1Anon

Hi everyone,

I am new to this website but I have been reading a lot of threads and information with regard to emigrating.

My basic question is how do I emigrate to the DMV area? My specific questions are at the end.

I am not even sure if I qualify or how I would even go about trying. Below is a bit about my situation:

I have a UK undergrad degree in law (I'd be finishing my LLM in a few months time assuming the uni doesn't try to charge me more money again);
I have worked in UK law firms as a paralegal;
I have a lot of family in America but they are all cousins (in different states);
I currently have a valid visa waiver (ESTA which expires in early 2019);
I have no criminal record (never even been arrested);
I have an excellent credit rating

My boyfriend is Chinese American (he was born in America) and we've been dating for over one year. We have talked at length about me relocating to be with him and I'm more than happy to do that as we're in love and serious about our long-term future.

When I was over there last year, he showed me homes that he'd seen and would love for us to live in (he even took me to IKEA to show me the colour schemes he had in mind for our home) and discussed marriage (he said that my wedding dress has to be Vera Wang to honour his culture), kids, finances and pretty much everything.

However, he wants us to live together for a couple of years before we get married. Also, he's not rushing to get married as his parents keep pressuring him to get married and have kids immediately as he's now turning 30 years of age. We did discuss the type of wedding we want (we both want a very small wedding) but he said that his family has already planned a very large wedding (as per their culture) ready for when he does get married. Although he did joke about planning a surprise wedding for me (apparently it's a thing in America where you surprise the bride (propose then get married a few minutes later)). In hindsight, this explains why he repeatedly asked at different times of the year whether I'd still say yes when he proposes... Hmm... Anyway;

We're not ready to have children yet (maybe in a couple of years time as we're both the same age), we want to enjoy being married for a couple of years first. Also, I'm not Chinese (which isn't ideal for his family)... I'm a mixed-race Jewish girl (he's a none-practising Catholic but we've agreed to raise our future children Jewish). He's already thought about the family car we'd have and he's already worked out how to get my elderly dad over to the US with us (living in his own place, not with us). I should point out that my dad is my only relative in the UK.

We gave ourselves one year (as a ballpark estimate) for me to finish my LLM and get a work visa to stay over there so we both could work and live together for a couple of years before we get married. We (naively) did not think it would be so difficult for me to obtain a work visa. I've had a lot of really good job offers but none of the companies could sponsor me. His family own their own businesses but I could safely say that they would not sponsor me (we've never asked but we know it'd be a no).

I've just got a summer job in the DMV area (hoping to obtain a J1 visa soon) so I'd get to be there with him for just over four months (on the J1 visa) then stay for three months after that on my ESTA (assuming I figure out how to adjust my status without having to leave the country) and pay my way with the money I'd have earned throughout the summer.

The plan would mean I'd get to be in the DMV area for about seven months with him.

I highly doubt he is going to propose to me whilst I am there so I was just wondering:

1) Is it possible whilst I'd be there (and if so, how) to obtain a work visa or a visa that would allow me to stay there permanently?

2) Would it be ideal to spend my three months (on my ESTA) speaking with companies that could sponsor? Assuming being there in person would give me an advantage.

3) Would it be worth speaking with an immigration attorney whilst I'm there or would that be too risky?

4) How would I adjust my status from J1 to my visa waiver (ESTA) once my J1 work has finished?

Sorry for the long-winded questions!

Thank you for reading the above and for your answers.

Noorah101

1. No.
2. Yes.
3. Maybe, couldn't hurt to see what he'd have to say. No risk.
4. You can't. You'd have to leave the USA, even if its just over to Canada.

Since you've already had no luck with obtaining a work visa. I'm going to hazard a guess that a marriage visa will be your best (if not only) option. There is no visa for living together first.

Rene

Pulaski

I don't think you'll get a work visa in your own right, there isn't much demand for British-trained lawyers as the legal system is different enough to make your qualification of limited use in the US. If you had several years experience in a niche specialty such as real estate investment, international trade, entertainment, etc then you might have more luck.

Otherwise, I agree with Noorah, marriage is likely your only viable route to a visa.

I don't think an immigration attorney would be able to tell you anything you don't already know or couldn't learn here on BE.

robin1234

OK you learn something new every day! Google indicates that DMV is DC, Maryland, Virginia. I was wondering why you wanted to live in the Dept of Motor Vehicles ...

Anyway, you can visit the US for up to ninety days. He can visit the UK. Why don't you get on with your lives and education, stay with each other for lengthy periods, then possibly proceed to marriage in a year or two - at which time you can then move to the US on the basis of your marriage?

scrubbedexpat099

This, just need to convert to spouse.

Pulaski

Please try to keep up! (From a year ago.)

robin1234

Harumph it's ok for all you young people. In my day, DMV was where you went for a good old fashioned queue.

Pulaski

FIFY.

The NY DMV in White Plains told me the earliest I could take my road test was three months later. I took it the following week, just not in White Plains.

Rete

I thought she said she was a paralegal.

PS To the OP: Never heard of this surprise wedding your bf was talking about. Sounds more like he just wants to marry before his folks find out and stops him.

Pulaski

"Was", yes, but she's almost finished her LLM (post grad qualification as a lawyer), see post #1, above.

Me neither. Perhaps it's "a thing" in the Chinese community.

robin1234

Yeah, poetic licence. My local DMV, not just no lines, I've never, ever, seen another customer in there, on any of my several visits over the years.

Nutmegger

Or one of those crazy reality shows where people who have never met before get married "at first sight"!

Rete

Sorry, yes, as a Yank, I have no clue want LLM is. Thanks for that.

Dorothy

Me either. Besides, how would a marriage be legal without a licence? Can just one party apply for the marriage licence in the US? I seem to remember that both of us had to sign the application. (Mind you it was 25 years ago)

Rete

Not that I'm aware of. I know that 20 years ago, Jim and I both had to be present to complete the marriage license application, show proof of identification and we were even asked for divorce decrees (I know some others who were not asked to show those) and that was in the US. We were given the license the same day and it could have been used the same day since blood work was not a requirement and there was no three day waiting period for the license to become useable.

I suppose it can be done in places like Las Vegas at the Elvis Chapel of Hunka Love.