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Dhalley

Best Visa option, UK/US Couple

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Quick overview of our situation.

 

I'm from the UK, And my girlfriend is from the US, at the moment I'm visiting her on an ESTA. We're planning to get married ASAP but were wondering which Visa best suited our circumstances. We don't mind which country we stay in while it's being processed, neither of us wants to be separated during this. We don't meet the financial requirements but would be able to get a family member to co-sign if that's an option. Thanks in advance.

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Well do you wanna get married in the US?

Are you tight for money? (Don't mean to pry)

 

I personally advise marrying outside the states and going for the CR-1.

What do you prefer? To marry her at the US? Get a Fiance visa.

Met 6/21/15 Online

Married since February 29th 2016 In the Netherlands (Where she is from)

6/12/16 - Preparing to send packet to USCIS

6/27/16 - Sent Package to Chicago lock-box via UPS

7/5/16 - NOA1 Text/Email / sent to Potomac (Hardcopy 7/10/16)

8/3/16 - NOA 2 I-130 Approved! Case sent to NVC! (Hardcopy 8/6/16)

8/19/16 to 9/4/16 - Visited wife for two weeks in NL. =}

9/1/16 - NVC Case and invoice # received. (Email) Finished DS260 and Paid AOS Fee.

9/8/16 - IV Fee Paid!

9/16/16 - DS260 Finished!

9/27/16 - Sent Documents to NVC.

11/21/16 - Called NVC. Case reviewed and accepted on 11/18. Waiting for email/mail.

11/28/16 - Got Email stating we are now waiting for an interview spot!

12/11/16 - Got the interview date! 1/12/17!

1/12/17 - ...ACCEPTED SHE IS NOW WAITING FOR HER PASSPORT IN THE MAIL! =]

1/18/17 - Passport and visa in her hands! We now wait till 2/24 for her to fly to me! (Has to finish work contract)

2/24/17 - She is now here with me! POE was simple,she only took 10 minutes with them checking her visa! "Welcome to America,missus"

3/15/17 - SSN Card Received.

4/10/17 - Greencard Received.

 

Preparing I-751 (ROC)

11/26/18 - I-751 Prepared and mailed out.

11/27/18 - UPS Confirmed Delivery at 10:30AM

12/3/18 - Checks cashed and got Email/Text With Receipt #

01/3/19 - Extension letter received.

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6 minutes ago, MrChamploo said:

Well do you wanna get married in the US?

Are you tight for money? (Don't mean to pry)

 

I personally advise marrying outside the states and going for the CR-1.

What do you prefer? To marry her at the US? Get a Fiance visa.

 

We're renting a place at the moment in the US but neither one of us is employed (Just moved here and spent saved money on seeing each other/deposit and rent.) She's looking for work at the moment, and then when my 3 month ESTA runs out we're going to England and I have somewhere to live rent-free. We don't have a lot of money at the moment but the plan is to begin to save starting now, and then when we move to England. Neither of us is bothered where/when we get married, we're weighing up visa options as to where and when would be most opportune.

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So i really advise the CR-1 for multiple reasons.

 

1. It's cheaper by like 650$ (Not exact but you get the idea)

2. You are already living together so time does not matter as much. Some like the Fiance visa because you get to be together faster.

 

Please understand though you have to prove you are active in the US. Have to prove domicile.

Quote

on Form I-864, petitioners must prove that they have the ability to financially support the visa applicant(s) if necessary. But the petitioner must alsoprove that his or her country of domicile is the United States.

 

Do some research. A-lot of research. Get all the info you can. That is my personal opnion to you,my advice to you.

 

Edited by MrChamploo

Met 6/21/15 Online

Married since February 29th 2016 In the Netherlands (Where she is from)

6/12/16 - Preparing to send packet to USCIS

6/27/16 - Sent Package to Chicago lock-box via UPS

7/5/16 - NOA1 Text/Email / sent to Potomac (Hardcopy 7/10/16)

8/3/16 - NOA 2 I-130 Approved! Case sent to NVC! (Hardcopy 8/6/16)

8/19/16 to 9/4/16 - Visited wife for two weeks in NL. =}

9/1/16 - NVC Case and invoice # received. (Email) Finished DS260 and Paid AOS Fee.

9/8/16 - IV Fee Paid!

9/16/16 - DS260 Finished!

9/27/16 - Sent Documents to NVC.

11/21/16 - Called NVC. Case reviewed and accepted on 11/18. Waiting for email/mail.

11/28/16 - Got Email stating we are now waiting for an interview spot!

12/11/16 - Got the interview date! 1/12/17!

1/12/17 - ...ACCEPTED SHE IS NOW WAITING FOR HER PASSPORT IN THE MAIL! =]

1/18/17 - Passport and visa in her hands! We now wait till 2/24 for her to fly to me! (Has to finish work contract)

2/24/17 - She is now here with me! POE was simple,she only took 10 minutes with them checking her visa! "Welcome to America,missus"

3/15/17 - SSN Card Received.

