Wonderwall

Hi, I just finished reading a very long post on a similar subject, but
still am unsure the answer to my question..

My girlfriend and I met while she was on a student Visa. That Visa
now expired because she was out of the US too long. We would like to
be married soon. But It seems ridiculous to me that she should pay the
filing for a fiance visa, and then also we must pay for the marriage
visa, is this correct?

She visits from time to time on the Visa Waiver Program, and we
sometimes want to just go get married while she is visiting. Is this
possible, and if so would she have to leave the country? She is
worried she could get in trouble for this. Is this possible? Basically
I just want to know, what the quickest cheapest way for us to be
together is. Neither of us is wealthy, we are just two kids in love
who want to be together now. We would be married in either washington
or oregon state, do either of these states have any laws that may
help, or hurt us? sorry, I hope this isn't too many questions at once.
I really have a bunch more I would like to ask. but first the big
ones.

Wonderwall

meauxna

The short answer is that it will take 6-10 or so months for her to get a visa to immigrate to the US. She can immigrate as a non-immigrant (K visas) which require her to Adjust Status once she's moved over. Or, she can take the slightly longer wait outside the US and arrive as a Permenent Resident.

Generally, the *fastest* visa for getting *to* the US (but without work permission, travel permission etc) when you are not yet married is the K-1 Fiancee visa.

If she has overstayed a previous student visa, you should absolutely get specific, personal legal counsel from a US immigration attorney to find out what issues that might bring to your case BEFORE you file anything.

You should find out if that impacts her traveling here on the VWP--it could be that she should not be doing that at all.

It is illegal for her to come to the US as a visitor with the intent to immigrate on that visit.. aka 'lying' so your VWP plan is not a good one.

Go spend a hundred bucks or so on a consultation with a lawyer and get a crash course. Any research you do ahead of time will maximize your visit with the lawyer.

A person only needs one visa to come to the US, not multiple visas.

You don't need to be wealthy, or "grown up", but you do need to be patient.