hello to everybody.
i have been lurking around this forum for quite some time, i'm finding the insights and comments of people around here very useful and enlightening to both me and my wife (suzanne's and dale's easily come to mind).
i hope you don't mind me making my first, albeit lengthy post. from a different perspective, if you will -- from a candidate nurse dependent.
my wife has practiced nursing in the philippines for almost 10 years, in a national (government) hospital. she has been around -- from female surgical ward, to a burn unit, then to male surgical ward. from staff to head nurse.
almost 10 years of passionate and genuine service to our underprivileged countrymen. all these despite the odd working hours, a paltry salary, under a poor health-care system in a decaying national government.
a job well done, you might say. doing work she has envisioned doing since she was a young girl.
she stopped working november of 2004, in order to focus on all the requirements asked from a nurse who wishes to work in the US.
believe me, the decision for her to stop working was a difficult, conjugal decision. personally, it meant having to face the possibility of ending my promising career in broadcasting here in the philippines -- notwithstanding the odd working hours, a relatively laughable salary, under a poor labor-system in a decaying national government. this is a career i continue to love and nurture for almost 8 years.
but if the realization of a promise of a brighter future for the family should come from my wife, in the US, and not from me, then, so be it. i bit the bullet, swallowed the pride, and wholeheartedly supported her in this endeavor.
this path brought her to this current point. these are her particulars:
* signed a contract with a central valley, california hospital (thru an agency)
* PD is January 2005
* she has completed all critical requirements -- CGFNS, NCLEX, Visa Screen Certificate
* I-140 approved May 2005
* waiting for Fee Bill (when do you think it will arrive?)
i hope you guys don't mind, i have a few questions (don't worry, none of those "will she be able to enjoy a piece of the 50,000 pie?" it will happen when it happens):
1. my wife is currently 3+ months pregnant. during which part of the immigration process should we formally declare this? should we already pay the fee of the unborn child if and when we file the DS-230? the agency said that the lawyers will just manifest this fact during the filing. is this true?
2. is there a future for a dependent spouse? can i also work, but be subjected to the usual change of immigration status?
thank you, as i await your responses.
to the filipino nurses around here, you are in this forum because you wish to share in the american dream (it is not just disneyland, dale. :) ). i wish you all good luck.
but please humor some slight musings of an outsider to your profession...
you are a nurse first, and a possible immigrant second. your chosen profession is not a means to the (american) end. always set ablaze the flame of genuine service. prove yourselves worthy of the 50,000 pie (or an EB3 visa should it become current again). hone your skills in our country, the privilege of serving our countrymen comes with it.
please don't cut corners. if you're planning to take the TNT route, please reconsider. so many TNTers have hurt the legit applicants already (immigrants or non-immigrants!). prove your mettle!
bring pride to the filipino nurse. show the world what you are made of.
thank you.
jenic501
30 Posts
hi rep!
i learned that your PD is November 2003, mine is October 2003 and still waiting to be scheduled for a preliminary appointment. well, my papers are either still with NVC or to be forwarded yet to US embassy manila.....im just waiting and praying hard that i will be included in the coming schedule soon. hope your papers too are doing well......thanks so much. :)