elswan

Thats great, thanks!

KK85

Hi elswan!

Just wanted to say a quick hello - I'm just a couple of hours down the road from Philly, in Harrisburg. I moved here last year (a year ago today!) on a CR-1 visa and the whole process suited my husband and I perfectly, but it sounds like your heart is set on the K-1. I found one of the most difficult elements of this process to be that initial decision - whether to go the K-1 or CR-1 route - but once it was made, we were full speed ahead and very happy with our decision. I'm sure you will be the same! Rest assured that once you do get the ball rolling, it will all seem so much simpler as you won't be overwhelming yourself with information for two different visa processes. You will also find lots of advice from us lot here, should you need it. You're highly unlikely to need an immigration lawyer unless you have criminal backgrounds, previous over-stays or severe mental health issues - the fact that you've traveled here a lot on the VWP and have experience with other visa types will surely help you through the process - it's just a load of forms and waiting, frankly!

It sounds, from everybody's advice, that the kind of wedding you're hoping for is totally achievable on the K-1. Like Rene said, you'll have a few months of valid-visa time before you'd even need to fly out, so plenty of time to confirm a date and venue etc. And it'll be lovely if your mum can fly out with you to help with final arrangements! My only word of caution with the K-1, and it echoes what the others have said, is just to prepare yourself for a lot of sitting around when you get here and while you're waiting for your work permit. Since I moved to the US, I've had a couple of periods where I've not been able to work (once while waiting for my SSN to arrive - it took months, which was not normal or expected, and once for health reasons) and I found that time to be quite isolating, being in a new place. It sounds as though you already have quite an established life in Philly, though, so that will certainly help. Definitely try to keep yourself as social and as busy as possible during that time, and enjoy being with your new husband!

I'm afraid I don't know anything about driving licenses and K-1 visas, but I'm sure the information will be somewhere on Penn DOT's website.

Wishing you the very best of luck! Let me know if you ever fancy meeting up for a drink when you get here.

elswan

Hello!

I'm really grateful for your response! it has really made me feel relieved about trying to make this decision, as has everyones advice!

I actually found out i am able to drive on my UK license temporarily it seems, until i am able to take their test

I will let you know, i'll be there on the VWP over New Year

civilservant

That seems unlikely when you become a PA resident. Usually you can only do so for 90 days after becoming a resident of the state. Not to mention getting insured at a reasonable price with a foreign drivers license and zero US driving history. From my experience, when you become resident in a household you are required to be insured or excluded on the policy for the vehicle, You cannot just be 'left off'

scrubbedexpat099

Quick google suggests you have 60 days.

Rete

My husband was under my policy with GEICO when he first came to the States on a K-1 and with his Canadian license because he was not eligible for NYS one and my premium wasn't increased. They only asked that we update when he did get his NYS license and again there was no increase in premium. When my teenage children (over 16) didn't have driver's licenses, the insurance company didn't know of their existence.

civilservant

Even State requirement is different I guess, and probably ever policy is different. I certainly have to declare to Farm Bureau when someone moves into my home, a named driver or not.

When was this?

Rete

The policy requirements haven't changed so the amount of years is irrelevant. It was 20 years ago. GEICO will insure a driver with a foreign license.

steveq

\
Yup. They did it for me, and just asked me how long I have been driving.

elswan

I only need it temporarily so 90 days wouldn't be a bad thing. I dont need to be on the insurance policy when theres full coverage - my partners family have always done it this way (used each others cars/ive used their cars) and its been completely fine, my main question was just wether that changes on a k-1 visa. I wont need to be buying/leasing/renting a car as i will be borrowing one which is already insured.