chloej

I am wandering if anyone knows of any short cuts or short cuts that can speed up the fiance visa application process? I have been informed that it can take from 5-7 months and that is just too long! Especially as my fiance will be in England next month to visit me and 'just doing it' is becoming all too tempting! Any words of advice/encouragement always appreciated as I am new to this website!

Duncan Roberts

get your fiance to call his congresman. they have people that can help try and speed it up.

Pimpbot

Congresman or no congresman, they cannot usually speed anything up until after you hit the days mark on your first notice of action. So if it says between 150 to 200 days, then thats pretty much what you have to wait. I think you are in Wisconsin? judging by another post you made. So you will be going through Nebraska, which is notoriously slow for fiance visa's. Sorry thats not what you want to hear, but you're looking at least 7 plus months to get everything finalised.

Rockgurl

At least you guys have a choice! I've been waiting 3 years and am still waiting! I may be in the US but I'm not with my partner...and you are complaining about 7 months! If only we had the luxury of waiting 7 months! If we would have had the chance to marry and get a visa that way I would have gladly waited 7 months. Stuff like this makes me crazy.

sibsie

My best friend in Cali is in the same situ. The best they can come up with is trying to move to Canada which recognises same sex relationships.

Rockgurl

Well we just have the rough end of the deal, and George Bush is not making it any easier with the "Defence of Marriage Act". It's not the original poster's fault, and I don't blame them for being impatient. It goes in degrees of what you're used to I guess, but when you've known a lot worse like I have, then somebody else's idea of a long wait is my idea of a short cut! Sorry....it's a sore spot right now as it's our 3rd anniversary next week and it's biting me that we're still apart.

sibsie

Any news with your contract wrangles? Will you be able to get together for your anniversary?

Rockgurl

No news on the contract...thanks for asking. I've just started looking for a job but it may take a while to find someone that will buy me out of my contract. We will be together for our anniversary though...I made sure of that! It also happens to be my birthday so there's no excuse not to be together and have some fun!

sibsie

Great to hear you're making inroads into it all. If you ever make it to MA and the borders of CT, there's a healthy nice Brit contingent up there.

Good luck with it all and enjoy your celebrations.

Rockgurl

Thank you kindly!

chloej

eek- sorry! No I understand because me and my fiance have only been together for 3 months out of the last year and I can relate! 7 months is a long time when you look at it that way!

thing1

http://britishexpats.com/forum/forum...?s=&forumid=35

Your questions are best directed in the above linked forum. They will get more replies there.

A suggestion:

If the thing most important to both of you is to be together as quickly as possible, then the solution here is for the US citizen to emigrate to the UK. If you have all the required documents and forms, you can apply for and have a fiancé(e) visa in hand the same day.

If the UK citizen immigrating to the US is the only option for you both (personally, I think the K-1 visa is the very best way as it has a number of advantages that are afforded only to K-1s), then my best suggestions are:

• Get a great international long distance calling plan for your phoneline.
• Find a great site for cheap international flights.
• Get web cams if you don't already have them.
• Get a high speed internet connection if you don't already have it. You'll need it for the many hours you will spend looking at each other on web cams.
• Buy lots of stamps for all the cards you send to each other.
• Gather evidence of your relationship during your wait.
• Most importantly...use this time well by RESEARCHING every single step you need to take before you take it. Fill out forms ahead of time. Educate yourself about I-129Fs, Packet 3, the London K-1 interview, AOS, EAD, AP, SSN, I-751 - Petition to remove conditions, AR-11, Naturalization, etc.

People that get too quickly through the I-129F often don't know their butt from their face and have a deer in headlights expression..."duuuuuh, um, what do we do next?" If one is immigrating to the US, you need this time to prepare.

Thing2 and I hated being separated, but we were grateful for the time we had to prepare ourselves for each step. And, mind you, the self-educating doesn't (shouldn't) stop when you are united on the same soil. You have to keep learning and keep updated on any changes that take place which could affect you in the future with the next steps you will have to take when you come to them.

We also enjoyed thoroughly visiting each other in the other's country. We even made a point to take our honeymoon in Venice, Italy before the wedding as we knew that travel after the wedding and before AOS can sometimes be tricky and/or impossible. I wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

We have a two year lull before we have to remove conditions, but I am STILL researching, learning, and gathering evidence for the removal of conditions.

Best of luck to you!

chloej

Thanks for the advice, you make a lot of sense!!!!

Pimpbot

On the plus side though, you do have your green card and are able to work straight away and travel backwards and forwards whenever you like. Where as its probably going to be another 2 to 3 years before I get my green card and I've been here for 7 months without being able to earn a penny or leave the country when I want to. Its all swings and roundabouts in the visa game unfortunately.