When can we move back to Europe?

[Schroeky 6]

I am from the UK, I have been married on a K1 visa for sixteen months, my husband and I are tentatively talking about a move to Europe. How long will we have to wait to do this without compromising my American visa status?

I am presuming I would have to be a citizen which will mean I have to stick around for at least five years.

Will he have more rights as my husband if we move to Europe or will he have to undergo a similarly expensive and time consuming process?

Sorry, I'm really just at the beginning of my research, any advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

[N-o-l-a 7,168]

I am from the UK, I have been married on a K1 visa for sixteen months, my husband and I are tentatively talking about a move to Europe. How long will we have to wait to do this without compromising my American visa status?

I am presuming I would have to be a citizen which will mean I have to stick around for at least five years.

Will he have more rights as my husband if we move to Europe or will he have to undergo a similarly expensive and time consuming process?

Sorry, I'm really just at the beginning of my research, any advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

As a British/American living in Denmark - I'll tell you that many Americans are not cut out for long term stay in Britain or many places in Europe. Be sure he is ready for the weather, the bureaucracy, and the lack of many freedoms that Americans take for granted (having a huge car, complete free speech, and being able to own a gun). It is hard and the weather really does get to you. I had a meltdown today in search of some sunshine. I hate hate hate being a foreign wife in Denmark and my mother hated being a foreign wife in England...but to each their own. I crave diverse landscapes, cheap gas, supermarket selection, and just about everything else.

To be honest, I think it is much easier to be a foreign spouse in America than the other way around.

You will need to be naturalized (i.e. a citizen) if you want to move away for an extended period and then return.

[Penguin_ie 6,002]

*** Moving from K1 fiance visa to Travelling During US immigration ***

You can become a US citizen 3 years after you got your greencard, assuming you are still married to the same USC. This would be your best option, and only just over 1.5 years away for you.

In terms of his right as your husband, it would depend where in Europe you move to.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Agree with Penguin. 3 year from being an LPR you can apply for USC. It's 5 if you're no longer with our USC spouse.

[jaycali 415]

If you were to move to the UK, yes he'd have to go through a similar process to get residency there.

[Harpa Timsah 13,260]

Actually the UK process is much worse and would probably involve lengthy separation. There is a pinned thread about it in the Uk forum.

[Ulmus 4]

As a British/American living in Denmark - I'll tell you that many Americans are not cut out for long term stay in Britain or many places in Europe. Be sure he is ready for the weather, the bureaucracy, and the lack of many freedoms that Americans take for granted (having a huge car, complete free speech, and being able to own a gun). It is hard and the weather really does get to you. I had a meltdown today in search of some sunshine. I hate hate hate being a foreign wife in Denmark and my mother hated being a foreign wife in England...but to each their own. I crave diverse landscapes, cheap gas, supermarket selection, and just about everything else.

To be honest, I think it is much easier to be a foreign spouse in America than the other way around.

You will need to be naturalized (i.e. a citizen) if you want to move away for an extended period and then return.

Not that it's relevant to this discussion but since when doesn't Denmark have free speech? Or any of the countries western Europe for that matter?

[N-o-l-a 7,168]

Not that it's relevant to this discussion but since when doesn't Denmark have free speech? Or any of the countries western Europe for that matter?

Since when there are things that you can't say in England without legal action, when you can say such things freely in America. Not that normal people want to say such mean/horrible things, but it flies right in the face of "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

Denmark has quite a bit of free speech, almost as on par with America. It is good that it does and that my Dane has similar values otherwise I don't think we could be together.

[Harpa Timsah 13,260]

Not that it's relevant to this discussion but since when doesn't Denmark have free speech? Or any of the countries western Europe for that matter?

UK doesn't have complete free speech, known fact. That's why there is Speaker's Corner.

[jaycali 415]

Not that it's relevant to this discussion but since when doesn't Denmark have free speech? Or any of the countries western Europe for that matter?

I don't know about Denmark, but I highly doubt it will ever be legal to stand next to a funeral holding a sign saying "thank God for your son's death" in Europe any time soon (Westboro Baptist Church does this on a regular basis but has been banned from most of Europe).

