New and a tad frustrated

[FutureMrs 1]

Lol Lauren and Kevin.

Trellik... Thank you for the reassurance with your story about coming over and how there are tens of thousands of people to do it. I think that there are a lot of scare tactics out there that lawyers are using and what not that create over-the-top fear. I mean, he has his return ticket, and his October ticket that he can show. The one thing that I wish he had was a lease to show. But, he doesn't have that. However, it's not likely they will ask for every single thing. He's going to print out his bank statement from the day before, also. There's a lot of ties back to the UK.

Apparently it's pretty expensive in the UK to get driving lessons and then it's not really transferable to the US unless he's been driving for two years in the UK. Then he would have to do the entire driving school over here all over again. That's kind of a mess.

I do have a question I can't seem to wrap my mind around completely just yet:

Just for the sake of keeping things simple I know what the actual 100% and 125% poverty line levels are But for simplicity's sake, let's just say that the 100% poverty line is $15,000 and the 125% is $20,000.

And let's say, hypothetically, that my income is $13,000. Now, that means that I need to have assets of $2000 for the 100% poverty line. However, don't assets need to be three times the amount, meaning that I would need $6000 in order to meet the 100% level? The same question for the 125% line. If my income is $13,000 then I would need $7000 to meet the 125% which would mean a difference of $7000. But, in reality, don't they require three times the amount if its assets Meaning $21,000 in assets in order to make the 125% level? The only assets we're looking at is cash at this point because I don't have land or second car or stocks and bonds and such.

Thanks!

[FutureMrs 1]

By the way, you can tell my guy is not a big talker. I am the blabbermouth in the relationship. He's the guy who is like... I have questions I need answers Okay done!

Ha ha ha. Get him talking about Doctor Who and the TARDIS that he should show up in to the US, and all is well.

Me? Typical woman. Talk and talk and talk Until he starts to fall asleep on Skype. No! He has never fallen asleep as I'm talking on Skype. I'm not "that" boring. But I do talking his head off. *wink*

[FutureMrs 1]

Boiler... Sorry, I did not see your response till now. We'll have to look into see if it is actually two years or not. Yes, it does sound like the UK driving test is much more difficult than the US one. We went over it and he told me about taking the test before in the UK and let me just say My eyes kind of squinted and I said, "what? Roundabouts? No! You're not gonna have to deal with that here." Plus, I live way out in the country where the most traffic a person is going to get is maybe three cars that you can see. Of course, "in town," there are more cars, but nothing serious at all. I really do live way out in the country. So, his driving test out here will be a breeze.

Me? I grew up in California In the bay area! So, I had so much nervousness back when I was 15 years old and got my drivers permit. But, still passed it. Just parking stuff and parallel parking, went to turn the blinker on, etc. no roundabouts! Just saying "no" to roundabouts!

[Boiler 45,531]

There are Roundabouts in Colorado.

Admittedly you have to assume ignorance if the license plate says Texas. And I remember roundabouts in CA, not many admittedly.

[FutureMrs 1]

Yeah, I know there are some. But nothing like the UK.

You have to drive an hour from where I live to even see one of them. And they are nothing like the ones in the UK. US people get all confused when I see one. "Oh no! What do I do?"

[FutureMrs 1]

Let's see if this goes through. This is a picture of our "massive traffic jam" where I live. I took this yesterday for him to see just how much traffic we have on our "highways."

The other picture is the road to my house. I sure wish I could've taken my driving lessons back in the day on roads like this. So simple. But, I used to work in San Francisco and let me tell you Bumper to bumper traffic. Almost a three hour drive to and from work and then 8 to 9 hours of work and then raising my son as a single mother with no child support. I would much rather deal with the cranky border patrol agent then the uppity bosses I had in San Francisco and the crabby people on I 80 getting to and from work. Them were the days. He, my son, will be 27 this year, so I am all done with that bumper-to-bumper traffic and working in high-rise buildings. I am loving living in the country now.

[Marco&Bettina 502]

You make it sound like you have yet to meet?

I bought my internet girlfriend's engagement ring before I ever even saw her in person. I paid for it shortly before her arrival on our 1st time seeing each other, after only knowing each other for about 4 months. It needed to be sized down & wasn't complete till she was already here. Something about her told me I needed to propose to her on out 1st personal meeting. So after about 10 days actual face time, I proposed. Sent the I-129F petition another couple weeks later, after she was already back in Germany.

[ChicagoSarah 127]

my husband never had a lease to show, and he never had any trouble. Just have him take what he can. If he doesn't have it, don't worry about it!

We're the same way...I do most of the talking. My British husband is a bit more on the quiet side generally. We balance each other out :-)

[LORIEandPHIL 123]

I think the law requires me to have had a UK driving license for two years to be able to drive in the US.

I seem to remember many years ago, when I first passed my UK driving test, that you had to have had a UK, licence for at least a year to hire a car in Florida (maybe it was 2 years, it was many years ago). But you can drive on a UK licence even if you have only just got it. And yes the USA, test is so much easier than the UK one.

