Scouse Express

In the eyes of US Law, we're still talking about a Minor, here (At least the Girl in Florida). They haven't even met yet.


Jim.

Nutmegger

Relax -- the majority of the people on this board have been there, done that, got the T-shirt. They know what it is like to want to be with someone; they know what it is like to have to put the brakes on and deal with bureaucracy. However, to be frank, you are the adult in this relationship, and you are going to have to behave like one. You have only known her for six months and she is very young. Slow down, let her grow up a bit, keep saving your money, and by the time she is 18 and of age, you can start making some concrete plans. Real love stands the test of time and separation.

Noorah101

In the OP's first post, he says they did meet in person recently and spent a week together.

Rene

sir_eccles

This!

Noorah101

I believe the age requirement to get a marriage visa to the UK is now 18.

Rene

Scouse Express

You are indeed, correct. Did this Girl's "Deadbeat" Parents know about this "week together and the several kisses?"

I'm sure that the excrement would hit the rotary oscillator, if they found out. The OP is playing with fire, with regards to the law, here.

Jim.

cheers

So my two bits worth---I second the UK move. Have her move to the UK.
Second option you move to Canada or one of the Carabean Islands that allows you to live there. You would be close by Florida.

I have a son who was madly in love and he married her. She had 4 children. His wife filed divorce papers and his life is wrecked. He also is stuck with child support for 6 children and alimony.
She saw him coming.

Narrrr that couldn't happen to you! Narrrr.

You are fortunate that you are financially set but America can relieve you of your assets really fast.

Now if you are single and intend to stay that way for awhile and interested in buying a house in Florida I would say go for it! Houses are so cheap there especially now. Visa requirements aside. Talk to fellow Brits that do this without visas

danieluk

Hey Folks,

I just spent a couple of hours chatting with an immigration attorney who managed to squeeze me in for an appointment. I got some very good information and very good options. Its looking like I may not be able to get to the United States permanently before we get married when she is 18, unless I am willing to shut down my business for the most part, go over on a student visa and goto college for a couple of years.

Until then, I can spend 151 days / 365 days per year in the US as a tourist. I can also rent or buy property, get a car and so forth.

One option the attorney did raise is that my girlfriend could emancipate her parents in order to be legally recognized as an adult. He suggested this when I told him about her abusive parents (they starve her, hit her sometimes, which is child abuse) and he said that she would have a good case to emancipate her parents, thus becoming legally recognized as an adult and the side benefit of this would be we could get married. Obviously, this one would be a huugggeeee decision - yes, her parents mistreat her, but its still a huge thing.

Anyway, I thank everyone for the advise here. One thing that the lawyer did tell me is that immigration law is alot more layed out then many people here seem to say. Yes, there are nine or ten MAIN ways to gain the right to live in the US, but he told me that there are over EIGHTY (80) options within those options that can apply to many many different types of situation. There are actually 4 or 5 options that I could use, however some of them have stipulations and such that might not offer the best solutions for me and my girlfriend. She and I are going to discuss it and decide what to do, but, we do have light at the end of the tunnel now, which is very nice.

sir_eccles

True until you are denied entry.

Is this a UK lawyer or a US one? Also curious what are those 4 or 5 options, I think it would be interesting to hear them.

Noorah101

I'm not sure what the lawyer was trying to say here. There's no limit to the time you are allowed to stay in the USA as a tourist, per calendar year. For example, if you manage to get a B-2 visa, you are allowed to stay up to 6 months on that visit (if the POE officer allows it). You can try coming right back again to spend another 6 months, there's no law against doing that. That would give you far more than 151 days per year in the USA. However, although there's no law against trying it, in reality it is not likely to happen.

In reality, it's not likely you'll be granted a B-2 visa at all, if you are eligible to use the VWP.

On the VWP, you are allowed to stay up to 90 days per visit (no limit per calendar year). However, back to back trips are not a good idea, as it looks like you're trying to live in the USA as a tourist. As I mentioned before, spend more time outside the USA than inside.

Rene

Scouse Express

That's $30,000+ per year in tuition.

Noorah101

Well, yes...there are sub-categories. For example, there is an L visa which is for an intercompany transfer. We tend to count this as one method. But depending on how you qualify, you could either get an L1A or L1B, which I suppose you can count as two methods. But the method is still via a company transfer.

Cool. Which ones?

Rene

ian-mstm

Respectfully, I submit that what you've just written here is not what he said. If he did, in fact say this, then he's an idiot.


I believe you meant to write that she could be emancipated from her parents. This involves her going to court and proving to a judge that she is capable of taking on the full responsibilities of an adult sufficient to overcome the presumption that staying with her parents would, in fact, not be detrimental to her development into adulthood.

While I don't know the details involved in this, I'm pretty sure that her emancipation in order to marry you won't endear the judge to the decision.


Respectfully, you can't be sure about her relationship with her parents. You only know what she's telling you - and while you might have spent a week there, you still can't possibly know the nuances involved in their relationship.

Ian

Nutmegger

You are basing this upon the word of a teenager who is sneaking around behind her parents' backs to meet up with a much older man from across the ocean. A lot of teenagers are a little prone to exaggerate about how horrible their parents are. Tread carefully here -- you would be much better served by suggesting that she take the matter up with a school guidance counselor. There are people out there who could help her.

danieluk

I was summaraizing when he told me basically. It was a two hour meeting so obviously there was alot of information. He told me that on a Visa Waiver, its normally best to stay out for at least as long as you are in. So if I visit the US for 3 weeks, I should stay out for at least 3 weeks before coming back again, because if I spend more time in the US than out, they will, in his words, "start to wonder who is feeding the dog back home".

The main options he gave me were:

• student visa (F visa)
• temporary worker (H visa) - would require one of my US clients to employ me
• Treaty investor (E visa) - option 1 - investing at least $100,000 dollars into a US company
• Treaty investor (E visa) - option 2 - purchasing a 50% stake in an established US company

He also told me that, on a Visa Waiver, although technically I should not work, that the law regarding internet business is not defined, and that unless the work that I am doing would take money that would otherwise be paid for a US based professional, that it would be okay to work and that there is case law to support this.

Regarding marriage, he said that is we want to plan out a SOLID and definite date where we wish to get married, that we should get a K1 when the time comes, but that if for example we marry spontaniously without pre-meditation during one of my VW 90 day visits after she turns 18, that in 9.5 out of 10 cases, I could successfully get a permanent stay and that even if its denied outright, there is an extensive appeals process that he could go through to ensure that its granted.

So lots of interesting information.

All of this came from a US based immigration lawyer that I saw this morning in a town a little way outside of Orlando. He has been doing it for 20 years so is very experienced I feel. I'm going to be offline for a couple days now due to travel, but I'll be back by Thursday.