veronicabiondi

Hello,
 
I'm a British/Greek national. I live in England but my husband is incarcerated in Ohio. He has been incarcerated for the last 20 years. We met in 2018 and we got married in 2019. We followed the process from the beginning until then end. We received the warden's approval, we went through the process and we got married .  I really need some advice from anyone who has experienced similar thing.
 
So far so good. Earlier this year, we decided to hire an Immigration attorney so that we can kick off the US Spouse Visa application process. They all discouraged me. Only 2 accepted to take my case and that with conditions.
 
His release date is 2034.  He was sentenced for armed robbery and involuntary manslaughter. He has been eligible for Judicial release but he hasn't filed yet. I hired one of the best attorneys in Ohio, to represent him for the judicial process. He's filing next year although we do anticipate that he will get rejected first time. Before I go into detail, I must say that I never had a problem hiring an immigrations attorney in the first place. They charge a lot of money but so be it, the problem we had with most of them is that they didn't know how to handle such a case. Mr.A would say this, Mr.B would say the other. To me that was/is a problem. If I was to pay 20k$ you better tell me where I stand and not "I will let you know". After chatting with more or less 8 different attorneys, I decided to pause and not to do anything. I had arguments with my husband(yes, he's my husband despite what people think), that we have to keep looking for another attorney or me trying to reach out online for help (so this is what I'm doing). He really does not understand why is it so difficult. I do (but that's because I'm the immigrant).
 
So here are some details for those who need context and think they can help. My husband has nobody, no financial support from anyone in his family. I'm the only one he has. Thankfully, I'm doing financially well. I'm a software architect and work as a contractor in the UK. I bought a property in Ohio and I managed to add my husband as an owner of that property. The property has a value of 300,000USD. Outside of that I have a property in the UK, cars plus a few bank accounts. I have business accounts and HMRC(uncle Sam) books that show taxes, payments etc (in other words I'm not a drug dealer). All my income is traceable and linked to the work I do.
 
I visit him every 4-5 months. I have also been supporting him financially since we got together. Phone calls via GTL, Commissaries, food/hygiene, recreation, Video Visits all in all, his expenses are roughly 10,000USD annually since 2019. Again, all that is traceable. I have met his step mother and my mother has also visited him.
 
I have been travelling on ESTA every time and I don't stay more than 7-8 days. I'm there just to visit him and then next day after the last visit day, I'm going home. One attorney said to me "You can try a working Visa". I'm not interested to migrate to the States to find work!! I have work. The reason I want to move is my husband, that's all!  If we file and I get rejected, we will have more problems. I prefer to visit him on ESTA rather than go a head to apply, get rejected and then never see him again for years.
 
I'm a 40 years old female professional. I don't have children, I don't have problems. I've always lived a very routine--professional-quiet life. I Went to university and then afterwards started working like a dog, as many of us have.
I married a US prisoner because when I saw his picture first time accidentally, the time stopped for me. I loved him very much and he loved me back. We made this choice, to walk this path no matter how hard it is and we don't regret it.
 
With this honest message, I call out anyone who had similar experience. What did they do? Also, did they hire an attorney or they file themselves? 
 
Thanks for reading.

@Family by contact visits you mean visits in person? Being married, I'm allowed to sit next to him but you only get one hug when you go in and when you leave but other than that you can't really do anything else and if you try it the CO will end the visit. I mean on Saturdays, visits tend to be more "free" so he might squeeze in an extra kiss but that's about it and that is too risky!

look, I'm not bragging here but I'm making nearly 50k USD per month and that's straight from my work. Why do I need a joint sponsor?!!! I understand that this requirement is to ensure that the "immigrant" won't burden the state. I understand that but I was told that we can use my assets as long as its continuously traceable. 

@Palawan That's right. I suppose it won't add any value to this thread if I start debating with various people and their "knowledgeable" answers. I can tell you that I have a bank account in the US and I'm nothing more than a foreigner that travels on ESTA, so...! Well, little more than that I hope since I'm about to pay the first tax this year..and I also have SSN?
 
 

Thank you Rocio0010. If that's indeed the case and he needs to meet the financial requirements(I was literally told the opposite from attorneys that I paid for consultation), then we are in the process to add him as the main owner of the property that I purchased in Ohio. We have initiated that process so basically he will have assets. Would that count?
 
Thanks

Ok, let me clear something. I'm not wealthy. It happens that I'm good at what I do and companies pay a lot for those skills. Yes, that allows me to enjoy a certain lifestyle and I am an independent woman but I'm not wealthy.
 
