A really odd K1 Question: What happens if the husband goes off to work at a United Sates "associated state?"

[Balamban 113]

This may not be the oddest question ever asked but it must rank up there.

 

I'm a RN sub-specialist and have been offered a job at the Marshall Islands.  I can do it for 3 months, or more.

 

Place is Marshall Islands in the Pacific. "The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands (Marshallese: Aolepān Aorōkin M̧ajeļ), is an island country and a United States associated state near the equator in the Pacific Ocean.

 

Here's what will help you:  US blew up lots of atomic bombs at the Bikini Atoll in decades past.  Today the location (near but not too near Bikini) is a  "United States associated state" and in reality, a military base.  If I could take her I'd be there already.

 

Our status: We have filed AOS, fingerprints, bio has been done.  Expected AOS ~February.

 

Positives: Amazing pay.

 

Negatives, three months without my sweetie.

 

The problem: As a 1099 contractor, she cannot visit me.

 

Another problem is what happens if I'm x thousand of miles away, and she is living her in our place in NH?  

 

On one hand I'd love to do  it (and yes I would trust her implicitly in my absence) but I wonder about the K-1 process and how that fits in.  

 

Has anyone experience on this odd sort of thing?  And I have no clue about how USCIS would consider my working at a "United States associated state" (aka military base).

 

On one hand I'm supposed to be working and bringing in the $ to meet requirements and on the other hand USCIS may say: You have no relationship.

 

This sucks actually.  As a side note I could take the job for a year make what I'd make in the USA equivalent to about $140k/year and she could visit for 90-160 days.  But what of the K-1 process.  

 

Any ideas you experts?

[TBoneTX 45,273]

Thread is moved from Off Topic to the Working & Traveling forum.

[TransplantUSA 167]

19 hours ago, Balamban said:

This may not be the oddest question ever asked but it must rank up there.

 

I'm a RN sub-specialist and have been offered a job at the Marshall Islands.  I can do it for 3 months, or more.

 

Place is Marshall Islands in the Pacific. "The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands (Marshallese: Aolepān Aorōkin M̧ajeļ), is an island country and a United States associated state near the equator in the Pacific Ocean.

 

Here's what will help you:  US blew up lots of atomic bombs at the Bikini Atoll in decades past.  Today the location (near but not too near Bikini) is a  "United States associated state" and in reality, a military base.  If I could take her I'd be there already.

 

Our status: We have filed AOS, fingerprints, bio has been done.  Expected AOS ~February.

 

Positives: Amazing pay.

 

Negatives, three months without my sweetie.

 

The problem: As a 1099 contractor, she cannot visit me.

 

Another problem is what happens if I'm x thousand of miles away, and she is living her in our place in NH?  

 

On one hand I'd love to do  it (and yes I would trust her implicitly in my absence) but I wonder about the K-1 process and how that fits in.  

 

Has anyone experience on this odd sort of thing?  And I have no clue about how USCIS would consider my working at a "United States associated state" (aka military base).

 

On one hand I'm supposed to be working and bringing in the $ to meet requirements and on the other hand USCIS may say: You have no relationship.

 

This sucks actually.  As a side note I could take the job for a year make what I'd make in the USA equivalent to about $140k/year and she could visit for 90-160 days.  But what of the K-1 process.  

 

Any ideas you experts?

She entered on her K1 so that's dead now, right? You're AOSing. Does she have her AP? If so, then surely she can visit you if she's your wife... 

[Balamban 113]

Thank you emlady.  She entered on the K1 on May 22, we married July 5th.  We've done the AOS.

 

We expect EAD (is that the same as AP?) in January or February, looking at VisaJourney's timetable.

 

In reality she cannot visit me.  So the question is more how will USCIS look at it if I run off to the Marshal Islands for a job for 3-6 months?

 

On one hand, I must earn a certain amount.  On the other I'm supposed to remain with her as husband and wife.

 

She is not allowed to visit.  Kwaj (the island is a military base).  There is a nearby island with one single hotel at ~$120/night.  The Marshal islands are a very strange place (not to mention that in a hundred years it will no longer exist due to rising sea-levels.

 

It is impractical for her to visit at all and I don't know much about if we have to go for an interview and say: Well, he left for 3-6 months to work on a military base as a contractor and she is not allowed to visit.

 

In the Phils plenty of men and women leave to work overseas and then come back to the family once a year or less.

 

This may be the case for the Phils--but what when an American can only find a good paying job 7,000 miles away on a military base where the spouse cannot visit?

 

If I work there for even 6 months I'll make ~50k, plenty enough to prove "sufficient income." 

 

If I don't take the job and cannot find another (and they are hard to find these days) I might get: You don't have enough income.  (Though I do have assets)

 

I'm more worried that I leave in Jan...and in April we get pulled in for an interview and it's "oh, he's away working on the Marshal Islands and I can't visit him, but he'll be back in August--how will that go over.

 

I suppose I should know but I don't, I'm just not worried about it...when the AOS/EAD comes through I'm not sure when the next "interview" is.

[AstroCanada 206]

I don't think it will be a problem for 3 months, although it does look a bit more suspicious if you have someone enter on a K-1 and then live apart for a lot longer.  A full year might definitely raise suspicions as part of removing conditions is proving that you share a residence and have a real marriage.  That will definitely invite further scrutiny.

 

As an aside, I have two separate friends who grew up on Kwajalein...they really have great stories to tell of growing up there.  The diving is supposedly spectacular.  I would be surprised that if you were married your wife can't join you there.  

[Lemonslice 4,836]

Why not find employment closer until she has her permanent residence?