Nikkiluvshouse

Hi all!!

I have read your posts [thanks they were all very helpful] here is my
story:

i came to the US on a tourist visa to visit a friend and hang out, do
nothing, i believe its called a vacation. anyway, i arrived at the
airport answered the questions at the POE truthfully, and booked into
my hotel. the next day, i met the most amazing man, honnestly, i've
been in love before, but i have never felt like i could not live my
life without another person and this is how i feel about Jon. 5 days
after meeting, he proposed, we got everything together [marriage
license] and got married [at the county jail no less hahaha!!]. now, i
find myself in a whirlpool of confusion about what comes next, while i
understand that ignornace of the law is no excuse, i did not intend to
marry, infact i still have a life back in South Africa [job, bills,
family, friends ect]. i am lost in a mess of paperwork.

i would appreciate it if someone could break it down for me with
regards to what we need to file, where we need to file it, ect ect. i'm
staying in fayetteville, north carolina btw.

thanks a bijillion!!!!

Niks

CarlM

You will beed to file I-130, I-485, and I-765 if you want to work.

I will be honestly ASTOUNDED if the USCIS go for this story by the way. Getting married a few days after arriving on a tourist visa would'nt persuade me it was anything but a blatant attempt at a greencard! (i'm sure ill get bollocked by some for being an unromantic sod, but ill live with it).

Ray

You unromantic sod ..Its obvious its the real thing ..
The story has really touched me ...My heatt is all a flutter with all the perfect details given..

HunterGreen

What do you mean - 'what comes next'? My answer to that would be that you and your new husband sit down and discuss what you want out of life (if you've done it all in five days it can't be nothing much, oh dear did I just say that?). Anyway. you need to sit down and talk about what you want - just because you married Jon doesn't mean you have to give up your whole life in South Africa. Why doesn't he move over there with you? Have you even talked about that option?

Elaine (unromantic sod too, I guess)

ian-mstm

I don't doubt you're lost in a mess of paperwork. Others have responded to that, but you should know that you must *not* leave the US under any circumstances until you either have a green card in your hand or permission to travel (known as Advance Parole) as you will, most likely, be denied re-entry to the US - and then you'll *really* be in deep shit! I'll add here, that getting A/P will take a long, long time... so be prepared.

CarlM hit it right on the head though... when the time comes for you to adjust status, there's going to be a lot of questions at the interview that you must be prepared to answer - and prove! Remember, the interviewing officer is under no obligation to believe that this was a spur-of-the-moment thing.

Ian (yet another unromantic sod)

Manc

Do you know this to be fact?

ever been at an AOS interview from a VWP?
I have and know that I wasn't asked to prove anything of the sort.

ControlFreak

Neither was I.
But considering that it was only days after meeting that they actually married, I think they should at least be prepared for it.

CF

Manc

Prepared I was, took a shedload of info, they didn't so much as look at any of it though..............
asked us a few questions and stamped my passport and sent me on my way

Ray

But have you got you full GC yet...

ian-mstm

It would be prudent for the OP to be prepared, don't you think?

Ian

Manc

but of course Raymondo..........

Manc

seems to me you were trying to put the fear of god in her because you have a general downer on people who AOS from VWP

when in all reality, it is no different from any other AOS interview.

ian-mstm

Okay... if you say so.

Ian

CarlM

In fairness if i had lived in South Africa i would have probably married the bloke to avoid going back.

Bob

yeah, but you have to admit, if only known each other for a couple days, it does look fishy....and if you come with a bundle of stuff, they might not look at it, but if you don't have anything, they'll certainly want to know why wouldn't they?
also there's no safety net of appeals doing it on the vwp.....least there isn't an overstay so can go use the AP once that's recieved.