Why some women marry prisoners. I would certainly not advice it and I will not discuss my personal story in detail but it happened. It happened to me and I made a choice. Few years ago, when I visited him, I saw an elderly inmate.  He was very old, his wife was there, taking care of him. She was so energetic and bubbly and I won't forget how she was looking at him. Before he needs anything, she would bring it to him. She married him while in prison many many years ago. They never shared a bed together but you could  feel that bond, a bond that even free couples don't have. What do you say about that? Should we all go and start marrying law breakers? No, my point is that it can happen.
 
Regardless how this works out with immigrations, I know we will grow old together and we will figure it out, some how it will work. As long as there are possibilities, it will work out, just not with the timelines we would hope for.
 
 

Thank you for your reply what your reply is incorrect. That's not what I read here https://www.boundless.com/immigration-resources/income-requirements-for-green-card/ (Can I include income from the relative seeking the green card?)
 
I can tell you that more than few attorneys have also advised that we can use my assets and they have also provided references to the law. I can also provide more links to support that. Among all the difficulties, this was never the problem.

look, I'm not bragging here but I'm making nearly 50k USD per month and that's straight from my work. Why do I need a joint sponsor?!!! I understand that this requirement is to ensure that the "immigrant" won't burden the state. I understand that but I was told that we can use my assets as long as its continuously traceable. 

Hello,
 
I'm a British/Greek national. I live in England but my husband is incarcerated in Ohio. He has been incarcerated for the last 20 years. We met in 2018 and we got married in 2019. We followed the process from the beginning until then end. We received the warden's approval, we went through the process and we got married .  I really need some advice from anyone who has experienced similar thing.
 
So far so good. Earlier this year, we decided to hire an Immigration attorney so that we can kick off the US Spouse Visa application process. They all discouraged me. Only 2 accepted to take my case and that with conditions.
 
His release date is 2034.  He was sentenced for armed robbery and involuntary manslaughter. He has been eligible for Judicial release but he hasn't filed yet. I hired one of the best attorneys in Ohio, to represent him for the judicial process. He's filing next year although we do anticipate that he will get rejected first time. Before I go into detail, I must say that I never had a problem hiring an immigrations attorney in the first place. They charge a lot of money but so be it, the problem we had with most of them is that they didn't know how to handle such a case. Mr.A would say this, Mr.B would say the other. To me that was/is a problem. If I was to pay 20k$ you better tell me where I stand and not "I will let you know". After chatting with more or less 8 different attorneys, I decided to pause and not to do anything. I had arguments with my husband(yes, he's my husband despite what people think), that we have to keep looking for another attorney or me trying to reach out online for help (so this is what I'm doing). He really does not understand why is it so difficult. I do (but that's because I'm the immigrant).
 
So here are some details for those who need context and think they can help. My husband has nobody, no financial support from anyone in his family. I'm the only one he has. Thankfully, I'm doing financially well. I'm a software architect and work as a contractor in the UK. I bought a property in Ohio and I managed to add my husband as an owner of that property. The property has a value of 300,000USD. Outside of that I have a property in the UK, cars plus a few bank accounts. I have business accounts and HMRC(uncle Sam) books that show taxes, payments etc (in other words I'm not a drug dealer). All my income is traceable and linked to the work I do.
 
I visit him every 4-5 months. I have also been supporting him financially since we got together. Phone calls via GTL, Commissaries, food/hygiene, recreation, Video Visits all in all, his expenses are roughly 10,000USD annually since 2019. Again, all that is traceable. I have met his step mother and my mother has also visited him.
 
I have been travelling on ESTA every time and I don't stay more than 7-8 days. I'm there just to visit him and then next day after the last visit day, I'm going home. One attorney said to me "You can try a working Visa". I'm not interested to migrate to the States to find work!! I have work. The reason I want to move is my husband, that's all!  If we file and I get rejected, we will have more problems. I prefer to visit him on ESTA rather than go a head to apply, get rejected and then never see him again for years.
 
I'm a 40 years old female professional. I don't have children, I don't have problems. I've always lived a very routine--professional-quiet life. I Went to university and then afterwards started working like a dog, as many of us have.
I married a US prisoner because when I saw his picture first time accidentally, the time stopped for me. I loved him very much and he loved me back. We made this choice, to walk this path no matter how hard it is and we don't regret it.
 
With this honest message, I call out anyone who had similar experience. What did they do? Also, did they hire an attorney or they file themselves? 
 
Thanks for reading.

look, I'm not bragging here but I'm making nearly 50k USD per month and that's straight from my work. Why do I need a joint sponsor?!!! I understand that this requirement is to ensure that the "immigrant" won't burden the state. I understand that but I was told that we can use my assets as long as its continuously traceable. 

Thank you for your reply what your reply is incorrect. That's not what I read here https://www.boundless.com/immigration-resources/income-requirements-for-green-card/ (Can I include income from the relative seeking the green card?)
 
