zfisher

Hi all,

I'm just wondering if anyone can help me.

I found out last week that I've been accepted for a role in the US on a L1-a visa. I have been upfront that I will be bringing my partner with me and that we aren't married. However the articles I've been reading are saying that spouses and unmarried children are eligible but says nothing about if you aren't married to your partner.

Would really appreciate it if someone can provide any advice.

SanDiegogirl

You'll have to get married if you want your partner to accompany you on a dependent visa i.e she will get an L-2 visa dependent on yours.

Otherwise, she will have to obtain her own visa.......

zfisher

Is there no other visa at all that he could apply for? Even if it's short term? We get married in 2019.

SanDiegogirl

He could apply for a B/1 co-habiting partner visa which will give him 6 months initially and then he can re-new it on 6 or 12 month basis.

Difficulties with this is that it is not guaranteed that renewals will be obtained and he cannot work on this visa.

However, if you don't want to bring the marriage forward, then this is his only option, unless he tries for his own work visa.

Pulaski

Have a big event and celebration in 2019 if you want, but by far the best option is a quick trip to the registry office soon, or the court house if you want to fit it in while visiting the US (very easy, and unlike the UK, a visitor doesn't need a visa to get married).

Unless you're married your "partner" will be unable to work while he is physically located in the US, unless he can obtain a work visa in his own right, or has enough money to swing an investor visa.

zfisher

Thanks for your replies. We're both in a bit of a panic now. We have a slight issue in that we have already paid a large amount of money for a venue in Orlando already, which is non-refundable.

I don't know whether anyone on here would know but is it legal to get married at a UK registry office and then marry again (but kind of unofficially and just go through the day, etc?)

Other than that I think we are going to have to go down the visitor visa option for him, which isn't ideal. We are in a position though too, that we can live off my salary, so he doesn't need to find a job immediately.

SanDiegogirl

As said you can have a registry wedding now, and have a big bash, renewal of vows type of ceremony in 2019.

zfisher

Great thanks. Would it be questioned why we've just got married before the visa process started or is that ok?

Pulaski

Based on posts on BE, it is quite common. The is nothing to compell whoever performs the ceremony to file the paperwork. Just tell them it is a "renewal of vows" and that there will be no marriage license or filing at the courthouse afterwards. It's a total non-issue.
Again a total non-issue, because it is fairly common for couples under exactly your circumstances.

zfisher

Thank you, I appreciate all your advice!

zfisher

I have another question. My visa is being rushed through and I'm likely to have to start filling in the forms before we can get married.

How does that work in terms of the status I need to give? I.e. Is it ok for my marital status to change halfway through the process?

scrubbedexpat099

Yes

Pulaski

Yup, no problem - again a non-issue. People get married in the real world, and the visa process takes it in its stride.

deadshoppingmalls

My wife and I got married in the city hall in Barcelona 2 days before our visa interview in Madrid.

The consular official merely raised his eyebrows and said "congrats, I guess", and approved our visas on the spot

Rete

And most probably ok to change marital status after the visa is issued. USCIS doesn't care simply because you are not going for an immigration visa but rather a work visa which might or might not become a means for legal permanent resident status IF your employer is generous and applies for the change of status for you.