UK-USA. Help!

[UK-USA 0]

Hi

Ok please bear with me while you read this; I have no idea if I've posted this in the right section, apologies if I haven't.

I'm a 20 year old British citizen where I currently reside in the UK, I have now met a wonderful 'partner' who is in the USA as a US citizen. I have now decided after a while of thinking to give up my job, home, family and life to be with her. (Please don't mention marriage, marriage is not an option between us both, since we're both female ) I have looked all over the internet for applying for US citizenship, but I'm at a loss as to where I go or what to say.

1. Will the fact that I'll be in a same sex relationship affect my application?

2. What documents do I need to support my claim?

There are so many questions I need to ask, it's starting to give me a headache!

I'm really just at a total loss as to what I do or how I go about this

I would be really greatful if someone gave me advice or told me something so I don't feel so useless, as I just feel I'm going around in circles.

Many thanks.

[MrsWhizz 0]

I have friends dealing with this same issue. One is UK and the other USC. I'm not an expert, but from viewing their experience from the outside I think the easier route would be for the USC to go to Britain. At least they have a partner visa available. The problem is (I apologize if my memory is a little fuzzy) you have to have lived together for a certain amount of time (2 years, I believe) with supporting documents to take that route. I may be wrong and if I am I would love to pass on further information to my friends, but I am not aware of any US visa for these situations. You could come here to visit for a couple of months, but you would have to give up your job and that would only make things worse for you in the long run.

It's really unfortunate!

Edited June 10, 2006 by MrsWhizz

[meauxna 15]

Hi

Ok please bear with me while you read this; I have no idea if I've posted this in the right section, apologies if I haven't.

I'm a 20 year old British citizen where I currently reside in the UK, I have now met a wonderful 'partner' who is in the USA as a US citizen. I have now decided after a while of thinking to give up my job, home, family and life to be with her. (Please don't mention marriage, marriage is not an option between us both, since we're both female ) I have looked all over the internet for applying for US citizenship, but I'm at a loss as to where I go or what to say.

1. Will the fact that I'll be in a same sex relationship affect my application?

2. What documents do I need to support my claim?

There are so many questions I need to ask, it's starting to give me a headache!

I'm really just at a total loss as to what I do or how I go about this

I would be really greatful if someone gave me advice or told me something so I don't feel so useless, as I just feel I'm going around in circles.

Many thanks.

Right, chickie. Hope you've got a thick skin & will bear with your thread if it gets weird.

The short answer is: You have to find your own way to the US. This site deals primarily with marriage-based immigration, which will not apply to you.

While there are places in the US where same-sex marriages are legal (for a time anyway), the Federal government here does not agree. Same-sex relationships are not valid for permanent immigration purposes. This rule is called the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) and it sucks, IMO.

Citizenship is only possible after one has been a Permanent Resident for a number of years, so your first goal is Permanent Residency (Green Card).

Usually before you can become a PR, you need to be sponsored for some type of non-immigrant visa. This will let you live in the US for a specific reason. So, your intirim goal is to find the appropriate sponsorship method. If you do not have any specialized work skills, this might be a challenge.

Since you are still young enough for the sponsored programs, a J-1 visa through an organization like BUNAC could be a way for you to come to the US short term. This visa can not be converted to PR status. BUT, it will give you an important opportunity to spend time together, which *would* give you a leg up on sponsoring your partner to the UK. The UK has a much more generous immigration policy for same-sex pertners, but you must live together for X time before you can sponsor her.

Read this article for the ways you can immigrate to the US: http://britishexpats.com/articles/usa/how-...ork-in-the-usa/

If you go to the USA Forum on that site, you should look for posts from Rockgurl. She successfully joined her USC partner and wrote a lot about her journey. She is a registered nurse, one of the fastest and easiest ways to get into the US (other than marriage to a USC).

So your questions # 1 & 2 are non-starters. You do not yet have a basis to move to the US.

As wonderful as it would be to just decide that we want to move somewhere and 'bam' it's done, things just don't work that way. If you come as a tourist you will not be able to work, live legally, travel in and out of the country or be a fully participating member of society. All of that can strain a relationship.

I do encourage you to investigate other short-term solutions like school or exchange programs, but until you have an in-demand skill, you'll probably find that it is easier for her to move to the UK, if she is up for that.

Good luck!

[babybunny 2]

Hi

. (Please don't mention marriage, marriage is not an option between us both, since we're both female .

1. Will the fact that I'll be in a same sex relationship affect my application?

yeah

you could come on tourist visa.

[UK-USA 0]

Thanks for your replies :thumbs We knew this was going to be a long and very up hill struggle. Her coming to the UK is not an option since she has child of 5 years old, and I would never expect her to take the child away from her father. I want this to try and be more 'stable' for the child more than anything. I can only hope anyway.

I will look at the options you've all suggested.

Do you think contacting the London Embassy would be any help?

Thanks again peeps

[Boiler 45,404]

Do you think contacting the London Embassy would be any help?

The Embassy web site is quite helpful.

But from what you have said you do not have anything to ask of them until you find a potential immigrant route.

[meauxna 15]

Thanks for your replies :thumbs We knew this was going to be a long and very up hill struggle. Her coming to the UK is not an option since she has child of 5 years old, and I would never expect her to take the child away from her father. I want this to try and be more 'stable' for the child more than anything. I can only hope anyway.

