High school, visa, information... I'm lost!

[PedroElToro]

Hello everyone!

So, I've been around the forum for a few days, reading many different posts, but yet I think I need advice regarding to my personal story.

I know my SO since 2011 and we met in April 2013. It was amazing, and I already have my plane ticket to come back for Christmas 2013 (not before because I want to work during the summer break so I have some saves). I'm from Belgium, 21 and still an high school student because of unfortunate events (I have one more year to go), he's from California, 24, college student looking for a job.

I plan on moving to California, and since I still have one year of school to go, I think it's a fair time to see if it's worth the try. BUT, I'm lost with the visa. We're thinking of the fiance or spouse visa. My question is; since I at least have one more year to go in school, should I prepare some of my papers already? We might get engaged next time I'm coming or at the end of my last high school year (which means, June 2014). Would it be easier in our situation to get the fiance or the spouse visa? I'm looking over visajourney site, but there's soooo many information...

In a nutshell, is it better for us to already prepare all we need to get the visa filled quickly? Can I apply for this kind of visa while being in high school?

Thanks in advance, and may the love be with you! :-)

[lucybelle]

I know you didn't ask about this- but have you spent an extended amount of time together (in person)? I'm talking more than a month, preferably at least 3 or 4. What about time in the USA? Getting married is a pretty big freaking deal, and so is moving to the USA and leaving everything you know and love behind.

You and your SO need to decide which visa is best for you. They are both long, expensive processes. My SO and I picked the spouse visa because it was better for us.

[mllebamako]

I'll echo lucybelle's advice. Have you spent an extended period of time together? I know it's not possible for everyone, but it's definitely worth trying to have him spend 3 months (or more) in Belgium or for you to go to the US for 90 days with the VWP.

Anyway, to answer your question: I think it's a bit early to really prepare but you can definitely make sure that you both have your documents in order. Check that you both have your original birth certificates, make copies of plane tickets/passport stamps/etc from when you met. Maybe print up a skype bill or something. Just start gathering some evidence and keep it all organized in a folder.

As for which visa to choose, you'll just need to do more research and decide which one is better for you. We'll be doing the spousal one at some point since we're already married and living in his country.

[PedroElToro]

Thanks for your answer!

Of course, before all this I was thinking of staying longer after I graduate, at least 2 months. I don't want him to go in Belgium for personal reasons. I wanted to leave my country after graduating anyway, so "losing" all I have here is not that big of a deal since I know I'll still be able to see those I love. My SO is just the confirmation of the project, and I'm glad he is.

Thanks for the information, I'm a bit paranoiac and tend to prepare everything in advance, whatever the ending could be. Maybe we won't take these visa, maybe we will, who knows? But I think it's already a good idea to pick some of my official paper, whatever the visa would be. After that, I could be wrong and I wouldn't be surprised

Anyway, thanks for your answer, I'll take them in consideration to see when I should, first, go and spend more time; obviously leaving to live with someone else is a big deal. Thanks a lot!

[mllebamako]

Don't worry, I'm a lot like you. I want to be prepared even if I am not sure if I'll do something. For awhile we were 75% sure that we'd do the fiance visa. I prepared ALL the paperwork, filled out every single form, and gathered up a bunch of relationship evidence. Well, plans changed, we stayed longer in his country than we'd thought, and ended up marrying. We probably won't do the spouse visa for another 6 months, but at least I'll be partially prepared!

Anyway, glad to hear that you'll be spending more time with him before deciding. And like I said, just keep all of your visit and relationship evidence organized in a folder somewhere and you'll be ahead of the game if you do decide to apply for a visa.

[ThePiedPiper]

Your SO is in the bay area like me, I see.

However, have you thought about what you're going to do once you get here? School is ridiculously expensive. It's around 60 grand for four years and with the way the economoy is right now, you need more than a Bachelor's degree to get by, especially in the bay area and even in Watsonville or places with high crime rates like Salinas. Is your SO going to college for a Bachelor's or for a degree in higher education (or an Associate's)? Does he plan to support you while you go to school? Will he be okay to live in a different part of California or even to go out of state to find more work and cheaper housing?

I think the bigger issue after moving from the country is what you plan to do when you get here and how you plan to afford it/go about it doing it. :/ It's an important one to consider, especially given the way the economy is. There have been some improvements but they aren't marked and people are still fighting hand and claw to get the same jobs because college graduates with Bachelor's degrees are all fighting over the same ones. It allows employers to be a lot pickier about who they hire. With a high school diploma, though, you're looking at entry level, minimum wage positions. A minimum wage position will bring you in $320 a week working a stable 40 hour work week. $1280 a month is not enough to live on in this area. Even if you double that, it would be very, very hard to do, and that still leaves you making around $15,000 a year, which depending on his salary, will not get you far in California, let alone this area of it. :/ I don't mean to be a debbie downer, but I think your education is a realistic barrier you both are going to think about needing to cross, because even people with Bachelor's degrees are having difficulty finding more than entry level positions.

I also believe a part of the visa is showing that neither of you will end up relying on the government to support you.

I would do what mllebamako is saying, though. Keep all your visit and relationship evidence information in a file, maybe by date if you want to get fancy, and worry about crossing the bridge when both of you are ready and able to cross it together.

[mllebamako]

I also believe a part of the visa is showing that neither of you will end up relying on the government to support you.

Yes! I forgot to mention that part. In your OP you said that your boyfriend is looking for work, just be aware that for both visas (fiance and spouse) there is a pretty hefty financial requirement. And that is money that HE alone earns, not money that you both earn combined. Of course, there are ways around that (if he has a very large savings account or you have someone else who is willing to co-sponsor). But that's definitely something to think about and plan for.