RavenUK

I want to marry my American gf who lives in Pensylvannia, we plan to get married in the states. Could someone please outline the options available in plain English so I may follow up my favoured route? New here and dont understand all the jargon and abbreviations yet...My first thought is get married then come back to the UK to apply for visa whilst i tie up everything back home.

fatbrit

Your first thought is good. Use the IR1 immigrant visa. Will take 8-10 months after you're married.

Rete

That works. Since you have to tie up loose ends in the UK and don't mind being apart for the 6 to 10 months, then it works and works well. You would enter the US as a conditional permanent resident with the right to live, work and travel outside of the US (travel is time limited however).

There is also the Fiancee Visa which will take about 6 to 8 months to obtain and then when it is issued you enter the US, get married and have the right to remain in the US with your spouse while you apply for permanent residency.

Noorah101

Your plan sounds like the right one. Come to the USA on the VWP, get married, leave before your 90 days is up, and then move back to the USA when you have your Immigrant Visa in hand. As fatbrit says, about an 8 - 10 month process from start to finish.

As for learning the process and the jargon, READ A LOT. That's the only way. Even if we explain it now in plain simple English, you'll still be reading all the jargon on the forms and here in the posts. You'll need to learn them.

Rene

jeffreyhy

fb,

It would likely be a CR1 immigrant visa, but that's of no consequence with respect to the visa itself.

Regards, JEff

fatbrit

Mea culpa! Well spotted! Time for another coffee I think.

meauxna

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/CR-1

RavenUK

Well thats it then, just gotta get married now and take it from there. Im thinkin shell have to apply for a marriage license to start though or do we just go and do it?

fatbrit

Unlike immigration, marriage is a state issue. Fifty states and couple of odds and ends equals that many possible replies.

CitySimon

Here you go... Pa marriage license requirements:

http://marriage.about.com/cs/marriag...nnsylvania.htm

RavenUK

Ok, i'll look into P.A laws, well that should keep her busy a while...Hehe

RavenUK

Great, thanks

Norri

This must be a first, someone wants to come to the US, has a plan and everyone agrees it is the way to go.

Good luck with the wedding.

RavenUK

Ummm...Am i missing something here? And thaks for the congrats

Noorah101

It's OK....not everyone plans this all out so well, so you're making us happy here.

Rene