when to start the process
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1
when to start the process
Hi everybody.
I am new to this site so please be gentle with me, my wife is a US citizen and I am British citizen and we got married on January 26th 2007 in the US. She joined me here in London in April of the same year, She has a spouse visa, now we were planning on staying here for a few years but now we are thinking we are going to move permanently to the US hopefully in around January to March time 2009.
We have looked at various websites telling us how the process goes but what we are really looking for is anyone who has done it recently that can tell us how it went and how long it took to completion.
Also we would really like to know when to start the process for my visa for a January leaving date, and if we got it before we were ready to move is there a time limit for using it,, oh and also can i keep on travveling on the VWP until the date we leave for good.
many thanks. Billy and Amber.
I am new to this site so please be gentle with me, my wife is a US citizen and I am British citizen and we got married on January 26th 2007 in the US. She joined me here in London in April of the same year, She has a spouse visa, now we were planning on staying here for a few years but now we are thinking we are going to move permanently to the US hopefully in around January to March time 2009.
We have looked at various websites telling us how the process goes but what we are really looking for is anyone who has done it recently that can tell us how it went and how long it took to completion.
Also we would really like to know when to start the process for my visa for a January leaving date, and if we got it before we were ready to move is there a time limit for using it,, oh and also can i keep on travveling on the VWP until the date we leave for good.
many thanks. Billy and Amber.
#2
Re: when to start the process
Hi everybody.
I am new to this site so please be gentle with me, my wife is a US citizen and I am British citizen and we got married on January 26th 2007 in the US. She joined me here in London in April of the same year, She has a spouse visa, now we were planning on staying here for a few years but now we are thinking we are going to move permanently to the US hopefully in around January to March time 2009.
We have looked at various websites telling us how the process goes but what we are really looking for is anyone who has done it recently that can tell us how it went and how long it took to completion.
Also we would really like to know when to start the process for my visa for a January leaving date, and if we got it before we were ready to move is there a time limit for using it,, oh and also can i keep on travveling on the VWP until the date we leave for good.
many thanks. Billy and Amber.
I am new to this site so please be gentle with me, my wife is a US citizen and I am British citizen and we got married on January 26th 2007 in the US. She joined me here in London in April of the same year, She has a spouse visa, now we were planning on staying here for a few years but now we are thinking we are going to move permanently to the US hopefully in around January to March time 2009.
We have looked at various websites telling us how the process goes but what we are really looking for is anyone who has done it recently that can tell us how it went and how long it took to completion.
Also we would really like to know when to start the process for my visa for a January leaving date, and if we got it before we were ready to move is there a time limit for using it,, oh and also can i keep on travveling on the VWP until the date we leave for good.
many thanks. Billy and Amber.
Have your wife look at the I-864 Affidavit of Support, see if she qualifies. If you guys don't have income that will continue from the same source in the USA, or if you don't have enough assets to count, she will need to use a joint sponsor. Also make sure her tax returns are up to date.
Check for posts by meauxna, she's got links in her signature pointing to all you'll need to know about DCF (direct consular filing).
Best Wishes,
Rene
#3
Re: when to start the process
Yes, you can travel on the VWP while waiting for the immigrant visa to process.
Rene
Rene
#4
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 16,266
Re: when to start the process
Hi everybody.
I am new to this site so please be gentle with me, my wife is a US citizen and I am British citizen and we got married on January 26th 2007 in the US. She joined me here in London in April of the same year, She has a spouse visa, now we were planning on staying here for a few years but now we are thinking we are going to move permanently to the US hopefully in around January to March time 2009.
We have looked at various websites telling us how the process goes but what we are really looking for is anyone who has done it recently that can tell us how it went and how long it took to completion.
Also we would really like to know when to start the process for my visa for a January leaving date, and if we got it before we were ready to move is there a time limit for using it,, oh and also can i keep on travveling on the VWP until the date we leave for good.
many thanks. Billy and Amber.
I am new to this site so please be gentle with me, my wife is a US citizen and I am British citizen and we got married on January 26th 2007 in the US. She joined me here in London in April of the same year, She has a spouse visa, now we were planning on staying here for a few years but now we are thinking we are going to move permanently to the US hopefully in around January to March time 2009.
We have looked at various websites telling us how the process goes but what we are really looking for is anyone who has done it recently that can tell us how it went and how long it took to completion.
Also we would really like to know when to start the process for my visa for a January leaving date, and if we got it before we were ready to move is there a time limit for using it,, oh and also can i keep on travveling on the VWP until the date we leave for good.
many thanks. Billy and Amber.
