Long Story ... Please Help

[AnnaMaria 68]

This is such a sad story, but I hope it has an amazing ending. You deserve a good life with your new wife after all of that!

[Canerican 242]

OP,

The questions I would like to ask are:

1. Besides the point of the first relationship not working, even if it did, why would you get illegal employment? Why not consult with some friends and family, get a ticket back to NZ back then?

2.When the first relationship did not work out why did you not go home?

These are just questions as things would be a whole lot simpler if you left the country and did not gain illegal employment. I know you made the claim that you having illegal employment is almost the same as a person filing VAWA, but the fact is that they will ask you about employment on certain forms and they will find out. I'm sorry, but this is the truth. Honesty is the key when filing out immigration paperwork.

[Boiler 43,430]

OP,

The questions I would like to ask are:

1. Besides the point of the first relationship not working, even if it did, why would you get illegal employment? Why not consult with some friends and family, get a ticket back to NZ back then?

2.When the first relationship did not work out why did you not go home?

These are just questions as things would be a whole lot simpler if you left the country and did not gain illegal employment. I know you made the claim that you having illegal employment is almost the same as a person filing VAWA, but the fact is that they will ask you about employment on certain forms and they will find out. I'm sorry, but this is the truth. Honesty is the key when filing out immigration paperwork.

I can see being nosy these are interesting questions but they have nothing to do with his situation now.

I would imagine the vast majority who overstay have worked without authorisation, maybe an issue with IRS but not USCIS.

[sptrillo 0]

This is such a sad story, but I hope it has an amazing ending. You deserve a good life with your new wife after all of that!

Thank you, I really appreciate that

[AnotherLostSoul 167]

OP: seems like you got the answer already, and seems like you have some good future waiting ahead of you! For now just go home, work there, live there. Your wife will file for you, then you'll do the waiver, and she'll probably need a cosponsor (she has to earn 125% above poverty level), and everything will be just fine. I don't see why you would need to worry. Sorry to hear your first marriage ended up so bad.

Take care, and all the best!

[sptrillo 0]

OP,

The questions I would like to ask are:

1. Besides the point of the first relationship not working, even if it did, why would you get illegal employment? Why not consult with some friends and family, get a ticket back to NZ back then?

2.When the first relationship did not work out why did you not go home?

These are just questions as things would be a whole lot simpler if you left the country and did not gain illegal employment. I know you made the claim that you having illegal employment is almost the same as a person filing VAWA, but the fact is that they will ask you about employment on certain forms and they will find out. I'm sorry, but this is the truth. Honesty is the key when filing out immigration paperwork.

Those kinds of questions are very irrelevant to my current situation and hardly a stranger's business, but if you must know:

1. I had run out of the money I saved for my visit and needed to support myself. I don't have friends or family in a position to help anyone financially on that scale and my relationship with my family was much more distant back then. Where I come from you don't just call up your friends or family to bail you out, and I'm no trust fund baby. We work hard to get where we want to go which is exactly what I did.

2. The relationship failed after my stay had expired, after I had cancelled my return flight and after getting married. Had you read the original post you wouldn't have asked such ill-informed questions.

[sptrillo 0]

I can see being nosy these are interesting questions but they have nothing to do with his situation now.

I would imagine the vast majority who overstay have worked without authorisation, maybe an issue with IRS but not USCIS.

Exactly.

[sptrillo 0]

OP: seems like you got the answer already, and seems like you have some good future waiting ahead of you! For now just go home, work there, live there. Your wife will file for you, then you'll do the waiver, and she'll probably need a cosponsor (she has to earn 125% above poverty level), and everything will be just fine. I don't see why you would need to worry. Sorry to hear your first marriage ended up so bad.

Take care, and all the best!

Thanks for the encouragement and well wishes! I don't know how she'll find a co-sponsor, she's on her own in this part of the country. No friends or family around, just me and the cat until Sunday.

I really just want to know about getting a waiver to move back here as a plan B if she isn't comfortable moving to NZ after a visit or two.

Thank you all for the help, any other information would be much appreciated.

[icv21 110]

why not get married in the states file for AOS ask for the Advance Parole so you can travel while the process??? You can go visit your family and come back to the states without any ban...... And you ask for an Employment authorization so you can also get a legal job while waiting for all the process

[sptrillo 0]

why not get married in the states file for AOS ask for the Advance Parole so you can travel while the process??? You can go visit your family and come back to the states without any ban...... And you ask for an Employment authorization so you can also get a legal job while waiting for all the process

We are getting married while I'm still in the US, today actually. I have a non-refundable ticket for Sunday so I don't have time for that. I actually want to be back in NZ for a while because I want to save money and buy property, and permanent residence is abandoned if you're out of the country more than 6 months roughly.

[sptrillo 0]

Besides, we're both pretty broke now after my birthday road trip, neither of us have a couple grand laying around to file that kind of paperwork and have it go through in two days.

[sheldonsgirl 19]

While he does not need to volunteer info, he must answer truthfully.

He cannot hide his illegal work if asked.

It is very likely when they realize he was here for so long, they are going to ask him if he worked at all. I suppose I would if I was and IO

[sheldonsgirl 19]

I can see being nosy these are interesting questions but they have nothing to do with his situation now.

I would imagine the vast majority who overstay have worked without authorisation, maybe an issue with IRS but not USCIS.

Hmmm?? I find it interesting you say that because when I once spoke to a USCIS rep he told me it isn't favorable to work and you can get into trouble. Didn't get into specifics on what type of trouble but he made it very clear they don't like it, even if it's under the table. In fact, the example he gave me was an immigrant helped someone move and got paid for it. Again, I didn't get into details about what happened, he just said it's frowned upon

[cdneh 3,112]

We are getting married while I'm still in the US, today actually. I have a non-refundable ticket for Sunday so I don't have time for that. I actually want to be back in NZ for a while because I want to save money and buy property, and permanent residence is abandoned if you're out of the country more than 6 months roughly.

Are you not a NZ Citizen? I am not, but I did have a returning resident visa. I was away for 11 months and change and still was able to renew my Visa when I got back.

[Camelot13 63]

Congrats on your marriage! I hope you both had a great day.

I wanted to confirm that if you go the spouse visa route, your wife will most likely need a co-sponsor. As someone pointed out, she needs to earn 125% above the poverty line and she'll need to submit evidence of that in the form of payslips, tax returns, and W-2s from her employer, etc. If she doesn't earn above that or doesn't have a family member who can co-sponsor, USCIS won't accept the petition. Luckily, a non-relative can also co-sponsor so it doesn't need to be just family. But if there really isn't anyone who can do it, you'll need to wait until she is making that salary level.