# Question about visas for French - American couples



## Popette (Mar 30, 2015)

Hello everyone,
I am French and my boyfriend of 2 years is American. We have been living and traveling in Australia, Asia, and Europe until now, but the visa problem is starting to be a real headache.

We are in France for the moment and will be going to his family for Thanksgiving. His 3 months tourist visa for France will expire at the end of November and the plan was for him to apply for a visitor visa to stay 1 year in France. However we are concerned we won't get it (because of the financial guarantees they ask for).

So our backup plan would be for me to get an internship with a J1 Trainee visa (which I am eligible for), but I haven't find one until now, plus I have read somewhere that you are not allowed to get married with this visa, or that you have to stay away from the USA for 2 years.
The other solution would be to get married either in the USA, with a fiance visa which I have learned can take up to 8 months to be granted, or in France, but since he has to leave in the next 2 weeks, that sounds not really possible.

We don't really know what to do, I don't want to get married with a tourist visa in the USA because I have read you might be accused of visa fraud.

Has any of you experienced a similar situation, or has some advice on what we should/ shouldn't do?

We would appreciate it greatly!

Thank you for reading me 

Pauline


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

You can get married in the US as a visitor without any type of visa BUT the non US spouse must, then, leave the US in order to apply for a spouse visa to live permanently in the US.

You cannot apply for a fiance/spouse visa when in the US as a visitor.

Yes, either fiance or spouse visa takes up to 8 to 12 months to process.

Yes, you can marry on a J-1 visa, however, depending on what type of J-1 visa you get the holder may need to return to the home country for the two year 'cooling off period". You also need a sponsoring employer.

To live in the US there are waiting periods for the visa process whether as fiance or spouse.

There are also financial requirements for the US sponsor for fiance or spouse visa too.

You just need to research all the options to see which ones you can qualify for.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

You can also get married in France or Denmark -- Europe's easiest place to get married -- then stay together in France.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

France is hardly the "easiest" place to get married, and in any event, it would be virtually impossible to set up and do a wedding here by the end of the month (particularly involving a foreigner). 

Reconcile yourselves to the fact that you will have to spend some time apart. (Three months or so if he goes back to the US and then returns to France to get married.) Just for the record, they won't grant a visitor visa to someone already in France - he'd have to go back home to apply for that one anyhow. 
Cheers,
Bev


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Bevdeforges said:


> France is hardly the "easiest" place to get married....


I never claimed it was. I think you missed the word "Denmark."


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## Popette (Mar 30, 2015)

Thank you everyone for your answers, we decided the best solution would be for me to find a job with a J1 visa, and we will see from there!


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