Bringing my Fiance, soon to be wife, to the States. Advice, guidance, direction..

[tylerf1667 0]

Hey everyone,

So Im almost 100% our story isnt unique, neither is our vision for our life, so any guidance, comments, help, assistance would be amazing.

My fiance and I are both living in Frankfurt, Germany right now. We both studied in Germany in 2010-11, where we met and we have been together since 2012. She is a British citizen, and I am a US citizen. We've been living together in Germany for the last 2,5 years bc it was much easier for me to acquire a visa to live in Germany than to live and work in the UK.

We've finally decided to make a move, and we'd like to relocate to the states. Its not a permanent solution, I simply would like for us to live around my family for a few years before we decide to move again, most likely to the UK.

We will be getting married in October in the UK, and we plan on then travelling to the states and setting up shop in Atlanta where I am originally from.

My question is, (and yes it is a hefty question): Could anyone pls give me some advice as to what route we should take to get her to the states.

I have begun filing the i130, I havent yet sent it off. I am looking into filing it here in Germany, but Im unsure as she is British if we have to do it through the US Embassy in London.

There are so many acronyms, visa types, and it seems like the labyrinth of applying is bigger than the one Theseus faced in defeating the Minotaur.

We will be married by the time we want to go to the states, but as of right now when we want to be applying we arent married.

Any advice would be amazing!!!! 1000x thanks in advance for any helpful comments!

tyler

[canadian_wife 1,823]

Advice #1 - you can't petition until you are married for the spousal visa

Advice #2 - you can't petition for a fiancé visa (which you could do now) if you intend to marry in the U.K.

Advice #3 marry now in city hall, plan for the big October wedding, but at least you can begin the petition for a spousal visa which should minimize apart time.

If you have been looking at the I130, have you been looking at the instructions also? Because it outlines where to file.

[tylerf1667 0]

thanks for your reply!

yeah, I have been reading the instructions. its makes sense to a degree, and then for some reason my mind just goes to 100000 other places. idk if its the realisation that my wife, soon to be, and i will be apart most likely. or the depressing fact that it seems like they do not want you to be able to bring your spouse into the country, or idk ... it just all seems quite overwhelming.

I would also like to add, not that it makes the hugest of differences, that my fiance and i are only 26 and 24, respectively. So we are both young in our professional careers.

Again, Im not sure if this has a huge impact on how your visa application is scrutinized but if this is something that can affect ones application it would be helpful to know.

We are both full time employees at a hostel in Germany, shes a manager, im just full time reception staff. but we havent yet figured out our employment plans for october time.

if this has an impact, somebody please let me know!

thanks for your support, even if you read this and dont write something back. its just encouraging to know that there are people out there who go through this and are able to keep their heads up and see everything through.

our journey so far has been a difficult one; moving countries and moving back more than once. I hope that her application for a visa to the states will work out, and we will be able to enjoy our lives in the same country once again.

thanks, 10000 times over.

tyler

[canadian_wife 1,823]

Your employment certainly has an impact as you will need to prove you can financially support your wife with a U.S. based income or assets. Read the instructions for the I864.

Your age has no bearing on this case.

You will likely be apart, and the sooner you realize this the easier the separation will be. Everyone here on VJ has been separated, some for years, so consider yourself lucky that your soon to be wife is from a low fraud country and barring any red flags, your journey should not be extended more than average. Also, the US does want citizens to bring their spouses and families to America, which is why there is a process set up. Just because you don't like it because it doesn't fit in to your plans does not mean the US is against you.

This process is no easy and often overwhelming. I am glad you found VJ now

Good luck

[Boiler 45,670]

Pretty sure you can not file in Germàny so you will be going through the normal process so once married assume it takes a year. Start by reading the guides. If time apart is very importànt you could start now with a finacee visa and marry in the US.

[Darnell 8,478]

ya, one of the aspects of getting a spousal immigrant visa,

is domicile. another is income in the usa.

The instructions in the I-864 BRIEFLY cover this, and there's a longish topic in the Canada forum about 'returning USA Citizens', what they do to prove up domicile and income in the USA. Suggest you go over both of these things, this weekend.

In the end, my advice would be (since it's July) is to marry now, a low budget civil thing that's LEGAL by German Law, and file the I-130 into the USCIS office in Frankfurt, Germany. Then as time moves along, you handle the domicile and chasing after a joint/co-sponsor on the I-864, be able to show stuff on interview day on the CR-1 visa interview (as this proof is only due on interview day)

Good Luck with your calendar ! It can work as you desire, with a modicum of planning.