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Immigration Attorney

post #1 of 16
3/17/11 at 6:49pm
Thread Starter 
I have a friend in Europe looking to apply for citizenship in the USA. I don't have any experience with this sort of thing, but since there are a good amount of lawyers on the boards, I figured I'd ask here. What exactly does the whole process involve? How much will a lawyer typically charge for such a case? She is in her early 20's and looking to go to school in America.
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post #2 of 16
3/17/11 at 7:06pm
why doesn't she just get a student visa?
i studied for a few years in the US always on a student visa..
unless you marry an american gaining citizenship is HARD!!
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post #3 of 16
3/17/11 at 7:12pm
I'm not a lawyer, but have had to look at this issue for grad school applications. If the institution is accredited and she is going to school full-time, it's a student visa that's completed by her and the school.

She needs to talk to the school and what their process is.
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post #4 of 16
3/18/11 at 2:00pm
As stated the student visa would be a much better option if she's just looking to come to the States in order to go to school.

If she wants to come to the states and become a U.S. Citizen then that's a much longer and expensive process. I'm sure she can google Immigration lawyers and find a list.
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post #5 of 16
3/18/11 at 2:13pm
Tell her to come here on a student visa then fall in love with some dude way below her standards who will marry her. I know a couple German women who did this and it only took a couple years. After awhile they realized they married losers, got divorced and now are free American citizens
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post #6 of 16
3/19/11 at 1:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by texas_jack View Post
Tell her to come here on a student visa then fall in love with some dude way below her standards who will marry her. I know a couple German women who did this and it only took a couple years. After awhile they realized they married losers, got divorced and now are free American citizens

Current student visas restrict students from getting married here.
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post #7 of 16
3/19/11 at 2:10pm
Study in what, grad. school? There are a few cases where you can possibly get green card while you're in grad. program (qualify for EB-1, got to be something extraordinary in publication to do that though). Even that will take a while, and it will be at least like 3rd or 4th year into grad. program.

Why does she want to get US Citizen though? US citizen has taxable foreign income (though if you're small time, it's pretty difficult and time wasting for IRS to even bother find that out)
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post #8 of 16
3/19/11 at 2:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xiaogou View Post
Current student visas restrict students from getting married here.

I see, these chicks were actually aupairs so maybe it's different?
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post #9 of 16
3/19/11 at 9:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by texas_jack View Post
Tell her to come here on a student visa then fall in love with some dude way below her standards who will marry her. I know a couple German women who did this and it only took a couple years. After awhile they realized they married losers, got divorced and now are free American citizens

i heard recently they give you a 2 year conditional green card to see if you stay married
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post #10 of 16
3/19/11 at 10:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by davesmith View Post
i heard recently they give you a 2 year conditional green card to see if you stay married

Thought 2 yr conditional green card has been there for quite a while now, though I think you do become citizen faster (3 yr after green card as suppose to 5 yr after green card)
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post #11 of 16
3/20/11 at 3:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xiaogou View Post
Current student visas restrict students from getting married here.

If you have someone who wants to marry you and they are a U.S. citizen then they can file the paperwork to change your status.
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post #12 of 16
3/21/11 at 5:03pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the responses guys. She's planning to study theater at Julliard, and is insistent upon becoming a citizen. I'll mention the student visa idea, as that seems the most practical.
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post #13 of 16
3/21/11 at 5:05pm
She's not going to be able to become a citizen by just being a student. After she graduates, she'll have a 1 yr period to find a job in her line of work, or leave the country if she doesn't.
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post #14 of 16
3/21/11 at 5:08pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pilot View Post
She's not going to be able to become a citizen by just being a student. After she graduates, she'll have a 1 yr period to find a job in her line of work, or leave the country if she doesn't.

OK, thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to relay that information to her.
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post #15 of 16
3/23/11 at 5:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pilot View Post
She's not going to be able to become a citizen by just being a student. After she graduates, she'll have a 1 yr period to find a job in her line of work, or leave the country if she doesn't.

Are you referring to OPT? F1 visa is likely best for her at this point. Citizenship is much further down the road.

I'm an immigration attorney, would not recommend listening to this thread for advice. If you want to talk, PM me.
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