My story. Advice needed.

[LemonShortbread 0]

Hello!

My name is Lee and I am a first time poster. I am 19 and I have a girlfriend in Virginia. I've known her since I was 11, and we have been dating for 51 months. In those 51 months I have managed to visit her in the USA 9 times. I've arrived via IAD twice, and the rest have been a combination of ATL and DTW. As I visited her for the first time when I was 15 at IAD. I got through fine. The second time, my Mother was with me to meet my girlfriend and her mother in person. That went completely fine. The remaining times, I have been asked the usual questions and I got through fine every time. Only one of those times was I taken to an interview room, but I was gone in under 5 minutes.

One thing I am always worried about is being turned away.

In 2 weeks, I am beginning a 4 year course at university. I intend to move to the USA as soon as it's over. However, there may be an opportunity for me to do a Masters degree and delay moving.

As far as I understand, the visa for me is the K-1. I have also looked at the I-129f form.

When do you think would be the best time to apply? Can I apply for it, get married there and remain in the UK until my studies are finished?

I'd love to speak with someone from the UK whom has experienced this.

I've looked stuff up about this a long time ago, and I decided today to resume it. That's when I found this forum.

I am very excited to find out more. I have already read a lot about this.

I was thinking about looking at immigration lawyers, but I'm sure I wouldn't need to get one as this seems like a very helpful place.

I could swear that I read somewhere that the age for applying is 21, but I haven't seen that this time.

I'd also like some clarity about what happens after the Marriage (regarding AOS).

I'd like to thank you if you took the time to read this!

Lee.

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

There is nothing you can do until about a year before you intend to move; both the K1 fiance and the CR-1 spousal visa are for those who want to immigrate to the USA when they get the visa. For now, you can continue visiting.

For your process questions, check out our guides: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

[QueenE 174]

Are you two going to be travelling in the meantime to see each other?

[LemonShortbread 0]

Are you two going to be travelling in the meantime to see each other?

Yes. We aim for two visits a year.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Finish school first, then consider marriage. In the meantime, you both are free to travel to visit the other.

[Que Saudade 284]

When do you think would be the best time to apply? Can I apply for it, get married there and remain in the UK until my studies are finished?

The best time to apply is when you decide what you are going to do. There are certain time issues to deal with. Ideally within a year of when you plan to marry.

You don't start the process, the US citizen starts with the I-129F petition. No you can not apply for it and remain there to finish studies. K1 Visa is only valid for so long. Even if you entered on K1 then got married and went back to school, you would have domicile issues to deal with. However, you CAN get married and you stay there in UK to finish your studies, then when you are ready to move to US to be with your spouse, you guys would start the process then by filing for CR1.

I was thinking about looking at immigration lawyers,

Not needed for normal cases

I could swear that I read somewhere that the age for applying is 21, but I haven't seen that this time.

Your fiancé and you have to be of legal age to marry. It is in the I-129F instructions

I'd also like some clarity about what happens after the Marriage (regarding AOS).

If you go K1 route and then get married within 90 days of your arrival, you would then file AOS

K1 AOS Guide

Hope this helps you

Edited September 4, 2012 by Que Saudade

[Xanax 349]

It seems you should be looking at this in about 3 years time.

Both the K-1 and CR-1 visa take 6-12 months to be completed and it is then assumed you will live in the US.

If you plan to stay in the UK and your fiancee plans to stay in the US then continue to visit and revisit these options when you plan to live together.

[LemonShortbread 0]

I'm very gracious for the replies I have had.

I'm very excited, I can't wait to start paying all this money out

It will all be worth it in the end. It sounds like it will be stressing though!

At least in that time, I will have a chance to save up some money.

What are good things for proof of meeting?

I have every plane ticket, a frequent flyer card, movie ticket stubs, a ticket for a ski slope which is visible in a picture of us together (attached to coat), hundreds if not thousands of photos (plenty of different time periods too such as Christmas, Summer, and Easter), and also signed and dated letters from my parents when I travelled aged under 18 (dates will coincide with pictures and plane tickets).

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I'm very gracious for the replies I have had.

I'm very excited, I can't wait to start paying all this money out

It will all be worth it in the end. It sounds like it will be stressing though!

At least in that time, I will have a chance to save up some money.

