Thread: Legal immigration difficult, expensive

Legal immigration difficult, expensive

Published: Thursday, September 11, 2008 4:16 AM EDT



To the Editor:

The meaning of the word “illegal,â€

The jails are full of illegal aliens, and the children they bear burden our schools, and there are also unknown diseases being brought into our country by these people. I tried going to a politician, who was sympathetic, but told me I must abide by the rules.

Why aren't illegal aliens told the same thing?? What gives them the right to violate our laws?? I agree with this guy. Illegal aliens must NOT get laws changed to suit them, they must be deported!

I am an American-born citizen and taxpayer. While in the Philippines, I got married to a Filipino woman. Since I returned to the USA, it has taken three years and $20,000 to bring my wife to America legally.

I asked an immigration lawyer about this once. He said it is quicker and cheaper to get engaged overseas, then bring your fiance here to get married.
Sounds like our laws are screwed up.

Originally Posted by Bowman

I am an American-born citizen and taxpayer. While in the Philippines, I got married to a Filipino woman. Since I returned to the USA, it has taken three years and $20,000 to bring my wife to America legally.

I asked an immigration lawyer about this once. He said it is quicker and cheaper to get engaged overseas, then bring your fiance here to get married.
Sounds like our laws are screwed up.

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Here's another one for you Bowman, I am married to a Filipina also. I adopted her daughter and even though she is legally my daughter in every sense of the word she is required to play by the rules, get her green card, and keep her Philippine passport for a period of 4 years before she can become an American citizen. And she is only 6 years old. Contrast that with the hundreds of thousands of illegal alien females that come here solely to have their babies and suck off the American taxpayer.
They are citizens and my daughter is not.

Originally Posted by Bowman

I am an American-born citizen and taxpayer. While in the Philippines, I got married to a Filipino woman. Since I returned to the USA, it has taken three years and $20,000 to bring my wife to America legally.

I asked an immigration lawyer about this once. He said it is quicker and cheaper to get engaged overseas, then bring your fiance here to get married.
Sounds like our laws are screwed up.

Under what conditions did the lawyer say to bring your fiance over? How does your fiance become a legal immigrant and why is it easier than marrying them first?

Originally Posted by 4Bear

Under what conditions did the lawyer say to bring your fiance over? How does your fiance become a legal immigrant and why is it easier than marrying them first?

It was not my fiance, it was just a hypothetical question so I could understand more how the immigration system (doesn't) work. As I recall doing it the fiance way allowed you to finish the paperwork in the USA, while if doing it the married way all the paperwork had to be finished before the visa was issued.

Once the fiance is in the USA you have six months to marry them and apply for a green card, that is how they become a legal immigrant.

Originally Posted by Bowman

Originally Posted by 4Bear

Under what conditions did the lawyer say to bring your fiance over? How does your fiance become a legal immigrant and why is it easier than marrying them first?

It was not my fiance, it was just a hypothetical question so I could understand more how the immigration system (doesn't) work. As I recall doing it the fiance way allowed you to finish the paperwork in the USA, while if doing it the married way all the paperwork had to be finished before the visa was issued.

Once the fiance is in the USA you have six months to marry them and apply for a green card, that is how they become a legal immigrant.

I see, so being a "fiance" is legally observed by immigration authorities in the US. That makes sense.