domingo, 31 de agosto de 2008

Vida de Imigrante


Quem acompanha meu blog pessoal sabe tudo que tenho vivido desde que cheguei ao US.


Mas algumas meninas da imigracao us pediram para eu fazer um resumo para quem nao leu, rs


Haja resumo, porque tenho vivido tao intensamente que as vezes fica dificil contar.




Quando olho para esses dois meses que estou aqui mal acredito que sejam apenas so dois meses! Ja vivi e aprendi tanto nesses dois meses que tenho a impressao de que sao dois anos!


A imigracao que acontece por causa de casamentos é sem duvida uma das mais intensas.


Nunca fui imigrante antes, mas vivi por alguns anos na Europa, o que poderia chamar de imigracao temporaria. Como fiquei tres ou quatro anos sem voltar ao Brasil, conheci algumas das principais caracteristicas da vida de imigrante, a perda de contato com a historia do país, o desenraizamento, a sensaçao de nao fazer mais parte de lugar nenhum! Mas o desafio era sem duvida menor! Eu precisava me adaptar ao país, o que já um grande desafio. Entretanto como imigrante com visto de noiva, o desafio é duplo, precisamos nos adaptar tambem a uma pessoa de cultura diferente, a vida de casada num contexto diferente. Daí vem essa sensaçao de ter vivido dois anos e nao dois meses! :)




Aqui nos US vivo o dilema da integracao (que confesso que no Sul é aparentemente mais facil, ainda é cedo para tirar conclusoes, mas tenho sido bem recebida onde chego aqui) vejo que sao duas as tendencias, integrar-se ou isolar-se.


Trabalhei muitos anos preparando grupos de imigracao para o Canada e estudando a politica de imigracao desse pais percebi que eles encorajam fortemente o recem chegado a integrar-se em sua propria comunidade de origem. Isso é bastante compreensível porque o isolamento e a solidao em uma cultura estranha pode levar a depressao e ao retorno.


A imigracao Canadense é um pouco diferente da imigracao de outros países por se tratar de uma imigracao desejada. O Canada precisa de imigrantes e tenta educar seu povo a receber bem o imigrante. Mas esse receber é relativo, porque nao há uma mistura real com esse imigrante.


Se ele nao tiver sua prorpria comunidade, ele vai ficar isolado.


Isso ocorre em praticamente todos os paises, e aqui nao escapa a regra. No entanto, para muitos de nos nem existe uma comunidade brasileira onde passamos a morar. Para outros o isolamento em um 'gueto' cultural tambem nao é atraente!




Por outro lado, a imigracao + casamento, tem uma lado integrador, temos um companheiro, muitas vezes o apoio dos amigos e familia do marido o que tambem facilita muito as coisas. Se por um lado temos um desafio muito maior, por outro tambem temos um suporte muito grande que é de imensa ajuda nesse processo.


Para voce ter uma ideia nao me via como imigrante ate o meu primeiro dia de aula (semana passada). Foi aí que caiu a ficha, quando a professora começou a falar sobre a vida de imigrante!


Não havia me visto como imigrante até então, mesmo sabendo que era, mas para nós fica muito mais em evidencia o fato de estarmos nos casando por isso ainda nao havia me visto ainda como um imigrante...




continua

sexta-feira, 15 de agosto de 2008

Passo a Passo do K3



I-130 PETITION

· I-130 Petition for Immediate Relative

· G-325A Biographic Information -- 2 required. One is filled out and signed by you, the other is filled out and signed by the spouse.

· A copy of the marriage certificate of the petitioner and the immigrant spouse.

· A copy of the petitioner birth certificate, passport (you have to prove you are a US Citizen).

· A copy of the petitioner's divorce decree, if he or she was previously married.

· A photo of the petitioner with the name printed on the back of the photo.

· A copy of the spouse's birth certificate.

· A photo of the immigrant spouse with her or his name printed on the back of the photo.

· A copy of the divorce decree of the immigrant spouse, if applicable.

· A check or money order for the required fee

· If you want to submit the I-130 petition for your stepchild you need to submit all documents as well.


I-129 F PETITION

· G-325A Biographic Information -- 2 required. One is filled out and signed by you, the other is filled out and signed by the spouse.

· A copy of the marriage certificate of the petitioner.

· A copy of the petitioner's birth certificate, passport (you have to prove you are a US Citizen).

· A photo of the petitioner's with the full name printed with a pencil, on the back of the photo.

· A photo of the immigrant spouse with the full name printed with a pencil on the back of the photo.