I used to travel back and forth a lot before we married, and never once had a problem entering the country. While our K1 was being processed I visited for two months without any hassle at POE. Do not worry about being denied entry, it will not happen.

[shippingforecast 126]

Thank you for your responses. Please note that I have a lot of typos because I use my voice to type and I don't always go back to edit LOL Sorry about that.

I have a few comments and more questions. I hope you all can chime in and know that I am very appreciative of any help.

Changoleon... I'm so glad to read what you had to say! So happy for you.

Yuba... Thank you for taking your time to respond. We are going to marry and live in the United States. I am disabled and we think it would be much too difficult for me to the live in the UK.

Speaking of that, I will be able to meet the K-1 financial requirements, but barely. However, doesn't have a time when I have to meet 125% of the poverty level? From what I understand, I have to meet the 100% poverty level for the K-1 and if I do not have enough income, assets are considered at three times the amount of true value. In my right on that? In other words, if I bring in $10,000 per year, and let's say the poverty line is at $16,000 even I know what it really is Then it's not just $6000 that I need in liquid assets or assets that need to be able to be liquidated within one year, but it's three times the $6000. In other words, $18,000. Do I have that right?

When do I have to meet the 125% of the poverty level?

Our plan was to get engaged in June when he comes. But, because of the fear that he has about being questions so much, he put it off until the October trip. We had everything going as far as an engagement dinner, announcements, etc. I want so badly for us not to have to wait to file for the K-1 in October.

His visa is an ESTA visa he got in January for the trips this year. The proof that he has that he is going home is a return ticket already, another ticket that he bought for the October trip that he can show. He also has his contract paperwork from his job and the slip he will get for his vacation time showing that he has to return back to work on June 14. He is going to print out his bank statement from the day before leaving England. That will show he has money in England. I'm not sure what else he would need because I read the threads and it seems that's all he needs He does not have a lease nor a mortgage, so there's not that to show.

LOL regarding anything suspicious about him. Nothing but him being very nervous. He tends to just have a nervous demeanor anyway. And then to think he's going to be questioned as if he's in a Jack Bauer show is just so much for him.

We have seriously talked about the CR-1 one because there is some great things about it compared to the K-1 but like I said, I don't know how people get married in the US and then file for the CR-1.

It was fun reading your story about your fiancé going through the border. I really enjoyed reading everyone's stories on here! I read your timeline and sorry to see that you are trapped in the Texas prison! I keep reading stories about that. Is that where my files would go I am in Missouri.

T.S.

I got married in the US on the visa waiver program and returned to the UK on my intended date before filing for the CR1 visa. Perfectly legal. I would have visited whilst it was processing too but we decided to just wait and save the money.

[stmartin72 0]

You can drive in the us on a UK driving license but only up to a year. There's only six states that will transfer a non us license, but in those states its only licenses from France, Germany or Canada. Not the UK.

[yuna628 9,676]

My fiancé says he has not heard of any two year rule with regard to UK driving license. He said obtaining one should only take a few months time. It does make sense about rental cars as mentioned above, but that's about it. My dad was leery about letting him drive the car initially, but after a test drive, he's been driving every visit for years here ever since - and he'll get a US license once he arrives. I tend to think that US driving laws are a little more strict regarding how many hours put in to learning driving/courses especially my own state. For UK drivers in my state you simply need to exchange your license, sit for a brief lecture, and take the road test. But if he's starting out completely fresh, you'll have to look at the laws related to your state.

Edited April 17, 2015 by yuna628

[stmartin72 0]

http://usa.angloinfo.com/transport/driving-licences/exchanging-a-licence/

[yuna628 9,676]

stmartin: If you decide to learn how to drive in the UK before you finish your immigration process this is the documentation you'll need for your fiancé's state. http://dor.mo.gov/pdf/idrequirements.pdf

You can drive on your foreign license for up to six months in that state. You should obtain an International Driving Permit from the UK if you have already learned to drive in the UK prior to immigrating. You'll need to take the standard written/road test to obtain the state license. I know this site talks about foreign students, but the same relative rules apply to you in this instance. http://www.ihopkc.org/ihopustudenthub/new-students/getting-a-missouri-drivers-license/

Unless of course you hold off on the UK license and start from scratch.

[Boiler 45,531]

stmartin: If you decide to learn how to drive in the UK before you finish your immigration process this is the documentation you'll need for your fiancé's state. http://dor.mo.gov/pdf/idrequirements.pdf

You can drive on your foreign license for up to six months in that state. You should obtain an International Driving Permit from the UK if you have already learned to drive in the UK prior to immigrating. You'll need to take the standard written/road test to obtain the state license. I know this site talks about foreign students, but the same relative rules apply to you in this instance. http://www.ihopkc.org/ihopustudenthub/new-students/getting-a-missouri-drivers-license/

Unless of course you hold off on the UK license and start from scratch.

He would be a new resident so those rules apply.

And no IDP needed, this is America and Cops speak English.

Edited April 17, 2015 by Boiler