Gf_121

Hi all,

I have been longing for a move to the US for a good year or 2 now, i was hoping my last company would come through with a transfer but it didn't happen. I have been to the U.S 6 times in the last 2 years, for 2 or 3 weeks each time, meeting a lot of friends and one girl in particular along the way. Recent events of being at Route91 has given me an even larger "you only live once" outlook on life, pure luck got me and my friends out relatively unscathed and my deepest condolences go out to anyone who may have known friends/family caught up in it. When i got to Nashville and met up with my partner we had a long chat about how short life really is and how annoying it is we cant spend more time together. If i wasnt such a realist we'd have driven to the courthouse that weekend i think!

Back to my young lady, shes a USC living just outside of Nashville. I have been to Nashville to see her 4 times now (as part of bigger trips to the US) over the last 18 months and its going well. We have a great time together and chat an awful lot when apart. While normally id think its crazy to even suggest marriage this early in a relationship its looking like thats the only way to continue. How much scrutiny is put on you in the interview? While we have a great time together and if we lived in the same country we'd certainly be together, the distance, i feel, does make it difficult to truly know someone and personally i feel it would be difficult to prove we are as deeply in love as you normally are when two people get married... if that makes sense? Is this normal and some consideration is given? Id hate for us to go down that path and be suspected of illegitimate reasons for the marriage and for her to get in trouble with the law. If it makes a difference she is about to turn 21 and i have just turned 28. She is above the poverty line for the visa and id have no problems getting a good job ready for when i can start working in the US.

Failing the above, i think there is a good chance my new employers would transfer me going by initial conversations, however it would likely be to NYC or Northern Cali (although this could not be until Aug18 at the earliest due to when i started with them). It would be an L1A visa.

Or, i have a good friend with a lot of clout in Northern FL who knows a firm who would like to employ me (they have a longstanding vacancy in my field that they have been struggling to fill), but are currently unsure about making a formal offer due to the H1B route being so over subscribed.

Unfortunately neither of these two are ideal due to locations as my partner is very close to her family, especially her young niece and nephew. I think moving her would put undue stress on a new relationship.

Thoughts? As said, my biggest concern is us 'jumping in at the deep end', having a quick courthouse marriage and getting the ball moving on the CR-1 visa, only for it to be denied and that to scupper the other options, or even worse for her to be in trouble with the law...

As ever, thanks in advance....

Pulaski

Your situation isn't too far removed from what mine was.

Mrs P and I only spent about seven weeks together before we got married, but they were spread over 18 months (21 months since we met on-line). Of those six weeks, one was the week before we got married, and two were at Christmas two months before we got married. We have now been married for 17 years!

So if you want to get married, get married, don't be daunted by the visa process. There is of course a fiancé visa process (the K-1, which I don't usually recommend), but that is designed for your situation - for an immigrant fiancé(e).

BenK91

Pulaski has pretty much covered but to echo what he said:

If you want to get married, get married! Me and my wife had met a number of times before and we were sick of doing long distance and we knew the only way we could be together was to get married, so we did and our 1st wedding anniversary is approaching very quickly!

I went via the K1 route (fiancé, enter and marry within 90 days and then file for AOS - Adjustment of Status). If I could reverse time I would have 100% gotten married on one of my trips out to visit here and filed for the CR1.

Noorah101

No scrutiny is put into how much in love you are. In fact, you don't have to be in love at all. People get married for all sorts of reasons, and as long as the reason isn't "for an immigration benefit", you'll be fine.

Rene

Gf_121

With you there! Wish i did it in April or my most recent trip now!! To get back out there il have to do a friday evening-sunday evening trip!!

Thanks for the positive responses, was expecting 'y'all' to say it would be more difficult.

I have however had some further developments in the last couple of days... My current company saying developing their North American business is one of their top aims over the next couple of years and they need people to go and help do so. Aaaand the 3rd party are setting up a flight to go out for an interview.

So basically i am all kinds of confused!! Would be devastated if i wait another 6-10months for the L1A or H1B routes and neither of them to end up happening to still be at square one though

BenK91

I wouldn't waste your time in waiting and hoping for a potential work visa when you have a near enough 100% chance of obtaining a visa through your relationship.

Obviously what you choose is up to you, but I'd certainly be going down the CR1 or K1 visa route.

KK85

If you're hoping to get married on your next trip over, make sure you do a bit of research into the process for your specific state, first. Some states require you to have had your marriage license for three days before you can marry, and you'll need to apply for that license while you're in America. So a Friday-Sunday trip might not be quite enough, in that respect.

Good luck to you, whatever you do!