Complicated one
#1
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Complicated one
Hi everyone. I am english, living in ireland. My girlfriend is american and lives in nevada. We want to get married and i want to go live with her in nevada. Can you please help me with all the legal jargon, timeframe, step by step process, contacts etc? Do we need to get married in england, ireland or america? If america, is it legal for me to go there just to marry? If so, once married, can i stay? I really have no idea what way up i am at the moment! Lol!
Thanks in advance, kev
Thanks in advance, kev
#2
Re: Complicated one
Hi everyone. I am english, living in ireland. My girlfriend is american and lives in nevada. We want to get married and i want to go live with her in nevada. Can you please help me with all the legal jargon, timeframe, step by step process, contacts etc? Do we need to get married in england, ireland or america? If america, is it legal for me to go there just to marry? If so, once married, can i stay? I really have no idea what way up i am at the moment! Lol!
Thanks in advance, kev
Thanks in advance, kev
Take a look at the wikis at the top of this forum (the K1, CR1 and the marriage visa comparison table). Read. Read again. Then come back with more questions!
#3
Re: Complicated one
Simply put, there are 2 options.
1) Get a visa, go to the US, Marry and stay (K1)
3) Get married (does not matter where, but you'll need to leave the US before your tourist visa expires if it's there) and apply for a visa from your home country, then move to the US. (CR1)
Both processes will involve the best part of a year before you can make the move.
Do not listen to anyone who claims to have entered as a visitor, got married and stayed. If that was their intention when they entered the US, then what they did was illegal and they were lucky. Don't do it.
1) Get a visa, go to the US, Marry and stay (K1)
3) Get married (does not matter where, but you'll need to leave the US before your tourist visa expires if it's there) and apply for a visa from your home country, then move to the US. (CR1)
Both processes will involve the best part of a year before you can make the move.
Do not listen to anyone who claims to have entered as a visitor, got married and stayed. If that was their intention when they entered the US, then what they did was illegal and they were lucky. Don't do it.
Last edited by civilservant; Aug 8th 2014 at 12:41 pm.
#4
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Re: Complicated one
Do we need to get married in england, ireland or america?
If america, is it legal for me to go there just to marry?
If so, once married, can i stay?
Read... digest... read again - and then ask questions.
I'll just add here that this isn't a complicated situation at all... indeed, it's quite normal and routine.
Ian
#5
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Re: Complicated one
Thankyou bunnygirl, civil servant and ian Thats great. So regarding the cri or k1.....where do i get them from? I looked on the american embassy in london website but cant find what im looking for. Would i have to do it from ireland as i am currently living in ireland? Or england as i am officially an british national? What are the costs involved?
#6
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Re: Complicated one
Thankyou bunnygirl, civil servant and ian Thats great. So regarding the cri or k1.....where do i get them from? I looked on the american embassy in london website but cant find what im looking for. Would i have to do it from ireland as i am currently living in ireland? Or england as i am officially an british national? What are the costs involved?
You have to apply to the US Embassy from where you are currently residing (are you in Ireland on a permanent basis or just visiting?), either through the CR1 route or the K1 route. The information is readily available on the US Embassy website, as are the forms for applying. Check out uscis.gov as well, as that is another site you will be frequenting when going through the process.
The costs run into several thousands of pounds when you consider not just the costs of the visa process itself (Around 1100GBP), moving costs (2-3000GBP possibly depending on your budget) and flight (anywhere between 1500-4000GBP depending on who, what, where you fly to in the US) - the process is straightforward, but you need to be organized and ensure you meet the deadlines at each step.
The US Embassy London website is quite useful to look at as a general reference guide, but there may be local differences so I would suggest you also look at the US Embassy website for Ireland too. You need to look at the sections that involve filing a petition (the first step), applying for a marriage visa etc. Once you have done that, then do feel free to come back with your questions on the process.
#7
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Re: Complicated one
Did you read, digest, and read again? Did you follow the links in the Wiki article?
I'm not surprised - you can't apply for a visa until after your USC spouse or fiancee submits a peition on your behalf. Read first...
Y'see... this is the reason why we ask people to read first. These are basic questions that are covered in the Wiki.
Yes - the article is long and involved, but you must do your own research.
Ian
I looked on the american embassy in london website but cant find what im looking for.
Would i have to do it from ireland as i am currently living in ireland? Or england as i am officially an british national? What are the costs involved?
Yes - the article is long and involved, but you must do your own research.
Ian
#8
Re: Complicated one
Marriage to a U.S. Citizen | Embassy of the United States
http://dublin.usembassy.gov/immediate_relatives.html
http://dublin.usembassy.gov/fiancees_visas2.html
A K1 will cost approx. $2000, a CR1 approx. $1300.