4/10/17 - Greencard Received.

 

Preparing I-751 (ROC)

11/26/18 - I-751 Prepared and mailed out.

11/27/18 - UPS Confirmed Delivery at 10:30AM

12/3/18 - Checks cashed and got Email/Text With Receipt #

01/3/19 - Extension letter received.

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Do some research into Direct Consular Filing for the CR-1 when you both move to the UK. I'm not well versed in it since we did a straight-up CR-1, but I know it means you get to skip USCIS and NVC. Look at the guides on this site and also check out a site called britishexpats.com. They have a forum similar to this and I think some guides too. Definitely research until your eyes fall out of your head. It's not difficult, but you have to pay attention to detail and do a bit of waiting around.

ROC from CR-1 visa (Green Card expiration date was Nov 24th 2016)

 

Link to the evidence I submitted. Be sure to send evidence spanning your entire marriage (especially for K-1) or as far back as you can. Just one or two bank statements will not cut it. I primarily focused on the two years of living here since I came in on a CR-1. If you don't have the fundamentals (i.e. joint accounts/policies), you can explain why in the covering letter. E.g. "While we do not have joint utilities, we both contribute to them from our joint bank account".

 

September 26th 2016: I-751 package sent to CSC

September 28th 2016: Package delivered
September 30th 2016: Check cashed
October 3rd 2016: NOA1 received with receipt date of 09/28/16
November 3rd 2016: Biometrics received with appointment date of 11/14/16.
November 14th 2016: Attended biometrics appointment
October 30th 2017: Infopass appointment to get I-551 stamp
February 26th 2018: I-751 case number (aka the NOA1 receipt number) becomes trackable
March 14th 2018: Submitted service request due to being outside of processing time.

March 15th 2018: ROC approved. 535 days (1 year, 5 months and 17 days)

March 29th 2018: Card being produced

April 4th 2018: Card mailed out

April 6th 2018: Card in hand. Has incorrect "resident since" date. Submitted service request on I-751 case (typographical error on permanent resident card) and an I-90 online.

April 2018 - August 7th 2018: Tons of service requests, emails and now senator involvement to get my corrected green card back because what the heck, USCIS. Also some time in May I sent a letter to Potomac telling them I want to withdraw my I-90 since CSC were handling it.

August 8th 2018: Card in production thanks to the direct involvement of Senator Sherrod Brown's team

August 13th 2018: Card mailed

August 15th 2018: Card in hand with correct date. :joy:

October 31st 2018: Potomac sends out a notice stating they have closed out my I-90 per my request. Yay for no duplicate card drama.

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Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
Timeline

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to What Visa Do I Need - Family Based Immigrationforum; OP considering multiple options.

Our journey:

Spoiler

September 2007: Met online via social networking site (MySpace); began exchanging messages.
March 26, 2009: We become a couple!
September 10, 2009: Arrived for first meeting in-person!
June 17, 2010: Arrived for second in-person meeting and start of travel together to other areas of China!
June 21, 2010: Engaged!!!
September 1, 2010: Switched course from K1 to CR-1
December 8, 2010: Wedding date set; it will be on February 18, 2011!
February 9, 2011: Depart for China
February 11, 2011: Registered for marriage in Wuhan, officially married!!!
February 18, 2011: Wedding ceremony in Shiyan!!!
April 22, 2011: Mailed I-130 to Chicago
April 28, 2011: Received NOA1 via text/email, file routed to CSC (priority date April 25th)
April 29, 2011: Updated
May 3, 2011: Received NOA1 hardcopy in mail
July 26, 2011: Received NOA2 via text/email!!!
July 30, 2011: Received NOA2 hardcopy in mail
August 8, 2011: NVC received file
September 1, 2011: NVC case number assigned
September 2, 2011: AOS invoice received, OPTIN email for EP sent
September 7, 2011: Paid AOS bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 9, 2011)
September 8, 2011: OPTIN email accepted, GZO number assigned
September 10, 2011: Emailed AOS package
September 12, 2011: IV bill invoiced
September 13, 2011: Paid IV bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 14, 2011)
September 14, 2011: Emailed IV package
October 3, 2011: Emailed checklist response (checklist generated due to typo on Form DS-230)
October 6, 2011: Case complete at NVC
November 10, 2011: Interview - APPROVED!!!
December 7, 2011: POE - Sea-Tac Airport

September 17, 2013: Mailed I-751 to CSC

September 23, 2013: Received NOA1 in mail (receipt date September 19th)

October 16, 2013: Biometrics Appointment

January 28, 2014: Production of new Green Card ordered

February 3, 2014: New Green Card received; done with USCIS until fall of 2023*

December 18, 2023:  Filed I-90 to renew Green Card

December 21, 2023:  Production of new Green Card ordered - will be seeing USCIS again every 10 years for renewal

 

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