Want to Marry Someone Here on a Work Visa

[richd111 0]

Hi,

I've started to do some reading on the whole visa process thing, and frankly it makes my head spin. I'm sure I'll wind up consulting an immigration attorney at some point about this, but I was curious in the mean time.

I am a US citizen. I've met someone I want to get married to. They are a citizen of the UK and are here on a work visa. What would be the best way to go about this? Would it make it easier if we got married first? K1? K3?

Thanks in advance!

Rich

[KittyPollitt 284]

If she's already here in the US, she doesn't need a visa. You could marry her right now, and she could file to adjust her status (get a greencard) based on your marriage. Read this for how: http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide2

[Anh map 2,098]

If she's already here in the US, she doesn't need a visa. You could marry her right now, and she could file to adjust her status (get a greencard) based on your marriage. Read this for how: http://www.visajourn...tent/i130guide2

The above link is the correct path. No need for the cost of an attorney.

[Casprd 167]

If she is going to be here long enough to go through the AOS process and you aren't looking at a lot of time planning a big elaborate wedding then marriage and AOS stateside is the way to go. If her work ends soon and she plans to return to the UK then you have the option of getting married now, and starting a CR-1 visa (not K-3) and she can wait out at least the first part of the process here in the states. If she has to return home soon and/or you want to have a big marriage in the UK then the CR-1 is the option (but since she has a work visa and presumably a job here, that probably isn't a good option).

In any case, a K-1 doesn't really make sense as that would require her to return to the UK for the interview and then when she came back to the US she couldn't work until you completed the AOS anyway. The only reason not to do an AOS would be if you plan to have a big wedding in the UK. Every other scenario fits with the AOS process.

[richd111 0]

Thanks so much! This is all completely new to me, and staring at all these forms and procedures makes my eyes bleed. But it sounds like we're a lot better off than I thought we were.

Rich