US-based Kenyan nurse Judy Maina, better known as Mom Teiyan or Nurse Judy Ke, has shed light on how she was able to make the switch from having a US visit visa to owning a green card.
The medical practitioner posted a video on her YouTube channel, getting into details about her relocation experience to America and how much she spent.
In the clip, she also explains how she turned her 5-year visit visa into a 10-year Green Card.
It all began when she was employed at a well-known hospital in Kenya. Despite her position at a large private hospital, she couldn’t understand why her salary was peanuts.
Her first net pay in Kenya was Sh. 35,000. Over time, her earnings increased to Sh. 45,000 before she decided to resign, earning Sh. 75,000 per month.
To increase her income, nurse Judy had to take on extra shifts, and she also supplemented her earnings by providing home nursing services.
“I used to go and offer my nursing services at times to recently discharged patients who still need nursing care. I used to get high-end clients,” Judy recalled.
Nurse Judy drew inspiration from Kenyan nurses who have made the switch to living abroad. She observed that these nurses would start affording lavish lifestyles months after relocating.
In February 2022, she began searching for information on how to relocate to the United States. She advises nurses who share the dream of moving abroad to use reputable agents like Avant Healthcare to facilitate the process.
She started the process with Avant who catered for her flight expenses to sit NCLEX exams in New York. Prior to sitting her nursing exams, her husband had been promoted to work in Tanzania.
This meant that the whole family had to relocate to Masaki, Dar es Salaam. At this point, she didn’t have a job and had been denied a work permit in Tanzania. Her marriage was also edging into chaos.
“You can imagine I was having marriage issues and add that I was already unemployed. Recipe for disaster my friend. Premium tears.”
When she returned to Tanzania, the couple mutually consented to have an open marriage. During her stay in New York, Nurse Judy had bumped into a flyer advertising positions for nurses.
The flyer advertised that nurses with US visit visas can do direct green card sponsorship on condition that they have passed their NCLEX test. She emailed them and got an immediate acceptance report.
The plan was now simple; leave Kenya for the US with a visit visa and do her adjustment of status to a green card via the healthcare company.
However, leaving her family in Kenya was not a rosy affair. Nurse Judy says that she used to cry a lot due to her anxiety. She even missed a flight, lost money and had to rebook another ticket.
“I was so anxious. I didn’t know what would happen. I don’t know when I would see my babies. I’m going through the pain of my 10-year marriage coming to an end.”
On arrival in Colorado in the US, she stayed for 2 weeks before moving to Seattle. Here, she was hosted by a friend with whom she later had a terrible fallout.
Judy had to work as a caregiver in adult homes from her arrival time, as she waited for her green card to be processed. After getting a US work permit, she began working in a hospital in Los Angeles, California.
Betty: Ugly truth of Kenyans in US and the money they really make
After getting her green card through the company that filed for her, Judy flew back home. Together with her husband, they decided to make things work and relocate to America together. In total, the whole process cost roughly Sh. 1 million.
“All factors considered, it cost roughly Sh. 1 million ($7,000).”
Nurse Judy also spoke about the challenges new immigrants face in the US. She told her fans that living in America is a test that requires utmost patience.
“No matter how many YouTube videos you watch, you can never be prepared for the challenges that are here. This is not the land of milk, honey and sugar that was promised.”
