packet 3 and retrogression for nurses

suzanne4, RN · Nov 9, 2006

hello everyone..hope anyone would answer my question regarding retrogression and packet 3. we all knew that there is a retrogression and the cut off date was on october 1 2005. my priority date was on july 7 2006. i emailed NVC 2 days ago to inquire for my case if they already received my packet 3. they said that the documents was received on october 3 2006 and assigned a case number MNL2006XXXXXX and they started reviewing it november 3 2006. NVC also told me that the expected processing time to completely reviewed my documents is 2-4 weeks.im just wondering if they will issue a packet 4 after they had finished reviewing it even if my priority date not current or will NVC hold my case and wait for the visa to become available before they will issue appointment package? thank you c",)
God Bless
sweet_nurse

Sorry, but interview and medical are packet #4 and that will not come until there are visas available again. You will be waiting until there are visas as none can be given out if they do not exist. Nothing having to do with the interview will be coming your way. No one knows when it will end.....

sweet_nurse · Nov 9, 2006

thanks a lot miss suzanne4 for the information..we hope and pray that retrogression will end as soon as possible..

machu_pichuRN · Nov 10, 2006

quote from sweet nurse: "thanks a lot miss suzanne4 for the information..we hope and pray that retrogression will end as soon as possible.."

hi to everyone! i'm originally from rp but obtained my nursing degree (as a second courser) in the us.

to sweet_nurse: also, i underwent the tedious process of getting a gc to be able to work as an rn here in the u.s., although, the process that i have had experienced (note: i was already in the u.s. when i applied for my gc) must be less complicated than (if) when i obtained my degree in rp. i also was lucky since i was able to beat the visa cut-off date for schedule a workers (nurses + pts). unfortunatley, effective nov 1/06, visa slots for schedule a workers retrogressed to oct 1/05. retrogression may or may not end soon, but don't lose hope. hospitals/health facilities here in the us are desperately in need of nurses, and the us congress will surely not overlook this shortage of workers in their next deliberation of the immigration bill, otherwise, health facilities will close shop. probably, because of the retrogression, it may take for a year before you will get your interview schedule, but who knows, by early next year, the visa for schedule a will be current again and you will just be surprised that you have already your interview schedule earlier than expected. meanwhile, be patient and just hang on - you are almost there. good luck.

by the way, kudos to super moderator miss suzanne4 - your thoughts in this forum are very valuable and you speak with sense. i'm sure many of those in rp who are planning or are in the process of geting an rn job in the us will find your advice and insights in this forum helpful.

sweet_nurse · Nov 10, 2006

hello machu_pichu..when did u have ur green card? i read on one of the law firms in the internet that says maybe during sometime of january 2007 they predicted that retrogression will be lifted in that month. If only i take ielts early maybe now i have my visa with me. coz i took it march 2006 and my employer told me to be able to petition me i must passed the ielts and luckily i passed it but i got my ielts result mid of april. :sniff: if only i get it early..anyways machu thank u very much for your encouragement..to all nurses out there who are affected by the retrogression dont lose hope..juz pray to God and everything will be alright..:yelclap:

sweet_nurse · Nov 10, 2006

Please click and read this article. I read it and found it helpfull for those nurses like me who are losing hope because of retrogression. juz keep your faith and cross ur fingers colleages..

http://judiciary.senate.gov/testimony.cfm?id=1801&wit_id=5708

suzanne4, RN · Nov 10, 2006

quote from sweet nurse: "thanks a lot miss suzanne4 for the information..we hope and pray that retrogression will end as soon as possible.."
hi to everyone! i'm originally from rp but obtained my nursing degree (as a second courser) in the us.
to sweet_nurse: also, i underwent the tedious process of getting a gc to be able to work as an rn here in the u.s., although, the process that i have had experienced (note: i was already in the u.s. when i applied for my gc) must be less complicated than (if) when i obtained my degree in rp. i also was lucky since i was able to beat the visa cut-off date for schedule a workers (nurses + pts). unfortunatley, effective nov 1/06, visa slots for schedule a workers retrogressed to oct 1/05. retrogression may or may not end soon, but don't lose hope. hospitals/health facilities here in the us are desperately in need of nurses, and the us congress will surely not overlook this shortage of workers in their next deliberation of the immigration bill, otherwise, health facilities will close shop. probably, because of the retrogression, it may take for a year before you will get your interview schedule, but who knows, by early next year, the visa for schedule a will be current again and you will just be surprised that you have already your interview schedule earlier than expected. meanwhile, be patient and just hang on - you are almost there. good luck.
by the way, kudos to super moderator miss suzanne4 - your thoughts in this forum are very valuable and you speak with sense. i'm sure many of those in rp who are planning or are in the process of geting an rn job in the us will find your advice and insights in this forum helpful.

thank you................:balloons:

suzanne4, RN · Nov 10, 2006

hello machu_pichu..when did u have ur green card? i read on one of the law firms in the internet that says maybe during sometime of january 2007 they predicted that retrogression will be lifted in that month. If only i take ielts early maybe now i have my visa with me. coz i took it march 2006 and my employer told me to be able to petition me i must passed the ielts and luckily i passed it but i got my ielts result mid of april. if only i get it early..anyways machu thank u very much for your encouragement..to all nurses out there who are affected by the retrogression dont lose hope..juz pray to God and everything will be alright..:yelclap:

Sorry, but no way in January. Especially since both the House of Representatives and the Senate will be undergoing major changes now that the Democrats will be in control. There are still more pressing matters that need to be handled for the people of the US first. Adn they do not even get sworn in until mid- January.

