Visa pathway?

[Barneycrow 0]

Hi everyone,

This is my first posting so I will keep it short and sweet!

I live in London UK and have met a girl who lives in Longbeach CA.

I wanted to know if anyone had a Timeline/action plan from start to finish for making a move to USA.

I am aware of the 'fiance visa' which gives you 3 months in which you are able to work etc. Obviously at the end you have to get out if you don't get married!

The situation is that I need to find a job before we get married. Tough one.

For me to work out there I need some kind of sponsorship. We could do the fiance visa but this may put a strain on the whole situation if I come over without work.

Ok let me stop rambling. Does anyone have any suggestions, plan of action for this whole move?

Any information on documents required would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

Feel free to email me at barneycrow@hotmail.com

Barney

[pushbrk 14,512]

Hi everyone,

This is my first posting so I will keep it short and sweet!

I live in London UK and have met a girl who lives in Longbeach CA.

I wanted to know if anyone had a Timeline/action plan from start to finish for making a move to USA.

I am aware of the 'fiance visa' which gives you 3 months in which you are able to work etc. Obviously at the end you have to get out if you don't get married!

The situation is that I need to find a job before we get married. Tough one.

For me to work out there I need some kind of sponsorship. We could do the fiance visa but this may put a strain on the whole situation if I come over without work.

Ok let me stop rambling. Does anyone have any suggestions, plan of action for this whole move?

Any information on documents required would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

Feel free to email me at barneycrow@hotmail.com

Barney

It's good that you're addressing the logistics early. If you must have a job upon arrival or soon after I can think of a couple options. There may be more.

1. Find a job where you can be sponsored on an H1b visa. This is a dual intent visa from which you can adjust status to permanent resident once married.

2. Marry first in the US or UK and have your then wife, file for a CR1 immigrant visa. You then wait in your home country with visits in either direction, until the process completes. CR1 visa holders are authorized to work. Look for a job while you're waiting but it will likely take about a month to get both the green card and a social security number, once you arrive.

[Barneycrow 0]

That's great.

Thank you for the reassurance. I really appreciate it.

It's all a bit daunting at the moment. Especially when you both start getting slightly upset that it can't just be as easy as getting on a plane!!

I guess my best bet is to try and get an HB1 Visa. If I can't then not really sure which path to take. I guess the Fiance Visa and then hopefully within the 3 months something will come up. Or we get married!

Thanks again.

Hi everyone,

This is my first posting so I will keep it short and sweet!

I live in London UK and have met a girl who lives in Longbeach CA.

I wanted to know if anyone had a Timeline/action plan from start to finish for making a move to USA.

I am aware of the 'fiance visa' which gives you 3 months in which you are able to work etc. Obviously at the end you have to get out if you don't get married!

The situation is that I need to find a job before we get married. Tough one.

For me to work out there I need some kind of sponsorship. We could do the fiance visa but this may put a strain on the whole situation if I come over without work.

Ok let me stop rambling. Does anyone have any suggestions, plan of action for this whole move?

Any information on documents required would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

Feel free to email me at barneycrow@hotmail.com

Barney

It's good that you're addressing the logistics early. If you must have a job upon arrival or soon after I can think of a couple options. There may be more.

1. Find a job where you can be sponsored on an H1b visa. This is a dual intent visa from which you can adjust status to permanent resident once married.

2. Marry first in the US or UK and have your then wife, file for a CR1 immigrant visa. You then wait in your home country with visits in either direction, until the process completes. CR1 visa holders are authorized to work. Look for a job while you're waiting but it will likely take about a month to get both the green card and a social security number, once you arrive.

[no name 1]

I am aware of the 'fiance visa' which gives you 3 months in which you are able to work etc. Obviously at the end you have to get out if you don't get married!

This is not completely correct. The fiance visa does not aheva guarantee of receving the EAD stamp(work permit). Currently only JFK is issuing the stamp, and even then it is at will.

Pushbrk addressed your other work concerns (& marriage options) altho I *think* that the H1B cap has been reached for 2008.

Good luck.

[gag54611 1]

What do you mean by "or we get married"?

The K-1 visa is for use by couples who already intend to get married. It is not intended to support a trial period of living together, although my inference may be incorrect.

