Celticstar saying hello!

[celticstar 2]

Hi there guys and girls

I'm a UK resident and recently got engaged to my soulmate who happens to be a US citizen.

I live near London and he's in Oklahoma.

We were planning on getting married in Scotland this year so that my family and friends could be there (I'm my Fathers eldest daughter and as this is the only time I plan to marry, I would have liked him to give me away) but, I would like to be with my fiancé permanently sooner rather than later, therefore I don't want to do anything which could make the process longer than it has to be.

I've never even held a passport before now although I have sent off for one.

I've been researching what needs to be done but to be honest the information I've come across isn't exactly clear and it's been just a little confusing

Any help you guys and girls can give us from the very first step would be much appreciated!

[Anh map 2,098]

Hi there guys and girls

I'm a UK resident and recently got engaged to my soulmate who happens to be a US citizen.

I live near London and he's in Oklahoma.

We were planning on getting married in Scotland this year so that my family and friends could be there (I'm my Fathers eldest daughter and as this is the only time I plan to marry, I would have liked him to give me away) but, I would like to be with my fiancé permanently sooner rather than later, therefore I don't want to do anything which could make the process longer than it has to be.

I've never even held a passport before now although I have sent off for one.

I've been researching what needs to be done but to be honest the information I've come across isn't exactly clear and it's been just a little confusing

Any help you guys and girls can give us from the very first step would be much appreciated!

From what you tell us about your plans, your now fiance would petition for a spouse visa after you two are married. This is called a CR1 visa. Read through the guide here on VJ ( http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1 ) to familiarize yourselved with the requirements, process, etc.

Also do some reading in the UK regional forum to get info specific to going through the process from the UK.

[celticstar 2]

Cheers for that link Anh map, I had a quick look through the guides but missed that one!

Is there anything we can do before we're married? That would help and not hinder the process?

[Bernie C 24]

Cheers for that link Anh map, I had a quick look through the guides but missed that one!

Is there anything we can do before we're married? That would help and not hinder the process?

Sure there is! 1st and most important is to get a good understanding of the process and what to expect. One thing you will need is proof of relationship, so you can start now on compiling evidence. Pictures, receipts, boarding passes (from past visits as well as any you take between now and then). You can work on getting things like birth certificates and other documents together.

Some things you will requires later have validity dates so it would be best now to make a list off all the things you'll need through the process and then you can check them off as you go. No point in getting them to soon but always a good thing to know what to expect.

Best Wishes!

[celticstar 2]

Thanks Bernie!

It's the getting a good idea of the process which is giving me regular headaches

I've done so many searches and found so much conflicting information that I was getting really overwhelmed with it all

Thank God for this website is all I can say! It's brilliant having all the topics I wanted to ask questions about right here at my fingertips!

It's managed to turn a full blown migraine into a dull throbbing ache

One thing about the proof of relationship, does this include emails and facebook messages? We did talk regularly on the phone but we've had to put an end to that as my fiancé ended up with an $800 cell bill

Edited March 29, 2010 by celticstar

[Bernie C 24]

Thanks Bernie!

It's the getting a good idea of the process which is giving me regular headaches

I've done so many searches and found so much conflicting information that I was getting really overwhelmed with it all

Thank God for this website is all I can say! It's brilliant having all the topics I wanted to ask questions about right here at my fingertips!

It's managed to turn a full blown migraine into a dull throbbing ache

One thing about the proof of relationship, does this include emails and facebook messages? We did talk regularly on the phone but we've had to put an end to that as my fiancé ended up with an $800 cell bill

Sure - when you eventually get to the interview stage, emails, chat logs, etc.. are all good. Sometimes they are requested and sometimes not!!! but its always good to be prepared.

Some people save and print them all, others print a few from each week of each month. The idea is to provide a consistent means of communication during the relationship.

I'd default you here to others who have gone through the consulate in the beneficiaries counrty. It varies alot as to how much some consulates "expect" to see. It also varies by Consular Officer - so my personal opinion is to always be prepared with more than the "minimum". Its ok to have more than "required".

We rarely talked on the tele, we prefered to use chat and web cam or email.

The good news is your already looking into what it takes to go through this! There are alot of really awesome folks here who will help out along the way too if you get stuck or have questions.

[celticstar 2]

Thanks again Bernie, I have to admit to getting quite down about what seemed to be involved but after reading a lot of links and guides on here (I've spent most of my day going through everything) I'm feeling a lot happier about everything!

It's only a little mole hill now instead of a mountain