Eeteet

Hi,

Firstly, thanks for a great forum, it is very helpful and informative, however, I am a little confused and wondered if you could advise please?

Here is my situation:

I met a US lady online and we have been 'dating' for 8 months, including 1000hrs of phone calls. She flew over in August and we spent a week sight seeing in UK. The chemistry was there and it cemented our love. We a soulmates and wish to marry and spend the rest of our lives together. I am going out for a week on 8th October and again end of November and she is planning on coming to UK in December.

I have broken up with my GF of 13 years, and our house is on the market. It is taking a while to sell, bu there will be around £100k profit each once sold.

I am a Sales Director for a reasonably large Plc specialising in IT and Consultancy services particularly to Central Government clients.

Here's what I know (please correct if wrong) and advise what might be better.

She can file for a K1 visa which will take about 8 months; I can then go over there and marry within 3 months. I then request residency (?) which takes ???? long and entitles me to then gain employment?

In the meantime, I can apply for H1B sponsored job (takes 2-3) months, and then move over to USA and work, whilst the K1 visa is being processed. I would then need to fly home for UK interview after about 4 weeks (???) in order to be granted visa. I have a bachelor's equivalent from Royal Navy (so they told me) but no certificate and no means of getting one. However, I have over 12 years relevant experience (as per visa form) so I guess that is fine anyway?

I would ideally like to live near her (Tucson Arizona), so would like a job with one of the 150 technology companies based there (any tips ?) . I currently have one of my team members scraping the internet for EVERY email address of every recruitment company in USA. I will then use a work tool here to send my CV and Cover letter to them all (I guess I'll get some sort of employment ??).

I currently earn £80k + bonuses+ medical + BMW 530, but would be willing to work for less to be with my fiancé!! If it helps, we can marry in Vegas (actually doing a road trip there with her in October!) if that can improve chances of work or accelerate process (but I've read K1 and K3 takes same amount of time ??).

Based on what I have described, can someone please advise me on how to best achieve my goal: to be with my love, and get a job in USA.

many thanks.

Simon.

P.s. here is my Resume, incase it helps:

nun

I don't think you'll get an H visa sponsor right now. With the current unemployment rate over here no body is going to want the expense and effort unless you have very particular skills. However, once you are married your spouse and sponsor your Green card application and as soon as that goes in you get temporary residence and right to work.

PS Tuscon is a big change from anywhere in the UK and all your haste worries me. You're coming off a 13 year relationship and looking to marry someone you don't really know. Americans are very different form the British so be aware that her values may be strange when you get down to it.

Also not sure of the ethics of you using "one of your team members" to do personal research for you....that should be done on your own time

Eeteet

Many thanks,

I have been to USA 18 times before, and am aware of the cultural differences. Whilst I understand your concerns with regards to 'haste', however we have met, will continue to meet, and have over 1000 hours of actual talk time one-on-one. Which by my calculations is close to 3-5 years of marriage (actualt talking without other disctractions such as sitting in front of tv ).

I was engaged for 12 years and didn't marry, I knew I wanted to marry this lady after about 1 month (not of course for visa!!).

Don't worry about the ethics, my boss is the CEO

Anyway, whilst unemployment is high, could it be in my favour that I can work in any location for now ? For example, there may be other qualified USC that could do a Sales Manager role for a technology company, but what if there isn't anyone good enough to do the role in a specific location (for example IBM in Tucson). Could an employer then apply for a visa for me, based on the fact there is no-one suitable for that exact role, even if the skills exsist elsewhere in the country ?

I have a list of all 150 technology companies in Tucson, I intend to just ring each CEO/president/Managing Director and discuss how I can add value. If someone really wants me, I presume they could write a job requirement that ONLY fits my niche skills (for example, 5 years experience of selling Web GIS solutions) , it has only been around that long, and I founded one of the companies that started it!

Can you tell me if there is a faster proceedure if you are married? It seems strange that you would have to wait 8 MONTHS to be with your WIFE? It seems there isn't any time difference between wife or fiance visa ?

many thanks for your help,

Simon

dbark

One point I would like to make: I have now been married to my USC husband for almost seven years. We met online and had a long distance relationship for over two years, part of that time was spent waiting for the K1 visa process, which took nine months.

