How to become a citizen?

[museabuse]

Ok, here is the situation. I have a friend that graduated with me who wants to become a US citizen but he is telling me that it is nearly impossible. Unless he marries a us citizen or pay a million dollars... Is this true?

Here's the story. First he speaks and writes better English than most Americans and if you met him you wouldn't even know he isn't an American citizen. He came here 10 years ago to do undergrad and went to pharm school. He graduated at top of his Pharmacy class. He is working for a retail chain that sponsors his h1b work visa. He can't find a hospital job that will sponsor his visa and he can't find any job that will sponsor him in getting a green card. How can he become a citizen? He has no family here.

I had no idea it would be hard to become a citizen, especially if your highly educated and had a job.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[kbv]

Ok, here is the situation. I have a friend that graduated with me who wants to become a US citizen but he is telling me that it is nearly impossible. Unless he marries a us citizen or pay a million dollars... Is this true?

Here's the story. First he speaks and writes better English than most Americans and if you met him you wouldn't even know he isn't an American citizen. He came here 10 years ago to do undergrad and went to pharm school. He graduated at top of his Pharmacy class. He is working for a retail chain that sponsors his h1b work visa. He can't find a hospital job that will sponsor his visa and he can't find any job that will sponsor him in getting a green card. How can he become a citizen? He has no family here.

I had no idea it would be hard to become a citizen, especially if your highly educated and had a job.

It's true.

Briton, Canadian, Australian, South African... Who cares?

 

[bacillus1]

Seems like the shortest path to citizenship is initially coming here as a permanent resident. This requires waiting 2-5 years in your home country while the paperwork processes, but then you get your green card about 3 years after you come here.

For people that come here on work or student visas and want to stay, well, your visa was given you with the understanding that you will come back to your home country after obtaining your degree. I know people hire immigration lawyers and spend a lot of time and money (but much less than $1 million, maybe $30k for a family) and eventually get their citizenship, but it takes years from the time you start trying.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Since he is already working for a chain that is sponsoring his visa, I recommend talking to their immigration coordinator and see if she has any advice. If they don't have an immigration coordinator or if the advice isn't helpful, I'd suggest talking to an immigration attorney. He can apply for a green card while here on an H1B visa. I've seen people on student visas get approved for green cards as well. Get good legal advice. If he makes a mistake he could get barred from the US for a time so it's worth paying a little to do it right.

 

[group_theory]

Agree with the above advice on talking to an immigration attorney. The US immigratin system and its laws are complex.

If he has a H1B visa, he's allow to apply for a green card while holding that visa. There are multiple ways to obtain a green card - whether it's via employment base greencard, lottery, family, etc.

Once he gets his permenant residency, then it's 5 years (shorter if he has military service), good moral conduct, and other requirements and he would be eligible to apply for naturalization. Once naturalized, he's a bona fide US citizen.

But it's a long road, and can be complicated. There are also multiple paths. Talking to an immigration attorney would be a good start - at least to explore options that is tailored to your friend's circumstances.


Marriage to a US citizen entitles your friend to get a K1 visa (that leads to permenant residency). However this type falls in the "high fraud visa category" since this type of visas leads to immediate immigration, employment eligibility, and potential US citizenship.

Basically - talk to a lawyer

 

[firework]

Green card is enough, no need to be a citizen.

If you are good enough, there are many accelerated ways to get green card. My husband got green card 2 years after he came here through EB1 route.

Ok, here is the situation. I have a friend that graduated with me who wants to become a US citizen but he is telling me that it is nearly impossible. Unless he marries a us citizen or pay a million dollars... Is this true?

Here's the story. First he speaks and writes better English than most Americans and if you met him you wouldn't even know he isn't an American citizen. He came here 10 years ago to do undergrad and went to pharm school. He graduated at top of his Pharmacy class. He is working for a retail chain that sponsors his h1b work visa. He can't find a hospital job that will sponsor his visa and he can't find any job that will sponsor him in getting a green card. How can he become a citizen? He has no family here.

I had no idea it would be hard to become a citizen, especially if your highly educated and had a job.

 

[Its Z]

getting a green card(permanent residency) as a pharmacist wont be an easy thing as less and less employers are willing to sponsor a foreign pharmacist.

marriage to a citizen is probably the easiest route.

 

[SomeGuy]

Is he a Canadian/Mexican citizen?

First he speaks and writes better English than most Americans

You say that like it's a difficult thing to accomplish!

 

[museabuse]

Is he a Canadian/Mexican citizen?


You say that like it's a difficult thing to accomplish!

there are a lot of foreign pharmacists I can barely understand
, that is only reason I stated that. If I didn't say that someone would have probably made a comment about Indian or vietnameses rphs. I understand that the statement is meaningless with regards to citizenship I was just trying to save an off topic discussion but everyone likes to point out the obvious and grammer errors.

Anyways he did talk to a lawyer and his chain's lawyer and he just seemed like it was going to be a dead end. I understand it's a long road but can he apply for a green card without having an employer sponsorship or family sponsorship?
Thanks for your responses.

 

[firework]

If he has lots of money (100,000 +), he can apply for "investment immigration", that is super fast.

Other than that, employment based immigration is the easiest. The idea is, if he can't find an employer sponsors visa for him, he is not an "elite" resident, at least to the immigration officer's eyes, he has "no value" to this country.

Tell him try EB1A, EB1B, EB2-NIW (National intrest waiver). Sees he is only trying EB2-PERM. Anyway, I think he case is weak, you can't lawfully stay in this country forever by "just" being a pharmacist.

there are a lot of foreign pharmacists I can barely understand
, that is only reason I stated that. If I didn't say that someone would have probably made a comment about Indian or vietnameses rphs. I understand that the statement is meaningless with regards to citizenship I was just trying to save an off topic discussion but everyone likes to point out the obvious and grammer errors.

Anyways he did talk to a lawyer and his chain's lawyer and he just seemed like it was going to be a dead end. I understand it's a long road but can he apply for a green card without having an employer sponsorship or family sponsorship?
Thanks for your responses.