US girlfriend and getting married
Apr 13th 2001, 2:45 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 6
I'm a UK citizen and I've been flitting back and forth to c my girl in Florida and quite frankly its starting to get on my nerves. We've talked about getting married but she won't come to the UK cant blame her as I live in sunny Manchester!! So what happens if we get married in the States? A friend said I'd have 2 wait 2 years b4 I can get a job over there, is that true?
Apr 13th 2001, 6:00 am
#2
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 25
I my friend am in the same predicament, except Connecticut and Newcastle instead of Florida and Manchester!
Take a look at http://www.k1faq.com
It leads you through the 'marriage' visa and all the following options fairly well. There's a million answers depending upon exactly what you want to do. You can get you green card through employment, through marriage, eventually become a US citizen, blah, blah, blah.
Take a look though.
Take a look at http://www.k1faq.com
It leads you through the 'marriage' visa and all the following options fairly well. There's a million answers depending upon exactly what you want to do. You can get you green card through employment, through marriage, eventually become a US citizen, blah, blah, blah.
Take a look though.
Apr 13th 2001, 6:20 am
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Red Marauder wrote:
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No, that is not true. If you enter the US on tourist visa or visa waiver, then marry
and file for adjustment of status, you can usually get work authorization within 90
days at most INS offices...some even give it the same day you file if you file in
person. Instructions regarding marriage and adjustment from tourist visa here:
http://www2.apex.net/users/thehydes/touristframes.html alvena
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No, that is not true. If you enter the US on tourist visa or visa waiver, then marry
and file for adjustment of status, you can usually get work authorization within 90
days at most INS offices...some even give it the same day you file if you file in
person. Instructions regarding marriage and adjustment from tourist visa here:
http://www2.apex.net/users/thehydes/touristframes.html alvena
Apr 13th 2001, 6:54 am
#4
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 25
The chances are that you wouldn't need to go to the US on a tourist visa, you should qualify for the visa waiver scheme if you're going to be there for less than 90 days.
Also I thought that it was illegal to enter under a tourist visa with intent to marry? Just hop over there for a short holiday and get hitched, no problem.
Also I thought that it was illegal to enter under a tourist visa with intent to marry? Just hop over there for a short holiday and get hitched, no problem.
Apr 13th 2001, 7:03 am
#5
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 6
Nice to see the path of true love is made easy by the INS. Will it be better 4 me to go over to the States and get married cos I hear that if u enter on the Visa Waiver program that applies to the UK you cant adjust status to permenant resident?
Apr 13th 2001, 7:12 am
#6
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 25
Not too sure about that. If you're intent on marrying, get her to apply for a petition for you which you present to the Embassy in London for a marriage (K-1) visa
You then have 90 days from when you enter the States do get the necessary deed done and will have gone through all the proper channels. It'll take maybe a month or so to get all the paperwork done so that you can go. Then you apply for temporary status and get your GC, then change to permanent status in two years
Marriage is by far the easiest way to get a GC, but you have to attend a meeting with your wife in America after a while to prove that the marriage was for the right reasons etc and there's a long slog of paperwork.
Still at least you can stick two fingers up to the immigration officers when you get your GC which is what I'm longing to do!
You then have 90 days from when you enter the States do get the necessary deed done and will have gone through all the proper channels. It'll take maybe a month or so to get all the paperwork done so that you can go. Then you apply for temporary status and get your GC, then change to permanent status in two years
Marriage is by far the easiest way to get a GC, but you have to attend a meeting with your wife in America after a while to prove that the marriage was for the right reasons etc and there's a long slog of paperwork.
Still at least you can stick two fingers up to the immigration officers when you get your GC which is what I'm longing to do!
Apr 13th 2001, 9:30 am
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Wrong...read the tourist visa faq at this URL:
http://www2.apex.net/users/thehydes/touristframes.html
Also, read the instructions on the I-485 adjustment of status form...they
specifically state that you canNOT adjust from visa waiver UNLESS you are an
IMMEDIATE RELATIVE of a Us citizen, and spouse counts as immediate relative.
alvena
Red Marauder wrote:
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http://www2.apex.net/users/thehydes/touristframes.html
Also, read the instructions on the I-485 adjustment of status form...they
specifically state that you canNOT adjust from visa waiver UNLESS you are an
IMMEDIATE RELATIVE of a Us citizen, and spouse counts as immediate relative.
alvena
Red Marauder wrote:
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Apr 15th 2001, 3:04 pm
#8
pharrya's troublen strife
Joined: Mar 2001
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 348
Yes- as Alvena states you *can* adjust status from a visa waiver, it is done. *but* , if you want to play it completely by the book, *and* be able to start working legally sooner than the 90 days it may take to to get your 1 year EAD, then you should consider going the K-1 visa route. It may take a bit longer for the process, but IMO it was in fact, set up so that engaged people can immigrate to the US to marry their US fiance(e)s. Althought it is classed as a non-immigrant visa, it was set up as the first step in legally moving over here to set up your married life. I have a number of friends who have gone the visa waiver/adjust status route and that is fine for them, but IMO, if you are flying/driving to the US *with the intention* of marrying and staying and you use the visa waiver, you would be lying to the INS. If you come over here with the intention of just visiting, you wake up one morning, and your girlfriend says "Honey, why don't we just go to Vegas and get hitched?", or something to that effect, then you would not be lying to the INS. If you intend on moving over here and want to bring your 4 fully stuffed huge suitcases of your earthly possesions, and set up shipping of the rest before you leave, etc. then I would recommend going the K-1 route.
Good luck whichever route you choose.
Beth :-)
Good luck whichever route you choose.
Beth :-)
