Completely Overwhelmed;Help and Moral Support needed! Fiance/Marriage Visa

[KinkTheMook 0]

Hello,
I am a young male and im 20 turning 21 on the 27th. I met my girlfriend 2 years and 3 months ago on an internet gaming site she's English (UK born) and I am a Florida born US citizen.......well flash 2015 we've been contemplating getting married....Well for one I know I'm ready for this mentally, financially its been a bit rocky since my mother recently broke up with her boyfriend of 16 years. Everyone is saying we're too young, but I disagree and have not allowed this to "get" to me. Yet I am worried that when I do go to the interview this might negatively impact my chances. That being said, others have said I need a lawyer since the paperwork is atrocious and just plain confusing and a mess to work with, yet others have said its simple if I follow everything on the USCIS site to file the paperwork. Currently I also work full time 40 hours a week for min wage and I believe I do need a sponsor which my Aunt intends to step in and she says It should be fine since she works as a pharmacist and makes well over the Pov income line, which I'm glad she is stepping in, but I'm worried what if I lose my job before I file my paperwork or during the process? I fear this since my condition makes it hard for me to handle long work hours, but I've been pushing myself for almost a year now because I want to marry this girl. She is one year under me, but I have never met anyone that makes me happy as much as she has and I want her to feel the same way. I believe I do and she came to visit on our 1 year for 2 weeks and I have some pictures of the proof of visitation (plus we text,call,chat near almost everyday and I have not deleted any of it and can print up conversation lists would I need them????). I went to propose to her in her country but I made the mistake of making silly mistakes because I was just so nervous on my visitation card staying a month was just too long for the UK Gov so they deported me but she did get to visit and I asked her if she would and she cried the whole visitation saying I'm an idiot for loving her so much, but she wouldn't want me to be less of one cause she wanted me to marry her. So i need your help. Please tell me what to do or point me in the right direction I would really appreciate it. Give me some tips or some pointers on what to expect like costs, hardships, paperwork, ect

THANK YOU!!!!!
Worried and Confused

[yuna628 9,994]

Hello,

I am a young male and im 20 turning 21 on the 27th. I met my girlfriend 2 years and 3 months ago on an internet gaming site she's English (UK born) and I am a Florida born US citizen.......well flash 2015 we've been contemplating getting married....Well for one I know I'm ready for this mentally, financially its been a bit rocky since my mother recently broke up with her boyfriend of 16 years. Everyone is saying we're too young, but I disagree and have not allowed this to "get" to me. Yet I am worried that when I do go to the interview this might negatively impact my chances. That being said, others have said I need a lawyer since the paperwork is atrocious and just plain confusing and a mess to work with, yet others have said its simple if I follow everything on the USCIS site to file the paperwork. Currently I also work full time 40 hours a week for min wage and I believe I do need a sponsor which my Aunt intends to step in and she says It should be fine since she works as a pharmacist and makes well over the Pov income line, which I'm glad she is stepping in, but I'm worried what if I lose my job before I file my paperwork or during the process? I fear this since my condition makes it hard for me to handle long work hours, but I've been pushing myself for almost a year now because I want to marry this girl. She is one year under me, but I have never met anyone that makes me happy as much as she has and I want her to feel the same way. I believe I do and she came to visit on our 1 year for 2 weeks and I have some pictures of the proof of visitation (plus we text,call,chat near almost everyday and I have not deleted any of it and can print up conversation lists would I need them????). I went to propose to her in her country but I made the mistake of making silly mistakes because I was just so nervous on my visitation card staying a month was just too long for the UK Gov so they deported me but she did get to visit and I asked her if she would and she cried the whole visitation saying I'm an idiot for loving her so much, but she wouldn't want me to be less of one cause she wanted me to marry her. So i need your help. Please tell me what to do or point me in the right direction I would really appreciate it. Give me some tips or some pointers on what to expect like costs, hardships, paperwork, ect

THANK YOU!!!!!

