starting the long process for the sake of true love

[brian@alejandra 20]

In june of this year I met a wonderful woman on a on-line dating site. even though it was not for international dating, she lives in mexico.

I think she is perfect, she is everything I also knew I wanted in a wife.

I have now traveled to mexico and meet her in person and we are ready to get started! I would like to thank you for your help and advise in advance.

She wants to hire an attorney to handle this for us, I think we can do it ourselves. I know an attorney may be the best solution but the ones I have contacted want $1500 to start the case. If I need to pay this much it will delay us by about 2 months.

We have several things we are worried about before we get started.

A few details for your information at this time.

I went to mexico 9\19-9/22, I have receipts and pics, and of course my pass port stamps.

I earn about 38,000 a year, I have 2 kids, the oldest will be 18 in 7 months and no longer considered my dependent.

She has two kids who will be our dependents, they are US born and live with her in mexico at this time.

Neither of us has a criminal record that would effect this, I do have charges from over 20 years ago, but nothing major, and nothing listed as a problem.

She lived in the US on a tourist visa until it expired and moved back to mexico.

when her mom applied for her original tourist visa she was a minor, her last name on that visa was Cedillo Almanza, her moms name because her dad did not live with them.

After some time her dad added his name to her birth certificate but her mom never changed her name on the visa. she entered the US as Alejandra Cedillo Almanza, now she uses the name Alejandra Andrade Cedillo.

while living in the US she applied for and received a South Carolina drivers license, she thinks she didn't have the right to have one because she was only on a tourist visa, not a resident.

In 2004 her visa was stolen, she never reported it to the embassy but did file police report.

lastly, her mom is in the US illegally now, she does not want her to have problems with immigration because of us.

Will any of this be problems or cause us not be able to get her here?

Thanks again for your help, I would be lost with out good people like you.

[Pitaya 2,577]

In june of this year I met a wonderful woman on a on-line dating site. even though it was not for international dating, she lives in mexico.

I think she is perfect, she is everything I also knew I wanted in a wife.

I have now traveled to mexico and meet her in person and we are ready to get started! I would like to thank you for your help and advise in advance.

She wants to hire an attorney to handle this for us, I think we can do it ourselves. I know an attorney may be the best solution but the ones I have contacted want $1500 to start the case. If I need to pay this much it will delay us by about 2 months.

We have several things we are worried about before we get started.

A few details for your information at this time.

I went to mexico 9\19-9/22, I have receipts and pics, and of course my pass port stamps.

I earn about 38,000 a year, I have 2 kids, the oldest will be 18 in 7 months and no longer considered my dependent.

She has two kids who will be our dependents, they are US born and live with her in mexico at this time.

Neither of us has a criminal record that would effect this, I do have charges from over 20 years ago, but nothing major, and nothing listed as a problem.

She lived in the US on a tourist visa until it expired and moved back to mexico.

when her mom applied for her original tourist visa she was a minor, her last name on that visa was Cedillo Almanza, her moms name because her dad did not live with them.

After some time her dad added his name to her birth certificate but her mom never changed her name on the visa. she entered the US as Alejandra Cedillo Almanza, now she uses the name Alejandra Andrade Cedillo.

while living in the US she applied for and received a South Carolina drivers license, she thinks she didn't have the right to have one because she was only on a tourist visa, not a resident.

In 2004 her visa was stolen, she never reported it to the embassy but did file police report.

lastly, her mom is in the US illegally now, she does not want her to have problems with immigration because of us.

Will any of this be problems or cause us not be able to get her here?

Thanks again for your help, I would be lost with out good people like you.

Welcome to the forum. This is a DIY site for many types of visas.

They can be easily accessed by hitting the "Guides" button at the top of the forum page. After reading the guides, and gaining an introductory knowledge of the various visa requirements and requisite documentation, Then you will be able to answer some of your questions and have the ability to formulate some more questions about your specific visa journey.

Good luck on your visa journey.

[Anh map 2,098]

No one is allowed to live in the US on a tourist visa. So you've got some more info gathering to do before you start so that you are aware of any potential bans to US entry that may be in place.

How long was she living in the US? At what age did she enter? What age did she leave the US?

[brian@alejandra 20]

No one is allowed to live in the US on a tourist visa. So you've got some more info gathering to do before you start so that you are aware of any potential bans to US entry that may be in place.

How long was she living in the US? At what age did she enter? What age did she leave the US?

I sent her a message asking her about this, ill cut and past her reply----

I beleive that the first time I entered the US was when I was 1 year old

I enteres the US several times and stayed for years

the last time I entered was in 2004 I beleive and left on 2009

[Anh map 2,098]

I sent her a message asking her about this, ill cut and past her reply----

I beleive that the first time I entered the US was when I was 1 year old

I enteres the US several times and stayed for years

the last time I entered was in 2004 I beleive and left on 2009

she's likely got some overstay and resulting ban. That will require a waiver.

Attorney Laurel Scott is well regarded by many VJ members. Especially when a waiver is needed. She has free weekly online chats. It may be worthwhile to do a google search and find out when the next chat will be held.

[Laura&Nando 6]

I sent her a message asking her about this, ill cut and past her reply----

I beleive that the first time I entered the US was when I was 1 year old

I enteres the US several times and stayed for years

the last time I entered was in 2004 I beleive and left on 2009

If she was a child when she overstayed tourist visas, there's generally some more leniency since she was a minor and not in control of her circumstances. Time and time again VJers stress the importance of HONESTY with USCIS. The can find out ANYTHING if they put their minds to it, it's better to be honest and upfront about things. As another commenter said, I believe your wife can apply for a waiver regarding overstays of past visas.

I am not sure about the whole name thing. My husband is Ecuadorian, so he's got the whole two-last-names things. From what the officer told us at our residency interview, the name on your visa (remember this is a NEW one she's getting now) must match the name on your passport. If name change has happened, you will document that in the biographical form (G-325A I think). You can also write an appendix to that document explaining what you told us about the father and names and why the name may be different between the birth certificate and her passport. Make sure it's very clear. That same goes for her stolen visa. Write a letter explaining when it was stolen, what actions she took, and that she failed to report it to USCIS for whatever reason.

As far as her mother, I seriously doubt that her status will be affected by your marriage. The only time parents come into the equation would be on the biographical form. There, your fiance would write her mothers name and city/town and country of residence. Here a white lie might be ok - you could write "unknown." The purpose of this section is to make sure that you two are not related.

[brian@alejandra 20]

I willbe talking to Alejandra more about her past trips to the US, and the need for waivers, I thank everyone for their help, if anyone has any thing to add please post, I need all the help you can give and i am so thankful for your time.

[C-ma'am 684]

she's likely got some overstay and resulting ban. That will require a waiver.

Attorney Laurel Scott is well regarded by many VJ members. Especially when a waiver is needed. She has free weekly online chats. It may be worthwhile to do a google search and find out when the next chat will be held.

Please consider the information provided by Ahn map, as your case seems to have a couple twists and turns