Although at the time it seems like forever, those months of 'stress' do give you both a chance to see how each other reacts to stress and tests the strength of the relationship. I believe it helped us to see our true colours in testing times. And just as well, as we have had many testing times since then.

Eeteet

Yes, I understand that ! It's been 8 months but know each other like it's 20 years. It is very tough not being able to hold her and talk in person. However we are trying to meet for a week every month or so, so that helps .

You are right about the stress, I'm breaking up , have a 4 yo boy, selling house , leaving job, trying to SOMEHOW be with her , meeting her 2 kids in 3 weeks etc etc . And then have to wait at least 8 months to be with her !!!!it really is tough

SultanOfSwing

Time apart depends on your visa. I did a K1 (in 2005), and it was 4 months from date of receipt to visa approval, plus another 3 weeks of farting about before I flew out. Now it seems to range from 6-8 months depending on the service centre you go through and all that stuff. However, you will have a wait of maybe a year after you are married before you have your green card.

The CR-1 visa (for people already married to a USC) I think takes longer, maybe 8-10 months, but the benefit is that you will be a permanent resident (green card) from the moment you arrive in the US.

Yes, it can be hard to spend that time apart but if you take it as a percentage of the time you will have together when you do get here it isn't so bad. At any rate, once the novelty wears off (and it will, trust me), you might wish you had another few months back in the UK again!

ian-mstm

If you actually get the H-1B visa prior to the K-1 visa, you can simply enter the US on your H-1B visa, marry her in the US, and then stay to adjust your status. An EAD (as part of your adjustment paperwork) would also relieve you of being tied to your H-1B sponsor.

Ian

Eeteet

Ok, thanks , so the key is to just get the sponsored job . I guess I should just go for any location and get the job, then worry about getting to work in Tucson at a later date ? In order to maximise my chances of finding an employer . Which according to post above , is most unlikely , can't believe I'm going to have to wait so many months to be with her via k1 , as job seems unlikely

Eeteet

Well thanks for all the advice everyone, I was just exploring one of many options. I guess I'll stick to plan A and move her over here instead. Seem a lot easier for her to go this way and I can change jobs here quite easily if needs be.

SultanOfSwing

Honestly, and I didn't want to stick me nose in earlier on, based on the description you gave of your job, this is probably your best bet.

Best of luck to you whichever way you decide to go

Jerseygirl

There may be one hiccup...the children's father...will he give consent for them to leave the US and live in the UK?

nun

That's a bad attitude to ethics, who's paying for the time to do this personal research on company time. If I was your boss I'd fire you for using resources in an inappropriate way and compounding it by asking another employee to help you.

Wow, sorry to be critical as I've done some amazing things for love, but stop and listen to yourself! This whole enterprise seems very ill conceived.

You also mention some children in the mix....man you are really jumping in with both feet. How is your boy and his mum with you leaving? what about custody and your obligations as a father. Word to the wise with 100k pounds from sale of the house and I assume other financial resources I'd think about a "pre nup" and check out the divorce laws where you marry.

But apart from that I think the H visa route will be difficult because it requires highly specialized skills and the sort of job you are going for can be done by thousands of execs in the States. Also H1s are expensive and time consuming for an employer to get. Your best option is to get the K-visa and then apply for the Green Card once you are married. The you'll have a far easier finding a job.

Bob

You don't apply for H1B, employer does, not as easy as it appears because of cost involved and the glut of people already here.

If you got one, you could then just marry and AOS once here.

meauxna

simonoaks et al:

Please continue to use this thread to discuss job hunting options but if you have visa related questions, post them in the appropriate visa forum (there is one just for marriage based visas).

A K-1 visa takes closer to 6 months, barely time for you to get prepared. Pursuing a work visa seems like a waste of resources and time at this point.

nun

Yes that's a big one. How old are the kids?

The more I read the scarier this becomes. I think you are having serious rebound issues coming off your long term relationship and break up. You talk about being stressed, but look at what you are doing. If I was you my reaction would not be to bring an American woman with 2 kids over to the UK with all the worry. I'd rent a nice apartment and stay single for a year before deciding what to do.