Dream Act, What if I left and came back???
 

Hi everyone, I'm new to this portal and so glad to find people going through the same struggles as I am. I've recently learned about the Dream Act and was trying to learn and understand as much as possible if in fact it passes and like to know what would be the next steps. From what I understand one of the requirements is that you must have arrived before your 16th birthday, graduated at a high school and have resided within the US 5 years straight before the act was reintroduced in 2009.
Here's my problem I came here on a tourist visa back in 1990 when I was 12 years old and graduated at the age of 18 in 1996. At that time my family because of their legal status and inability to find a way to stay here any longer decided to go back to South America. I was pretty much still a kid and had no choice but to follow along. In 2003 after years of trying and not being able to adapt back home I was lucky enough to get my tourist visa renewed and came back here on June 2003 and haven't left since.
So pretty much my question is if because I left in 1996 and came back in 2003, does that gap make me ineligible. I mean technically I meet all the requirements but I'm not sure if that 7 years absence automatically disqualifies me. I would really appreciate anyones input on this and thanks in advance...

Re: Dream Act, What if I left and came back???
 

From what I know, you should still benefit from the Dream Act. Since you resided in the US for over 5 years while graduating from the US. But, once the rules are finalized and the Dream Act is passed, there's probably going to be guidelines regarding different situations, so it might be a problem and might not be, we'll have to wait and see the Dream Act passed first

Re: Dream Act, What if I left and came back???
 

I was fearing my 7 years absence would be a problem since they can see as me coming back as an adult an overstaying my visa, but I'm guessing I can just show them my school transcripts and residence history, I mean how can they prove it, we'll see whta happens...