The U.S.’s horrible immigration system, explained #FreeDJKenn
This isn’t completely accurate, close but the wait times can actually be much worse depending on status. As a Mexican adult son whose parents had become US citizens the waiting list for a visa began in july of 92. that was in 2008. Now some of you might not even really understand what a visa is. It is NOT a “green card” it is simply what allows you to COME to the US. considering I was already here that waiting list meant I was suppose to leave the US and wait for my name to come up on a list that I was 16 years in the hole for. Then once that came through I could apply for permanent residency and then after spending some years on that then I could apply for citizenship. I should also mention this wasn’t the first time I was told to go back and wait for a visa, they gave me that same answer when I was 14, 17, 2001, 2004
My case was especially fucked because I had been in the US since I was 1, fam came over on student visas so my pops could continue his graduate studies. After getting his Phd he was offered a job at American Express. They offered to resolve his green card issue and sponsor him. Many do this for foreign students because you don’t have to pay them as much and they probably won’t leave until you get them residency which also means you can trap them. After 7 years of Amex doing nothing Pops bounced to GE Capitol who offered the same thing with the same results, nothing.
Late 90’s my dad hired his own lawyer and did it himself. Lets remember this process started in 1987 when they kicked in amnesty as part of Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986. The day of the interview where my parents received approval for permanent residency I turned 22, this was 2001. since I was now over the age of 21, I was no longer able to apply with my parents, regardless of intially beginning this process when I was 8 years old or even the latest round of appeals when I was 17. I was assed out.
It is now 2012 and I am currently filing to have conditional status removed from my permanent resident status so that I have the option to apply for citizenship in 2015, but considering the delays I’m already having lets make that 2016. when it’s all said and done I wouldn’t be surprised if I clock in 30 years of dealing with INS/USCIS/DHS or whatever the fuck they want to call themselves these days.