Rambette

Hi all!

I just got married on Saturday (!) to my Louisiana-born partner of twelve years. I have been studying here on an F-1 visa, graduated with my PhD in May 2013, and for the last year have been working in academia on OPT (which will last until September).

My next step is a change of status and application for a work permit, but to be honest I am unsure where to start or what is required of me/us. I don't want to give up my UK citizenship but I do want to be able to come and go freely, and to have work authorization. At the moment, I can't leave the US without renewing my visa (which expired in 2010, and for various reasons it was wiser for me to simply stay here until my studies were done - long story).

I have a couple of pressing questions at the moment: now we are married, can I leave the country and get back in without renewing my visa? If I do not find employment by September (when my OPT runs out) can I stay in the country? These are probably naive questions - sorry!

I will do some searching on the site and see if I can find some answers. I just wanted to say hello. Any advice or links to useful threads would be much appreciated!

Bob

Welcome to BE and good luck!

The wiki here is a good starting point and then the US marriage based forums, where this question comes up, daily.

Basically, you look for AOS stuff to change status, fill forms, pay money, wait about a bit, get fingered, get questioned, get card. Couple years later, similar process to remove conditions.

Then a year later, you are eligible to apply for US citizenship if you want. You don't lose UK citizenship.

As for leaving the country. Depends if you are in status, if you are, you can leave, renew visa and come back in, if you're out of status, which depends on the date on the passport not the actual visa itself, then you don't want to leave the US until you get your greencard.

Rambette

Thank you! The wiki is extremely helpful.

I do have one question though - what does "in status" mean? Does that mean my I-20 is up to date etc? Or something else?

Bob

You're in status when you're legal.

OPT runs out in Sept, so you're in status till then and filing AOS keeps you in status.

Rambette

Thank you! Excellent. So there is a chance I might be able to go home for Christmas. I haven't been home to England in five years. Talk about homesick!!