Data Buddy

Can anyone help me. It appears that there is a distinct possibility that my company would like me to transfer to our sister office in the USA.

I've not found anyone yet who can advise with any great authority on the Visa's and the implications for my partner and our relationship other than that I would likely be transferred on an L1-B whatever that may be?

Other than the move itself, which is a fairly major life-changer, the question is what is the situation with my fiancee? In order for her to accompany me, do I have to rush her to the altar (finally after 10 years...) or can I procrastinate a little longer, plan things once I'm out there and my own application is underway? A lot of people have been waiting on enjoying this and I don't think I'd be terribly popular if we just dash off to the registry office after all this time.

I'm anticipating that the company may want me to move fairly quickly but my fiancee will probably not be ready to move over for several months - probably around Xmas time.

Do I need to plan to get married immediately even before my own Visa application is submitted or can she come over on some temporary visa allowing us the luxury of planning the wedding with just a bit more time?

Are there any other pitfalls or drawbacks (Tax etc.) I need to be aware of - that's with the Visa application not with marriage ????

Thanks.

Hnchoksi

    >Subject: Intercompany transfer, Visa's and my fiancee's situation
    >From: Data Buddy [email protected]
    >Date: 8/18/03 3:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time
    >Message-id: <[email protected]>
    >Can anyone help me. It appears that there is a distinct
    >possibility that my company would like me to transfer to our sister
    >office in the USA.
    >I've not found anyone yet who can advise with any great authority on the
    >Visa's and the implications for my partner and our relationship other
    >than that I would likely be transferred on an L1-B whatever that may be?
    >Other than the move itself, which is a fairly major life-changer, the
    >question is what is the situation with my fiancee? In order for her to
    >accompany me, do I have to rush her to the altar (finally after 10
    >years...) or can I procrastinate a little longer, plan things once I'm
    >out there and my own application is underway? A lot of people have been
    >waiting on enjoying this and I don't think I'd be terribly popular if we
    >just dash off to the registry office after all this time.
    >I'm anticipating that the company may want me to move fairly quickly but
    >my fiancee will probably not be ready to move over for several months -
    >probably around Xmas time.
    >Do I need to plan to get married immediately even before my own
    >Visa application is submitted or can she come over on some
    >temporary visa allowing us the luxury of planning the wedding with
    >just a bit more time?
    >Are there any other pitfalls or drawbacks (Tax etc.) I need to be aware
    >of - that's with the Visa application not with marriage ????
    >Thanks.

She can come on an L-2, provided that you are married. There is no such thing
as a non-immigrant fiancee visa. You don't have to rush into marriage. You can
marry her at any time. However, you would have to do it in order to get her to
the US.

Jozef

"Data Buddy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Can anyone help me. It appears that there is a distinct
    > possibility that my company would like me to transfer to our sister
    > office in the USA.

You don't sound too thrilled about it! ;-)

    > I've not found anyone yet who can advise with any great authority on the
    > Visa's and the implications for my partner and our relationship other
    > than that I would likely be transferred on an L1-B whatever that may be?

An L-1B visa holder is an intra-company transferee 'specialized knowledge'.
It allows immigration intent, i.e. you can pursue a Green Card while on it,
and it can be extended up to 6 years. Another bonus: the spouse of an L-1B
is allowed to obtain work authorization.

    > Other than the move itself, which is a fairly major life-changer, the
    > question is what is the situation with my fiancee? In order for her to
    > accompany me, do I have to rush her to the altar (finally after 10
    > years...) or can I procrastinate a little longer, plan things once I'm
    > out there and my own application is underway? A lot of people have been
    > waiting on enjoying this and I don't think I'd be terribly popular if we
    > just dash off to the registry office after all this time.

Sure you can procrastinate a little longer. It will complicate things
however. She would have to accompany you or join you later on a tourist
visa, which is limited in nature. If you are in a Visa Waiver country, she
could travel without a visa, but her stay in the US would be limited to 3
months at the time.

    > I'm anticipating that the company may want me to move fairly quickly but
    > my fiancee will probably not be ready to move over for several months -
    > probably around Xmas time.
    > Do I need to plan to get married immediately even before my own
    > Visa application is submitted or can she come over on some
    > temporary visa allowing us the luxury of planning the wedding with
    > just a bit more time?
    > Are there any other pitfalls or drawbacks (Tax etc.) I need to be aware
    > of - that's with the Visa application not with marriage ????

You're funny!
Seriously, your fiancée can join you later. But at one point, you will have
to get married if you want her to continue to stay with you, unless she
obtains a visa of her own, like an F-1 student visa.
If you do plan to get married in the U.S., make sure she's not on a Visa
Waiver, or she wouldn't be able to change status from B-2 to L-2 (dependent
of an L-1) while in the U.S.