Worried and Confused

Hi there:

First off: let's clarify, unless your case is complex, it is unlikely that you should have any need of a lawyer. Most people here do not use a lawyer. The paperwork does require that you carefully read and complete it, and that you should both educate yourselves on the process. You should look at the guides on this forum, it's a good starting point and explains the process. There is also a UK specific guide on the forum too. There is a filing fee in the amount of $340 to start from the US citizen. The rest of the cost will be on the UK citizen.

There is also no issue with using a cosponsor where UK cases are concerned and people use cosponsors all the time. For a K1 they will only be looking at the income of the cosponsor when it comes to interview time. We used a cosponsor in our case with no issues, and have continued to use one after we married. As long as your cosponsor is willing to assist and has no issue with the commitment it requires and they can provide the proof.

When you file the paperwork, you need to provide proof that you have met within 2 years of filing. Pictures are only secondary evidence, so you will need to try and look for things such as passport stamps, copies of boarding passes, or receipts of places you may have gone to with your girlfriend.

As to regarding your deportation, this has no bearing on your processing the case if you decide to file - as it would only have issues if you should try to enter the UK. That is not to say that you cannot return to the UK one day, as each attempt is based on it's own merit. You can in fact visit the UK again sometime, though I would strongly recommend waiting a long time into the future should you ever wish to.

Finally: as the US citizen, you are not interviewed for the K1 process. Only the foreign citizen will be requested to be interviewed. If approved and once you marry, you may both be requested to have an interview together.

If you want to know more about the process: start here. http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

I can't comment as to the youth of your age or the newness of the relationship or how people feel about it. The USCIS will only care about the strongness of the evidence you supply and if the relationship is true.

Edited December 21, 2015 by yuna628

[Alaska2012 462]

Start by reading all the guides on here. It's not very hard to file yourself just read everything!

It does cost a bit of money and it will take a while after your fiancé arrives before she can start working so maybe get an extra job and save up?

[KinkTheMook 0]

Hi there:

First off: let's clarify, unless your case is complex, it is unlikely that you should have any need of a lawyer. Most people here do not use a lawyer. The paperwork does require that you carefully read and complete it, and that you should both educate yourselves on the process. You should look at the guides on this forum, it's a good starting point and explains the process. There is also a UK specific guide on the forum too. There is a filing fee in the amount of $340 to start from the US citizen. The rest of the cost will be on the UK citizen.

There is also no issue with using a cosponsor where UK cases are concerned and people use cosponsors all the time. For a K1 they will only be looking at the income of the cosponsor when it comes to interview time. We used a cosponsor in our case with no issues, and have continued to use one after we married. As long as your cosponsor is willing to assist and has no issue with the commitment it requires and they can provide the proof.

When you file the paperwork, you need to provide proof that you have met within 2 years of filing. Pictures are only secondary evidence, so you will need to try and look for things such as passport stamps, copies of boarding passes, or receipts of places you may have gone to with your girlfriend.

As to regarding your deportation, this has no bearing on your processing the case if you decide to file - as it would only have issues if you should try to enter the UK. That is not to say that you cannot return to the UK one day, as each attempt is based on it's own merit. You can in fact visit the UK again sometime, though I would strongly recommend waiting a long time into the future should you ever wish to.

Finally: as the US citizen, you are not interviewed for the K1 process. Only the foreign citizen will be requested to be interviewed. If approved and once you marry, you may both be requested to have an interview together.

If you want to know more about the process: start here. http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

I can't comment as to the youth of your age or the newness of the relationship or how people feel about it. The USCIS will only care about the strongness of the evidence you supply and if the relationship is true.

Thank you for clarifying I may need to help her then financially since she's only been working part time at an asda. Would I be doing most of the paperwork, since I am the one that wants her stateside?

So my income is null if i get a co-sponsor?

We have her boarding tickets, we have my ticket to go there, my passport was stolen but she should have hers stamped, no recipes :c

What does the Interview after the marriage do? is it more to solidify or like make them see that it is legit?

