Which Visa Would Be Best?
Hi;
Last March, I tried to bring my girlfriend over from England to stay with me
here in Texas. She was stopped and questioned at the port of entry, and
refused entry, mainly because she could not demonstrate that she had no
intent to immigrate. She is/was a student, and she has always lived with
her parents. She has never been employed, and does not own much in
the way of possessions (she doesn't own a car).
We have made a Congressional Inquiry on this, but it didn't get us anywhere.
She has been removed from the Visa Waiver Program, so she will need a
visa to come here. We have contemplated getting a fiancee visa, but we
understand that it is expensive to get, and takes a long time to get it. Also,
once she is here, we have 90 days in which to get married, or she goes
back to England. That doesn't give us much time together.
We have contemplated getting a student visa, as she wants to continue
with her education, and it would give us a few years before we have to
decide if marriage is the right thing for us to do - and also for her to
decide if she can tolerate living in my life-situation. We also understand
that the student visa is a non-immigrant visa, and that we have the
problem of proving that she has no intent to immigrate.
Are there any other kinds of visas that we could use for her to come
over here on and spend (perhaps) a few years with me?
(We would like to have more than 90 days in which to come to a decision
on something as major as marriage.)
Could we possibly get a visitors visa, and apply for the fiancee visa
in the meantime?
Is there anyone with the State Department that I can contact on this matter?
(I never could find an email address on their website.)
... or an email address for someone at the U. S. Consulate in London?
If it should come to that, what is the quickest way to get a fiancee visa?
(I understand that it can take as long as 6 months to get.)
Thanks!
Re: Which Visa Would Be Best?
There's not a "I want to bring my girlfriend into the country for a few years to see if we're compatible, in which case we may eventually get married" visa. Also, as you know, a fiancée visa would give her three months to marry you or return home. If you're not going to marry within that time, and it will take years before you know if you want to marry, how does that help?
What exactly happened last time? Young people visit the U.S. all the time. Was it pretty clear from the stuff she had with her that she intended to move to the U.S.?
Re: Which Visa Would Be Best?
Hi Mr. Knowitall;
Quote:
Quoting
Mr. Knowitall
There's not a "I want to bring my girlfriend into the country for a few years to see if we're compatible, in which case we may eventually get married" visa.
Awww - shucks.
Bummer.
Quote:
Quoting
Mr. Knowitall
Also, as you know, a fiancée visa would give her three months to marry you or return home. If you're not going to marry within that time, and it will take years before you know if you want to marry, how does that help?
She doesn't really know what she wants to do with her life. She has
little idea as to what she wants to do in the way of a career. She is
hoping to attend a college here, take some base-level courses, then
come to some sort of a decision.
FYI: The universities in the UK are not "liberal arts" institutions. You have
to make a choice before entry, then you're stuck with it until graduation.
Also, living life here with me is going to be something FAR different from
what she is accustomed to, and it's going to take her some time to adapt
- there's a huge difference between life in the UK, and life in South Texas.
Besides that, there are things that I need to resolve with regards to my
own career, and it could take me several months to do that. Our
relationship has been ongoing for two years now, and she has finished
sixth-form college, so it is well past time for us to move forward.
Quote:
Quoting
Mr. Knowitall
What exactly happened last time? Young people visit the U.S. all the time. Was it pretty clear from the stuff she had with her that she intended to move to the U.S.?
She was not in possession of very much cash, and no credit card, so she
could not support herself for the duration of her visit (I was going to take
care of everything). Also, she was/is unemployed, doesn't own any
property, so she could not prove that she has "ties" to her country of origin.
Thanks!