Darren&Laura

Hi everyone.

Today I returned back to the UK after spending six weeks with Laura. I also visited in May (mid to late in the month) for 2 weeks.

We sent in our application on the 11th August while I was in the USA, but the visa application has not been actioned at all yet or the cheque cashed, (not that this should affect my question below.)

My question is this - How long would I need to spend in the UK before I can return to see Laura again while our case is pending. I understand that while I *should* be able to visit while our K1 is being processed, but there *may* be issues with the amount of time I am spending in the USA, (or is this only an issue if I spend more time over there than I do in the UK?) Putting aside our K1 application (unless this is an issue afterall), what do the immigration officials consider to be too many visits? Or is this a non-issue, could I theoretically stay for the whole three month duration of the tourist visa and then return to the UK for a few months, before doing the same?

I returned back from the USA today and am already going insane missing Laura and am wanting to return to see her asap - she is five months pregnant with our twins and doesn't have much family local to help so I want to be there as much as possible until we can be together permanently.

We sent our I-129F in on the 11th August, and it was received on the 13th.

We rang the USCIS a day ago to chase as the cheque hadn't been cashed nor had we reiceved any correspondence. They have told us to expect a delay of up to 90 days before we hear anything or before they will look into helping us as they are exceedngly busy at the moment, (probably because many people brought forward their application to beat the recent price increases).

1. Yes, that's normal. Especially since they are currently backlogged with applications.
2. Many people, including myself, filed the petition when we were visiting our SO's in the US. It is not going to cause any problems.
3. All petitioners must provide proof of income.

Congratulations on the pregnancy.

Brilliant, thanks for replying, and for the congrats.

Can't wait until our hospital appointment tomorrow. I got to hear the babies heartbeats for the first time on the doppler a couple of weeks ago and that was awesome, but to see them on the ultrasound will be amazing.

Hi everyone,

1. Myself and Laura finally posted off our application for a K1 on a few weeks ago. It was received at the Nebraska Service Center and signed for on 13th August, but the check still hasn't been cashed. Obviously, we've received no notification or receipt as yet either, but is it normal for over two weeks to pass before the check is cashed?

2. I am currently staying with Laura and have been here a month already and am due to leave to fly back to the UK on 12th Sept. Will this cause any problems with our application bearing in mind I'm in the USA when we applied, (I've supplied all the boarding passes and a copy of my ticket back to the UK as evidence with our application.)

3. Reading the guides looking for answers I came across this:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=85188

Here is when the problems really stated. He asked to see Tracy’s tax returns for the last year. This was IRS FORM 1040. I did not have them. He explained that he needed to see them before he granted the visa but he was accept Fax copies. I was informed that the case was suspended until he saw the tax forms. I was given a blue piece of paper telling me what I had to provide. I was instructed that I had to have them couriered to the embassy with my passport.

I was then informed about the conditions on the visa, I had to get married in 90 days etc etc etc…..

I left at about 9am and headed back to the hotel. I got Tracy to fax me the forms (Wal Mart don’t do faxing at 5am by the way, just in case you are ever in this boat)

Sorry for my ignorance, but I know little about how the USA works. Does everyone who is currently in fulltime work have to file tax returns such as this in the UK so I won't have any problems getting this from Laura. Laura is currently at work now and unavailable to ask, so I thought I'd tag this on to this post.

Thank you for reading and any assistance.

P.S. Myself and Laura's twins are doing fine. We will find out their sex tomorrow when we go to the hospital for a routine checkup. I'm so excited. They are due at the end of January so I'm hoping I'm here before then permanently.

Many congratulations to you both !! I think the K1 would be your best bet here. I really think you should speak to a competent immigration lawyer to get a professional perspectivce on this. I filed my K1 and AOS through a very good lawyer in NYC, and I received my K1 within 4 months of filing. I also visited my now husband twice during the time the K1 was processing(I am a UK citizen), and based on where the USC lives in the US, Dulles Airport (WAshington DC) are quite lenient with that sort of thing (my experience anyhow). Good luck to you both and if you need the name of the lawyer I used just let me know.

Thanks Britty, that may well be useful. Having read many forums and guides on the internet, (especially the one's on this site) I was quite happy that we could sort this ourselves, but I know Laura has expressed a desire to have a lawyer involved if the costs aren't too high, to ensure we fill everything out correctly and supply enough correct and relevant information. Does the firm you used have a website I could look at?

