unusual situation (I think)

[Jalapeno]

Hi all,

I'm trying to find out the best way for a woman who has been to the US several times and wants to live here on a permanent basis. Is a K-1 the only way she can legally stay and get green card/SSN? Or can she get a job in her field of study (she is working on her PHD) and work it that way?

Yes, I will be visiting her next month, but we are discussing some alternative ways of getting her here in the meantime. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!

J

[catzenmouse]

Spend a bit of time looking through the informaton on the following sites. I'm sure you'll find more than you ever wanted to know about visas.

http://uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm

http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html

http://visajourney.com/forums/index.php?act=home

Ken

[Krissa]

It is usually a straightforward process for someone with an earned  doctorate to come to the US for post-doc training. Once this is  complete, the PhD is sufficient evidence that she is a highly skilled  person for purposes of immigration and permanent residence is quite  straightforward.

If she does come to the US for her post-doc work, she should be quite  careful not to enter a cultural exchange program.  This would  require that she return to her home country for usually 2 years before  she could return to the US.

The universities in this area would welcome an English speaking PhD from Russia and assist her considerably. 

Her university would have considerable information about the process  and the likely study areas for her particular specialization.

krissa

[PeeWee]

It is usually a straightforward process for someone with an earned doctorate to come to the US for post-doc training. Once this is complete, the PhD is sufficient evidence that she is a highly skilled person for purposes of immigration and permanent residence is quite straightforward.

If she does come to the US for her post-doc work, she should be quite careful not to enter a cultural exchange program.  This would require that she return to her home country for usually 2 years before she could return to the US.

The universities in this area would welcome an English speaking PhD from Russia and assist her considerably. 

Her university would have considerable information about the process and the likely study areas for her particular specialization.

krissa

Now I am thinking...and that may not be a good thing. The woman that I am currently commuicating with is a doctor. Are you saying that because she is a doctor that I might be able to have her come here as a student? We both are interested in her attending medical school her because she would like to work here as a doctor. This rather than a K-1?  Just curious.

 

Peewee

[rose]

Do you have any idea how much it can cost as a foreign student?

[Krissa]

"
Now I am thinking...and that may not be a good thing. The  woman that I am currently commuicating with is a doctor. Are you saying  that because she is a doctor that I might be able to have her come here  as a student? We both are interested in her attending medical school  her because she would like to work here as a doctor. This rather than a  K-1?  Just curious."


There is a substantial difference between a PhD and an MD and the  requirements to practice the profession that are implied by each.   Russian medical doctors have additional hurdles to overcome to  successfully become certified in the west.

In medicine, the practitioner must understand the vocabulary of the  patient and the vocabulary of medicine.  Examples:  sweating  is called diaphoresis in medicine; loss of conciousness or fainting is  syncope.  A Russian physician must learn several times the  vocabulary of a person in normal society just to be able to communicate.

Additionally, in Soviet times, Stalin named Lysenko the head of Soviet  science and agriculture.  Lysenko's doctrine of 'vernalization'  became the standard in Soviet biology, medicine and genetics. This  forced the majority of Soviet biological sciences to regress from world  class in the 1930's to quite backward in all but the elite schools by  the 60's.

Medical schools and biology are rapidly catching up, especially in the  top institutions.  Increased exchange of training in the FSU with  other areas of the world also is helping to raise the standards.

It is a huge task for a Russian doctor to gain the knowledge,  experience and pass the examinations to become a certified physician in  the west.  Some of the institutions in Russia prepare their  doctors well for the potential to accomplish this, especially if the  person has a good understanding of English.  The elite  institutions in Russia have always prepared their physicians well and  trained them to help care for the ruling class in their society.

If she has worked in one of the 'western medical centers' there is a  reasonable possibility that she would be able to accomplish the  transition.

In short, a Russian medical doctor probably would not be able to  qualify for a student or exchange visa to the west for further  studies.  If she is qualified and interested, she would most  likely already be in communication with a western facility and involved  in mutual exchange of information.

Once here, she can certainly try to get into a program to be certified  as a medical practitioner, but it may well be a long, difficult and  expensive path.

HTH

Krissa

[PeeWee]

Do you have any idea how much it can cost as a foreign student?

I have one in college now. The expense for a resident in a state university is expensive. I do know one woman who came from Ukraine as a student to study her her MBA at one of the Ivy League colleges. She saved enough money for both her and her son to live on for two years and to pay for her tution. It can be done. But better as a resident rather than a foreign student.

 

Peewee

[rose]

My friend is getting ready to take her 1st med test (out of 3). It took her 2 years to come to this point. I also know people who took the same test 7-9 times (usually it tekes 9-12 months between tests). The thing is that the volume of the information to be covered is so huge, and test questions are not always related to what is written in the books. Kaplan cources might help, but still they are might be not enough.

It seems that it might be easier to enroll into the program. I don't know how hard it might be, but it seems to me that it might help to bypass burden of taking tests. Depending what school she can enroll, as a foreign student she might pay about 5 times more than a resident. From the other side, a lot of schools like to take foreign students, because they are a good source of money for those schools.

As an alternative to become a RN (regestered nurse) is much easier, and in more demand as I understood. I also heard that nurces have advantage of getting visas, since our hospitals can fill this position only on 2/3.

[PeeWee]

My friend is getting ready to take her 1st med test (out of 3). It took her 2 years to come to this point. I also know people who took the same test 7-9 times (usually it tekes 9-12 months between tests). The thing is that the volume of the information to be covered is so huge, and test questions are not always related to what is written in the books. Kaplan cources might help, but still they are might be not enough.