Ever heard of the Swedish pastor Åke Green? Was arrested and prosecuted for speaking against homosexuality (Eventually acquitted though)

[Ulmus 4]

I don't know about Denmark, but I highly doubt it will ever be legal to stand next to a funeral holding a sign saying "thank God for your son's death" in Europe any time soon (Westboro Baptist Church does this on a regular basis but has been banned from most of Europe).

Ever heard of the Swedish pastor Åke Green? Was arrested and prosecuted for speaking against homosexuality (Eventually acquitted though)

Åke Green practiced hate-speech in a public forum, which is illegal in Sweden just like it is illegal to say "All americans/muslims/christians/asians/whatever are idiots and should die". There is no such thing as complete free speech in any country, there are always limits to what you can say. In the US you would get sued if you said whatever you pleased. I am not arguing the UK might be even more restrictive, it very well might be.

[N-o-l-a 7,168]

Åke Green practiced hate-speech in a public forum, which is illegal in Sweden just like it is illegal to say "All americans/muslims/christians/asians/whatever are idiots and should die". There is no such thing as complete free speech in any country, there are always limits to what you can say. In the US you would get sued if you said whatever you pleased. I am not arguing the UK might be even more restrictive, it very well might be.

Sued, but not arrested and the person would have to prove libel or something (which you can not do with hate speech). You can't get arrested in the US for thought crimes, which is in essence what you are speaking of. A person in America is allowed to hate gays/Muslims/blond haired women/ anything else they want and speak to that hatred. It always surprises me when people are immigrating and don't understand this basic of American values. I don't care if someone next to me is yelling "Pagans are awful, an abomination, and will burn in hell fire - they should be stricken from the Earth." I'll still defend his right to say it without consequence. I've actually been to a lot of different mosques, churches, and synagogues (which is a long story) but I have heard gays bashed, people who engage in pre-marital sex, and Palestinians basically reamed over the fire. Their church, their ideas, and their right to say it, no? Should the government arrest them for it? Who is the government to say what kind of speech is ok and what is not?

There is however two exceptions: the falsely yelling "Fire" in a theater and telling another that you will kill/injure them or instructing a person to kill/injure another. I don't necessarily agree with these limitations to free speech, but I see that there are cases in which you would want to prosecute someone for yelling "fire" and causing a stampede that resulted in death.

My husband actually tried this argument on me last night - it fails.

Edited November 20, 2012 by Nola123

[Ulmus 4]

Sued, but not arrested and the person would have to prove libel or something (which you can not do with hate speech). You can't get arrested in the US for thought crimes, which is in essence what you are speaking of. A person in America is allowed to hate gays/Muslims/blond haired women/ anything else they want and speak to that hatred. It always surprises me when people are immigrating and don't understand this basic of American values. I don't care if someone next to me is yelling "Pagans are awful, an abomination, and will burn in hell fire - they should be stricken from the Earth." I'll still defend his right to say it without consequence. I've actually been to a lot of different mosques, churches, and synagogues (which is a long story) but I have heard gays bashed, people who engage in pre-marital sex, and Palestinians basically reamed over the fire. Their church, their ideas, and their right to say it, no? Should the government arrest them for it? Who is the government to say what kind of speech is ok and what is not?

There is however two exceptions: the falsely yelling "Fire" in a theater and telling another that you will kill/injure them or instructing a person to kill/injure another. I don't necessarily agree with these limitations to free speech, but I see that there are cases in which you would want to prosecute someone for yelling "fire" and causing a stampede that resulted in death.

My husband actually tried this argument on me last night - it fails.

Either you didn't read what I said correctly or you are choosing to misinterpret. I said "there are always limits to what you can say" which you just said that there are even in the US. I do understand that the US free speech is more "free" than what Sweden's/Britain's/Denmark's free speech is and I do understand, as you said, hate speech is not limited there. There are still limits to it. There have been cases in the US where people have made speeches admonishing people to commit crimes (killing, rioting, etc) where they have been prosecuted for it. So please don't tell me that you can say whatever you want in the states, cause that would be a lie.

I am very much in favor of free speech so don't get me wrong, all I said was that free speech is free speech as long as you stay within certain boundaries.

Ps. There is also a HUGE difference between thought crimes and actual crime, but that is a different discussion.

[Krikit 1,166]

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