Apply as FMG or try to get Green Card before applications are due?

[avjmd]

Hi everyone. I am going to be an FMG once I graduate medical school, and I was wondering if it would be better to try to attain a green card beforehand by the time I have to apply for residency. Let me explain. My boyfriend (also in medical school where I am from) is a US citizen. We've been dating for 4+ years and always planned to get married but decided maybe it was better to wait until after we were done with school (More time to plan a wedding, more $$ to plan a wedding lol they are expensive).

I want to know if you have any info if it would be better, for residency application purposes, for me to appear as a foreign national or should we get married soon-ish, in which case I would be able to have a green card by the time residency applications are due. Is there any advantage to that? We both agreed to consider the option if it gave me a better chance to match. I have heard that the visa issue is a pretty big deal and I know some programs do not even accept applications from FMG's because they do not have a green card or work visa already. Also, would I still be considered an FMG even if I have a green card available at the time of the application? I don't really mind the FMG tag, I just want to know if that would make me a FMG or a US IMG (Kinda confusing given that they refer to US IMG's as US citizens/permanent residents that went abroad for medical school).

thank you!

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[rokshana]

Hi everyone. I am going to be an FMG once I graduate medical school, and I was wondering if it would be better to try to attain a green card beforehand by the time I have to apply for residency. Let me explain. My boyfriend (also in medical school where I am from) is a US citizen. We've been dating for 4+ years and always planned to get married but decided maybe it was better to wait until after we were done with school (More time to plan a wedding, more $$ to plan a wedding lol they are expensive).

I want to know if you have any info if it would be better, for residency application purposes, for me to appear as a foreign national or should we get married soon-ish, in which case I would be able to have a green card by the time residency applications are due. Is there any advantage to that? We both agreed to consider the option if it gave me a better chance to match. I have heard that the visa issue is a pretty big deal and I know some programs do not even accept applications from FMG's because they do not have a green card or work visa already. Also, would I still be considered an FMG even if I have a green card available at the time of the application? I don't really mind the FMG tag, I just want to know if that would make me a FMG or a US IMG (Kinda confusing given that they refer to US IMG's as US citizens/permanent residents that went abroad for medical school).

thank you!

Well you are stuck with the FMG tag.
Hands down it will be better for you to have a GC and not require a visa.

Go look at the IMG applicant threads from last year , the SOAP threads , and the current fellowship threads...needing a visa as an FMG makes it a lot more difficult to get interviews and ultimately match.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Getting a GC by marriage is a very complicated process. Speak to a lawyer before you do anything.

 

[avjmd]

Well you are stuck with the FMG tag.
Hands down it will be better for you to have a GC and not require a visa.

Go look at the IMG applicant threads from last year , the SOAP threads , and the current fellowship threads...needing a visa as an FMG makes it a lot more difficult to get interviews and ultimately match.

Thank you!

 

[avjmd]

Getting a GC by marriage is a very complicated process. Speak to a lawyer before you do anything.

Yeah will definitely do! So much paperwork haha. I was just wondering if it was worth doing before I applied for residency. Thank you for your advice.

 

[avjmd]

Well you are stuck with the FMG tag.
Hands down it will be better for you to have a GC and not require a visa.

Go look at the IMG applicant threads from last year , the SOAP threads , and the current fellowship threads...needing a visa as an FMG makes it a lot more difficult to get interviews and ultimately match.

Also do you by any chance know any FMG-friendly programs or would you direct me to where I can find FMG-friendly programs?