03-13-2008, 03:57 PM
i am sorry to hear about your situation. being illegal in the US is always a difficult thing as your options are limited. i believe you can take the steps even without a visa here. i doubt that ECFMG has the capacity or resources to enforce immigration law. only if a person break a law or commit a crime when police will probably do a background check routinely, otherwise illegals freely roam and even work or drive in this country. you probably know that by now since you managed to stay here for a long time. the real question is, what to do if you have the ECFMG certificate already. if you are here, you won't be able to change status or have a J1 or H1B visa as you need to prove that you are here legally on a valid visa at the time of application. a lot of people marry a US citizen, although not necessarily for convenience but it is a sure., 100% way to obtain a legal status. you may want to consult a lawyer for the other options... best of luck to you.