Getting married to Brazilian, PLEASE READ

[jworld34 0]

Me and my girlfriend are planning on getting married once I travel down to Brasil to see her once again. However, the US is not so easy on visas and the like. SO, these are what I desperately need answers to..

1.) Is it easier/quicker for us to be together and not have to part ways again if we marry in Brasil or in the US? Ideally, we'd like to marry, and then stay together throughout all the processing and such.

2.) If we marry in Brasil, and apply for a CR-1 visa, what is the process for that? Do I NEED to be in the US and does she NEED to be OUTSIDE the US? It's frustrating if so, I've read she would have to stay in Brasil while I stay in the US as a "sponsor". Yet, we'd have to be apart for 6 months to a year. Which doesn't make sense to me. Help here?

3.) Is it easier for us to marry in the US regarding leaving each other? What I'm really asking is if we marry in the US, would we have to leave each other and she goes back to Brasil while I stay in the US?

4.) How long can we expect the process to take until at least we can live together in the US/Her be allowed as a permanent resident?

NOTE: Would my parents be able to "sponsor" her so I could live down in Brasil with her while the visa is processed?

Now I know moving to Brasil would be much easier, as I could just apply for permanent residency and receive a temporary residency card for the time being. However, financially it makes sense to us long-term to move to the US. Now here's where I wonder if it gets any easier after our marriage of 2+ years.

5.) If we marry and stay in Brasil, does being married for 2+ years/applying for the IR-1 visa change anything? In that case, again with the MAIN issue we are having, is would we have to be apart? Or could we stay together while it is processed?

So ideally, we want to do whatever is going to allow us to be together throughout the whole process and not have to part. Can anyone help me here? I'll be travelling down there at the end of the year, and looking to start this process and therefore we could be together and start our life. Whatever we can do to be together and not have to leave each other is what we want to do. If anyone can please help me here it would be greatly appreciated. And please use lamens terms, I'm not all brushed up on the specifics of the processes, and am just looking for the most straight-forward answers to my questions so I don't get confused on the wording and such.

Thanks SO much all,

J

Edited September 1, 2012 by jworld34

[Que Saudade 284]

Parabens..!!! Que Otimo..

Congratulations...

There is no true quicker/easier way.

Try reading here to see what others are saying about US citizen living outside of US and getting married, filing CR1...http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/357465-usc-petitioner-living-abroad/

I think you may find that post useful....

Boa Sorte

[jworld34 0]

Parabens..!!! Que Otimo..

Congratulations...

There is no true quicker/easier way.

Try reading here to see what others are saying about US citizen living outside of US and getting married, filing CR1...http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/357465-usc-petitioner-living-abroad/

I think you may find that post useful....

Boa Sorte

Thank you!

[Darnell 8,478]

ya, read http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/357465-usc-petitioner-living-abroad/page__view__findpost__p__5655199__fromsearch__1

and reread post #126 there.

Good Luck !

[palhaço 2]

ya, read http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/357465-usc-petitioner-living-abroad/page__view__findpost__p__5655199__fromsearch__1

and reread post #126 there.

Good Luck !

I'm going to throw an idea or 2 your way...

You can move to Brazil, marry, and after you've been here (Brazil) for more than 6 months, you can apply for the CR-1 and will likely get expedited through the process (U.S. citizen living abroad). That being said, the entire process could take 4 months or less once you apply after living in Brazil for more than 6 months. I know a couple who is going through this right now and their I-130 went through the USCIS in 10 days. They are now going through the NVC, so they are about 2 months total into the process (or visa journey if you will).

The 2nd idea would be for your fiancee to get a tourist visa now. Make sure she gets it before you marry and before you apply for anything else. If she is successful, she could visit you for up to 3 months at a time while waiting for the process, but this would require her to go home at least once so she doesn't overstay the time allowed with the tourist visa. This is probably the most practical thing to do, but just be sure to not break any rules (in terms of the tourist visa). With this option, you could marry in the USA or in Brazil and then decide where the 2 of you want to wait out the process, but the process will likely take longer overall. Also, she will at some point need to get her documents ready too, so she will need to spend some time in Brazil anyway (unless you plan this really really well)...

In either event, the interview will still take place in Rio, for which you both should be present (recommended).

Good luck!

[wakeupcall 0]

I'm going to throw an idea or 2 your way...

You can move to Brazil, marry, and after you've been here (Brazil) for more than 6 months, you can apply for the CR-1 and will likely get expedited through the process (U.S. citizen living abroad). That being said, the entire process could take 4 months or less once you apply after living in Brazil for more than 6 months. I know a couple who is going through this right now and their I-130 went through the USCIS in 10 days. They are now going through the NVC, so they are about 2 months total into the process (or visa journey if you will).

In either event, the interview will still take place in Rio, for which you both should be present (recommended).

Good luck!

Ok, I'm actually in the exact same boat as jworld34 oddly enough. The only difference is I would like to move back here to the u.s. as soon as possible (with her...

I was wondering why is it necessary to be in Brazil for 6 months? Does it change your status somehow?

[Ryan H 3,810]

I was wondering why is it necessary to be in Brazil for 6 months? Does it change your status somehow?

It's not necessary to be in Brazil for 6 months if the petition is going to be sent to a lockbox facility in the US. The 6 month requirement is for DCF and DCF is only available in a handful of countries (Brazil isn't one of them).