Chris88

Hello,
All this is completely new to me and would appreciate any help and advice. I live in the UK have a girlfriend in the US and want to marry her and live with her and start a family. I know the spouse immigration or fiancé immigration forms but is there a way that I can still be living with her while this is going. Also what is the longest time you can stay in the US without a visa. Please help me I have read the US immigration pages and some of it is really hard going.

All help and advice appreciated
Chris

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE.

You can't live with your wife/fiancee until you have the appropriate visa to do so, but you can visit. Assuming you're eligible for the VWP, that's for up to 90 days.

There's loads of info in the Wiki about the marriage based visas, and I'm sure a kind mod will move this to the right forum for you shortly, and you'll get lots of good advice from the forum pros.

Best of luck with it.

Noorah101

You can't live in the USA, no. You can only visit.

You are allowed to stay up to 90 days per visit on the VWP. Back-to-back trips are not a good idea. You may find you only have time for one visit during the process anyway.

Renee

Chris88

But I can visit however many times I like while my immigration goes through as long as I don't exceed 90 days?

christmasoompa

Yes, but as Noorah said above, you can't make back to back trips - the usual advice is to stay out of the US for at least as long as you were in it before trying to re-enter. So as she mentioned, you'll probably only have time for one visit during the processing time anyway (possibly 2).

Of course, your wife/fiancee could also come and see you in the UK, so that would minimise time apart as well.

ian-mstm

Yes - assuming you are able to get a visa that allows you to do so, and assuming that getting such visa will be faster than either a spouse or fiancée visa... otherwise, no.


90 days, assuming you qualify for travel on the VWP. Hint - Google is your friend. If you're eligible for the VWP, don't apply for a B-2 visitor visa hoping to get 6 months instead of 90 days... it's a common newbie mistake, and is at the root of many sad stories!


The reason that you find it "really hard going" is because you're about to learn a new language: immigration-speak. Don't expect to understand what's going on by simply reading for an hour or two. If you want to follow through with your plans as you've outlined, you're going to have to immerse yourself in the language... so be prepared.

Ian

Noorah101

You can try. Worst case scenario is, you get bounced at the POE for visiting again so soon.

The marriage based visas take between 6 to 8 or 10 months (depending on which visa), and you have to be back home the last 2 months or so, for your medical and interview, leaving you only time for 1 long (and maybe 1 short) visit.

Rene