HI again everyone. Just browsing around the forums and thought I'd update you.

Laura went for an ultrasound yesterday, and it turns out we aren't expecting a baby....

.... we are having two!! Yep, twins!!

With regard to the K1, we still haven't applied as I wish to visit for three months and submit the application shortly after arriving next month. My house is already on the market as from last week, (I'm going to move back with my mother when in the UK temporarily once I've sold my house) and tonight is the night I inform my business partner I am leaving our company and resigning my directorship, (dreading this conversation.)

Hopefully the K1 process will not have any lengthly delays above the usual and I will be in the UK for no more than a few months after my three month trip starts next month and be back in the USA before Christmas again. If the K1 isn't approved by then then perhaps I could look at another trip, although showing ties back to the UK may be an issue by then, (i.e. no business, no job, no house, etc.), but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it - afterall all my savings will still be in a UK bank account so I can stil show some significant ties as this will be a lot of money after the sale of my house.

Thank you to everyone that participates in this forum, as I feel now that I know the path to take to ensure myself and Laura are together as much and as quickly as possible while this process takes it's course. I am so happy I keep breaking out in spontaneous smiles. My priority now is to ensure I spend as much time with Laura as possible while she is pregnant, and try not to miss a minute once the babies are born. Oh, and also to catch up on as much sleep as possible over the coming months as I suspect sleep will be a thing of the past once the babies are born.

Thanks again everyone for such informed responses, I really appreciate you taking the time to respond to me with constructive options and we will both use the advice above in planning our future together.

Laura has done two pregnancy tests today - both came back positive - we are having a baby! After knowing and loving Laura these past 12 years I can honestly say that I've thought of her as the future mother of my children ever since we first got together. Now it's finally going to become a reality I'm utterly overjoyed.

Thanks again to everyone who posted with useful information about how we can minimise any time apart.

Myself and my partner Laura had been planning on taking the K1 visa route but for an unexpected twist - It appears Laura may be pregnant with my child, (I recently returned to the UK after visiting her and she is late for her period. She hasn't done a test yet, but I'm wanting to plan around the possibility in advance).

We weren't planning on applying for the K1 until after the summer, (basically so I could visit her in the USA a further time while allowed before the application was submitted), so as things stand we have not taken any steps with the application.

Can I fly to the USA and apply for permanent residency once there? Is there any way I can stay with Laura for the term of her pregnancy and beyond? Should Laura be pregnant it is of paramount importance for me to ensure I am with her every step of the way.

Hi again all. Thank you so much for your detailed and informative replies - and for pointing out my mistake about thinking I had a year to enter the US after the K1 application was approved - not that I intend to stay in the UK for a minute more than I have to anyway I've only been back in the UK for four days after visiting Laura again and it's not fun at all being so far apart, as I'm sure everyone has experience of on here.

Thanks especially to Maggie as you've pretty much explained what I was already planning and hoping I could do. I still am a little overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done, but I guess myself and Laura just need to break everything down into manageable chunks.

Right, I'm off to spend the bank holiday weekend decorating my spare room and bathroom and getting my house into a position to sell

Good luck to everyone and thanks again.

Hi everyone. We are total newbies when it comes to this whole thing and are only at the stage of filling out the initial forms. However, I would like to ask some advice.

I'm currently in the UK and wish to enter the USA to marry and set up home with my partner. However, as I currently own my own home and am the Managing Director of a business, I am wanting to soon start to tie up my loose ends in preparation for the uprooting.

My question is will there be any problems with the processing of my application if I move address midway through my application, (i.e. sell my house and stay with relatives), and also resign the directorship of my company, (be bought out), and live from the proceeds of both the above until my application is processed?

As I would in effect by jobless and have no history at whatever address I moved to I'm concerned I could be jumping the gun and creating an issue for myself and my fiance.

I realise I have a full year to tie all the loose ends after the K1 is approved, but I don't want to delay our time apart any further than absolutely necessary and would want to be in a situation to be able to fly over to be with my love as soon as the K1 is approved. Having a house and a business is like an anchor round my neck that I wish to remove in advance if possible.

Thanks everyone for any advice you can give. I'm so glad I found this site, it's by far the most informative on the net I've come across.

Regards,

Darren.