I need some advice

[percy1986 0]

Hello,

I am planning on going over to america to see my girlfriend in march/april, I currently stay in scotland. We have been lookiing into ways that i will be able to stay there when i go over, By the looks of things the only way is to get married while i am there then file for a k3 visa. We have now decided to get engaged and get married while im there ....... we are worried and a little confused, i have read up on it, some i understand but most i cant make heads or tails of.

First of all, we can genuinly prove we love each other, we spend every waking moment talking, skyping and talking about our future......we even know what our kids names are going to be. There is nothing i want more than to marry her and spend my life with her.

Am i right in saying, after we get married there and file for the k3 i am able to stay? and what is likely to happen if they actually find out we have spoke about marriage before coming and being on a tourist visa.

any advice will be apprieciated, it is really stressing me out, i just want to be there with her and im a bit lost. so if you know any information or have been and done what we are about to do any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[GnBnL 50]

To avoid any issues, I would say you need to apply for a K-1 Fiance visa and wait. If it was easy, or something that wasn't sketchy to do, I think everyone here would have just flown there and got married and stayed there. You can't really do that. People have done it, but it is not a good idea and could get you in some trouble. Start reading up on K-1's.

Your other option is to get married and file for CR1, but then you can't wait in the US for that one.

[percy1986 0]

Thanks for the advice, i did look into the k1 visa..... to be honest it was the length of time it took to get.

Will look for some info on the CR1

[GnBnL 50]

well, if you think of it this way, you plan to go in 3-4 months, a k-1 takes about 5 to reach approval and before interview, and what's a few months if you plan on spending the rest of your lives together? I know it sucks, but trust me, you don't wanna mess with customs or things could be a lot worse for you.

Edited January 5, 2012 by Gabbi

[Ning 619]

Hello,

I am planning on going over to america to see my girlfriend in march/april, I currently stay in scotland. We have been lookiing into ways that i will be able to stay there when i go over, By the looks of things the only way is to get married while i am there then file for a k3 visa. We have now decided to get engaged and get married while im there ....... we are worried and a little confused, i have read up on it, some i understand but most i cant make heads or tails of.

First of all, we can genuinly prove we love each other, we spend every waking moment talking, skyping and talking about our future......we even know what our kids names are going to be. There is nothing i want more than to marry her and spend my life with her.

Am i right in saying, after we get married there and file for the k3 i am able to stay? and what is likely to happen if they actually find out we have spoke about marriage before coming and being on a tourist visa.

any advice will be apprieciated, it is really stressing me out, i just want to be there with her and im a bit lost. so if you know any information or have been and done what we are about to do any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

You will have to understand the laws & procedures to avoid a serious problem.

You can come to the USA on a tourist visa. During that time you can marry. You can not do this with the intent of staying in order to circumvent the laws. That is visa fraud.

Once you marry here the USC can petition for you to be granted a visa. The C R 1 type is probably what would work best for you. You will return to your country to await the interview & then be issued the visa. Doing this will allow you to begin your new life here while respecting the laws.

[percy1986 0]

well, if you think of it this way, you plan to go in 3-4 months, a k-1 takes about 5 to reach approval and before interview, and what's a few months if you plan on spending the rest of your lives together? I know it sucks, but trust me, you don't wanna mess with customs or things could be a lot worse for you.

hmmmm 5 months...... thats alot sooner than the info i found, i was seeing 8 -16 months. We will defo have to consider that..... could be possible to goover with it when i see her, extra month wont hurt much.

[Ning 619]

Thanks for the advice, i did look into the k1 visa..... to be honest it was the length of time it took to get.

Will look for some info on the CR1

Keep in mind the wait is almost the same for K 1 or CR1. Also you can not work with a K 1 visa. You would have to wait until you did the AOS that would give you a green card.

There is nothing fast about getting a visa. Right now people are waiting over 5 months for the initial petition to be approved. It then goes to NVC for additional processing. Then the interview is schedualed. See the timelines & be ready to wait about 8 to 12 months.

[Robert&Karen 264]

My fiance and I submitted the paperwork in March 2011 and she was here in late September 2011. The longest 6 months of my life! Had we married first it would have taken a few months longer based on the timeline at the time.

[percy1986 0]

My fiance and I submitted the paperwork in March 2011 and she was here in late September 2011. The longest 6 months of my life! Had we married first it would have taken a few months longer based on the timeline at the time.

Thanks, just saw your time line, doesnt seem sooo bad............... just trying to calm her down know..... the worries you know.

[GnBnL 50]

yes, as i said, its about 5 months to approval (NOA2) then you'd have to check out your local US embassy for interview scheduling to see how fast they move. I filed in Jan, got to the US in Sept, but I could have come in July if I wanted. You can visit on a K-1 but I"m not sure if you can visit with CR-1 or not...someone else may be able to tell you more about that than I can. either way like I said, best not to mess with immigration, and a few months is really nothing compared to the rest of your lives. best of luck to you and just know that you can ask tons of questions here anytime!

hey, and I know it can feel like the hardest thing to be apart, but the time will move on either way and you guys will make it just fine. try not to get stressed about the paperwork. It seems really overwhelming at first, but its not that hard and you have lots of support here.

[Darnell 8,478]

if you replace 'K3' with 'AOS' in your basic logic, you've a scenario that might work for you.

Applying for a K-3 gives one NO STATUS WHATSOEVER to remain in the USA, at all.

Edited January 5, 2012 by Darnell

[percy1986 0]

yes, as i said, its about 5 months to approval (NOA2) then you'd have to check out your local US embassy for interview scheduling to see how fast they move. I filed in Jan, got to the US in Sept, but I could have come in July if I wanted. You can visit on a K-1 but I"m not sure if you can visit with CR-1 or not...someone else may be able to tell you more about that than I can. either way like I said, best not to mess with immigration, and a few months is really nothing compared to the rest of your lives. best of luck to you and just know that you can ask tons of questions here anytime!

hey, and I know it can feel like the hardest thing to be apart, but the time will move on either way and you guys will make it just fine. try not to get stressed about the paperwork. It seems really overwhelming at first, but its not that hard and you have lots of support here.

stressed? that aint the word lol i feel like my first day of school again

completly lost, just trying to figure out where to start...................... and yeah, we are going down the k1 route

[Robert&Karen 264]

stressed? that aint the word lol i feel like my first day of school again

completly lost, just trying to figure out where to start...................... and yeah, we are going down the k1 route

When we first saw the listing of the entire process and what is involved we thought the wall of paperwork was going to stop us. Walls are there to stop those who have no desire to climb. we accepted the challenge and succeeded. The only way to lose this journey for sure is to give up trying.

[GnBnL 50]

right on. Check out your country's forum for specific answers about your embassy there etc. Yes, the paperwork seems really daunting and can seem confusing, but just take it one thing at a time, and before you know it, you'll be done!

[percy1986 0]

we are tryin to stay positive........ theres no way we are planning on giving up.

theres nothing we want more