D.London

It's easy to get caught up in it, but I'm a realist and look at everything in detail - this isn't a pipedream, I was close to transferring to Canada with my company only a couple of years ago. I've always toyed with the idea of a new life abroad and this current opportunity seems to be perfect for me, as well as her right now...

The reality is that I have a 'slim-to-none' chance of gaining sponsorship.

Thank you for your well wishes.

ian-mstm

As I said in my first post, there are other options - and what you've written here suggests two of them: an O-1 visa; or a national interest waiver. Do some research!

Ian

Hotscot

Did I miss something?

What opportunity?

tht

Not sure what you mean, it's kind of the opposite really, other than you being able to get a visa and be with your partner, marriage in the US has other practical advantages including health insurance coverage (based on your partners employer coverage) and joint tax filing (which can increase your allowance when only 1 person is working). Both of which are useful if one of you is not working. In addition if you "make it" with her and stay, you can move from GC to USC in 3 years vs. 5.

Kind of wish I had know all this before, I came on my own back on an L1a (which took me about 10 years in total), and my employer converted that to a GC. But I am now married to a USC anyway...

D.London

Maybe the word 'opportunity' wasn't the best one to use! But the 'chance' to seek a new life with my girlfriend in a place I've always been fond of, and always thought could be a good fit for me and my interests.


The whole idea of marrying someone I have only known a few months... I'm comfortable with it, but on the face of things it does seem quite extreme. If its the most viable option - as many have suggested - then we will look into it.

Sally Redux

Do you have to rush into moving right now? How about visiting eachother more for a while?

Noorah101

It is the most viable option...but ONLY if you are both actually ready to get married. We don't know what stage your relationship is in. IMO it shouldn't depend on how many times you've seen each other (although at least once is recommended, and required for a K-1 visa) or how long you've known each other, but rather on how you feel at this time in your lives and in your relationship.

Even if you wanted to go the marriage route, you could do a K-1 fiancé visa, which means getting engaged now, and still having the next 8 to 10 months or so to visit each other and build the relationship while the visa process goes on. You have a further 4 or 5 months or so until you have to use the visa. Then once in the USA, you have 90 days to get married, so if something glaring comes up then, you can still walk away without getting married.

My point is that even with a marriage-based route, you still have around a year of "getting to know each other" time, while the visa process goes on.

Rene

Hotscot

What happens if you get an interested employer but they want you to work elsewhere in the country?

The odds are stacked against you getting sponsorship specifically in the Los Angeles area.

Horrible place anyway