Hi everyone

I am in the process of applying for imigration via my husband on the I-130 visa for myself and my daughter who is 11 years old.

I was over in NYC last week and visited a middle school (my daughter will hopefully be in the USA for the start of what would be her 6th grade entry to middle school. I went on one of the school tours with my mother-in-law to see the school and enquire about the process; aparently the normal process for a USC is when they are in 5th grade their school guidance counsellor will give the child/parents the information and forms for the middle schools and then application forms are filled in and the guidance counsellor sends them to the various middle schools put down as choices. The application forms HAVE to be at the schools for February and parents are then told whether their child has been given a place by May, subject to possible entry exams and interviews with the child and or parents between February and May;

My question/problem is that at the minute (because we are still in Ireland and my husband in NYC), how can we get into this process? The head-teacher at the school I visited had no clue what to do but said that the decisions are all made and places awarded by May so since my daughter doesn't finish school here until June and our papers are unlikely to be through until then anyway - what are we supposed to do?

We don't want her "shoved in" to a school at the last minute - we would at least like to try and have a choice like everyone else.

Does anyone know who I could contact to find out about this process?

Is there any agency I could contact?

Has anyone else gone through this who could advise me?

Thanks.

If you want "a choice like everyone else" you have to be on the same level playing field. Unfortunately, you aren't. You are at a distinct disadvantage and there's probably nothing you can do *this year* to overcome the disadvantage. If you like this school and don't want to be "shoved in" someplace else, I suggest you keep her out of school for a year, home school her or hire a tutor, and try again next year.

Ian

Is this for private or state schools? Why can't you obtain the forms now and get your daughter's present school to fill them in? Try to arrange all the interviews close together...then maybe you and your daughter could spend a week or so in NYC.

state schools. I didnt get the forms cause I didnt think I was allowed to when outside the country. We had thought of the making apts close together and would if we could apply to schools from here.

I suppose they may not allow you to apply until you have a visa. Try contacting NYC's education dept...hopefully someone there can help you.

http://schools.nyc.gov/ContactDOE/

If you don't get any joy...email Mayor Michael Bloomberg...that's what I would do. Good luck.

To go to a certain public school, it requires the student should live within the school district. You have to show proof of address. Since you are still in Ireland , you wont be able to do so until you found a permanent address here.

It will be a different situation if the student is going to a private school,it does not matter where you live in the state, you can arrange everything in advance.

Ah...that clears that up...thank you.

That's not necessarily what the official instructions for NYC say here: http://schools.nyc.gov/ChoicesEnrollment/default.htm - they ask for passport OR birth certificate. They don't require proof of current, legal immigration status or specify that it has to be a US passport or birth certificate. I believe someone else on another thread said it was actually illegal under federal law for school districts to ask. NYC is filled with illegal immigrants, and their kids are all in school.

I knew about the illegal immigration status with regards to education but someone said an address was needed within the school area.

Two very different questions, JG. Yes, you do have to provide an address where you live. This stops those who want their kids to go to a specific school because of the school's higher achievements if they don't live in the district. However, much of NYC is like Yonkers, and their school system will bus children to schools outside of their district to achieve racial balance. Also some schools, even though public, will only accept students who possess a certain grade average and aptitude.

Thanks Rete perhaps that makes it a little clearer for the OP.

Yeah, but being a resident is a different question from having a visa! It also makes it a lot easier for the OP with the paperwork - for instance, one of the forms of confirmation of address is a letter from an employer stating that x lives at y address. That's easy enough to produce...

Wait a minute....

why can't the OP give her husband's address as the child's address? This usually isn't rigorously policed, and if it WILL be the child's address for immigration purposes, then....

Heck, people around here would give the MIL's address!