# US Greencard for Brit Husband



## meganf0412 (Mar 11, 2014)

Hi Guys,

So I'm an American and my husband is a Brit, and I've actually been posting over on the Britain Forum as I'm in the process of moving to the UK on a settlement visa. But I am just doing some research for the if/ when we both wanted to move back to the US as we both have ties to the states and have talked about living here in the future.

This year has been really difficult for us being separated while we sort a UK visa for me to go there. So is the process similar? Would I first have to come to the US with a job and have my husband join me? We have a few family members who would be willing to sponsor us, not sure what the rules are there?

Basically I just want to know if there's a way to come here together from the UK without being separated. I see on the US Immigration website that you can apply from within the US sometimes but I was unsure if my husband could travel here as a visitor and then switch? 

Sorry I know this information is probably already on other threads, but just trying to get a sense of what our options are down the road!


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## mamasue (Oct 7, 2008)

Once you've lived in the Uk for at least 6 months, you can apply for DCF....direct consular filing, which means you can actually file from the US Embassy in London.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

For the US spouse visa you can have a joint sponsor. So, if someone was willing to do so they could, with you, sponsor your husband meaning you would not need to return to the US before him to get a job in order to fulfill the financial requirements.

The process would take about 4 to 6 months for DCF:

Start here:

Bringing Spouses to Live in the United States as Permanent Residents | USCIS

Remember that, until you get British citizenship, if you leave the UK for over two years and then decide to move back, you will have to start the immigration process all over again as your Right to Remain will lapse.

He can't visit and then 'switch'.


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

spousal visa 
Immigrant Visa for a Spouse of a U.S. Citizen (IR1 or CR1)


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## meganf0412 (Mar 11, 2014)

Sorry to not respond sooner. Thank you for all of the info! It definitely helped put my mind at ease for any future move back to the states. And I will definitely be back to this forum if/when that occurs!


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## ddang (Jun 21, 2012)

Crawford said:


> For the US spouse visa you can have a joint sponsor. So, if someone was willing to do so they could, with you, sponsor your husband meaning you would not need to return to the US before him to get a job in order to fulfill the financial requirements. The process would take about 4 to 6 months for DCF: Start here: Bringing Spouses to Live in the United States as Permanent Residents | USCIS Remember that, until you get British citizenship, if you leave the UK for over two years and then decide to move back, you will have to start the immigration process all over again as your Right to Remain will lapse. He can't visit and then 'switch'.


Crawford, could you apply for the spouse visa and once approved apply for the UK citizenship before leaving. I see it can take 4-6 months to get approved and by that time I'll be eligible for citizenship. Or do I have to get my citizenship first and then apply for my husbands spouse visa?


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

ddang said:


> Crawford, could you apply for the spouse visa and once approved apply for the UK citizenship before leaving. I see it can take 4-6 months to get approved and by that time I'll be eligible for citizenship. Or do I have to get my citizenship first and then apply for my husbands spouse visa?


You're talking about getting citizenship in the UK right? Once you are eligible for UK citizenship you can apply for it whenever you like, before applying for the US spouse visa or when you have already applied.


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## ddang (Jun 21, 2012)

Crawford said:


> You're talking about getting citizenship in the UK right? Once you are eligible for UK citizenship you can apply for it whenever you like, before applying for the US spouse visa or when you have already applied.


Yes Crawford, I'll be eligible for UK citizenship in June. I was wondering if we can start my husbands US spouse visa now so by June I can apply for citizenship and we can hopefully move back to the US then instead of waiting to apply for the visa after my citizenship. I know it sounds silly but my husband and I have recently been thru a tragic loss, we lost our little baby. I'm really struggling here in the UK as my family is back in the states and I'm really close with them. We have decided to move back to the states for awhile so that I can be closer with my family. I wanted to wait to get my UK citizenship so that I can return with my husband back to the UK in the future when the time is right.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Post his in the UK section. Joppa is up to speed on UK immigration small print.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

ddang said:


> Yes Crawford, I'll be eligible for UK citizenship in June. I was wondering if we can start my husbands US spouse visa now so by June I can apply for citizenship and we can hopefully move back to the US then instead of waiting to apply for the visa after my citizenship. I know it sounds silly but my husband and I have recently been thru a tragic loss, we lost our little baby. I'm really struggling here in the UK as my family is back in the states and I'm really close with them. We have decided to move back to the states for awhile so that I can be closer with my family. I wanted to wait to get my UK citizenship so that I can return with my husband back to the UK in the future when the time is right.


Yes you can apply for your husband's US spouse visa now.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

With the caveat that you must not do anything that would jeopardize your U.K. naturalization if you wish U.K. citizenship. Check to make sure that the U.K. does not consider emigration intent to be a problem. Also, presumably the U.K. would not be pleased if you moved to the U.S. before your U.K. naturalization.

But the U.S. at least has no problem with your starting the process to sponsor your spouse for immigration to the U.S.


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## ddang (Jun 21, 2012)

BBCWatcher said:


> With the caveat that you must not do anything that would jeopardize your U.K. naturalization if you wish U.K. citizenship. Check to make sure that the U.K. does not consider emigration intent to be a problem. Also, presumably the U.K. would not be pleased if you moved to the U.S. before your U.K. naturalization. But the U.S. at least has no problem with your starting the process to sponsor your spouse for immigration to the U.S.


Thank you. It's not my intent to leave for good, it's just that we are going thru a tough time and I want to be closer to family at this time. We do wish to return to the UK. We've spent so much time and money already here that I didn't want to have to start over when we come back that's all.


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