Hairball

I ready from the posts that a DCF is a quicker way to get a visa. Has anyone taken that route? I am curious to know if it costs any or much more to process?

Cheers

meauxna

Yes we did it via DCF.

Why had you excluded that option before?
It costs slightly less than a K-1 visa.

ian-mstm

It is *if* you are already married and have permission to reside in that country on something more than just a temporary basis.

Ian

Hairball

Hi,

I didn't really know what it was, to be honest. I thought you just had to apply in the normal way and let the wheel of beauracracy slowly turn.

Cheers

Hairball

Hi, Ian

Thanks for that. when you say 'that country' does that mean the USA? In our case my lass is a USC and I'd be applying for a visa so we could both move there.

Cheers

Noorah101

No, he means the USC must live in the UK (or whatever foreign country) for a minimum of 6 months, in some kind of permanent status, in order to qualify for DCF.

If you check back to posts 3 and 4 in this thread, I mentioned DCF way back then.

Rene

meauxna

OK Hairball, your thread has gone hither and yon.. lots of different kinds of info in here!

Let me know if any of this is wrong.

Your USC has been living in the UK for 4 years on a work sponsored visa.
You intend to be married and immigrate to the US. You want to arrive as a Permanent Resident (green card).
You will be back in the UK, married, with at least 4-6 months before your planned final move to the US?

If so, please read the first link in my siggy to start with.
DCF is a local filing option available to USCs who are living abroad. It is a condensed version of the "CR-1" Immigrant Visa process and in London, it routinely takes 4-6 months from petition filing to visa issue.
If your then-wife needs to return to the US before you get your visa, but after her filing her petition, she can.

Please have a read through that short article and let us if it makes sense to you.


edit: any chance your GF is eligible for UK citizenship? I don't think so, but if she is, look into that. Otherwise, she won't be able to gain residency in the UK until later on.. we decided to go for the US residency and citizenship first.)

Hairball

Hi, Meauxna

That's nicely summarised, and accurate.

My GF's eligiblity for UK citizenship is the question we're going to address next. As she's been resident in the UK on her work visa for 5 years this October, we think she can apply for residency/citizenship of the UK.

We've not looked into it yet so we don't know the full process nor do we know if we should apply for UKC before getting married.

I have had a look at the postings from others about the requirements to be wed in Maine, and it seems reasonably hurdle-free.

Thanks again for your help

meauxna

The UK is probably quite like here, where you must live there for a certain period of time *in a certain status* to be eligible.

I don't think the timing of your marriage would e a factor though.

Looks like you have a lot to think about this week! Enjoy!

Hairball

Yes..

And that's without thinking all the complicated marriage arrangements!

Bob

Aye, 5 years residency will do it for the UK, 3 for marriage, just like the US in that respect.

There is a stupid English language and social type of test which isn't a history civics like the US, though for English speaking countries it might be waived.

meauxna

That test is hard!

What I was driving at is the type of 'work visa' status she has.. for ex, in the US, 5 years here as an H-1B doesn't make you eligible to naturalize, it has to be 5 years as a Permanent Resident.

Bob

The UK it's visa and lived in the UK for 5 years I believe, but your right, the 3 years would be equivalent to permanent residency.

englishinfl

Hey Bob,

Not quite sure why you would consider an "English language" test "stupid" for people that are wanting to reside there permanently in the UK.
Really it seems to make sense to make sure that people are proficient in the language of the country that they intend to reside in, doesn't it? Afterall, that way they stand a greater chance of a gaining better employment (which reduces the need for handouts) and can generally enjoy the experience more.

Hasn't it always been the major gripe of the UK (and US) residents that the immigrants "can't even speak English"?

Sorry mate, but I'm not in agreeance with you on your idea that a test for people on their language skills is "stupid".

penguinbar

I agree. I work in the restaurant business and some of the porters and dishwashers have been here for years and can barely speak a word of English and don't even try to learn! I live in NYC and the amount of people who can't speak English and don't even try to learn is unbelievable!