I will look at the options you've all suggested.

Do you think contacting the London Embassy would be any help?

Thanks again peeps

Glad to read that you understand about the kidlet's needs too.

You're certainly welcome to try and contact the embassy, but I'll tell you a couple of things about that.

#1--the pay-to-call number is a call centre in Scotland. The operators are not Embassy staff, Consulate staff or immigration advisors. They don't know anything about immigration beyond the specific scripts they are allowed to use to answer general questions. The US gov't is under no obligation to provide correct information, or at least, they can't be sued for giving incorrect info.

#2 -- "The Embassy" does not deal with visas. The "Consulate" does. They have a very good webpage for London, with lots of info.

#3 -- The consulate's job is not to help you, it's to do their own job, which is mainly making sure that the people they do deal with are eligible for the benefit they are applying for. You should take immigration advice from them with a grain of salt and a healthy dose of scepticism.

So, no, I do not think it would help to contact them. It helps to remember that US immigration policy could be described as "everyone stays out with a very few exceptions". Those exceptions are discussed in the link I posted; mainly work or education for you.

Nursing is a seriously good option.

[UK-USA 0]

Thank you, yes the child will always have my best intentions at heart.

I have no degree's or anything that would warrant me to study as a nurse? Have you any idea as to how I would go about this? I have looked on my local college's website and found nothing.

I have only just recently signed upto the British Army working in Dentistry or possibly the Royal Military Police after phase 1 of training, I have no idea wether to continue with the Dentistry career choice, do my minimum of 4 years and then leave. I am at the moment on sick leave, with the intention of leaving the Army and going back into civillian employment as I know that once I'm signed up there is nothing I can do to leave and that I'll be no further forward in hoping to go to America, though I know my 'partner' would like me to stay for my own gratifying reasons of no regrets, a good career etc etc etc I just feel my heart isn't quite in this kind of career choice

*sigh* Why does it feel like this hill just grew even bigger, steeper and longer?

[meauxna 15]

I was searching in vain for the story of a woman here who you might be inspired by. She chose to wait until her kids were grown and moving out of the house til she and her lover could move to live together. They've been waiting years, but are stronger for it. If/when I turn it up, I'll pass you the link; you don't read many stories of people who can wait like they have.

My UKC says that leaving the Royal Navy at his then wife's insistance was the worst choice he ever made. It would've been a great career & offered many opportunities. He was about your age at the time (oh, kids! ).

If the Forces can give you that kind of great technical training, seems like a lot of doors could open in the future....

I empathize, really. Courage!

[sparkofcreation 0]

I wanted to add that, if you are in the medical profession, you probably do *not* want to come on the J-1 visa suggested above. A J-1 exchange visa is a good program for a lot of people, but certain people who come to the US on a J visa are required to then spend two years residing in their home country before coming back to the US (I'm not even sure if you can use the visa waiver program after a J-1). Mostly British citizens don't have to worry as it's mostly countries that have need of their educated citizens where there's the HRR (home residency requirement); however, I think it *always* applies to people who are doing any sort of medical work in the US. They're *always* required to return to their home country (no matter what it is) for two years before coming back.

I might be mis-remembering, but I thought that was one of the three times when the J-1 carried the HRR: country with special need of your profession; program funded by the US or home country government; or medical professional.

[UK-USA 0]

meauxna - You mentioned a comment earlier about getting a sponser. Can this be done through employment? How would it stand if I found a job? Would that be able to keep me in the country?

Thanks.

[zyggy 9]

meauxna - You mentioned a comment earlier about getting a sponser. Can this be done through employment? How would it stand if I found a job? Would that be able to keep me in the country?

Thanks.

In order to get an employment visa you would have to

1) Have an employer who is willing to go through all the bureaucratic maze of paperwork to hire you. Employment Visas always require an attorney to assist in the preparation of the visa. It takes a lot of time, commitment and money on the part of the employer and the employee. Something most employers are willing to go through for only the most valuable of people.

2) The Employment Visa process is such that they have to advertise the position and prove that your task is something that cannot be done by any US Citizen. If you are unskilled, that would be very difficult to prove.

So you will probably want to spend you time finding a skill that you enjoy and then acquiring that skill. Once you have it, you can then investigate your moving to the US. And as meauxna said, no one said it would be easy, it will take time and commitment.. but in the end, it will make you a stronger couple for it....

Edited June 15, 2006 by zyggy

[meauxna 15]

meauxna - You mentioned a comment earlier about getting a sponser. Can this be done through employment? How would it stand if I found a job? Would that be able to keep me in the country?

Thanks.

When I said 'sponsored program' I'm referring to one of the J exchange visitor programs, like BUNAC. they let you come for a defined, short period of time (2 years or less).

For unskilled employment, there are seasonal jobs that use the H2 visa.. things like working at a ski resort for the winter, or Disneyland.

As zyg says, it's not enough to find someone who will hire you. They have to be willing to invest in the expense of proving that you are the only person on the gods' green earth that can do that job.

Hey, if you don't like nursing, I see that accounting is the hot career for the coming 10 years here! I'd rather put rusty spikes through my eyes, but that's me.