Working outside the country..

[Kyo-DJ5 0]

Hello all,

My fiancee's I-129 was recently approved, so we are now really focusing on what our moves will be when we are, god willing, approved at the interview. We both work in Japan, which poses somewhat of a problem possibly. We are planning to go get married in the USA, however is it possible to return to Japan to continue our jobs there? It's a scary thought to have to try to find another job in this uncertain economy..I'm hoping it is possible for her to continue her work in Japan, just as an American instead of Chinese, however I haven't found any information on this subject so far. Thank you for any answers or a point in the right direction.

[newlyweds2010 208]

Hello all,

My fiancee's I-129 was recently approved, so we are now really focusing on what our moves will be when we are, god willing, approved at the interview. We both work in Japan, which poses somewhat of a problem possibly. We are planning to go get married in the USA, however is it possible to return to Japan to continue our jobs there? It's a scary thought to have to try to find another job in this uncertain economy..I'm hoping it is possible for her to continue her work in Japan, just as an American instead of Chinese, however I haven't found any information on this subject so far. Thank you for any answers or a point in the right direction.

There is no need to have a K1 visa if you want to get married in the US and then leave right away and go live somewhere else. K1 visa is only required if the foreign spouse then wants to become a resident and permanently live in the US.

Leaving the US after the wedding is surely possible, but if she hasn't obtained a green card or a permit to leave the country temporarily (advanced parole) she will not be readmitted, because the K1 is a one-entry visa.

Even with a green card she could not just live abroad and still keep it. she would not be considered a resident, therefore she would lose the green card.

Obtaining the citizenship is a long process, you do not become American just upon marriage, and it takes approximately 3 years after the foreign spouse became a resident (i.e. lived in the US).

I hope this helps.

[Kyo-DJ5 0]

Steabba, thank you for your reply. I hope it doesn't come across that we have no desire to ever live in America, that is not the case. Specifically, we are both in Japan with a Work Visa and are under work contracts which end pretty much at the same time of summer next year. It would be a wonderful convenience to finish out our contracts while still moving along to completion of the whole process, and move back to the US permanently once our jobs are over. If that's not possible, we'll just have to break the contracts I guess, but I hope it's not the case. In hindsight I guess I should have waited longer to begin this process but I was worried about how long it would all take and jumped the gun.

[Darnell 8,479]

Really ? Interview for China ? Not Japan ?

Regardless, you have some 'zones' to 'go slow' in this process -

--delay returning the Packet three set - 2 to 4 months - don't return packet 3 immediately after you receive it - simply 'stall' for 2 to 4 months.

--once interview date is set, contact IV Unit (fax/email) and ask for LATER interview date - 4 to 6 months later

--after interview day, once visa is in the passport, have up to 6 months to enter the USA.

FWIW, I-129F approval time tick, is GREAT time tick to actually fill up yer official VJ timeline, over at http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=67130 Please fill out yer timeline, soonish ?

[Nik+Heather 121]

I agree with Darnell, there are ways to slow things down, a year is a long stretch, but possible. Keep in contact with the embassy so they don't think that you have abandoned your case. If you put her address in Japan ( you should have since she is working and living there) it will go through Japan. You may want to look for other members who have gone through that embassy and get some tips from them about the best way to contact, or how others have delayed their visa issuance. I'd start looking in the regional forums. This would be the easiest way to keep from wasting the money spent on the petition.

Depending on your situation, maybe you don't want to wait another year to get married...you could push through with the K-1, go to the US, get married, (tour, visit family etc) leave, and then in another 9 months or so start the process for a spousal visa. These go much faster for direct consular filing, which is what you do when you're both living outside the US together. Or since you haven't paid that expensive $350 visa fee yet, write off the $455 petition fee, get married in Japan and go DCF closer to your expected departure date. DCF is, unfortunately, only for married couples.

Edited July 1, 2010 by Nik+Heather

[Darnell 8,479]

ya, DCF is do-able, as well - break out yer calendar, circle the 'contract over date', go back 4 months, apply on that date. Don't forget to get married, though, prior

[Darnell 8,479]

Since yer I-129F just got approved, you might want to contact NVC via telephone, get a Human, give them the USCIS receipt #, and then get the Embassy Casefile # -

then let us know what the first 3 letters are?

first 3 letters are important, gives you the US Embassy location.

GUZ is Guangzhou China, for example.

Whatcha got ?

NVC open from 7:30 am till 00:00, EST, M-F, and are open now, today.