And yes usually people around our age getting marriage are highly stigmatized in my part of California. None of my friends have even thought about marriage and where surprised. Well It was hers and my choice together so i firmly believe we are making the right choice but thank you for all the info I really appreciate it.

Start by reading all the guides on here. It's not very hard to file yourself just read everything! It does cost a bit of money and it will take a while after your fiancé arrives before she can start working so maybe get an extra job and save up?

I will do, I have been reading into it a bit. I can barely hold one job as stated before (due to a health issue) but I have saved about 6k as of currently and have no debt of any kind. Would I need more just for the process?

[baron555 934]

Yet I am worried that when I do go to the interview this might negatively impact my chances.

You won't be going to any interview, the beneficiary does.

That being said, others have said I need a lawyer since the paperwork is atrocious and just plain confusing and a mess to work with, yet others have said its simple if I follow everything on the USCIS site to file the paperwork. Currently I also work full time 40 hours a week for min wage and I believe I do need a sponsor which my Aunt intends to step in and she says It should be fine since she works as a pharmacist and makes well over the Pov income line, which I'm glad she is stepping in,

Great

but I'm worried what if I lose my job before I file my paperwork or during the process?

You already have a cosponsor so this is not an issue....except

I fear this since my condition makes it hard for me to handle long work hours, but I've been pushing myself for almost a year now because I want to marry this girl. She is one year under me, but I have never met anyone that makes me happy as much as she has and I want her to feel the same way.

How will you support her and yourself if your work consumes so much of your life....maybe waiting a bit until you're more stable would be better?

I believe I do and she came to visit on our 1 year for 2 weeks and I have some pictures of the proof of visitation (plus we text,call,chat near almost everyday and I have not deleted any of it and can print up conversation lists would I need them????).

Great, she will need evidences of a legitimate relationship for her interview.

I went to propose to her in her country but I made the mistake of making silly mistakes because I was just so nervous on my visitation card staying a month was just too long for the UK Gov so they deported me

Has no affect on US immigration.

but she did get to visit and I asked her if she would and she cried the whole visitation saying I'm an idiot for loving her so much, but she wouldn't want me to be less of one cause she wanted me to marry her. So i need your help. Please tell me what to do or point me in the right direction I would really appreciate it. Give me some tips or some pointers on what to expect like costs, hardships, paperwork, ect

Don't need an engagement, just the letter of intent.

Read The Guides and Follow the Example Forms.

Read around at past threads which have outlined the overall costs, etc.

[KinkTheMook 0]

You won't be going to any interview, the beneficiary does.

Thank you for the insight.

Great

I do have more "proof" so hopefully that will help

You already have a cosponsor so this is not an issue....except How will you support her and yourself if your work consumes so much of your life....maybe waiting a bit until you're more stable would be better?

Many places around where I live will hire immigrants w/ visas/greencard which from what I've read I can apply for almost immediately for her once she is here. That being said I can work 30 hour weeks but I am currently doing 40-62 hour weeks just for her. In my current state I have issues with my health that disallow me to work efficiently for longer then 30 that being said doesn't mean I can't, it just pushes my body. Yet my motivation for forcing myself is so that we can be closer. I make min so its not enough for 2 people, but I do have help from my family but in the future I do plan to separate myself from my family as support, but with recient events I am even more determined to have her here. The fear of losing her or having the laws "become inflated" does not stir me away but If our plan was to be together already then in tech the sooner the better. I'm not much into politics, but with all the Terror attacks and mass shootings Stateside I'm sure the gov will be less lenient on foreign affairs. Sorry if that seems like I'm a bit paranoid or overly worried on that situation. None the less I can support her till she finds a job, I do live modestly and I don't usually spend exorbitantly for my age, I drive an 89 Toy Cam (Gen 2 Square cams are my fav cars) can reach ~40 mpg on a good day. I live in a 2 bedroom at 1100 w/some utils I pay about 65% other is payed by my mother. She is recently div so she is staying with me, and my step brother. I spend almost no money on groceries monthly (food banks help a lot like a lot a lot). I do not have any sort of debt. I do not have a credit score but my mother has a 700~ something. I do have additional income not very much but I build computers for private individuals. I do end up with around 300-500 in net at the end of the month....I dont know if that sounds reasonable.

