US Citizen marrying UK citizen

[DBMethos 0]

I am a US citizen (by birth) living in the state of Georgia. I recently married a British citizen who is in the US on an F1 student visa. She has been attending school and living in the US for the last 9 years. She has a US Social Security Number and a British passport. Her student visa is set to expire this May. She wants to retain her British citizenship. What steps do we need to take to adjust her status to permanent resident (including changing her last name to my last name)? Also, we'd like to take a trip to England next Christmas. What additional steps do we need to take for her to be able to leave and return to the US safely, assuming that filing for residency will take a long time? Thanks in advance for any help.

[YuAndDan 153]

Start with this one: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...page=i130guide2

And for work and travel ADD I-765, and I-131 to the application.

She will always retain her UK citizenship, even if applies for and becomes a US citizen, UK citizens can become dual citizens.

Edited January 21, 2009 by YuAndDan

[DBMethos 0]

Start with this one: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...page=i130guide2

And for work and travel ADD I-765, and I-131 to the application.

She will always retain her UK citizenship, even if applies for and becomes a US citizen, UK citizens can become dual citizens.

Thanks for that link. A few questions that I didn't see covered there: as far as my wife changing the information on her passport (marital status, last name), should she wait to do that until she's granted permanent residency, or should she do it before (or during the process itself)? Also, how about the timeframe for name changes on her Social Security, driver's license, bank accounts, etc.?

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Start with this one: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...page=i130guide2

And for work and travel ADD I-765, and I-131 to the application.

She will always retain her UK citizenship, even if applies for and becomes a US citizen, UK citizens can become dual citizens.

Thanks for that link. A few questions that I didn't see covered there: as far as my wife changing the information on her passport (marital status, last name), should she wait to do that until she's granted permanent residency, or should she do it before (or during the process itself)? Also, how about the timeframe for name changes on her Social Security, driver's license, bank accounts, etc.?

Changing passport info is covered under Passport Renewal in UK Forum.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5878

Edited January 21, 2009 by CherryXS

[engineer21 51]

I am a US citizen (by birth) living in the state of Georgia. I recently married a British citizen who is in the US on an F1 student visa. She has been attending school and living in the US for the last 9 years. She has a US Social Security Number and a British passport. Her student visa is set to expire this May. She wants to retain her British citizenship. What steps do we need to take to adjust her status to permanent resident (including changing her last name to my last name)? Also, we'd like to take a trip to England next Christmas. What additional steps do we need to take for her to be able to leave and return to the US safely, assuming that filing for residency will take a long time? Thanks in advance for any help.

Just wanted to say hi and congrats to you and your wife. Nice to see someone else has been here on an F1 visa for that long. Been spending 9 years at different colleges myself. met my fiance in the last one.

Welcome to the complicated process! Good luck and do share your progress!

[DBMethos 0]

Just wanted to say hi and congrats to you and your wife. Nice to see someone else has been here on an F1 visa for that long. Been spending 9 years at different colleges myself. met my fiance in the last one.

Welcome to the complicated process! Good luck and do share your progress!

Thanks for the kind words!