Getting married to my U.S Citizen boyfriend

[bubbe2005]

Hi All!!

The situation is like this, with my intent to settle down and live in the U.S I do not want to be an UNEMPLOYED wife.
Being a UK citizen with no IMMEDIATE fmaily members just aunties uncles and cousins who i know cannot be sponsors.

I can only rely on getting employed by a u.s company on a H1-B VISA

My boyfriend would love to marry me and settle down with me, I know this, but i told him not yet, and even if i did with all the sponsoring he will have to do and file I will still be unemployed etc....

So my question and scenario is this.

I am vacationing there in September for 3 months under the Visa Waiver program which entitles UK citizens to hpliday in the states for less than 90 days with no extention etc....


whilst i am there can I get married....my boyfriend is ready to do this, so that it can at least help me get a job there etc.....

so at the moment i ahve no via because the 90 visa waiver program scraps that!!! so while i am in there can my boyfriend fill out that fiance visa for me so we can get married????

i hope i made sense????

thanks all

[Joolsuk]

You can get married while you are in the US under the VWP BUT this wont entitle you to then stay in the country after the wedding. You will have to leave the US and then apply for a spousal visa (K3) to re-enter the US and live, which will take up to about 12 months after you're married.

The other way is to apply for a fiancee visa (K1) which you will then use to travel to the US to get married and then stay in the country after the wedding. Doing it this way will take about the same time to get the visa but once you have it you can get married and then you will be able to stay in the country.

Hope that made sense?

[Marco 72]

You can get married under the VWP and apply for adjustment of status (AOS), provided that was not your intention at the beginning (e.g. you only go there on holiday, then change your mind and get married). Keep in mind that AOS can take a long time and you won't be able to leave the country without jeopardising the whole process - even for a family emergency.

[Administrator]

.

Additional note to the above comments:

Do NOT discuss anything regarding a boyfriend or fiancee or potential marriage outside of the closest circle of friends & family.

If U.S. immigration has reason to believe that you intend to use the VWP to come in for a wedding, they can stop you at the border and send you back.



Let's imagine that you come into the U.S. under VWP, then 'happen' to get married. I suggest you may want to consider having your husband apply for a spouse visa to the UK.

This way, you can go back to the UK, apply for your U.S. spouse visa, continue with your job in the UK for a few months while getting your visa in order. During this time, your husband can come to visit you and make the time a bit more bearable ... and, he will have rights to any type work in the UK, and stay as long as he needs to.

Thus, he might be able to take a "working holiday" and you guys won't have to be apart more than necessary.

Just a possibility to think about, not knowing anything else about your situation.

the Admin