British citizen marrying US citizen

[london0502 0]

I'm a 23 year old British citizen, born in London, UK, and I've known and been with my fiance for 11 months now. She is from Georgia, USA, born and bred. I have visited her twice so far with intentions of visiting again just to visit in the summer this year.

Our love for each other is immensely strong, and the distance is tearing us apart emotionally.

I have never been one to do anything illegal, and we plan to legally marry in the United States by the end of the year.

But there are a few things I'm unsure about...

Could I marry on my VWP? Then apply for a Greencard in the USA whilst still on my 90 day VWP? Or is that frowned upon?

Would it be best to apply for a fiance visa? If so do I do that in the USA or here in the UK? Plus how long would it take to obtain one? (is it difficult)

What are my best options for being with the love of my life?

She would fly here to the UK if only she didn't have college to complete, plus it's better for her to continue her career over there as she's also a part-time model with a good reputation in Atlanta.

I am from a middle class family, with enough money to support my visa application if any or any fees by lawyers if needed.

[cathy2904 97]

Yes, you can marry on the VWP. Yes, your wife can submit the I130 petition while you are still visiting. You will however have to return to the UK before the end of the 90 day period to complete the process. You can continue to make visits during the process but you should always carry evidence of your ties to the UK showing that you intend to return at the end of your visit.

[bdrew612 1,071]

The fiancee visas are moving much faster than the spousal visas. I filed an I-130 for my husband in September 2013, still waiting for approval. People who filed fiancee visas at the same time have been approved and are in the States already.

[D&Wontheroad 3]

I'm a 23 year old British citizen, born in London, UK, and I've known and been with my fiance for 11 months now. She is from Georgia, USA, born and bred. I have visited her twice so far with intentions of visiting again just to visit in the summer this year.

Our love for each other is immensely strong, and the distance is tearing us apart emotionally.

I have never been one to do anything illegal, and we plan to legally marry in the United States by the end of the year.

But there are a few things I'm unsure about...

Could I marry on my VWP? Then apply for a Greencard in the USA whilst still on my 90 day VWP? Or is that frowned upon?

Would it be best to apply for a fiance visa? If so do I do that in the USA or here in the UK? Plus how long would it take to obtain one? (is it difficult)

What are my best options for being with the love of my life?

She would fly here to the UK if only she didn't have college to complete, plus it's better for her to continue her career over there as she's also a part-time model with a good reputation in Atlanta.

I am from a middle class family, with enough money to support my visa application if any or any fees by lawyers if needed.

Hi there!

Some exciting steps you two will be making, but just make sure you are well informed about what you are doing.

Techinically, yes you can marry on the VWP, however when you enter the country on a VWP with the "intent to marry" that is illigal. There are people who do it, and then it is mostly a spur of the moment thing (or they make it look like that) and are successful, but I believe there are an equal amount of stories that as soon as you are adjusting your status for the greencard, you are "caught" with your intention to marry when coming into the country and that would result in a deportation and a multi year long ban from entering the USA on any visa type. Also bear in mind that when you marry, untill you get your greencard (which can take easily up to a year) you have no work permit and are not allowed to leave the country as you have a pending immigration status. I would say this is risky business.. but all up to your own choice.

Applying for a K-1 visa is the most straight forward and also mostly "following the books". The process takes a while and I wouldnt start planning on a big wedding yet, just because the time frame is so unpredictable.. you could have your visa in hand by 5 months with some luck or it could take over a year with some bad luck.

You do mention your fiance is still in college, in order to apply for the visa she needs to make 125% above poverty level, to support a family of 2. Many times for students thats a bit difficult, so you might need to find a co-sponsor (her parents?) in the US, pending on your fiance's financial situation.

Hope it helps a bit!

Good luck in the process whichever road you decide to take and to the both of you in the future.

[D&Wontheroad 3]

Techinically, yes you can marry on the VWP, however when you enter the country on a VWP with the "intent to marry" that is illigal. There are people who do it, and then it is mostly a spur of the

Correction on myself there

Techinically, yes you can marry on the VWP, however when you enter the country on a VWP with the "intent to marry AND TO STAY IN THE USA" that is illigal. There are people who do it, and then it is mostly a spur of the...

[SparklePony 238]

Could I marry on my VWP? Then apply for a Greencard in the USA whilst still on my 90 day VWP? Or is that frowned upon?

Technically you can, but it is not advisable. Basically, when you enter the US on the VWP, you're saying you are entering as a tourist who will return to his home country. So, you either lie at the POE when you get asked what your visit's intent is - and that is illegal - or you say what your true intentions are and you risk getting denied entry and sent back to London. So, while possible, it is definitely frowned upon and can be considered visa fraud.

Would it be best to apply for a fiance visa? If so do I do that in the USA or here in the UK? Plus how long would it take to obtain one? (is it difficult)

I think a fiance visa, at this time, is the best option. It is done in a two step process: first, the US citizen sends a petition to USCIS; once that gets approved, the case is sent to the London Embassy, where you can then apply for a K1 visa. There is a wealth of information on here in the Guides - do check them out. As for how long, no one can guess as some have been able to obtain their visas in less than 5 months, others in more than a year. Again, the Guides will provide more information on this. Generally speaking though, fiance visas are moving faster than spousal visas, so that is one thing to bear in mind when choosing what to do. And no, it's generally not difficult. Following the guidelines and tips on here, you can do this by yourselves.

What are my best options for being with the love of my life?

It really depends. Do your research on fiance vs. spousal visas and make your choice - no one can do that for you.

She would fly here to the UK if only she didn't have college to complete, plus it's better for her to continue her career over there as she's also a part-time model with a good reputation in Atlanta.

I am from a middle class family, with enough money to support my visa application if any or any fees by lawyers if needed.

On your research, look into the Affidavits of Support and what they entail. Also, there is some great info on the London Embassy on here, so study that as well. Money is important, and it's important that you both take finances into account when making your choice.

Good luck!