Tiddi

i'm australian by birth(tasmania)....been living in manchester england
ever since..(british parents)...i'm 40yrs old and travel on british
passport.
been logging on to a football forum where in september i met an
american girl(Annie...36yrs north carolina)...she's liverpool mad..my
team is manchester united...we always had a real good laugh on that
site....after a few weeks of mailing and sending pics we fell in
love....we've both left our partners(niether of us were
married...though she is divorced and i have a 15yrs old
son)........she has been over to see me twice now.(watched liverpool
while she was here)..and i'm going over to see her for the first 2
weeks in april...........a month after i come back(May)i'm giving
everything up in england and going living out there with her.....we
both want to marry as soon as we can..and have children in future..
how do i go about being able to stay and marry her when i go over from
the uk to the usa in May...........can i go over to the usa waiver
free and marry her there and then apply for green card or whatever i
need to become a legal immigrant........i'm a cad
draughstman(engineering technician)...so i would like to find similar
drawing office work if i can............
it looks like i may need a fiance visa and marry her within 90 days of
entering the usa i think....but i'm going over there in may......i
don't know if it would get here in time.............i've been told by
someone else whose gone living over there and done the same to go to
the usa as a visitor and stay for a few years and eventually marry
her...........but i would be illegal.....
also i wonder if it's easier to marry annie in the uk then go living
over there in the usa with her...........any help would be real
helpful.......thanx....

Ingo Pakleppa

It sounds like you already did your research and found out the important
points. Yes, get a fiance visa. Unfortunately, you are right, you will
have to adjust your timetable; it won't work by May.

You can also use the visa waiver, as long as you plan to return to the UK
and then file the paperwork there. Entering on the visa waiver with the
intent to stay in the US is blatantly illegal. Many couples do it anyway,
and then hire an attorney to straighten it out (fortunately, it typically
is not all that difficult to straighten out; INS can be forgiving).

On Sat, 18 Jan 2003 10:47:22 +0000, tiddi wrote:

    > i'm australian by birth(tasmania)....been living in manchester england
    > ever since..(british parents)...i'm 40yrs old and travel on british
    > passport.
    > been logging on to a football forum where in september i met an
    > american girl(Annie...36yrs north carolina)...she's liverpool mad..my
    > team is manchester united...we always had a real good laugh on that
    > site....after a few weeks of mailing and sending pics we fell in
    > love....we've both left our partners(niether of us were
    > married...though she is divorced and i have a 15yrs old
    > son)........she has been over to see me twice now.(watched liverpool
    > while she was here)..and i'm going over to see her for the first 2
    > weeks in april...........a month after i come back(May)i'm giving
    > everything up in england and going living out there with her.....we
    > both want to marry as soon as we can..and have children in future..
    > how do i go about being able to stay and marry her when i go over from
    > the uk to the usa in May...........can i go over to the usa waiver
    > free and marry her there and then apply for green card or whatever i
    > need to become a legal immigrant........i'm a cad
    > draughstman(engineering technician)...so i would like to find similar
    > drawing office work if i can............
    > it looks like i may need a fiance visa and marry her within 90 days of
    > entering the usa i think....but i'm going over there in may......i
    > don't know if it would get here in time.............i've been told by
    > someone else whose gone living over there and done the same to go to
    > the usa as a visitor and stay for a few years and eventually marry
    > her...........but i would be illegal.....
    > also i wonder if it's easier to marry annie in the uk then go living
    > over there in the usa with her...........any help would be real
    > helpful.......thanx....

BritAmerica

Tidddi:

Yes, K-1 fiance visa is the way to go. I've heard stories of couples that married while the UK fiance was visiting in USA, but you take a chance on that one if for any reason the INS would for some reason deny you to stay after marriage. If they proved that you came over on a visa wavier and had intended to marry all along then they wouldn't be too happy. Some couples take the chance anyway, and things seem to turn out allright. If perhaps you do get kicked out....you might no be able to enter the USA for 10 years...?

Processing for K-1's has become slower since 9/11 (always seems to be faster for Vermont Servicing Center) So I can see why some would not want to wait...but at least once you are approved you can rest easy that you will be with your loved one in the USA and won't have to worry about being separated for any INS violation problem.

Either way, its a mountain of paperwork ;-)........ and you'll be dealing with the government....keep your chin up and good luck. If you need any help on finding websites with INS/Embassy or US/UK couples....email me and I'll be happy to share.

Brit (USA)
Going through K-1 process as we speak.

Jasonvisa

Hello,

It all depends on your timing situation. I also suggest you be truthful with
your intent upon entry tothe US. It will look suspicious to INS if you enter
as a visitor with no return ticket. I can help you with the options. I am an
experienced immigration attorney and I offer free consultations. Feel free to
email me at [email protected] or visit www.EnterAmerica.com for more info.

-Jason