Great, she will need evidences of a legitimate relationship for her interview.

Thank you ^-^

Has no affect on US immigration.

Thank god

Don't need an engagement, just the letter of intent.

In our minds we are already engaged with necklace rings since neither of us like any rings on our hands (sounds weird but we prefer a ring around our neck and we do plan to cut our marriage ring and get it welded onto our engagement rings so it makes an 8 symbol or an infinite symbol.)

Read The Guides and Follow the Example Forms.

Read around at past threads which have outlined the overall costs, etc.

Thank you thank you thank you and THANK YOU!

[yuna628 9,994]

Thank you for clarifying I may need to help her then financially since she's only been working part time at an asda. Would I be doing most of the paperwork, since I am the one that wants her stateside?

So my income is null if i get a co-sponsor?

We have her boarding tickets, we have my ticket to go there, my passport was stolen but she should have hers stamped, no recipes :c

What does the Interview after the marriage do? is it more to solidify or like make them see that it is legit?

And yes usually people around our age getting marriage are highly stigmatized in my part of California. None of my friends have even thought about marriage and where surprised. Well It was hers and my choice together so i firmly believe we are making the right choice but thank you for all the info I really appreciate it.

I will do, I have been reading into it a bit. I can barely hold one job as stated before (due to a health issue) but I have saved about 6k as of currently and have no debt of any kind. Would I need more just for the process?

The main bulk of the paperwork will be completed by the US citizen and sent in. There will be a few documents she will need to contribute her information and signature to. Once it reaches approval stage but before the interview stage at the embassy, she will have costs such as the fee for her medical examination and any injections, the fee for the actual visa itself, obtaining a police certificate, and any costs for traveling down to London on at least two occasions.

For London/UK specific cases, if using a cosponsor, the cosponsor will supply the I-134 with their financial information at the interview stage at the embassy only. These documents you would send to your fiancé to bring to the embassy.

Keep in mind though that once you get through this part of the process, and she is here and married: you will have to file to adjust her status. This is a separate fee of $1070, both you and any cosponsor/joint sponsor will have to provide financial information, and you and your then wife may have to have an interview. Such an interview would be conducted to see if the relationship is legit. Remember that once she is here and married, she is not authorized to work without permission, and that is why it is important to adjust status so that she can have the ability to work later on. This will take a while to complete, so certainly saving is a wise thing to do.

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

Too young? NO

my mom married at 16 / and I married my late husband at 19 and still finished the last 3 of 5 years of college having twins while doing it

this is not impossible or stupid if you are willing to work and keep your love

you say you are ready mentally and this girl makes you happier than anyone ever did

take this from a much older person / you are ready

and K1 from UK is probably shorter and easier for you

just know the AOS (adjustment of status) after marriage is $1000 / the price of airfare to UK to marry

Best to you

from Senior Citizen

Jeanne

[Boiler 48,929]

ASDA = Walmart

Just wondering what she does as the US is an expensive place to live and does not have the support structure that the UK does and you mentioned you have medical issues.

I thought you said they did not let you in to the UK if so your flight details are irrelevant.

UK is unusual in that it allows her to self sponsor.

[KinkTheMook 0]

ASDA = Walmart

Just wondering what she does as the US is an expensive place to live and does not have the support structure that the UK does and you mentioned you have medical issues.

I thought you said they did not let you in to the UK if so your flight details are irrelevant.

UK is unusual in that it allows her to self sponsor.

Mybad she works at a tesco lol i get confused but just about the same right ASDA is just easier to type out lol?

