Should there be an SO visa for those that want to be together without having to marry?

[Nik+Heather 121]

Spousal visas are given the high priority that they are because they are meant to reunify families - you know, permanent life-long relationships. If you can't be bothered to officially enter into such a relationship, why should you be given those immigration benefits?I would think that moving countries to be with someone is even more of a commitment than getting married, so why's a quick stop into the court house going to stop you?

I agree, I wish it was possible for gay couples to be together, but as someone else said, that would have to be a change initiated in the marriage laws, not with visas.

[TracyTN 237]

I voted no because of the straight couples that would use it to their disadvantage. And you know they would....!

So if I have read you right.... and extending that reasoning..... family-based visas are subject to the same type of abuse..... vis a vis, to gain illegal entry to the US. Should they no longer be allowed, then?

(Not being argumentative here.)

Spousal visas are given the high priority that they are because they are meant to reunify families - you know, permanent life-long relationships. If you can't be bothered to officially enter into such a relationship, why should you be given those immigration benefits?I would think that moving countries to be with someone is even more of a commitment than getting married, so why's a quick stop into the court house going to stop you?

I agree, I wish it was possible for gay couples to be together, but as someone else said, that would have to be a change initiated in the marriage laws, not with visas.

This is what I was trying to get at, but probably did not express it as eloquently as Nik+Heather did.

[Spoom 8]

I say either yes, with similar conditions to the Canadian family sponsorship "Common Law" class (i.e. the couple must have verifiably cohabitated at least one year in total before filing), or that DOMA should simply be repealed.

Right now, it all seems like a scheme to keep gay and lesbian couples out of the country since there's no spousal family class under which they can currently quality due to DOMA restricting marriage to one man and one woman.

Even were DOMA repealed, I'd still probably be in favour of a common law visa. One of my cousins has lived with her significant other for over 15 years now, and they're doing absolutely fine; they just don't believe in marriage.

Edited November 16, 2009 by Spoom

[Darnell 8,478]

The wording is changing on the upcoming immigration bills, from spouse to partner.

The Gay Co-alition successfully lobbied to get this change in.

Now, it's still up to each individual state to recognize a same-sex domestic partnership and marriage, but the walls are crumbling if the Bills turn into Law with the same wording about 'partner'.

The bills are still in committee, lets see what happens?

[raymaga 25]

Yes, providing there is lots of proof of a bona fide relationship, and perhaps a relationship time period of 2 years before being granted a visa.