Nomes09

Hi there

Pease can anyone advise me as a matter of urgency.

My husband works for A big international company manufacturing stuff for the US government and we are over here in Texas on his E1 visa.

I have been having an affair, my husband found out a couple of weeks ago, I want to stay and marry this Texan and bring my two children up over here.

My husband has been consulting with lawyers about the situation, his company have written a letter of termination and we are being repatriated to the UK this Sunday.

He is in possession of all our passports including the children's and says that his company will alert the authorities if any of us were to stay without a visa.

I can't leave the house, he has taken my car and house keys and threatens to pull the children out of school and take them to a hidden location until the flight on Sunday. I don't know what to do or how to do it, is there anything I can do to stop this happening at all?

I'm desperate and have nowhere to turn, can you help me?

If you want to judge that's fine but can you please give me the advice I'm asking for first?

Thank you, a very desperate lady...

Speedwell

If you have access to the Internet, you must have access to a way to make calls. Taking your car and house keys is abusive. You should call a lawyer and at least explain your situation. You need to have some representation. Maybe your boyfriend can help.

(No judging.)

Pulaski

You need a lawyer NOW. He can't taken your children anywhere legally without your permission or a court order. You should alert the school(s) too, that the children may be abducted by their father, but mostly you need a lawyer.

jeffreyhy

It seems that you need to consult with two lawyers - a divorce lawyer and an immigration lawyer.

Regards, JEff

sir_eccles

There is a wiki page with some domestic violence resources which you may find helpful.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Domestic_violence

Mr Weeze

This section in the wiki may be relevant to your situation:

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Domestic_violence

civilservant

You need to be aware that this is not going to happen. You are not free to marry, and have no status in the US to adjust from as soon as your husbands status is terminated and he has left the US.

Consult 2 attorneys, divorce and immigration.

hungryhorace

Your visa is irrelevant now, you're already in the country.

Unless you can find someone to sponsor you for LPR (legal permanent residency - commonly referred to as a 'green card') you'll have to depart within a reasonable time frame of his termination.
Given you can't marry your new boyfriend until you have a divorce, you need to talk to an immigration attorney asap to understand what your potential adjustment options are (if any). Further, you should call the police and report your children as kidnapped if your husband follows through on his threat. Personally i'd report the intention to kidnap just in case.

Lbjen

He can't make you get on a plane and he can't take your children across a border without your permission. If he takes your passports, even destroys them, you can get new ones. And unless he runs the company and can have their attorneys act on his personal behalf, I doubt they're going to be calling any 'authorities'.

Make sure you discuss international custody disputes with the divorce attorney, because you are probably going to have quite a fight on your hands if he's definitely going back to the UK. Is your new partner willing to move with you to the UK if you can't stay in the US?

ian-mstm

With respect, this simply isn't going to happen... at least not in the next few weeks/months. There is no immigration basis upon which you can stay in the US so long as you are married to your current husband.


See my comments below. That might never happen - so you should be prepared for that starting right now.


Contact the UK Embassy in Washington DC immediately. The passports are the property of the UK government - and your husband can't simply take possession of them.


Well, that's simply not going to happen. Why? Because the company has no way of knowing whether or not you are in status or whether you managed to change your status. But, even if they do... so what? You have nothing to fear from his company.


Contact your local police immediately. This is abusive behavior, and both you and the children have rights with respect to this sort of behavior. If you are afraid of your husband, all the more reason to contact the police immediately.


Go back to the UK. Get divorced, then worry about getting back to the US. Be aware, you will need the father's written permission (or a court order) to remove the children from UK jurisdiction... so you should plan on either abandoning them in the UK to move to the US to be with your lover, or abandon your lover in favor of your children. I know what I would do... but maybe you actually like your children.

Ian

Nomes09

Thank you for responding... Unfortunately he has taken away my access to any money so I can't get a lawyer.

sir_eccles

Try some of the contacts on the wiki page above. Many will offer pro bono legal advice and help.

Lbjen

The reality is you are probably going to have to go back to the UK no matter what. Do you have friends or family you can turn to for help when you get there on Sunday?

ian-mstm

You have access to a computer... use it. If you have a phone... use that too. Do yourself a favor, protect yourself as best you can. I imagine your husband is pretty pissed at you just now... so use what tools you have - in this case, a computer.

If it was me, I'd get out of the house. If he's been a good father up until now, he'll likely continue to be a good father... so do the smart thing, protect yourself. You're the one he's angry at.

Oh, you aren't a prisoner even though you think you are! You can leave the house, even if you don't have keys to get back in... and perhaps a neighbor might be willing to drive you to the police station.

Word of advice: This may be largely of your own doing and perhaps you're feeling guilty and that you deserve this sort of behavior... but if you think like a victim, you will become one!

Ian

jeffreyhy

Let the lawyers decide that. You should be able to find a few who will give you a consulration for no charge.

Regards, JEff