Engaged to US Citizen

[FitnessFocus 0]

I am a British Citizen who recently got engaged to an American.

I started going over to the US in February of last year at a friends and spent the course of a couple 90 day periods building my fitness modeling portfolio in Los Angeles.

During my last stay, I met the most amazing and beautiful girl through other friends in the fitness industry. We set up a date and hit it off right away.

We were inseperable since then. We spent the remaining month of mine spending every moment together. We went and stayed at a lodge in Yosemite, stayed at a beautiful hotel in San Diego, and I went and spent Christmas with her family in Seattle.

After I had to go back, we made plans for her to visit Europe and Britain (where my family is). We went to London, Stratford, Ireland, and Paris.

I also have 100's of emails (one long one a day) that I had sent to her while back in England. We also skyped in the morning and evening, despite the 8 hour time difference.

I proposed to her at a castle in Stratford on a beautiful afternoon with the sun out and swans going by, and we both went back over to America, planning the wedding with her and her family.

Here is the thing:

I am currently spending the next few months here in the US with my Fiance' before going back home in July and then flying out before the wedding

We have a wedding date set for 4 months from now in Seattle, US

We have family booking flights for that date.

We have the videographer, photographer, cake server, venue, receiption, DJ, etc.

We thought we could get married and then file the papers but obviously with the k1 that isn't the case. We also didn't know it took 4-7 months to process.. Which obviously is an issue for us with a wedding date set for 4 months from now.

Basically, we could use any information possible to help us get the process started so that we can still have our wedding and I can move over and become a real husband and wife.

Edited April 1, 2009 by FitnessFocus

[GueraKristina 1]

You can always do the k3, get married and then do the paperwork. I didn the k1 and those that i have seen post say that it is easier than the k3, but it sounds like that probably isnt a convenient option for you, so you might want to do the k3 route. good luck, and conrats.

[FitnessFocus 0]

You can always do the k3, get married and then do the paperwork. I didn the k1 and those that i have seen post say that it is easier than the k3, but it sounds like that probably isnt a convenient option for you, so you might want to do the k3 route. good luck, and conrats.

Thank you! I'm very excited, just exploding from taking in so much information.. And thanks very much for the quick reply - much appreciated.

[Danu 19]

K3 would probably be your best bet, as then you can get married and file, but you must leave the country at some point (when your VWP time is up for example) and make sure you don't overstay. Staying in the US after your wedding would be viewed as fraud as you are going with the intent to marry, so just make sure that when you are coming you bring lots of stuff that shows you are going back after (rental agreements, utilities, loans, employment letters etc) just incase they ask you at the PoE, because you definately want to be truthful with them if they ask (don't volunteer if they dont though!) so that you don't have any blemishes on your immigration record that may make them look longer at your application. Hope this helps a bit.

[Anh map 2,098]

Entering on a tourist / business visa with the intention of marrying and staying is visa fraud. So becareful of how you proceed. Don't do anything that would create a roadblock for the two of you.

Look at CR/IR-1. That way saves overall money and the immigrant has a green card upon arrival.

Best of luck

[Dakine 26]

If you marry go for the CR-1 as K3s are basically dinosaurs at this time. CR-1s are cheaper, better and easier than a K3.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

I am a British Citizen who recently got engaged to an American.

I started going over to the US in February of last year at a friends and spent the course of a couple 90 day periods building my fitness modeling portfolio in Los Angeles.

During my last stay, I met the most amazing and beautiful girl through other friends in the fitness industry. We set up a date and hit it off right away.

We were inseperable since then. We spent the remaining month of mine spending every moment together. We went and stayed at a lodge in Yosemite, stayed at a beautiful hotel in San Diego, and I went and spent Christmas with her family in Seattle.

After I had to go back, we made plans for her to visit Europe and Britain (where my family is). We went to London, Stratford, Ireland, and Paris.

I also have 100's of emails (one long one a day) that I had sent to her while back in England. We also skyped in the morning and evening, despite the 8 hour time difference.

I proposed to her at a castle in Stratford on a beautiful afternoon with the sun out and swans going by, and we both went back over to America, planning the wedding with her and her family.

Here is the thing:

I am currently spending the next few months here in the US with my Fiance' before going back home in July and then flying out before the wedding

We have a wedding date set for 4 months from now in Seattle, US

We have family booking flights for that date.

We have the videographer, photographer, cake server, venue, receiption, DJ, etc.

We thought we could get married and then file the papers but obviously with the k1 that isn't the case. We also didn't know it took 4-7 months to process.. Which obviously is an issue for us with a wedding date set for 4 months from now.

Basically, we could use any information possible to help us get the process started so that we can still have our wedding and I can move over and become a real husband and wife.

If you will be getting married in July, you will be doing the K-3 spousal visa which takes longer than the K-1, but is less of a "rush" once you arrive. Depends. How quickly you want to be TOGETHER as opposed to how quickly you want to be married. You can be married today and do the K-3 and plan on waiting in England as long or longer than a K-1. OR apply for a K-1, get her sooner and then get married. You can put aside any plans of (legally) getting married and moving to the USA in July of this year.

[baron555 934]

I think you have to be married first, before you file the K-3 petition.

So if you go ahead with the wedding in July, you have to wait until then to file and then the K-3 approvals are typcially running longer than the K-1s.

If your goal is to get together as quickly as possible, then file the K-1 now and hold off on the wedding until that is approved.

You can still meet up with each other during the process as long as you have bonafide proof that you will return to your country when you come here to visit.