Jimmy Mcnulty

Hi

I am a teacher in UK, about to take early retirement at 54, I have got back togther with my ex who is American, from my time at a univeristy in the states in the late 80s. We have moved fast and the M word is looking likely.

When we do marry what is the process/time approx for me to get a green card. As depite being retired I will still need to work some to get my daughter through college for a few years.

Additionally, if anybody knows how hard it is for a Brit to teach high school in the states that would be great. I know it varies state to state

Thanks

Pulaski

Unless you take the fiancé visa route, you can't apply for a visa until you are married, and given the delays in both at the moment, and that there is more paperwork processing to get you from a fiancé visa to permanent resident status aka green card holder after your marriage, I would recommend the marriage & spouse visa route. You can get married in the US much more easily in the US than the UK (visitors marrying in the US don't need a visa, whereas visitros to the UK do), so a trip to the UAS to get married should be at the top of your list of things to do to get the visa ball rolling if marriage is proposed and accepted.

I think from what I have heard recently, a spouse visa ( for someone married to a US citizen) is currently taking around 15 months to process, during which time you cannot live or work in the US, but, contrary to popular myth, you can visit. In other words, even as of today, you won't be living in the US and authorized to work, before January 2024.

I mentioned the post-marriage paperwork for someone who married in the US on a fiancé visa, well it's worth mentioning by contrast that if you arrive in the US with a spouse visa, that you can legally work from the moment you clear immigration, literally right there in the airport if you have a joblined up. You don't even need to have a social security number. I know, this is what I myself did - arriving with a spouse visa, and starting work with a large corporation just a few days later, before my SSN arrived; the HR/ paroll department was not at all fazed by my situation without an SSN when I was first put on the payroll.

Nutmegger

The best thing you could do is google the department of education for the town/state where you anticipate living, and take it from there. At your age, you might find your opportunities relegated to "supply" or "substitute" teaching (and that, too, could be dependent on the age and subject you teach).

Jimmy Mcnulty

Thanks, very helpful. Its also in dixieland. we were looking at Feb 24 tbh, so that would be july 2025. we want to be sure hence the date further away. we were looking at doing getting marrie3d in the states.

I was looking at working for another 6 months in UK with regular visits on a tourist visa.

Would she have to apply for me or would I do it?

Jimmy Mcnulty

Thanks, I al;ready have some links and will be following them through. TBH if its not teaching I'm not that bothered but its what I have done for 28 years.

Noorah101

After marriage, your USC wife will start the process by filing the I-130.

Rene

Jimmy Mcnulty

Thanks all, so if we were engaged and I was offered a role is there a quicker way to do this or would the advice be get married ASAp and wait for green card.

Rete

While I certainly know the term "dixie", I had to google the term dixieland to see what state(s) they might be. Lo and behold, you would be moving to my State of Mississippi or one of its neighbors, Alabama or Louisiana.

There is a need for teachers in all three states so you might find it relatively easy to get a position down here.

Nutmegger

Is that if he is already eligible to work (via a spouse visa) or would they sponsor?

Noorah101

If you were only engaged, the process would be the K-1 fiance visa which only gets you to the USA quicker because the I-129F can be filed right now. BUT, the visa process still takes a year or more, AND you do not become a US PR upon entry to the USA. There would be further paperwork and fees to get your work authorization and green card after you enter the USA.

The marriage based immigrant visa is the better method in your situation.

Rene

Rete

No, they would not sponsor. He would require work authorization and the proper educational qualifications.

Expatrian

I agree the LPR after marriage is the best route, especially if your are going to marry soon. That gets you to LPR status directly and with the least hassle and cost, and you’ll be taking the fastest track to citizenship if you desire it.

Pulaski

This, says about all I was about to. .... The fiancé visa used to be much quicker and so quicker overall even allowing for 3-5 months of post-marriage adjustment. These days it's quicker and easier to just get married, apply for a spouse visa and be done with everything.

I hate to even mention this as an option, but if you "rushed into" a marriage now, and then had second thoughts before your visa was finalized, or even after you got your visa but before you finally packed up and headed for the US, and instead decided to dissolve your marriage, you wouldn't be the first couple to do that.

Jimmy Mcnulty

Thanks all, a bit of time to digest all that. So we looking at (maybe feb/april) so is the feeling i would be able to work by the end of the year 2023/start 24?)

thanks all. Its actually SC i am going to.

Noorah101

If you get married in Spring 2023 and file the I-130 soon after, you would probably be able to immigrate between Spring / Summer 2024. Doubtful it would all happen by end of 2023. Plan on Summer 2024 and be pleasantly surprised if it's sooner.

Rene