What are good things for proof of meeting?

I have every plane ticket, a frequent flyer card, movie ticket stubs, a ticket for a ski slope which is visible in a picture of us together (attached to coat), hundreds if not thousands of photos (plenty of different time periods too such as Christmas, Summer, and Easter), and also signed and dated letters from my parents when I travelled aged under 18 (dates will coincide with pictures and plane tickets).

Most of that stuff won't be of any use for the petition because it's too old. You only have to prove you've met sometime in the past two years. Boarding passes, receipts, and photos from some recent trips would be enough for the petition. If you enter with a visa and have any stamps in your passport then that would also be useful, but most people from the UK use ESTA and the Visa Waiver Program, which doesn't produce any paper evidence. Some people who are dealing with particularly difficult consulates will overstuff the petition package with carefully selected evidence, a process known as "frontloading". I've never heard of this being needed, or even particularly useful with immigrants from the UK.

When you're ready to file then come back here and read the K1 guides, then download the current forms and instructions from the USCIS website and carefully read the instructions for each form.

[Xanax 349]

Most of that stuff won't be of any use for the petition because it's too old. You only have to prove you've met sometime in the past two years. Boarding passes, receipts, and photos from some recent trips would be enough for the petition. If you enter with a visa and have any stamps in your passport then that would also be useful, but most people from the UK use ESTA and the Visa Waiver Program, which doesn't produce any paper evidence. Some people who are dealing with particularly difficult consulates will overstuff the petition package with carefully selected evidence, a process known as "frontloading". I've never heard of this being needed, or even particularly useful with immigrants from the UK.

When you're ready to file then come back here and read the K1 guides, then download the current forms and instructions from the USCIS website and carefully read the instructions for each form.

You have paper evidence in the form of a stamp in your passport. You can copy and print the pages that show when you were admitted and left

[LemonShortbread 0]

You have paper evidence in the form of a stamp in your passport. You can copy and print the pages that show when you were admitted and left

Yeah, I have 9 of those, and surely if I give them my ESTA numbers, they can look me up on their databases...?

Will they really not accept anything before the two years, I would have thought that would be better evidence.

When you submit evidence, do you get it back?

[Shiobhan 235]

I'd say continue to visit each other, keep all evidences, get married on either side of the atlantic, have fun, continue to focus on your educations & the last yr before U finishes University she petition you, when U enter as LPR U go straight to

work with degrees under your belts and savings, You should be approved easily....K1 visa you would have to live here. Good luck

[AFD 2]

this is advice for when you are ready to get married. you don't need to go to the US on a fiance visa and then adjust status, wait for your work permit etc. (it seems to me to be the more convoluted and expensive route). when you are ready to be married, you can get married in the UK and then apply directly for a spouse visa, which will entitle you to a green card and for which you won't have to adjust status. if you get married in the UK and apply for a spouse visa, it'll be some five to eight months to obtain the visa and you'll have to prove that your relationship is legitimate even if you're not living together (you may also use sworn affidavits from family and friends at that time, commingling of finances--joint bank account--, email traffic and phone records, anything you have). you'll need to apply for the spouse visa when you know you are ready to emigrate to the states because it's only valid six months, so add the six months to the processing time and you'll know when to apply. if you will have been married less than two years at the time you get the visa, you'll get a conditional green card which will turn into a regular one once you reach your two-year anniversary (meaning you have to submit an application--and pay--to remove conditions once you've been married 21 months). if you will have been married for two years at the time you get the visa, you won't have to remove conditions; your green card will be a regular one (this was our case, but we lived together, outside the US, over two years after we were married).

i didn't get the evidence i submitted back, so make sure you keep copies...

oh and good luck with school and with your sweetheart

[Xanax 349]

Yeah, I have 9 of those, and surely if I give them my ESTA numbers, they can look me up on their databases...?

Will they really not accept anything before the two years, I would have thought that would be better evidence.

When you submit evidence, do you get it back?

I don't think you get it back (could be wrong). Send copies not originals.

[LemonShortbread 0]

I don't think you get it back (could be wrong). Send copies not originals.

I can get that done easily.

In regards to something like Chat logs... How many would be appropriate, and about what? Me and my GF really lack chat logs as we Skype most of the time...