Please help me not screw up my gfs future GC

I am a US citizen and a permanent resident of the Dominican Republic. My gf
is 24 and a citizen of the Dominican Republic.

My girlfrieds parents are US legal permanent residents. My girfriend's
parents had applied for my girlfriend's green card when she was 18.

The response from the USCIS recieved July of 2007 was "Current Status: This
case is now pending at the office to which it was transferred.

The I824 APPLICATION FOR ACTION ON AN APPROVED APPLICATION OR PETITION was
transferred and is now pending standard processing at a USCIS office."

My gf and I have lived together in the Dominican Republic for 1 year and
have joint bank accounts in the Dominican Republic. My gf
owns a vehicle and also has her personal "non-joint" bank
account.

In June, my gf is due to finish her one year of required servitude by the
government of the Dominican Republic to be given full unrestricted permision
to practice general medicine in the Domincan Republic.

My gf would like to study in the US for her MD/Phd degree. To do this, she
needs to study for several exams prior to getting accepted by a US
university. In order to prepare for and take these MD/Phd entrance exams
she has to do so in the US.

We would like to get married in the US while she is studying. She still needs to return to the DR.

May she go to TOEFL and MCAT training school in the US on an F1 VISA?

If I apply for a change of status after we marry, while she is in US on F1, for her will that negate her parent's application for her?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Attempt #2: clarrification

First off, to be more exact, I am currently a US citizen and a temporary resident in the DR by going through the ?Window of Investment? however, I now believe (correctly or incorrectly as the case maybe) (and since my real estate post) due to (a person I believe is) an immigration attorney at the Santiago Immigration office that it is an all but ?foregone conclusion? that when I renew my residency, November/December 2008, and I should receive LPR status in the DR shortly after that. I may be incorrect in what I believe however, either way, this is a seemingly unimportant, unrelated and seemingly unnecessary detail for the immigration case and it?s seems that I should have excluded it entirely. Also, I did not want extend an already LONG post with all of these details.

Secondly, regarding the woman I love. The general public, including both of us, in the DR refers to us as married however, we have no specific official paperwork to support this. Because of that, I believe I have to call her my gf in the eyes of the US. I don?t think I can call the woman I love ?my wife? in the eyes of the US because of this lack of paperwork. I am thinking that the US consulate seems like they would think it was a joke. For every other purpose, except those that do NOT condone or honor this common law marriage, we are married. Once again, I left this explanation out as to not to muddy the waters with this seemingly unimportant detail. Also, I did not want extend an already LONG post with all of these details.

In the future, I will try to be more exact and explicative, sorry.

[quote clipped]
>>My gf would like to study in the US for her MD/Phd degree. To do this, she
>>needs to study for several exams prior to getting accepted by a US
>>university. In order to prepare for and take these MD/Phd entrance exams
>>she has to do so in the US.

>Bullsh!t...they give classes here for that. Kaplan >and Toefl preparation.

I have NOT received any confirmation from Kaplan that they offer anything but the TOEFL and USMLE here. They keep neglecting to address the MCAT in their correspondence. Furthermore, I can't seem to find where she can take the MCAT in the DR. Suggestions?

>>We would like to get married in the US while she is studying. She still >>needs to return to the DR.

>Not going to happen

Might getting officially married in the US or DR mess up her parents application?

>>?May she go to TOEFL and MCAT training school in the US on an F1 VISA?

>If I apply for a change of status after we marry, while she is in US on F1, >for her will that negate her parent's application for her?

>She should get her own Residency first. Then plan on going to the States if
GREAT suggestion! That would definitely be ideal. Now I need to find out how long 'till her appointment. Thanks, HB

>need be, to study, get married or whatever. She had better be a good >student or else she will not get into a good residence program.
The best laid plans... I am estimating that all this will take around 10+ years.

>If you start to mess around with this you could prejudice the Resident Visa >Request made by her parents years ago. You can message the Consulate >and find out whenher interview will be...See if things can be speeded up a >bit..

How do I message the consulate?

>Good luck, she sounds like a fine girl..

She is incredible!

>HB

VV

Priority List 1

[quote author=twincactus link=topic=1422.msg47348#msg47348 date=1203535008]
I think you may want to investigate getting married and filing DCF at the Embassy. I think they are doing that once again and it would be faster. I believe you may even be able to file a K1 directly at the Embassy doing DCF.
[/quote]

What is a DCF?

CURRENTLY the following priorities exist but this list may possibly be subject to change:
MY/OUR PRIORITIES FOLLOW:

1) We would like to continue living together almost no matter where and almost no matter what our legal married status is. Her parents will not allow this and we are in BIG trouble if they find out we have been living together at the campo de campo the DR government has assigned her to. In approximately 3 mo she will be due to finish her mandatory 1 year DR servitude to be able to practice general medicine in the DR. After this she is going to be socially pressured to live with her grandmother in the DR again. This is where a student VISA may be/or may not be helpful.

2) My gf would really like to get US LPR through her parents or get a VISA to study in the US. I would like to not damage the validity of her parents application for her by filing any paperwork myself.

3) I would like to facilitate a US based intensive English learning program for my gf.

4) I would like to facilitate a US based MCAT and a US based FMG exam study program for my gf.

5) We would prefer to get married in the US but this is only a preference. I do not know if we can get married because I think this may mess up her parents gc app for her.

Thank you, but the proverbial toes of the parents...

AnnaC said:

I'm going to give you a site where you'll get more help on your question.

