How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

Maybe I am just oversensitive about it all at the moment, because my Husband (whom I have had a relationship for 4 years now) and I are deep in the immigration process of getting him here in the States and as we all know there is a lot of red tape, fees, bureaucracy and burden of proof that we do indeed have a real marriage and relationship.

It seems that there are quite a few celebrity US/UK marriages Katy Perry & Russell Brand and Kelsey Grammer & Kayte Walsh just as an example that seemingly have the luxury of setting up house and home just because they have mega cash? Don’t they have to prove to the USCIS that they too in fact have real marriage? Do they have to sit in front of a panel of Immigration officials and be treated like criminals until proven that they aren’t just married for the sake of “papers”? Are they grilled at each POE when they come to visit?

As per usual the rules go out the window when you have a lot of money and frankly just proves to me over and over again that money is really all the Government cares about. Let the illegals stay from next door (Mexico) but God forbid you make it easy for a genuine married couple to live in the same country together without draining their savings and their souls….

Rant over.

Thanks for listening

Christina

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

My heart bleeds for you. Some people are just so unlucky in life.

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

Oh sorry, thought this was a place to vent frustrations?

No where did I say I felt unlucky, just things are a little imbalanced.

You must be friends with the "sanctimonious prick"

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

Celebs who come here because they're married undergo exactly the same procedure as you.

I'd rather we imported "illegals (from Mexico)" than whiners like you.

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

Is there really a need for this sort of attitude? (Christina's husband writing now).

Great advice and help from very generous people on this forum, then you encounter things like this. Such a shame :thumbdown:

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

I have heard of people who have seen celebrities at the US Embassy in London waiting in line with everyone else and then having their interviews for visas. When we went to the Embassy I saw no celebrities or famous faces. :( Just regular people. Maybe next time we go... :lol:

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

Roger Daltrey was sat next to us...he had to wait his turn like everyone else.

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

If they are getting a visa based on marriage, they do everything that you do, fill in the forms, go to the embassy, finger prints, etc. They can and do get turned away at the boarder and grilled in secondary. The difference is they probably have a lawyer who can whip up the paperwork within a day or so and streamline the application and prepare them for any situations that may come up. You also have to remember that a lot of the celebrities already have some sort of immigration status in the US so are able to continue to stay there while any other paperwork is processing.

By the way, at no point in my K-1 to citizenship process did I have to sit in front of a panel of immigration officials and get treated like a criminal. There was only 1 person at each interview and they were all very nice, polite and generally conversational.

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

I would assume the mega rich just hire people to do the work for them and have no problems proving they can support themselves financially. They probably have a tonne of evidence proving their relationships too if they're in the papers or spend their lives traveling together.

I'm sure the process would've been much easier if all I'd had to do was turn up for the medical and interview rather than fill out the forms and worry about the filing fees etc but then I always appreciate things more if I have to put some effort in to get something.

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

It's always pissed me off that there are different rules for the rich, but then the world has always been like that and there's nothing we can do about it really. Maybe these people get EB5 visas, or get the entertainment industry moguls who pay for their lavish lifestyles to approve them long term work visas?

I'd rather we import "illegals" from Mexico than people like you, since in my experience they have a whole lot better manners.

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

I think you are jumping to conclusions. Russell Brand obviously already had a US work visa. As for Kayte Walsh...maybe she's spending 90 days here on the VWP...after that perhaps they are both leaving the US for a few months before returning while her visa is being processed.

I realise you are frustrated by your situation but please remember there are people who would give their right arm for an opportunity to live here. In fact some give their lives in their quest to get to the US. You are one of the lucky ones...you have the opportunity...you just need patience. ;)

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

I appreciate the level responses. We are just feeling a bit frustrated with the process (which I am sure most of you understand!) and it just "seems" it’s easier for celebrities. Sorry if that was a presumptive accusation.


Christina :)

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

If it makes you feel any better, Christina, I saw Katy Perry interviewed soon before/after she married Russell Brand, going on and on about how the next thing she has to do is become a UK citizen. I can't remember her exact words, but she clearly was under the impression that simply by marrying him, it was just a matter of showing up in the UK, holding out her hand and saying, "Give me my citizenship, please!"

See, even the rich and famous believe the "Green Card" movie myth...

~ Jenney

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

Having been there and done that, frustration is one of the side products. Frustration is caused by many emotions, one of which is not being able to get your wish fulfilled immediately.

The paperwork to get a sponsor into the US is not much different than the paperwork needed for say the UK or Canada. The UK is faster for sure and Canada is about the same as the US.

Others have told you that the celebs that you mentioned are not treated differently than you. They require visas as well. Most probably O visas for extraordinary skills and in the case of marriage, then the same marriage-based visa you are doing.

More money, yes. Better known, yes. Different than you in terms of immigration, no.

Re: How is it OK for Celebrities….
 

I remember that and she later apologised for her mistake...she didn't realise it would take years to obtain citizenship.