- One must be sure to have eligibility.

Eligibility includes; Family reunification, needed employment, refugees, adoption, and lottery.

The Immigration visa petition must be filed by your sponsor

After you receive a Visa number you can apply to obtain a status of permanent residency.

This certificate is only needed if you plan on migrating to the US strictly for employment. The U.S. employer will file this.⁷

Interview with Keene State College professor⁶

Patricia Pedroza

On Monday November 13, 2006 I conducted a brief interview with Professor Pedroza, A Spanish professor at Keene State College. Professor Pedroza is from Mexico and she tells me about her personal experience of coming to the United States.

The interview listed below in translated in Spanish

Cuando venga a los E.E.U.U.?

Vivo en los Estados Unidos desde hace siete anos. No se si soy una migrante, porque yo soy Mexicana, mi casa esta en Mexico. Toda mi familia esta en Mexico.

El proceso fue largo o pegueno? facil o dificil?

Yo soy un ‘visiting scholar’. Como visiting scholar tengo una visa especial- QUE ES MUY DIFICIL de tener. Es un proceso burocratico, muchos papeles y mucho dinero. Yo pago mi abogado personal. KSC es mi sponsor. Pero tengo que ir cada ano a Mexico. Tengo que ir a la embajada americana muchas veces y siempre pago mucho dinero.

Otros miembres de su familia estan viviendo en los E.E.U.U.?

Toda mi familia esta en Mexico. Mi familia no quiere mucho a los Estados Unidos, ellos nunca quieren venir aqui. Son muy felices en Mexico, y no les gusta la politica de los Estados Unidos.

Cuando decide ser una profesora de espanol en los Estados Unidos?

Yo quise venir, porque amo viajar, amo aprender otras languas. Creo que los Estados Unidos es el lugar perfecto para ensenar multicultural studies...that is my passion! Por eso quiero estar aqui. Sufro problemas de discrimanacion por mi color- woman of color- he tenido problemas con gente racista, a veces con la policia y vivo en Vermont, porque hay menos predujice.

When did you first come to the United States?

I have lived in the US for the past seven years. I do not know if I am an immigrant because I am a Mexican. My house is in Mexico. My entire family is in Mexico.

Was the process of Immigration big or small? Easy or difficult?

I am a ‘visiting scholar’. As a visiting scholar I have a special visa- that is very difficult to obtain. It is a bureaucratic process- a lot of papers and a lot of money. I pay for my personal lawyer. KSC is my sponsor. But I have to go to Mexico every year. I have to go to the American Embassy many times and I always pay a lot of money.

Are other members of your family living in the United States?

My entire family is in Mexico. My family does not have much of an interest in the U.S. They never want to come here. They are very happy in Mexico and they don’t like the political atmosphere in the U.S.

When did you decide to be a Spanish professor in the United States?

I wanted to come [to the U.S.] because I love to travel and I love to learn other languages. I believe the U.S. is the perfect place to teach multicultural studies… that is my passion!

Tell me about some of your experiences in the United States?

I want to be here, but I suffer from many problems of discrimination because of my color –woman of color-. I have had problems with racist people, sometimes the police. I live in Vermont because there is less prejudice there.

I think I could live in the U.S. permanently but the process is very complicated and I don’t have enough money to pay for the lawyers. I can say that it is very sad because it is not optional – it is legally regulated and it is not easy. I really believe it is the real reason why there are so many illegal people. Migration complicates with many papers and it is very expensive. We pay the right to work here; I pay federal taxes, NH taxes and Vermont taxes. There are migration fees for almost everything.

I cannot say I am an immigrant- I am a visitor with a temporary visa as a scholar. If I want to be an immigrant I need to think about many things. I am not ready for that process. I love my family in Mexico, I need to go to my country, but I love to travel and understand other cultures.

(6)	(5) Pictured above is a Green Card. HOME