As I keep stating, even though many of you are in a rush to get here, it does not immiedately fill openings in a hospital schedule. Length of time to get thru the immigration process, and then the orientation period.

sweet_nurse · Nov 10, 2006

try this link also. the bill has already passed but still waiting for the signature of MR.PRESIDENT:lol_hitti

http://www.visalaw.com/h06jul/9hjul06.html

Section 505 would exempt nurses and other Schedule A occupations from the cap on green cards until 2017. A provision has also been included that would require the US Department of Health and Human Services to issue a report on the nursing shortage in the US and include information on the foreign nurse population in the US as well as an assessment of the impact of nursing immigration on the supply of nurses in the countries the nurses are leaving.

Nurse Dependent · Nov 10, 2006

try this link also. the bill has already passed but still waiting for the signature of mr.president:lol_hitti

hi, sweet nurse. welcome to this wonderful forum.

i tried the link you provided, i read through it til the last paragraph. i'm sorry to burst your bubble, but this is what the last paragraph stated:

"the prospects for the legislation passing this year are, of course, completely unclear. many closely involved in the negotiations on the bill believe a compromise is still possible with the house of representatives. one idea being floated is for the delay in implementing legalization provisions in the bill. if that happens, the provisions above would likely still have a good chance at being included in the part of the legislation that would take effect immediately."

please take note of the phrases in bold letters. this would indicate that any immigration bill hasn't been passed by congress. ergo, no law for mr. president to sign.

one thing i agree with you though, about praying that retrogression will be just a very temporary setback for foreign nurses.

good luck on your journey.

machu_pichuRN · Nov 11, 2006

quote from sweet nurse: “hello machu_pichu..when did u have ur green card? i read on one of the law firms in the internet that says maybe during sometime of january 2007 they predicted that retrogression will be lifted in that month”.

hi sweet nurse:

yes, finally, i already have my gc!. you might wonder, “why the hell i already have my gc when i only launched my application last sep/2006?” actually, we have a different case and situation, so it’s illogical to compare your case from my case. but here’s a glimpse of my case (physically present in the u.s., with no us immigration laws violated; u.s. rn):

sep 4/06: submitted concurrently i-140 (employer’s immigrant petition for alien worker), i-485 (application to register permanent residence or to adjust status- this is the gc); i-765 (employment authorization permit).

sep 18/06: notices of receipt received indicating that each application was received on sep 5/06. for i-485 notice, an alien# was also assigned.

sep 23/06: biometrics/fingerprinting appointment (required for i-485).

sep 26/06: i-765 approved (so was able to start work while gc applcn still pending)

oct 18/06: i-485 approved; oct 30/06: gc received from mail.

(note: i did not bother to check what happened to i-140- it’s the hospital’s concern, anyway...but i assumed i-140 was approved earlier than my gc).

about your case, i really don’t have any idea re: packet 1,2,3,4, etc., but i have an idea about the petition process when the beneficiary is not physically present in the u.s. but let me first ask you: what do you mean by priority date : july 06, 2006? is that the date when the i-140 was received by uscis (which one – in nebraska, texas, etc)?. as of oct 30, for nebraska/texas service centers, they are processing i-140 petition with receipt notice date of may 02/06; at vermont sc – it’s april 02/06. so, with your case, there will be no visa interview until the i-140 has been approved. unfortunately, by the time your employer’s petition (i-140) is approved, your situation is actually passed oct 31/06 – the cut off date for the availability of “current” visas for schedule a workers. but don’t be worried and anxious about it. i tell you, everything will get back to normal (eventually, soon….but not very soon). the shortage of schedule a workers in the u.s. is very real! although the american nurses association is criticizing the importation of foreign born nurses because it does not really answer to the shortage crises in the long term, however, according to hospitals and health care facilities in the u.s., it is the best organizational strategy in the short term to avoid closing shops. and as what suzanne4 pointed out, don’t be in a rush to get here because overall, the process is not a cakewalk. so just relax coz you’re almost here, you’re still young, and you described yourself as “sweet.”

by the way, the proposed immigration reform bill is still pending (since may/2006); still needs to be deliberated by the new us legislature- so expect more debates on this issue (check usics website for future update on this bill; also, i recommend http://www.murthy.com/updates.html.).

good luck to all of you! see you soon.

machu pichu

p.s. i have no connections with http://www.murthy.com/updates.html; i only find the website useful. i'm a u.s. educated rn and i joined this forum because i sympathize the dilemma encountered by rns in rp.

sweet_nurse · Nov 11, 2006

i wonder why u got ur GC early. im so envy..hahaha..how long have u been there in US and what state? are u a tourist before? yes my priority date is July 7 2006 this is the date when the USCIS received my petition it was filed in Texas. My papers got approved August 16 and im nearly to packet 4 (appointment interview and medical). Sad to say NVC received my packet 3 checklist November 3. They told me to wait for 2-4 weeks to completely reviewed my documents. After they had finished it they will send me packet 4. Unfortunately because of retrogression even if my documents was completed by that time it will sit there pending until visa becomes current again. last step to process your petition is packet 4. dont want my papers be transferred in EB3 category which currently processing with priority date of July 2002. Again machu pichu(cute name..haha..its like a name in cartoon tv show pokemon..(picachu)..hehehe) thank you very much for ur support and lots of encouragement. u made me feel better :kiss All i need to do now is to study and focus for my NCLEX. My exam is near will take this January 3 in HK. :typing

God Bless and Take care!!!