Last edited by BunnyGirl; Aug 8th 2014 at 2:40 pm. Reason: ETA Dublin links
#9
Re: Easy one
Complicated cases involve would-be immigrants with arrest/ criminal records, medical issues, a drug habit, dependent children with a non-cooperative "other parent", and/or a US fiancé(e)/spouse with insufficient income to support their new family, thereby necessitating a joint-sponsor; or some combination thereof.
#10
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Re: Complicated one
I dont have any convictions (just minor scrapes as a kid), no interest in drugs, no medical problems to speak of (asthma and a little bit of psiorsis, nothing communicable), no dependant kids. BUT heres the difficult bit.......Other than marriage, what is the best way in?
My girlfriend is American but it is a long distance relationship at the moment which we are both eager to change, although we dont know if we are going to actually "work" or not untill we are closer and can build a relationship without it having to be via skype etc so we dont really want to get married straight away. What other ways are there?
My girlfriend is American but it is a long distance relationship at the moment which we are both eager to change, although we dont know if we are going to actually "work" or not untill we are closer and can build a relationship without it having to be via skype etc so we dont really want to get married straight away. What other ways are there?
#11
Re: Complicated one
There really aren't, unless you qualify for a work or investment visa.
There is no 'try it out with the girlfriend' visa I'm afraid - many couples are forced to get married earlier then they would perhaps have done so for this very reason.
There is no 'try it out with the girlfriend' visa I'm afraid - many couples are forced to get married earlier then they would perhaps have done so for this very reason.
#12
Re: Complicated one
I dont have any convictions (just minor scrapes as a kid), no interest in drugs, no medical problems to speak of (asthma and a little bit of psiorsis, nothing communicable), no dependant kids. BUT heres the difficult bit.......Other than marriage, what is the best way in?
My girlfriend is American but it is a long distance relationship at the moment which we are both eager to change, although we dont know if we are going to actually "work" or not untill we are closer and can build a relationship without it having to be via skype etc so we dont really want to get married straight away. What other ways are there?
My girlfriend is American but it is a long distance relationship at the moment which we are both eager to change, although we dont know if we are going to actually "work" or not untill we are closer and can build a relationship without it having to be via skype etc so we dont really want to get married straight away. What other ways are there?
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Pulask...ork_in_the_USA
#13
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Re: Complicated one
If family-based is out, as you suggest, then that leaves the other two. On the assumption that you don't have a huge wad of cash lying around, then investment-based is also out. That leaves employment-based.
Since no one here knows what you do for a living, or what education you have, it's difficult to suggest a course of action. Again, generally speaking, to get an employment-based visa you must not only have a bona fide job offer from a US-based employer, you must have at least a Bachelor's degree, and they must start the visa process on your behalf. So... what skills do you have that will entice a US employer to spend many thousands of dollars to get you a visa when there are already many thousands of people in the US who are authorized to work, can start tomorrow if asked, and won't cost the employer anything?
Just get married - it'll be so much easier all around.
Ian
#14
Re: Complicated one
If there is a legitimate relationship in the first place, it is OK for immigration to be the motive for marriage. What is NOT allowed is a "marriage of convenience" for the SOLE purpose of obtaining a green card [e.g. no underlying marital relationship].
#15
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Re: Complicated one
Generally speaking, there are 3 routes to the US: family-based; employment-based; and investment-based. I'll note that in your first post you specifically wrote: "We want to get married..." You can't really have it both ways!
If family-based is out, as you suggest, then that leaves the other two. On the assumption that you don't have a huge wad of cash lying around, then investment-based is also out. That leaves employment-based.
Since no one here knows what you do for a living, or what education you have, it's difficult to suggest a course of action. Again, generally speaking, to get an employment-based visa you must not only have a bona fide job offer from a US-based employer, you must have at least a Bachelor's degree, and they must start the visa process on your behalf. So... what skills do you have that will entice a US employer to spend many thousands of dollars to get you a visa when there are already many thousands of people in the US who are authorized to work, can start tomorrow if asked, and won't cost the employer anything?
Just get married - it'll be so much easier all around.
Ian
If family-based is out, as you suggest, then that leaves the other two. On the assumption that you don't have a huge wad of cash lying around, then investment-based is also out. That leaves employment-based.
Since no one here knows what you do for a living, or what education you have, it's difficult to suggest a course of action. Again, generally speaking, to get an employment-based visa you must not only have a bona fide job offer from a US-based employer, you must have at least a Bachelor's degree, and they must start the visa process on your behalf. So... what skills do you have that will entice a US employer to spend many thousands of dollars to get you a visa when there are already many thousands of people in the US who are authorized to work, can start tomorrow if asked, and won't cost the employer anything?
Just get married - it'll be so much easier all around.
Ian
No qualifications above gcse. No reason an employer will do that! Lol! I am qualified in pest control not that i think that will get me in. I am planning to start my own jewelry making business soon. Again, that wont qualify me for entry, i dont think anyway? Unless it takes off and then i can expand to america?
Other than that, marriage it is