Hi,
I have been in the US for many years, always with J1 visas (and the US embassy always gave me the J1s, even though it wasn't for the same employer nor with the same sponsor, and without ever asking me to fulfill the 2 year requirement).
I'm engaged to marry a US citizen; I am currently on a J1, for 3 years (starting September 2007, so I'm in the middle of my first year of this visa).
I have been looking at what is the procedure for getting married (we will do so in the US -in California in particular, where we are both residing now and will be residing from then on). I understand that we need to get married first and then apply for change of status.
-What forms do i need to fill out, and to whom do i send them?
-Should i apply for the change of status, or should my future husband? -Do i need to worry about the 2 year requirement after the J1 (i.e. do i need to file a waiver?) ?
-Am i still eligible to work where I work now and what steps should I or my employer take, if any?
-Since my current work is away from where my future husband is living (and where we'll both live after we're married), I'll need to relocate, so when can I look for another job, if not immediately? (I am on a J1 after all, so I can legally work -right? or should I wait for status to have changed completely?)
-I have heard of foreigners not being able to leave the US for a year, (i've also heard two years sometimes), after they got married to a US citizen, to show their good faith. Is this true? If so, when in the status-changing process does this start?
-any other advice or detail my fiance and I should know about?
Thank you so much for all the help you can give us!!