It seems that it might be easier to enroll into the program. I don't know how hard it might be, but it seems to me that it might help to bypass burden of taking tests. Depending what school she can enroll, as a foreign student she might pay about 5 times more than a resident. From the other side, a lot of schools like to take foreign students, because they are a good source of money for those schools.

As an alternative to become a RN (regestered nurse) is much easier, and in more demand as I understood. I also heard that nurces have advantage of getting visas, since our hospitals can fill this position only on 2/3.

I understood that a part of the recent immigration reforms were to all the processing visas for those foreign born who possessed skills that are now indemand in the US. Nursing was one of those demand skills. A doctor would make a good nurse. I also believe that one who could achieve doctor status, whether it be here or abroad, is a person who possesses a good set of mental facilties. Time is needed, yes, but intellect will serve the studend well. I can afford both the time and money to have her reenter medical school, if that is indeed what she wishes to do.

 

Peewee

[rose]

Good luck, but be prepared that you will hardly see her during all that time.

 

By the way, do you want to sponsor my education in Standford? I need only 3 more years and just $30 000 per semester (partially they will be returned to you) ?

I'm ready, do you?

[PeeWee]

My friend is getting ready to take her 1st med test (out of 3). It took her 2 years to come to this point. I also know people who took the same test 7-9 times (usually it tekes 9-12 months between tests). The thing is that the volume of the information to be covered is so huge, and test questions are not always related to what is written in the books. Kaplan cources might help, but still they are might be not enough.

It seems that it might be easier to enroll into the program. I don't know how hard it might be, but it seems to me that it might help to bypass burden of taking tests. Depending what school she can enroll, as a foreign student she might pay about 5 times more than a resident. From the other side, a lot of schools like to take foreign students, because they are a good source of money for those schools.

As an alternative to become a RN (regestered nurse) is much easier, and in more demand as I understood. I also heard that nurces have advantage of getting visas, since our hospitals can fill this position only on 2/3.

Thanks, Rose. I cut and pasted your reply into an email letter that I have sent to her. It is my hope that everyone of her dreams will become a reality. If she wishes to attend a medical school here in the US, I have one of the finest in the nation located not more than 20 miles from me and it is the same school that my son now attends. That would be the University of Washington School of Medicine. According to what  you say I think it may be good that she is an Optimoligist, rather than a brain surgen, I think.

Thanks.    Peewee

[PeeWee]

Good luck, but be prepared that you will hardly see her during all that time.

That is not a problem for me. My ex wife and my last RW lady friend were both flight attendants who could disappear for one or two weeks at a time. Like sailors, they were not around home much. I don't seem to mind that at all.

Peewee

[rose]

If you really want to get the best info you can, get her diploma translated and evaluated here (I can give you info where you can do evaluation, send me PM). Go to the University and talk to people there. This will be the best you can do for her. If she'll enroll in higher levels of education, it is very important to find people who'll be interested in her (her help in research), and if those people will want to take her, school will take her. It depends if you can find the right Professor.

Good luck.

[PeeWee]

Good luck, but be prepared that you will hardly see her during all that time.

 

By the way, do you want to sponsor my education in Standford? I need only 3 more years and just $30 000 per semester (partially they will be returned to you) ?

I'm ready, do you?

Stanford is a well respected university. Is it $30,00 per semester or $30,000 year. The collece that my son attended for 2 years and then abandoned for the UW was running at about 40K per year. I like the UW prices much better. What do you study at Stanford?

Peewee

[rose]

PeeWee, seems you've ignored my question about my education.

[rose]

Stanford is a well respected university. Is it $30,00 per semester or $30,000 year. The collece that my son attended for 2 years and then abandoned for the UW was running at about 40K per year. I like the UW prices much better. What do you study at Stanford?

Peewee

 

It's per semester, but since PhD students do some research or teaching, they can recover some money.

[PeeWee]

If you really want to get the best info you can, get her diploma translated and evaluated here (I can give you info where you can do evaluation, send me PM). Go to the University and talk to people there. This will be the best you can do for her. If she'll enroll in higher levels of education, it is very important to find people who'll be interested in her (her help in research), and if those people will want to take her, school will take her. It depends if you can find the right Professor.

Good luck.

I spoke to a gentlement at the AMA in Chicago. He gave me some guideliness to follow for the processing of the Russian medical degrees. I will PM you aobut it as well. I know this worked for my son. He met with the dean of the school who, after a 90 minute interview, took him under her wing and assured him that she would take a personal interest in his course of study. With this help I know that he will be successful.

 

Thanks  Peewee

[PeeWee]

If you really want to get the best info you can, get her diploma translated and evaluated here (I can give you info where you can do evaluation, send me PM). Go to the University and talk to people there. This will be the best you can do for her. If she'll enroll in higher levels of education, it is very important to find people who'll be interested in her (her help in research), and if those people will want to take her, school will take her. It depends if you can find the right Professor.

Good luck.

I spoke to a gentlement at the AMA in Chicago. He gave me some guideliness to follow for the processing of the Russian medical degrees. I will PM you aobut it as well. I know this worked for my son. He met with the dean of the school who, after a 90 minute interview, took him under her wing and assured him that she would take a personal interest in his course of study. With this help I know that he will be successful.

 

Thanks  Peewee

[PeeWee]

PeeWee, seems you've ignored my question about my education.

I did not ignore your question. Rather I could not even comprehend it!

Peewee

[rose]

Well, PeeWee, it was a joke.