Query

[Thalassa 0]

Greetings all,

I was hoping to get your help on something.

My boyfriend announced last night that his work are considering relocating him to the Houston branch of the business (he and I are UK citizens); while his company will sponsor him and sort out all the visa details and work permits etc, I explained that for a visa for myself, we would need to get married as no company is going to willingly hand out a family visa for a guy and his girlfriend. My boyfriend brushed it off by saying he would pay for me. My question is would this be possible? He isn’t a US citizen and we are not married.

I don't know if it makes any difference that I have family in the US (Utah), where my fourth cousin lives.

Edited December 13, 2016 by Thalassa

[Unlockable 7,314]

You are right. There are no visa's for girlfriends/ boyfriends. K1 visas (fiance visa) is only for US citizens, Tell your bf to stop being hardheaded and start doing some research.

In order for you to come is for you to be married.

[Thalassa 0]

Many thanks for getting back to me - I thought as much

Edited December 13, 2016 by Thalassa

[EM_Vandaveer 2,408]

Funny story - kinda off topic, sorry. My cousin was co-habiting with her boyfriend, they had a son together. They are both Hungarian. They were not planning on getting married, ever. (Boyfriend was previously married, didn't want to do it again.)

Then he got a job offer in Oman to teach English at a college. He decided to take the job. However, for my cousin to be able to get a visa to go with him, they had to marry... So they basically got married for this sole reason. They are still living in Oman.

[EM_Vandaveer 2,408]

Greetings all,

I was hoping to get your help on something.

My boyfriend announced last night that his work are considering relocating him to the Houston branch of the business (he and I are UK citizens); while his company will sponsor him and sort out all the visa details and work permits etc, I explained that for a visa for myself, we would need to get married as no company is going to willingly hand out a family visa for a guy and his girlfriend. My boyfriend brushed it off by saying he would pay for me. My question is would this be possible? He isnt a US citizen and we are not married.

I don't know if it makes any difference that I have family in the US (Utah), where my fourth cousin lives.

You are right. It's not even the company that wouldn't sponsor a visa for you unless you are married, it's that there isn't a dependent visa for you unless you are married. (I'm assuming he's getting an L-1 intracompany transfer visa, in order for you to be eligible for L-2, you have to be legally married to him.)

If you are in fact, decide to get married and I'm right in assuming you are going for L-1 & L-2, the good news is you'll be able to get an EAD once you're in the US, so you'll be able to work legally, if you so choose.

Edited December 13, 2016 by EM_Vandaveer

[Thalassa 0]

Many many thanks everyone, your help has been really appreciated x

[JFH 12,190]

You might qualify for a B2 cohabiting partner visa if you have been living together in the UK. This will allow you to stay one year but essentially as a tourist only. No work, not even a bit of remote work on the laptop in the spare room. If you can afford to take a year off work (both financially and logistically) and he can support the two of you on what he will be making, it might be worth considering.

[Thalassa 0]

Sadly no, that would not be appropriate for us; as much as I would love to be able to spend a year doing nothing, I would need to have something useful to do, and I don't think he would be able to support the both of us (and the cat).