Dominicans to the USA - Index

good luck

Click to expand...

The site you referred me to has been very helpful however, nearly all of what I get is that I should apply for a K1. This may be the right way to go but, right now this does not seem to align itself with my gfs family ideals. I need to learn more about the options for my gf (and communicate those options to her parents) before I can think about applying for a K1.

I do agree that attempting to please the parents is a BAD idea. This still does not change the fact that I love my gf and I want to see her happy. At this point, a 12 year wait for her gc seems OK to me as long as my gf can go to the US to study (even for a student with out of state tuition prices) while waiting for her gc through her parents. The 12 year number is what I have heard regarding getting a gc through the parents of US LPRs.

If I can help facilitate my gf getting to the us based solely on my gfs merits, then getting married in the US would be VERY VERY VERY likeliy to be supported by her parents. This is because her initial trip to the US was initiated by mf gfs personal merits so everyone is happy. Once we are married, then the traditions of my (then) wife?s immediate family now SUPERCEDE the traditions of my (now) gfs parents. At that point, I would then be able to apply for her without stepping on any of her families idealistic (albeit some what seemingly disillusioned) toes.

How long might US LPRs have to wait to receive Citizenship? Where can I read more about this process?

Last year in June my gfs under 21 year old sister received her gc. This has made my gfs parents even more fervently believe that my 24 year old gf will receive her gc any day now. I would really like to here comments regarding this belief. My gfs parents are US LPRs and my gfs parents have approximately 1-2 years before being able to apply for there US citizenship

I am trying not to affect her decisions

Hillbilly said:

Let me help you a bit here:

1) Your girl does not have to take MCAT,

[BEGIN 1]--------------------------
If she wants to go to a progam like the she does need the MCAT.

Information for Prospective Graduate Students > Graduate Admissions > The Ohio State University
[END 1]--------------------------
if she graduated from a recognized medical program in the DR.

[BEGIN 2]She did not graduate from a recognized medical program.[END 2]

She has to take the USMLE (United States Medical License Exam).

[BEGIN 3]That is only if she wants to be licensed in the US. Right now that is not her goal. Some of her desicion to set her goal toward a higher education is because of me. She fervently wants to work on developing better treatments (or possibly a cure for) for Multiple Sclerosis. I have tried not to influence her educational goals however, this desire of mine to let her make her choices (I believe) is affecting her decisions.
[END 3]

The Toefl exam is for her English and she can study for that at the Dominico-Americano.

[BEGIN 4]Is the a Dominico-Americano in Santiago?

Supposedly the TOEFL PBT is at PUCMM on March 7, 2008. This date is too soon.
[END 4]

2) She is finishing her "pasant?a" which, for US Residency programs, is called a year of government service.

FYI, unless she went to a place like UTESA,

Well, there in lies MUCH of the problem. Now 20/20 hind sight shows that her UTESA choice was not the best. Nothing can be done directly about that now.

she should not have too much trouble with the USMLE IF

[BEGIN 5]
I have heard that even UTESA grads have passed at least step 1 and step 2 of the USMLE.
[END 5]

she prepares well. Probably best to do the English, then the USMLE prep.

[BEGIN 6] I whole heartedly agree with the IF she prepares well.[END 6]

this is not a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am deal. This takes years of preparation. A good friend of mine is a US citizen, educated in the PUCMM program. Since he is not going to work in the DR (probably) he did not do the 'pasant?a' and has been studying this past year for the USMLE. He will go to the States for an intensive Kaplan course and take Part I of the USMLE next month. Then he will study for the next several months before taking part II. THEN he will see about residencies. He is looking at 2010 as the start of his 5-7 year cycle of medical residency for orthopedic/sports surgery.

[BEGIN 7]She is looking at 2020 to be developing better treatments (or possibly a cure for) for Multiple Sclerosis.[END 7]

He will be 33 when he finishes, hopefully.

[BEGIN 8]She would be 36.[END 8]

HB

Click to expand...

Thank you again!

VV

My gfs GOAL is: to work on developing treatsments or a cure for MS...

[BEGIN HB 1]
1) Your girl does not have to take MCAT,
[Eend HB1]

[BEGIN VV1]--------------------------
If she wants to go to a progam like the she does need the MCAT. The GRE is only for the pure scientist portion of this progran.

Information for Prospective Graduate Students > Graduate Admissions > The Ohio State University
[END VV1]--------------------------

WAY to delusionally ambitious, but...

Hillbilly said:

MCAT is for graduates of (and I quote from my friend, the recent graduate) ?nly for people that went to osteopathic medical schools" , not for Residence programs. Now, for Grad Schools....whole nuther deal...

[BEGIN voyavivir 1]
At this point, her goal is to work on better conventional treatments or a cure for MS. WAY to delusionally ambitious, but I gotta love her for the desire to want to do something that may help me...!

Almost all U.S. medical schools require applicants to submit MCAT scores.
See AAMC: Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) Home

From my cursory net search I have not yet found any reference to MCAT being only for people that went to osteopathic medical schools. I am confused.
[END voyavivir 1]

If she is in Santiago, I can say that UTESA Santiago is so much better than Sto Dgo...
Still it is UTESA...

[BEGIN voyavivir 2]
I guess I am glad to hear that UTESA in Santiago is better than in Santa Domingo. I don't think UTESA is an "osteopathic medical school"...?
[END voyavivir 2]

The Dominico is in Santiago.

HB

Click to expand...

[BEGIN voyavivir 3]
Thank you again for the info.
[END voyavivir 3]