Getting Nursing Degree in The Philippines - Green Card Questions?

[mickeeey]

Hi everyone,

I'm a green card holder who's going to comeback to the Philippines and have my Nursing degree. Beforehand, I'll get a re-entry permit (Form I-131) which is usually valid for at least two years.

After it expires, it would be highly unlikely for me to obtain another re-entry permit (even an expedited one) because I'll only have two weeks to stay in US before going back to Phil. for the mandatory summer classes.

What I'm planning is to comeback every summer vacation after that; hence, I will be out of US for almost, but not more than, a year.

I know I'll need all proof available that I only intend to study there and not to permanently reside (i.e. letter from the University personnel, enrollment papers, report cards, etc.) but would those be suffice to keep my green card from getting revoked?

Has anyone been in a similar situation before? Thoughts? Advice? I want to make sure that I don't miss out anything! Thanks

[5cats]

Just to advise to think hard about it, if you intend to be a nurse in the USA, it would be far better to study nursing then in the USA.

I've read all the arguments here about cheap, cheap, I personally believe you'll regrett that later on.

Just my 2 cents...

5cats

[suzanne4, RN]

With things going the way that they are now, as well as the fact that programs in the Philippines are now going to be five years in length; I would take the time to do some reading on the programs and what is actually happening there with schooling.

Also depending on the state where you wish to get licensed, more and more are now requiring the local license, for you that would be the NLE; and if you are not a US citizen and only a US citizen with a US passport, then you are required to write the NLE, you are not considered exempt.

Not sure which program that you are going to be attending, but make sure that it is actually accepted for licensure in the US. Not all of the programs there qualify for licensure here, including CA.

You will have no problems with what you wish to do in terms of immigration, but everything else is going to be a problem from the start.

Best of luck to you.

[obsoleteaccount]

i know someone who studied in the Phils. and is now working as RN here in CA, he applied for 2 RE-ENTRY PERMITS and didn't have any problem with his green card..:) as far as i know, there is no limit in applying re-entry.. he also had 2 weeks vacation(2 weeks only because of the summer classes) to renew the permit and went to the homeland security and they help her renew it with her short stay..:)

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

You are basing the re-entry issue based on current information. With all the turmoil in the USA, policies are changing. The government is going to make things harder for non citizens. In the House bail out bill, the put a provision that only US citizens could work in the jobs created.

As 5Cats has pointed out that cheap in the end may cause more problems. Have a US education could be a reason why one gets employment. Plus you can get a LPN in one year and move on to a RN program which is another year. Then you can get your BSN in 2 years and you can work at the same time if money is an issue.