Randy Stadham

Dear All,

I am an American citizen living and working in China. I would like to marry a Chinese
citizen. I have searched the web for information on the Fiance Visa. I understand
that we can apply for that visa that will allow my fiance and I to come to America to
get married. My question is we have to return to China to live and work there. I
would like to know what is the process we follow next that would allow my fiance to
travel with me to the US and other countries. How does she get a residence card and
then eventually become a Us citizen. Thank you for all the help you can give me.


Randy Stadham

You can also email me direct if you wish email: [email protected]

L D Jones

Randy Stadham wrote:
    > Dear All,
    > I am an American citizen living and working in China. I would like to marry a
    > Chinese citizen. I have searched the web for information on the Fiance Visa. I
    > understand that we can apply for that visa that will allow my fiance and I to come
    > to America to get married. My

If your fiancee wishes to go to the US to marry and then return to China it seems to
me the K-1 is not appropriate for you. This visa is specifically for those who marry
and then remain in the US. I don't see why she could not enter as a tourist, marry
and then leave. This is not illegal as far as I know.

    > question is we have to return to China to live and work there. I would like to know
    > what is the process we follow next that would allow my fiance to travel with me to
    > the US and other countries. How does she get a residence card and then eventually
    > become a Us citizen. Thank you for all the help you can give me.

If you marry in China and apply for a spouse visa (I-130) she could eventually become
a US permanent resident. However, to become a US citizen she would have to physically
live in the US in order to fulfill the residence requirements for citizenship. She
cannot do this while living in China.

After you marry and receive the spousal visa your wife can enter the US as a
permanent resident. She can remain outside the US for up to a year with no problem
but after that it is likely that her permanent resident status would be revoked.

One scenario is: Marry in China and apply for I-130. Once this is granted enter the
US, live there for at least 3 years, apply for citizenship, and wait another year or
more until your wife becomes a US citizen. Once she is a citizen both of you can
live anywhere.

As to travel to other countries you need to investigate the visa requirements of
those countries.

Mrtravel@Sbcglobal

L D Jones wrote:
    > Randy Stadham wrote:
    > >
    > > Dear All,
    > >
    > > I am an American citizen living and working in China. I would like to marry a
    > > Chinese citizen. I have searched the web for information on the Fiance Visa. I
    > > understand that we can apply for that visa that will allow my fiance and I to
    > > come to America to get married. My
    > If your fiancee wishes to go to the US to marry and then return to China it seems
    > to me the K-1 is not appropriate for you. This visa is specifically for those who
    > marry and then remain in the US. I don't see why she could not enter as a tourist,
    > marry and then leave.

While this would be easy to do from the UK, it is not quite so easy from China.


This is not
    > illegal as far as I know.

Not illegal, but can be difficult to do, especially from countries with lower
standard of living and propensity to stay in the US once here on a non immigrant
visa. And.. especially difficult for a single lady. After all, the visa application
is going to ask if she has a fiance here. While a tourist visa is the appropriate
visa to get, it might be easier to get the K-1.