BJorgy

Great info and advice from everyone, thanks a bunch for all the help! We're both pretty disappointed at how long this might take but she's worth the wait. I want to make sure everything is done by the book and you guys/gals have answered most of the questions I had, Thanks again. I'll update this thread as we go...

Hello all, this is all new to me and I'm really worried about screwing it up. I'll read around and check out the other threads, just wanted to post an intro and share my situation here first.

In a nut shell.. I met my fiance last year in May, online, we've been talking for hours every day since (no dating service or anything like that..) We fell in love pretty quick and have all kinds of life plans together. I've been there (UK) to visit in September for a week and she came here (Portland OR) to visit in November for over a week, which is when I proposed. We announced it to all our friends and fam on facebook shortly after and we just set our wedding date for July 1st of this year.

The original plan, before we did any research, was for her to come over on her vacation Visa at the end of this month and use that 90 days to stay here while waiting for the fiance Visa to get approved, that way we'd have more time together to plan for the wedding, get her job situation squared away and everything else that goes along with starting life in a new country. I started looking over the application, got worried about doing it myself and decided to look into an Immigration lawyer. During the consultation I told him what our plan was and everything about our situation and he said she couldn't come over that way, she'd get deported if they found out she planned on staying, which I don't understand, of course she would plan on staying if we're getting married, there's nothing about either of our situations that would keep us from getting approved. He also said that I needed a lawyer, that this is a long confusing process and didn't recommend doing it myself since it's a life changing event for both of us.

So...this is huge, I know he's right, but I also know he wants my money.. which led me to coming here for help from real people who have gone through this, that don't have any agenda. I've seen some online places that offer the same services for around 10% what the lawyer wants, I don't know what to do though. Any help and advice is greatly appreciated!

-Brandon