· A copy of the petitioner's divorce decree, if you were previously married

· A copy of the spouse's divorce decree, if applicable

· A copy of the spouse's birth certificate

· A copy of the children's birth certificate

· A photo of their children's with their full name printed with pencil or black mark, on the back of the photo

· A check or money order for the required fee

· The A copy of I-797 "Notice of Action" from the USCIS

The USCIS rules notes that the U.S. citizen who files an I-129F petition for an alien spouse does not have to submit a separate I-129F petition for a child of that spouse. These children are to be listed on the I-129F petition for the spouse. While the U.S. citizen must also file out an I-130 petition for the alien spouse, there is no requirement "to fill a Form I-130 immigrant visa petition on behalf of the alien's children seeking K4 nonimmigrant status, since K4 is merely a derivative nonimmigrant classification, according to the USCIS rule. K4s are dependent on K3s for their status. However, as the USCIS rule explains, the K4 child will not be able to file for adjustment of status in the United States until the U.S. citizen parent / stepparent files an I-130 on behalf of the child. I called USCIS today twice and each person gave me a different answer , one said that you MUST submit an I-130 petition for the children when you first submit the I-130 for your spouse as part of the K3/K4 process, another one said there is no requirement "to file a Form I-130 immigrant visa petition on behalf of the alien's children. In my opinion however, it is highly advisable to do so, in order to avoid complications and delays during the Adjustment of Status process. The children will not be able to complete the Adjustment of Status without an I-130 petition being approved

You also need to begin preparing an I-134 Affidavit of Support. The I-134 Affidavit of Support will be filled out by the US Citizen and sent to the spouse for the K3 interview. It is not required to be sent to the Service Center with the I-129F. Some Consulates require extra information to be included with the Affidavit, some consulates require I-864 affidavit of support not I-134 some may not even require the Affidavit itself, but still require the supporting documentation, so you need to hang onto it until you have learned whether or not there are additional requirements. These will be listed on the OF-167 "financial support" document the spouse receives from the Consulate.
The documentation required for the I-130 is nearly the same for the I-129F petition, so you might as well prepare both packages at one time, rather than experience surprise and aggravation several weeks later, when you realize you need MORE copies of the exact same stuff.

The K3 visa allows one to enter the US in nonimmigrant status to eventually adjust status to lawful permanent residency while in the United States. USCIS will grant the applicant with a two-year admission period when the K3 visa holder enters the United States. Foreign national spouses present in the United States can travel outside of the United States and return using their K3 visa. While in K3 status, if one has filed for adjustment of status in the US prior to departure from the US, USCIS will not presume that the departure constitutes abandonment of an adjustment application

The alien spouse must apply to the USCIS for permanent residency (Green Card). For marriages less than two years old, the applicant is initially granted conditional resident status. After two years, the applicant may apply to the USCIS for removal of the conditional status. K3 visa applicants DO NOT need to submit the Form I-864 Affidavit of Support, until they adjust status to lawful permanent residency in the United States in the U.S. However, the Affidavit of Support for non immigrant visas, may be deemed appropriate by the consular officer.. The K3/K4 is a multiple entry visa that allows you to reenter the United States without Advance Parole. K3 visa applicants are subject to the 3 year bar if they accrued more than 180 days of unlawful presence in the US. If they accrued one or more years of unlawful presence they are subject to a 10 year bar. However, they may apply for a waiver to overcome the 3 or 10 year bar.

Your spouse will be able to work after getting a social security card and an EAD (Employment Authorization Document). Advance parole is not necessary for
travel outside the U.S. for K3 and K4 visa recipients. They are in valid status for 2 years and the visa is a multiple re-entry visa. K3 and K4 visa holders may extend their status by showing strong intent to eventually adjust status. Your spouse will be able to work after getting a social security card and an EAD (Employment Authorization Document). Advance parole is not necessary for travel outside the U.S. for K3 and K4 visa recipients. They are in valid status for 2 years and the visa is a multiple re-entry visa. K3 and K4 visa holders may extend their status by showing strong intent to eventually adjust status.

1. US citizen spouse files an I-130 to the Service Center for foreign spouse.
2. US citizen spouse receives a notice of action from the Service Center for this petition.

3-US citizen spouse then sends a copy of the notice of action (or proof of filing the I-130) with a completed I-129F form, other required documents, and $… fee to the Chicago P. O. box INS address on the I-129F petition form.

4. The Chicago office checks the petition, deposits the $….fee, and sends the petition on to the Missouri Service Center.

5. Missouri Service Center approves the petition and forwards it to the US consulate.

6. On the consulate side of things, the foreign spouse completes a process very similar to the K-1 process: receives a packet of forms/documents, gets a medical exam and police certificate, attends an interview, and gets the K3 visa.

7. The foreign spouse enters the US as a K3 to await the final processing of the I-130 petition. The foreign spouse is allowed to work but must have a work authorization card in order to do so. A separate request is filed with the USCIS to obtain work authorization

Based on Visa Journey and USCIS information