |
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