Preparing evidence of home ties early...

[bakofoil 27]

Why is that?

...because I had an opportunity to stay, but not knowing the facts I thought I had to return home and file for a visa. So I did and have kicked myself ever since. I don't think you were expecting that answer.

I didn't expect your comment in the first place. But I don't know the specific facts you refer too either.

Which comment didn't you expect? You highlighted text and asked a question. I answered. Was it rhetorical?

If my answer is not clear, my husband and I got engaged on one of my visits to the US, when my only intent was to visit him on vacation. As far as I understand the situation, I could have stayed (which is what my now-husband requested of me) and adjusted status. We had not researched the visa process at all at that stage and so I returned home because of the conditions, as I understood them at the time, of the visa waiver program.

Ok. Good idea

Ok hihihi peace!

(last time I break my own rule)

peace

[rebeccajo 14]

Why is that?

...because I had an opportunity to stay, but not knowing the facts I thought I had to return home and file for a visa. So I did and have kicked myself ever since. I don't think you were expecting that answer.

I didn't expect your comment in the first place. But I don't know the specific facts you refer too either.

Which comment didn't you expect? You highlighted text and asked a question. I answered. Was it rhetorical?

If my answer is not clear, my husband and I got engaged on one of my visits to the US, when my only intent was to visit him on vacation. As far as I understand the situation, I could have stayed (which is what my now-husband requested of me) and adjusted status. We had not researched the visa process at all at that stage and so I returned home because of the conditions, as I understood them at the time, of the visa waiver program.

Well yes your comment about staying caught me off guard. I think I may have misinterpreted something you wrote earlier about ever having had intent.

I did need further clarification from you. As you know, each case is different and I had no way to know your circumstances other than ask for that clarification.

For the record, I don't believe your understanding of the visa waiver program, at that time, was incorrect. Unless of course you and your husband had never discussed the possibility of your immigration to the US. The website for the US State Department defines use of the VWP in this manner (I've copied over just two of their qualifiers which reference the points we've been discussing in order to shorten the discussion):

"When does a national of a VWP country need to apply for a visa instead of using the VWP?

Nationals of VWP countries must meet the conditions noted in the section above in order to seek admission to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. Travelers who do not meet these conditions must apply for a visa. In particular, a visa must be requested if the traveler:

Wants to remain in the United States for longer than 90 days, or envisions that they may wish to change their status (from tourism to student, etc.) once in the United States;

Wants to work or study in the United States, wants to come to the United States for other purposes not allowed on a visitor visa, or intends to immigrate to the United States;"

Still though I understand what you are saying. Perhaps it is a difference purely due to our different courtships with our husbands, or a difference in how we solve problems. I've often told the tale of how (about 10 minutes after I realized I was in love with someone from another country) I began to wonder just how difficult it might be to perpetuate our relationship given the fact two governments were involved. Between my old friends from this board and myself, this is jokingly referred to as the search for the 'boyfriend visa'. Because I researched early on, I realized there were only two choices for us - expensive travel and lengthy separations, or his immigration to the US as my husband (I was not in a position to move to the UK due to parental responsibilities).

So, for Wes and I, even before our first face to face meeting, there was always 'envision-ing' of intent to immigrate (to quote the State Department). It was either that or break up - again probably a function of differences in courtship styles. Wes and I are not youngsters - we took a '$hit or get off the pot' approach to our relationship early on. Neither of us were in the mood to spend years trying to decide if we were right for each other. But we'd also had loads of experience sifting the wheat from the chaff - if you know what I mean.

[bakofoil 27]

Well, it's confusing - because we did discuss immigration early on in our relationship, however, we had only ever discussed him moving to the UK and I did look into a student visa to the UK for him. But at the time of that particular visit I genuinely had no immigrant intent. Although we had intent to make it work as a couple. It was during that visit that we discussed the relative merits of the US or UK and he asked me to stay. It was only after that point that I came across VJ and then toyed with the idea of adjustment from VWP, but, as I said before, was too scared of the possibility of AOS denial to go through with it. And so K1 it became.

I do see where you're coming from and the distinctions you are making.