I can tell you that more than few attorneys have also advised that we can use my assets and they have also provided references to the law. I can also provide more links to support that. Among all the difficulties, this was never the problem.

look, I'm not bragging here but I'm making nearly 50k USD per month and that's straight from my work. Why do I need a joint sponsor?!!! I understand that this requirement is to ensure that the "immigrant" won't burden the state. I understand that but I was told that we can use my assets as long as its continuously traceable. 

Ok, let me clear something. I'm not wealthy. It happens that I'm good at what I do and companies pay a lot for those skills. Yes, that allows me to enjoy a certain lifestyle and I am an independent woman but I'm not wealthy.
 
Why some women marry prisoners. I would certainly not advice it and I will not discuss my personal story in detail but it happened. It happened to me and I made a choice. Few years ago, when I visited him, I saw an elderly inmate.  He was very old, his wife was there, taking care of him. She was so energetic and bubbly and I won't forget how she was looking at him. Before he needs anything, she would bring it to him. She married him while in prison many many years ago. They never shared a bed together but you could  feel that bond, a bond that even free couples don't have. What do you say about that? Should we all go and start marrying law breakers? No, my point is that it can happen.
 
Regardless how this works out with immigrations, I know we will grow old together and we will figure it out, some how it will work. As long as there are possibilities, it will work out, just not with the timelines we would hope for.
 
 

look, I'm not bragging here but I'm making nearly 50k USD per month and that's straight from my work. Why do I need a joint sponsor?!!! I understand that this requirement is to ensure that the "immigrant" won't burden the state. I understand that but I was told that we can use my assets as long as its continuously traceable. 

Thank you for your reply what your reply is incorrect. That's not what I read here https://www.boundless.com/immigration-resources/income-requirements-for-green-card/ (Can I include income from the relative seeking the green card?)
 
I can tell you that more than few attorneys have also advised that we can use my assets and they have also provided references to the law. I can also provide more links to support that. Among all the difficulties, this was never the problem.

No, I don't want to do it through work. I'm not interested to search for routes to the States like I try to sneak in. My only reason is my marriage, nothing more nothing less.
If I can't enter this way, then I better never file and wait for him to be released. 

look, I'm not bragging here but I'm making nearly 50k USD per month and that's straight from my work. Why do I need a joint sponsor?!!! I understand that this requirement is to ensure that the "immigrant" won't burden the state. I understand that but I was told that we can use my assets as long as its continuously traceable. 

I think we lose context with the last few suggestions? 

The man has a property, right? So not sure why on earth this is not "an asset". If we also rent it out, then he will also need to pay taxes. That there would solve problems. There are inmates with properties.

Thank you for your reply what your reply is incorrect. That's not what I read here https://www.boundless.com/immigration-resources/income-requirements-for-green-card/ (Can I include income from the relative seeking the green card?)
 
I can tell you that more than few attorneys have also advised that we can use my assets and they have also provided references to the law. I can also provide more links to support that. Among all the difficulties, this was never the problem.

look, I'm not bragging here but I'm making nearly 50k USD per month and that's straight from my work. Why do I need a joint sponsor?!!! I understand that this requirement is to ensure that the "immigrant" won't burden the state. I understand that but I was told that we can use my assets as long as its continuously traceable. 

Thank you for your reply what your reply is incorrect. That's not what I read here https://www.boundless.com/immigration-resources/income-requirements-for-green-card/ (Can I include income from the relative seeking the green card?)
 
I can tell you that more than few attorneys have also advised that we can use my assets and they have also provided references to the law. I can also provide more links to support that. Among all the difficulties, this was never the problem.

No, I don't want to do it through work. I'm not interested to search for routes to the States like I try to sneak in. My only reason is my marriage, nothing more nothing less.
If I can't enter this way, then I better never file and wait for him to be released. 

look, I'm not bragging here but I'm making nearly 50k USD per month and that's straight from my work. Why do I need a joint sponsor?!!! I understand that this requirement is to ensure that the "immigrant" won't burden the state. I understand that but I was told that we can use my assets as long as its continuously traceable. 

look, I'm not bragging here but I'm making nearly 50k USD per month and that's straight from my work. Why do I need a joint sponsor?!!! I understand that this requirement is to ensure that the "immigrant" won't burden the state. I understand that but I was told that we can use my assets as long as its continuously traceable. 

look, I'm not bragging here but I'm making nearly 50k USD per month and that's straight from my work. Why do I need a joint sponsor?!!! I understand that this requirement is to ensure that the "immigrant" won't burden the state. I understand that but I was told that we can use my assets as long as its continuously traceable.