US permanent resident to marry EU citizen

[US-DK 2]

She doesn't need to be in the country, but she should have someone check her mail in case there is an RFE (request for evidence) or something. Also, if she stays abroad with you, you will probably need a co-sponsor. Also, your timeline estimate on the K1 visa is a bit optimistic; while 6 months is possible, 8-10 months is more common.

Since you decided to go the K1 (fiance visa) route, I recommend you ask further questions in a new thread in the K1 forum.

Thank you very much. I will ask all further questions in the right forum. Just one last thing... I just need a co-sponsor if she stays abroad with me right? The plan is for us to live together in the US as soon as we can, so out of the 8-10 months for the K-1, she would probably only stay in Denmark for 3, and then me in the US for a month at some point too.

[Penguin_ie 6,000]

Sure, as long as she has a stable job and a few months' paystubs by interview, that should be fine.

[US-DK 2]

Sure, as long as she has a stable job and a few months' paystubs by interview, that should be fine.

What does she need that for?

[Penguin_ie 6,000]

To prove she makes enough money to support you.

[US-DK 2]

To prove she makes enough money to support you.

Oh. Well I've actually been taking care of the both of us for a while now. I don't have a lot, but I get a small but steady income regardless of where in the world I live. Shouldn't that be enough?

Edited October 17, 2011 by US-DK

[Penguin_ie 6,000]

With a K1 that will probably be a problem, but check with your embassy. It's the USC who is the visa sponsor and is supposed to be able to support you. With a CR-1, the foreign beneficiary's income can be counted, if it continues from the same source once immigrated. The income level for two (assuming no kids or other dependants) is just under $19'000.

[US-DK 2]

With a K1 that will probably be a problem, but check with your embassy. It's the USC who is the visa sponsor and is supposed to be able to support you. With a CR-1, the foreign beneficiary's income can be counted, if it continues from the same source once immigrated. The income level for two (assuming no kids or other dependants) is just under $19'000.

Okay so a CR-1 might be a better option instead of the K-1. The difference seems to be that we will have to get married before that then, which makes this the right forum to ask the next question in

So once she becomes a US citizen, how do we get married then, so we can apply for the CR-1?

[US-DK 2]

With a K1 that will probably be a problem, but check with your embassy. It's the USC who is the visa sponsor and is supposed to be able to support you. With a CR-1, the foreign beneficiary's income can be counted, if it continues from the same source once immigrated. The income level for two (assuming no kids or other dependants) is just under $19'000.

Oh and I'm a bit above the $19000/year.

[Penguin_ie 6,000]

You can get married wherever you want- for example you could get married in the USA while you are on a visa waiver visit, as long as you leave when your 90 days are up. Or get married in your home country, or yet a third country (Carribean or whatever). As soon as you are married, she can petition for you- even while she is a greencard holder (in which case she'd upgrade the petition once she becomes a citizen).

You would need solid evidence that your income will continue in the USA. This may be difficult unless you are doing an intra-company transfer; for example, freelancers often have problems proving their income will continue, or self-employed that their income is stable. Again, your local embassy (depending on how helpful they want to be) can advice if your income is deemed ok/ sufficient.

[US-DK 2]

You can get married wherever you want- for example you could get married in the USA while you are on a visa waiver visit, as long as you leave when your 90 days are up. Or get married in your home country, or yet a third country (Carribean or whatever). As soon as you are married, she can petition for you- even while she is a greencard holder (in which case she'd upgrade the petition once she becomes a citizen).

You would need solid evidence that your income will continue in the USA. This may be difficult unless you are doing an intra-company transfer; for example, freelancers often have problems proving their income will continue, or self-employed that their income is stable. Again, your local embassy (depending on how helpful they want to be) can advice if your income is deemed ok/ sufficient.

Thank you so much for your help. I've already e-mail the US embassy in Denmark, so hopefully they will be able to answer that question for me. I guess my main concern is that if we get married, while she's applying for her naturalization, it might complicate things.

I find all this information very confusing, so thank goodness for this site Anyway... so we can just go to anyone who can marry us, and get married? Or does it need to be a specific place or type of place? I mean there's no doubt that's what we want to do, we're just trying to do it by the book, so we don't complicate things more than they are.

Edited October 17, 2011 by US-DK

[Penguin_ie 6,000]

It shouldn't complicate her naturalisation. If the marriage happens after her interview, she will need to bring the marriage cert to the oath ceremony.

You can get married anywhere where it is legal to get married- justice of the peace, registry office, church....

[US-DK 2]

It shouldn't complicate her naturalisation. If the marriage happens after her interview, she will need to bring the marriage cert to the oath ceremony.

You can get married anywhere where it is legal to get married- justice of the peace, registry office, church....

Okay. Thank you again so much!!

[Ryan H 3,893]

I've already e-mail the US embassy in Denmark, so hopefully they will be able to answer that question for me.

Just so you know, immigrant visas for beneficiaries from Denmark (as well as Norway and Sweden) are now all handled by the immigrant visa unit at the Embassy in Stockholm. You may want to direct your inquires to the IV unit there. However, what Penguin said still applies, it will depend on how helpful they want to be.

Source: US Embassy in Copenhagen - Important News regarding Immigrant Visas

[US-DK 2]

Just so you know, immigrant visas for beneficiaries from Denmark (as well as Norway and Sweden) are now all handled by the immigrant visa unit at the Embassy in Stockholm. You may want to direct your inquires to the IV unit there. However, what Penguin said still applies, it will depend on how helpful they want to be.

Source: US Embassy in Copenhagen - Important News regarding Immigrant Visas

Thank you. I already got a reply from the embassy in Denmark saying just that. I wrote the embassy in Sweden, and got a pdf with some information, but untimately they can't say until the time of a formal interview.