# UK(Welsh) woman to states with US Soldier



## Jman180 (Jul 3, 2011)

Hello, first things first, This is my first post, and I have specifically registered to potentially get help with the situation at hand.

I'm currently enlisted in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany. My Fiancee/Girlfriend whatever you wish to refer to her as, is located in Wales, United Kingdom. Given the situation, currently it's a decent set up.

However, I ETS(leave) the Army, and therefor, will be moving back to the United States in a year, and we are needing information on how to smoothly go about immigrating her into the United States with as little hassle as possible.

That being said, The main reason I'm posting is because I've had a hard time finding actual facts about the process, or the potential avenues to take to the process of Immigrating her in to the US, so I figure I will post some of the things I've found/read to see if they're true, if they're not true, etc...

Getting married in Germany is out of the question, neither of us are citizens, not to mention it takes FOREVER. The easiest route I have found at least so far, despite the cheesiness of the option, is a Vegas Wedding - that would suffice for the MARRIED portion, would it not?

I guess it's sort of a two sided question, and i'll be honest, I'm pretty lost in how to go about it, She has none of the potential 'Skeletons' nor do I, I had hoped being in the Military would help in smoothing out the process but in my experience it tends to only make matters more complicated.

Any help, or guidance really would honestly be GREATLY appreciated, so much so that I couldn't really explain. I love this woman, and the last thing I want is to be hindered from smoothly establishing our lives together because of some paperwork.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Contact JAG!


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

I am going on the info that you will be moving to the US when you leave the Army and you will want your wife/fiancee to join you. Don't know whether being in the Army has any significance on you marrying (don't think it does) but I'm just going to briefly address the "how to move to the US thing". I'm presuming that your Fiancee is a UK citizen.

You have two main choices I believe: You can marry in the UK (you as a US citizen needs to get a marriage visa which is issued in the UK), and then you leave for the US. In the US you petition for your now wife to join you (believe you start with the I-130 form). You will need to prove that you can support your wife. This will take some months to process and there are fees as well, but once the visa has been issued she will enter as a Permanent Resident in the US.

The second way is for you to get engaged and then, when you are back in the US, you petition her on a Fiancee application (think its the K-1). This again takes some months, and when she enters the US you have 90 days in which to get married. Then she applies for an AOS (change of Status) to a Permanent Resident. Again there are fees applicable and support issues

It's either time apart when you are engaged or time apart when you are married

Its all on the US Government web site

USCIS Home Page

*Note this is Government web site *- there are plenty of Agencies out there willing to take your money for processing the application forms, so be careful

Good luck


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Jman180 said:


> Getting married in Germany is out of the question, neither of us are citizens, not to mention it takes FOREVER. The easiest route I have found at least so far, despite the cheesiness of the option, is a Vegas Wedding - that would suffice for the MARRIED portion, would it not?


Do not think you should be so quick to dismiss getting married now. In Germany, on the US base, in the UK (requires a visa but it's quite quick), in the US while on vacation) or in any other country. 

Forever is usually the adverb used to describe the waiting period after marriage for the paperwork to come through. You have the opportunity given your time line not to wait forever to be together.


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## ednpat (Jun 25, 2011)

getting married in Vegas or Germany or wherever will still mean your partner has entered under a visitors visa, i.e. she has a limited stay in the US. If she does not get out in time under the visitor visa rules, she will seriously upset the immigration people who may get very stuffy about letting her back again....ever. As the the other reply said go to the US embassy/ or online, get the correct visa paperwork to enter as a spouse or a fiancee. The conditions of entry are precisely spelled out on what conditions MUST be met. It will take time and money. But do it right and it will happen. It took me 6 months from filing my paperwork in London to arriving with a spouse visa in Miami.


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## Ozblonde (May 13, 2011)

Jman180 said:


> Hello, first things first, This is my first post, and I have specifically registered to potentially get help with the situation at hand.
> 
> I'm currently enlisted in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany. My Fiancee/Girlfriend whatever you wish to refer to her as, is located in Wales, United Kingdom. Given the situation, currently it's a decent set up.
> 
> ...


I am an Australian married to an American....i entered the US on a tourist/visa......married my husband before it expired (within 90 days)found an immigration lawyer (cost around $2500) to submit the paperwork for residency within that 90 days...once its submitted she wil be ok to stay (ghats why out is important to submit before the 90 expire....from there it ran pretty smoothly...just ensure you gave proof of your relationship (photos,cards,letters etc.) I'm happy to answer any question you gave if I can.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Ozblonde said:


> I am an Australian married to an American....i entered the US on a tourist/visa......married my husband before it expired (within 90 days)found an immigration lawyer (cost around $2500) to submit the paperwork for residency within that 90 days...once its submitted she wil be ok to stay (ghats why out is important to submit before the 90 expire....from there it ran pretty smoothly...just ensure you gave proof of your relationship (photos,cards,letters etc.) I'm happy to answer any question you gave if I can.


The problem here is it's unlawful to enter on the VWP with the intent to remain. Yes, it's common.....and many are successful on this route. But when it goes wrong, it can really go wrong.


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