temporary visa for spouse of u.s. citizen

[amberruth 0]

Hello, I'm an American citizen living in Italy and would like to return to the States for a few years to go to university and to bring my UK spouse. We do not want to get him a permanent residency as we will leave again after a few years. I've looked and looked online and can't find anything in between a three month tourist visa and the permanent residency. I find it very strange and frustrating. If I was not an American citizen I could get him a temporary student visa along with my own. Is there maybe a visa I'm missing? Thanks.

[hikergirl 277]

No, there is nothing.

If you want your spouse to live with you in the US you have to do the immigration thing.

The guides on VJ will show you how to go about it.

Good luck.

[Asia 2,491]

If she's an UK citizen, she can go to the US using VWP.

But the visin can last for 90 days only. And during a year she should spend more time in the UK than in the US.

Maybe you could consider sponsoring her for CR1 visa.

Then she could stay with you in the US (you said you will be there for a couple of years), and after 3 years of being LPR, she could apply for the US citizenship and she won't have to worry about the whole process ever again.

Edited January 9, 2013 by Asia

[Darnell 8,478]

with the length o time in the USA that you want,

a better choice would be chasing an immigrant visa.

If you've lived in Italy more than 6 months, you can file Directly with the USCIS office in Naples - no need to send a stack o paperwork to the USA.