She is a cake deco and baker from what she has told me. Yes I am aware it is very different. But I am living comfortably working a 30 day work week but I am currently doing 40-62 for her atm. My medical issue is physical in nature, working for long periods of time are a lot more laborious for me then an avg person sums it up but there is more to it i dont really wish to discuss. Generally 30 is what I can do and I get some help with my side cash which is taxable if I sell my pcs weekly to by weekly it comes close to a full 40 at min for US

They deported me as i landed I was in the deportation for about a day and sent back. To the others I have read my ticket doesn't matter to much it is more of her proof vs mine to my understanding.

She needs a seperate sponsor? Her mother does office work not to sure but her father does construction I believe.

For her to come here would be a challenge for both of us but its something we both decided on

[NikLR 13,236]

Question... Have you met in person?

[semperpietas 4]

Hello,

I am a young male and im 20 turning 21 on the 27th. I met my girlfriend 2 years and 3 months ago on an internet gaming site she's English (UK born) and I am a Florida born US citizen.......well flash 2015 we've been contemplating getting married....Well for one I know I'm ready for this mentally, financially its been a bit rocky since my mother recently broke up with her boyfriend of 16 years. Everyone is saying we're too young, but I disagree and have not allowed this to "get" to me. Yet I am worried that when I do go to the interview this might negatively impact my chances. That being said, others have said I need a lawyer since the paperwork is atrocious and just plain confusing and a mess to work with, yet others have said its simple if I follow everything on the USCIS site to file the paperwork. Currently I also work full time 40 hours a week for min wage and I believe I do need a sponsor which my Aunt intends to step in and she says It should be fine since she works as a pharmacist and makes well over the Pov income line, which I'm glad she is stepping in, but I'm worried what if I lose my job before I file my paperwork or during the process? I fear this since my condition makes it hard for me to handle long work hours, but I've been pushing myself for almost a year now because I want to marry this girl. She is one year under me, but I have never met anyone that makes me happy as much as she has and I want her to feel the same way. I believe I do and she came to visit on our 1 year for 2 weeks and I have some pictures of the proof of visitation (plus we text,call,chat near almost everyday and I have not deleted any of it and can print up conversation lists would I need them????). I went to propose to her in her country but I made the mistake of making silly mistakes because I was just so nervous on my visitation card staying a month was just too long for the UK Gov so they deported me but she did get to visit and I asked her if she would and she cried the whole visitation saying I'm an idiot for loving her so much, but she wouldn't want me to be less of one cause she wanted me to marry her. So i need your help. Please tell me what to do or point me in the right direction I would really appreciate it. Give me some tips or some pointers on what to expect like costs, hardships, paperwork, ect

THANK YOU!!!!!

Worried and Confused

I don't really have much in regards to the paperwork that the other posters have stated - only to confirm that only your cosponsor's income will be necessary for affidavit of support for the interview and not your own. And yes, its a good idea to save all communications and evidences and either frontload your petition to USCIS or have her have it for her interview. The more the better. Even if the consul officer at the interview doesn't look at it all, its better to have evidence and not need it than to face AP for needing it and not having it.

As for your age, while I cannot speak to your personal situation or family, I can say that as someone who is 22, and whose fiancee is 22 (having just undergone the visa process), the young age shouldn't be a problem for USCIS or the embassy. We had a relatively smooth process (no RFEs or delays) and we did all ourselves without a lawyer. VJ is going to be your best friend. Just follow the guidelines and don't be afraid to ask questions and it should come out all good. That said, if you start the process and still feel overwhelmed or a lack of confidence, then you should seek an immigration attorney. That said, be careful picking an attorney. I've read horror stories of attorneys fumbling around with the paperwork and not really knowing what they were doing. If you get an immigration specialized attorney, this unlikely, but still.

Also read reviews of the London consulate here on VJ. Reading reviews will give you a much better idea of what to expect in terms of paperwork and questions.

[Boiler 48,929]

Question... Have you met in person?

She vsisted once.