@directhex Thanks for sharing! I'm super happy it did (eventually) work out well for you.
Going the opposite route, from USA to EU, I experienced some similar stuff, but a lot less hassle than you did. Sorry about my country of origin being so awful to immigrate to. 😟
Germany was mainly happy to let a computer nerd (+ high enough salary) in. And then I was fast-tracked to permanent residence.
Also: Novell/SUSE (and Nat) helped me with lawyers, paperwork, appointments, etc. 👍