My fella is american and im english we are going away in three months to Florida and are thinking of getting married while there but unsure if we get married i can legally stay over there and live. just unsure weither it will work
2006-09-27 05:27:43 · 28 answers · asked by mandy b 1 in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
Check with the Immigration office. You don't get citizenship just because you marry an American. You have to apply just like everyone else. It's a process.
2006-09-27 05:30:04 · answer #1 · answered by Justsyd 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Okay, here's the deal. You MUST apply for a visa BEFORE you get married. There is a process that you have to go through. When I did it, this is what I had to do:
- Fill out application to marry. Wait.
- Go to American Embassy in London.
- Get physical, and be interviewed.
- They test you for disease, TB, AIDS, and various other things.
- Get clearance to go to America.
- Get married in America within 90 days of arrival. (There is a different procedure if you are already here)
- Apply for work visa.
- Apply for temporary green card.
- Apply for social security number.
- Visit nearest INS office (mine was 500 miles away and I had to go four times).
- Get work visa (can take up to six months before you can get a job).
- Get temporary green card.
- Get social security number.
- Two years later get full green card from INS office that lasts 10 years.
- Consider taking citizenship. The test is easier if you have lived here for more than seven years.
If you simply get married without prior approval, you may be required to leave the country and apply from England.
I promise that the very best thing to do is get an immigration attorney. The rules and laws change all the time and there is a mountain of paperwork and fees to pay. If you make a mistake it can be very costly in terms of more fees or being forced to leave America to file something back in your native country. It will cost a little extra to do this through and attorney, but it will almost pay for itself in terms of doing things legally and correctly the first time.
Whatever you do, seek professional advice before you get married. It will save you a lot of bother.
Good luck. It's worth it. America is a lot of fun to live in. I've been here six years and found the change interesting and enjoyable. I don't plan on going back to England any time soon.
2006-09-27 05:46:37 · answer #2 · answered by ZCT 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bit of advise, because I've been there and done that. If the US Department of Immigration. ie. Customs finds out that you are going to the US on a tourist visa and plan to get married they will send you back as soon as you arrive, because you don't have a fiancee visa. If on the other hand your tourist visa is for a long enough time, you should be able to get married and then file for a green card to stay. Good Luck!
2006-09-30 12:25:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It used to be that you would married an american and you could live here, but they have changed to laws since then and you must apply for a green card to live in the U.S. Once you have your green card, you can apply for citizenship. If you don't do this when your visa expires you become illegal. If you get stop by a cop they will then deport you. It is better to start the paperwork now there is usually a little wait to get it. This site has information on how to get your citizenship and green card http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm
2006-09-27 05:41:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would check it out by first looking on-line and seeing what you can find. As far as I have ever heard you can legally stay over here and live. If you cannot find anything on line go ahead and check with the embassy to make sure. Good luck and I hope this helps.
2006-09-27 05:36:20 · answer #5 · answered by mandi88_bailey05_ray 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was once engaged to a man from California (luckily I saw the light and dumped him in time!) but when I wrote to the immigration department, they wrote back and told me I was NOT allowed to travel to the US with him even when he was my husband. I had to apply for a visa just the same as if I hadn't married him. I'm very glad I didn't marry him as I didn't want to live in the US at all.
2006-09-29 08:01:13 · answer #6 · answered by Specsy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you will need to contact www.bcis.gov
you will have to file for a fiances visa while you are still in England, and wait 18 months (at least thats what it was in 2002) before you can come to the states...he will also have to file the appropriate paperwork while in the states.
You CAN NOT get married to a US citizen to become a citizen yourself...you have to file all of the paperwork and send in all the forms & pay the fees that go along with each form...good luck as my husband and I have been doing this for 3 years this November.
2006-09-27 05:39:06 · answer #7 · answered by Jessi 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No you will still need to apply for a visa allowing you to work, just because you are married doesn't mean that you can automatically work over there. My friend moved across and wasn't entitled to work for the 1st six months when she was there.
2006-09-27 05:31:35 · answer #8 · answered by stokegal 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not likely. You will have to leave the country for a short while before getting approved to come back again. Your chance of staying will increase if you hire an immgration lawyer to help with the case.
2006-09-27 05:38:37 · answer #9 · answered by galactic_man_of_leisure 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You will still have to apply for a Green Card. Without the card, you won't be able to work. Once you get your card, you have to be in the states for a number of years to be eligibly to apply for citizenship. I went through the same thing. It's a hassle.
2006-09-27 05:41:26 · answer #10 · answered by Kris 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