goin state side

magickingdom · September 01, 2009, 07:17:11 PM

Quote from: Puckoon on September 01, 2009, 07:07:33 PM
The stress over staying here legally has me almost killed this last 6 months.
Short overview,

I was married,
I never filed for green card, as I was on a long term student visa, and figured Id just do it after I graduated
Marriage went down the tubes before Id applied for a greencard, ex wife said she wasnt gonna help me file
Failed a semester of college so the visa went down the tubes
Had to reapply for a new student visa, which will run out in december when I graduate,
and then I get a one year work permit, providing I can find a job in my kinda narrow field.

If It wasnt for the wee puck, Id be home in the morning. Fecking expensive mind wrecking episode.

puck, if wee puck was born in the states cant you apply for a green card as his dad and take it from there?

Puckoon · September 01, 2009, 07:33:15 PM

Wee puck is a she ;-), and she can't sponsor a green card until she turns 21.

tyssam5 · September 01, 2009, 08:39:22 PM

Quote from: Puckoon on September 01, 2009, 07:07:33 PM
The stress over staying here legally has me almost killed this last 6 months.
Short overview,

I was married,
I never filed for green card, as I was on a long term student visa, and figured Id just do it after I graduated
Marriage went down the tubes before Id applied for a greencard, ex wife said she wasnt gonna help me file
Failed a semester of college so the visa went down the tubes
Had to reapply for a new student visa, which will run out in december when I graduate,
and then I get a one year work permit, providing I can find a job in my kinda narrow field.

If It wasnt for the wee puck, Id be home in the morning. Fecking expensive mind wrecking episode.

Bad situation there, hope a job comes along for you.

For the first poster, not sure what you and the missus are intending to do for the year? Will you have enough money not to be worried about working (or not working much). Cos unless you have some contacts it will be hard to find if you are not legal right now. You want to think about if you really want to stay for a year at all if is only for traveling an a bit of fun. Maybe do your 3 months (still max hol visa??), do 3 in Canada and then another 3 in USA. Not sure if that 100% legal now, but think it might be. No point in getting a ban from the US just for messing about for a year, you might have youngster in a few year wanting to go to Disneyland etc. Go somewhere warm for the 3 months, see how it goes.

The Iceman · September 01, 2009, 09:14:54 PM

A lot of wise and good advise - hope you take it in.

Australia seems better these days for legally staying for extended periods of time. If you stay here illegally in the US you'll get your passport stamped on the way home and you won't get back for 10 years. My best mate couldn't come to my wedding here because of it.....

Puck mate sorry to here about the bad run of luck. Could you not get a girl to "marry" you there?

gawa316 · September 01, 2009, 09:45:12 PM

Sorry to hijack this thread but I'm married to an american girl who has a spouses visa to work here (n ireland). We plan to move in to california in a couple of years, will it be straight forward enough for me just to apply for my visa/green card?

heganboy · September 01, 2009, 09:59:28 PM

GAWA
You should be applying for your green card right now- you don't have to be there for it, also as soon as you get it, apply for citizenship. Its the only way they have no right to refuse you entry

gawa316 · September 01, 2009, 10:02:59 PM

Quote from: heganboy on September 01, 2009, 09:59:28 PM
GAWA
You should be applying for your green card right now- you don't have to be there for it, also as soon as you get it, apply for citizenship. Its the only way they have no right to refuse you entry

Cheers HB

Don't suppose you know the process, costs etc?

Puckoon · September 01, 2009, 10:16:58 PM

Gawa your greencard should be couple thousand dollars all in.
Get on the ball as then you'll have less time to waif for citizenship. After 3 years greencard holding if you are still married you can apply for citizenship, 5 years if not still married.

Iceman, I'd think about it when the clock starts ticking again, but that'd be an awful pain in the ass.

Puckoon · September 01, 2009, 10:21:57 PM

Gawa, also everything is on www.uscis.gov for you to do it yourself, but I'd spring the extra few bucks abd have a lawyer prepare everything.

Tyrones own · September 01, 2009, 10:50:10 PM

Quote from: Puckoon on September 01, 2009, 10:16:58 PM
Gawa your greencard should be couple thousand dollars all in.
Get on the ball as then you'll have less time to waif for citizenship. After 3 years greencard holding if you are still married you can apply for citizenship, 5 years if not still married.

Iceman, I'd think about it when the clock starts ticking again, but that'd be an awful pain in the ass.

That's close to how I understand it, only difference being I had to show 5 years of paid Taxes
as a green card holder before being accepted for Citizenship $:-\$

John Boy · September 02, 2009, 05:57:26 AM

Im in Oz as last 18 months but have been thinking on heading san fran direction before i finally go home. Im hoping to be over there for a gaelic season. Anyone know when the season starts / finishes in san fran? I have a few contacts over there to try and get me set up with work etc.

gortnaleck · September 02, 2009, 06:42:33 AM

Season in San Fran starts around April .The Finals were 2 wks ago and the Playoffs take place on this coming weekend .Venues are usually rotated between Boston (this year) Chicago etc.New York have separate competitions

the waffler · September 02, 2009, 05:45:36 PM

Cheers lads, would want to be legal and find work kinda settle a bit it wouldn't strictly be a year if all went well,just trying to find out the best way to get sorted.

The Iceman · September 02, 2009, 07:46:01 PM

Quote from: the waffler on September 02, 2009, 05:45:36 PM
Cheers lads, would want to be legal and find work kinda settle a bit it wouldn't strictly be a year if all went well,just trying to find out the best way to get sorted.

There are very few easy legal routes:
Marriage - need a US spouse
Fiance - need a US spouse and then Marry within 90 days of arrival
Work Visa - need a company to sponsor you
Student Visa - need to go to school here

Any more if I have left out?

America is not as open as it used to be - Australia would be your best bet.....

stew · September 02, 2009, 08:36:15 PM

Quote from: gawa316 on September 01, 2009, 09:45:12 PM
Sorry to hijack this thread but I'm married to an american girl who has a spouses visa to work here (n ireland). We plan to move in to california in a couple of years, will it be straight forward enough for me just to apply for my visa/green card?

Get the ball rolling right away on this, the earlier you do it the easier it will be to go when the time comes. There is a lot of red tape when moving to the states and things can drag on for months so get moving on this gawa.