I am one of the hundreds of thousands of Filipino nurses awaiting final action on pending immigration applications to the United States of America. The land of milk and honey… haven of opportunities… the elusive dream of most third world country citizens.
My quest has been a long, arduous one. I took and passed the CGFNS exam on March 2005 yet. On May of the same year, I also completed the IELTS. Unfortunately, I took my sweet time accomplishing all the forms and complying the required supporting documents. I was only able to submit my papers to the agency by December of that year.
The lengthy, agonizing wait then started. After months of checking with my agency, I was finally informed on October 23, 2006 that I had been issued a LIN number. I was further told that approval of my LIN may take 5 -6 months, depending on the decision of the immigration people. It was received at the Citizenship and Immigration Services office on August 22, 2006.
It did not take 5, not even 6 months, but an extended ten. Get that, ten extended months! It was just approved by immigration on June 4, 2007. Hallelujah. When I checked the USCIS website, it was stated there that my approved or re-affirmed case had been shipped to the Department of State for visa processing on June 8, 2007.
Next, it was another waiting period for my visa fee bills. I received it by August 15, 2007. I paid it a month after. I have been anticipating to hear from my agency of developments, specifically, interview schedule at the US Embassy as that should have been the next step. So far, it's been quiet. I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon. Retrogression is in effect again. Rumors have it that it may take around five years for America to start hiring foreign nurses again. Five years! Not again.
In the mid nineties, I and most of my college friends were not able to ride the last wave of nurses hired by the US as we had just graduated then. Some have been lucky enough to grab the opportunity when rehiring started in early 2000. Unfortunately for most of us who were not as quick enough to act, our applications are languishing at the immigration office or visa center. There is nothing we can do now but, again wait. I just hope it won't be in vain. Not a case of always the bridesmaid and never the bride. Ugghh! Heaven forbid.
