# How to move my fiance from Belgium to the US?



## mogador (Aug 25, 2010)

Hi,

I'm a US citizen and I'm engaged to a Belgian citizen. We'd decided to get married and for him to move here to the US. The problem is I have no clue on how to initiate the visa process, help him with the job search here...

Please let me know if the fiance visa takes a long time and will it serve as a work permit? Can he move and work here in the US while waiting for his visa?

Many thanks for your help.


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## BritishGav (Jan 26, 2010)

On the fiancee visa you can't work, it takes about 8-13 months to apply and you have to marry within 90 days. The first step is submitting the I-129F form to your local visa office via dallas. You'll also need to be earning $18,212 or have someone prepared to co-sponsor. Once married your husband can apply for the authorisation to work and from there he can start looking for work. The I-129F costs $455 to file, and there are various other costs associated with the process. I hope that helps


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

BritishGav said:


> On the fiancee visa you can't work, it takes about 8-13 months to apply and you have to marry within 90 days. The first step is submitting the I-129F form to your local visa office via dallas. You'll also need to be earning $18,212 or have someone prepared to co-sponsor. Once married your husband can apply for the authorisation to work and from there he can start looking for work. The I-129F costs $455 to file, and there are various other costs associated with the process. I hope that helps


The work authorization is strange on the K1 visa.

In theory, you can work for the first 90 days. Then you're not authorized until your EAD comes through after filing AOS. However, the only POE that regularly gave the work authorization stamp in your passport was JFK. Then the new I9 left this off the list of acceptable documents proving work eligibility.

So the reality is that you can be self-employed for the first 90 days......but you would find it impossible to be an employee.


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

mogador said:


> Hi,
> 
> . The problem is I have no clue on how to initiate the visa process, .


http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/New Stru.../Resources-3rd level/How Do I Guides/A2en.pdf


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## mogador (Aug 25, 2010)

Thank you for your all your useful responses. It seems complicated if my fiance has to stay jobless once admitted in the US because he needs to wait for his work authorization to be issued. Would you think that marrying first before applying for his visa to enter the US would be a more effective solution? That way he could work as soon as he's admitted into the US?

Many thanks.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

mogador said:


> Thank you for your all your useful responses. It seems complicated if my fiance has to stay jobless once admitted in the US because he needs to wait for his work authorization to be issued. Would you think that marrying first before applying for his visa to enter the US would be a more effective solution? That way he could work as soon as he's admitted into the US?
> 
> Many thanks.


Yep -- the best visa is the IR1/CR1 immigrant visa, which requires you to be married beforehand. On entry (like all immigrant visas), he becomes a permanent resident with the right, among others, to work.


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## mogador (Aug 25, 2010)

*ESTA required for citizens of Belgium to enter USA*



Fatbrit said:


> Yep -- the best visa is the IR1/CR1 immigrant visa, which requires you to be married beforehand. On entry (like all immigrant visas), he becomes a permanent resident with the right, among others, to work.


Thank you again for your responses. My fiance is a Belgian national and he completed the ESTA application which is required to enter the US for less than 90 days. His application was pending for the last 4 days when it should not take that long. Any one has experience with the ESTA process?

Many thanks


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

mogador said:


> Thank you again for your responses. My fiance is a Belgian national and he completed the ESTA application which is required to enter the US for less than 90 days. His application was pending for the last 4 days when it should not take that long. Any one has experience with the ESTA process?
> 
> Many thanks


Four days is a long time to get stuck in ESTA.

Does he have an Islamic name or Islamic connections?


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## mogador (Aug 25, 2010)

Fatbrit said:


> Four days is a long time to get stuck in ESTA.
> 
> Does he have an Islamic name or Islamic connections?


He does because he's born in Belgium but originally Moroccan. He came here several times before though and didn't have any issues with US entry.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

mogador said:


> He does because he's born in Belgium but originally Moroccan. He came here several times before though and didn't have any issues with US entry.


Probably your answer is there. Expect any future visa applications to take longer than general -- the name given to the black hole is _administrative processing_. Stuff pops out of it in 2 weeks or 2 years......nobody can tell! If it starts to niggle, your congressional representatives may or may not be helpful.


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