Love Tragedy

indeed a love tragedy because he may have to go home because he cannot use the lpn license for immigration purposes at all.

only the bsn degree from the philippines can be used for sponsorship by employment.

does he have the bsn degree or he took the lpn program in the philippines? if he did the lpn program there, he just wasted his time and money because he can never use the lpn license to be legal in the united states.

i don't even know why we have lpn programs in the philippines when it is not even recognized by the philippine government. we have no lpns nurses there. there isn't even a governing body or board for lpns in the philippines.

the lpn programs in the philippines should only be for those people who are already legal in the united states (green card holder or us citizens).

i don't want to advise the last resort i am thinking about because you just met him.

can he continue to get his bsn degree in the philippines?

well, good luck and i hope everything works out with you two.

angel

Hello wonderful world of allnurses.com. I come with a dire need of advice...

I recently met my boyfriend in the Philippines in the summer while on vacation. We instantly hit it off and kept in touch when I returned to the U.S. In October he decided to come here on a tourist visa and we have been together ever since. He will be taking the NCLEX LVN exam in March, therefore his six months will be up in April. We are frantically weighing his immigration options so that we can stay together. These are some options we heard of: If he passes the exam he should...

1.) Find a hospital who will sponsor him as an LVN

2.) Find a caregiver agency who will sponsor

3.) Apply for an LVN to RN ladder program at a local college to get a student visa

Does anyone know of any other options? Agencies? Hospitals? Pro bono immigration lawyers? HELP!

Overstaying a visa could ruin his chance of ever being able to live in the USA. Therefore, he should either return to home country before the visa expires or extend his stay legally. As the previous posters mentioned, LPNs don't qualify for any visa based on employment. Transferring to a student visa could be an option, but time is running out. He may still have to apply and be accepted in the schools before his visa expires. And maintaining the student visa means he has to attend the school full-time, and can not work. I don't know how feasible it will be for both of you financially.

all the best.

Thank you everyone for your honest responses.

We've tried everything and decided that he should go back to the Philippines at the end of March so that he can return legally in Sept. Before he leaves he will be taking the NCLEX-LVN exam. Hopefully he will pass it so that he can start applying for the LVN to RN bridge programs here. If all goes well he will be admitted for the Fall in Sept and we can be together again!

Again, we appreciate all of the comments! If anyone has any suggestions on which LVN to RN bridge programs are best to apply for in Southern California it would help!

Please be very aware that his chances of getting into a bridge program for this fall will be almost impossible to get into. He needs first to pass the PN exam, and then submit a CES to evaluate his credits/hours before they will accept him. He also has the issue of attending a program that is not even licensed in his country, so that puts marks against it when attempting to bridge here.

It is not going to be as easy as you think, he will also need to prove that he has the funds to pay for his schooling as well as living expenses to be able to get a student visa. They are getting tougher and tougher on those, and if you add in the fact that after he finishes that there still are not going to be any visas available for him to remain in the US. Attending school here no longer gives any benefit in getting a green card to remain here when the student is done..

But glad to hear that he is leaving and not overstaying his visa. Just want you to know that things are not going to be as easy as you think that they are.

Thank you Suzanne4 for your insight. We have done our research and found that most bridge programs that we've talked to here in the U.S., such as Southwest College and Trade Tech, have been optimistic in terms of his acceptance for the Fall. Most of the requirements appear to be the same across most schools including a general application, the PN test passed, a TOEFL score (however the Philippines is exempt of this for some schools such as Southwest), transcripts, app fee, sometimes a letter of rec, and of course, an Affidavit of Support. We've downloaded and reviewed the I-134 Affidavit of Financial Support Form from USCIS. Most schools require proof of support between $6,000 - $16,000 as well as a signed letter for room and board support. Though these requirements are tedious, we feel determined and certain that we will complete them.

As for post-program options, we are aware that USCIS is firming up on their policies, however we found the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program at Trade Tech. He can apply for the OPT 60 to 90 days prior to the completion of his RN program, which will allow him to work in the U.S. for up to 12 months. Through the OPT he could receive an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) that allows him to work, but not leave the country during his stay here.

We're still exploring our options, but those appear to be the most feasible...

In terms of immigration, by far the best answer is to get married. He can then stay and adjust his status to marriage-based green card. Won't help him with licensure, but it will get him legal residency so that he can do further study etc. Study would then be cheaper as a permanent resident rather than international student.

If they are already looking at the marriage route then that is fine but to look at marriage just to stay and AOS is actually illegal and fraud, would be better to look at the K1 route