Your original post says that you "met a girl who lives in Longbeach CA". At no time do you say that the 2 of you have decided to get married and now need to figure out whether to get married in the UK or in CA. My reading of your post indicates to me that the 2 of you are not yet that committed to each other, but you want to find out if it will work out. The K-1 is not the way to go about that. Part of the application process requires you both to submit signed affidavits that you are intending to get married, and the lady in CA needs to fill out a financial disclosure that she can support you, because the assumption is that it will take you time to find a job and start earning. For you to come over here on a K-1 and immediately start working is just not going to happen unless you find an employer who will take you on under the table, so-to-speak. But that option is now diminishing as USCIS starts to crack down on employers who employ undocumented workers. Also, if you got caught doing that kind of work then you will probably get yourself deported and you can forget about living here for rather a long time (10 years I think).

If you are currently employed in a highly skilled job, you may be able to find a US employer who is hiring people from outside the US. Maybe your local job market will have information on what's available. Alternatively, if you currently work for an employer who has Longbeach offices, or close by, maybe you could get a transfer.

An alternative would be for her to stay with you in the UK for a while, assuming that you can support the 2 of you while she is not working. Also, if she works for a company with UK offices, maybe she could get a transfer.

Your proposal is not an easy one to work through, because I suspect that you aren't fully committed to each other yet, hence why the lady may not be prepared to fully support you while you stay over here figuring out whether it will work out between you.

Best of luck,

G

PS Here are some H1B ideas: try using google to see if you can find anything. But, as devilette mentioned above, the H1B visa cap has been reached for this year and next I believe. So it might be 2009 before more slots open up. The competition is huge.

Edited August 23, 2007 by gag54611

[bszoom42 0]

At the danger of putting words in the OPs mouth, I believe what he is trying to say is that he does want to marry his fiancee - however, for his relationship to work, he needs to support himself by working ASAP.

I can understand that sentiment, as I share that as well. Luckily for me, I am the U.S. Citizen, so it does not affect me. Had I been in his shoes, I would looking for the same information.

And I agree 100% with pushbrk - it is very wise for you to ask about this beforehand.

Best of luck!

Edited August 23, 2007 by bszoom42

[chris4gretchen 1]

If you com here on K1 visa, you will only be able to work for the first 90 days while your I-94 is current. then you will lose that privilege until you get work authorization. it will not come fast, 6 months to 2 years i believe. That is why you fiance ( if she is that) has to support you. if you must have a job here before marrying then the K1 visa is not for you. as stated in other posts, you should marry first, do the CR-1 visa and when you get here you can get your green card and work fairly quickly.

Chris

Edited August 23, 2007 by chris4gretchen

[no name 1]

If you com here on K1 visa, you will only be able to work for the first 90 days while your I-94 is current. then you will lose that privilege until you get work authorization. it will not come fast, 6 months to 2 years i believe.

A search of the AOS timelines will show anywhere from 2 months - 2+ years.

[Barneycrow 0]

Thank you for all your help.

We have just discussed it and I will try and find sponsorship. If that doesn't work then we will look into getting married.

Thanks again.

At the danger of putting words in the OPs mouth, I believe what he is trying to say is that he does want to marry his fiancee - however, for his relationship to work, he needs to support himself by working ASAP.

I can understand that sentiment, as I share that as well. Luckily for me, I am the U.S. Citizen, so it does not affect me. Had I been in his shoes, I would looking for the same information.

And I agree 100% with pushbrk - it is very wise for you to ask about this beforehand.

Best of luck!

[perfect 39]

Welcome in advance!

Just out of interest - what job market are you targeting?

I work in Costa Mesa which is about 15 minutes away from Long Beach. My BIL actually lives in LB so I am very familiar with the area.

[chris4gretchen 1]

If you com here on K1 visa, you will only be able to work for the first 90 days while your I-94 is current. then you will lose that privilege until you get work authorization. it will not come fast, 6 months to 2 years i believe.

A search of the AOS timelines will show anywhere from 2 months - 2+ years.

so i'm off 4 months on the quickest. You are recommending he come here and chance it since he might get it in two months?

i was erring on the side of caution since it seems he needs to work first. but whatever, i stand corrected.

Chris

[no name 1]

If you com here on K1 visa, you will only be able to work for the first 90 days while your I-94 is current. then you will lose that privilege until you get work authorization. it will not come fast, 6 months to 2 years i believe.

A search of the AOS timelines will show anywhere from 2 months - 2+ years.

so i'm off 4 months on the quickest. You are recommending he come here and chance it since he might get it in two months?

i was erring on the side of caution since it seems he needs to work first. but whatever, i stand corrected.

Chris

That's quite a leap. I never said he should do anything. I corrected your infomation - simply saying the timing for AOS has quite a range.

I already addressed the work concern for K1 above.