It is not too early to start. Most posters here are so eager to complete the process as soon as possible that it is overlooked that YOU have power to EXTEND the process out a bit. Whenever the Consulate asks for various things, you have a YEAR to respond. Once the actual visa is issued, it is good for six months.
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 69
Re: when to start the process
One additional thing we found our at our IV at the end of Jan is that the date of the medical is also important. The guy who did our interview said that the medical was valid for a year and that we must enter the US and activate our visa within 12 months of the medical date. For us it was a not issue as there was only a week or two difference between the 6 months to enter the US and the 12 months for the medical.
We are trying to sell our house and get ourselves out to the US for real...but have booked a trip in April to "activate" our visa...
Good luck
We are trying to sell our house and get ourselves out to the US for real...but have booked a trip in April to "activate" our visa...
Good luck
#6
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,259
Re: when to start the process
We are doing exactly this, there's no downside to starting your I-130 application now, once that is out of the way you can apply for the visa at your leisure, allow 3 months from visa application to visa in hand, then it is valid for 6 months. If you start now then if your circumstances change and you want to go sooner then you have half the process out of the way already if you have I-130 approval in hand.
There is also no problem in you flying to the US, getting your visa stamped then coming straight back the day after to finalise your affairs, finish selling property etc.
Once in the US with the visa you need to avoid long (over 6 months) trips out of the country wherever possible.
There is also no problem in you flying to the US, getting your visa stamped then coming straight back the day after to finalise your affairs, finish selling property etc.
Once in the US with the visa you need to avoid long (over 6 months) trips out of the country wherever possible.
Last edited by BritishGuy36; Mar 11th 2008 at 9:58 pm.
#7
Re: when to start the process
Hi:
It is not too early to start. Most posters here are so eager to complete the process as soon as possible that it is overlooked that YOU have power to EXTEND the process out a bit. Whenever the Consulate asks for various things, you have a YEAR to respond. Once the actual visa is issued, it is good for six months.
It is not too early to start. Most posters here are so eager to complete the process as soon as possible that it is overlooked that YOU have power to EXTEND the process out a bit. Whenever the Consulate asks for various things, you have a YEAR to respond. Once the actual visa is issued, it is good for six months.
I agree, start as soon as possible and you can control the pace of the process.
This is what we did, I'm not sure how long we took exactly but certainly well over a year.
Good Luck
#10
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 69
Re: when to start the process
One additional thing we found our at our IV at the end of Jan is that the date of the medical is also important. The guy who did our interview said that the medical was valid for a year and that we must enter the US and activate our visa within 12 months of the medical date. For us it was a not issue as there was only a week or two difference between the 6 months to enter the US and the 12 months for the medical.
SO it looks like they made the visa issue date the date on which they actually put the Visa in our passport, rather than the date we went for our IV back at the end of Jan (we had to send our passports in separately as we had a holiday booked a week or so after our IV)
So the visa IV guy was right
#11
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 38,865
Re: when to start the process
Ian
#12
Re: when to start the process
Hi:
It is not too early to start. Most posters here are so eager to complete the process as soon as possible that it is overlooked that YOU have power to EXTEND the process out a bit. Whenever the Consulate asks for various things, you have a YEAR to respond. Once the actual visa is issued, it is good for six months.
It is not too early to start. Most posters here are so eager to complete the process as soon as possible that it is overlooked that YOU have power to EXTEND the process out a bit. Whenever the Consulate asks for various things, you have a YEAR to respond. Once the actual visa is issued, it is good for six months.
Kelly
#13
Re: when to start the process
Are you sure about this part? He couldn't have obtained his conditional green card before entering the USA. I think what you might have meant was that he received his CR-1 immigrant visa in April, and then entered the USA in July, thus becoming a conditional permanent resident upon entry to the USA.
Rene
#14
Re: when to start the process
Hi Kelly,
Are you sure about this part? He couldn't have obtained his conditional green card before entering the USA. I think what you might have meant was that he received his CR-1 immigrant visa in April, and then entered the USA in July, thus becoming a conditional permanent resident upon entry to the USA.
Rene
Are you sure about this part? He couldn't have obtained his conditional green card before entering the USA. I think what you might have meant was that he received his CR-1 immigrant visa in April, and then entered the USA in July, thus becoming a conditional permanent resident upon entry to the USA.
Rene
The point is, we stretched out the process over a year and half until we were ready to do it
K
#15
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 12
Re: when to start the process
Hi there, we are pretty much in the same boat. Although not married yet my usc fiance and I (ukc) are getting married in the uk in June and are planning on moving to America around 2009. This seems like the right place to get all the info needed.
Cheers
Cheers