We are getting Married - Where do i start?

[Louise_B]

Yup, That's correct Me and my SO are tieing the knot. And i couldnt possibly be any happier. We have decided to go ahead and get married just before he deploys in June/July. I am still in shock, Trying to get my head around it but this is a good shock .

Me and Justin have 1 visit in December before i fly over to get married and this all takes place so its going to be a lot to cram in. However i need MAJOR help with the visa and stuff, I want to try and get it all organised for December when he comes over so we can go through it together and know exactly what we are doing.

Now the plan is for me to take 3 month leave from work (which they have agreed to as i am getting married) I will be flying over in April to spend time with him and get the planning for the wedding undergoing and then Marrying in June just before he leaves for Kuwait, I will then return back to the UK to come back to work and Save for the move and also go through with all the Interviews etc that i will need to get done my end.

Now i dont know where to even start with all of this and i feel like my mind is numb already. Ive been told i my SO needs to file the i-130 petetion and send this off after we get married and BEFORE he leaves the country to go on active dudty. And i know its going to cost around $2,000 in total for all of this!

i will be staying there after we get married for a few weeks so we can file the petition and get my name changed etc. We have spoken to the Army admin who deals with this stuff and she said she will help us out with the paper work so none of this gets filled in wrongly.

I honestly just need someone to tell me step by step what i need to be doing and when. If someone can correct me with our plans and tell me what they think we should do to help us along better.

We want to to get married before he deploys END OFF.

Please please please HELP!!!!

[snow_girl]

I think a lot of people are busy with doing their own visa process that they won't have time to baby you step by step when they are having to figure it out themselves. Google is your friend. You already have an idea where to look so find that I-130 and start filling it out. I will say that a visa process can take years and to try to rush it is probably not a good idea.

[kacie]

Congratulations! You've decided on what visa to do, so now comes the research!

have a look https://travel.state.gov/visa/immigr...ypes_2991.html, and here you'll need a police check, but they only last a year I believe so wait for that, also make sure all your immunisations are up to date.

[Louise_B]

Congratulations! You've decided on what visa to do, so now comes the research!

have a look https://travel.state.gov/visa/immigr...ypes_2991.html, and here you'll need a police check, but they only last a year I believe so wait for that, also make sure all your immunisations are up to date.

Thank you for the actual congratulations Kacie!! Ill look at the links now!!

[SJ22]

As the Dutch would say: Gefeliciteerd!
But unfortunatly I have no further advise

[lucybelle]

Whoa, I'm with snow_girl here, tell you step by step? Uhh.. no.

There's already plenty of threads here about the processes and of course on visajourney there's thousands. And trust me I've been on VJ long enough to know if you ask for step by step directions there, you'll get a nastier answer.

[mllebamako]

Congratulations!
The process may seem overwhelming at first but if you take a couple of hours, do your own research, and write down your own step-by-step list, I think you'll find it manageable. Go to visajourney, check out their step-by-step guide and you guys can start filling out all of the paperwork and have everything ready to go by June.

[Louise_B]

Whoa, I'm with snow_girl here, tell you step by step? Uhh.. no.

There's already plenty of threads here about the processes and of course on visajourney there's thousands. And trust me I've been on VJ long enough to know if you ask for step by step directions there, you'll get a nastier answer.

Well Luckily for me there are people out there that genuinely would like to help me to the point that they are up to with it all! So thank you anyway

[Louise_B]

Congratulations!
The process may seem overwhelming at first but if you take a couple of hours, do your own research, and write down your own step-by-step list, I think you'll find it manageable. Go to visajourney, check out their step-by-step guide and you guys can start filling out all of the paperwork and have everything ready to go by June.

THANK YOU!!! i am so happy .. That is something i am going to consider so thank you for the idea! I guess it will be best for the both of us to go through it all in December when he is over

[Moon]

THANK YOU!!! i am so happy .. That is something i am going to consider so thank you for the idea! I guess it will be best for the both of us to go through it all in December when he is over

No, you should actually create an account on Visa Journey today and start getting your research done. Immigration visas are no joke, and not easy, there is no guarantee that you'll get one at all, they aren't obligated just because you got married. If you wait until December, you are going to be very shocked and disappointed, and staying a UK resident for a long time. The US is one of the hardest, if not THE hardest, places to get into. You don't need to wait for your boyfriend to start reading up on the process. You also need to know what to expect once you do eventually get here, as you will have a lot more work to do, to be allowed to stay permanently.

Everyone's immigration story is their own, and never exactly the same as anyone elses, you have to figure it out by yourself.

[mllebamako]

THANK YOU!!! i am so happy .. That is something i am going to consider so thank you for the idea! I guess it will be best for the both of us to go through it all in December when he is over

I agree with Moon. Why not just start now? I remember when I was first looking into immigration/visas years ago, when it was an abstract idea, it was super overwhelming and seemed like the most impossible process. But as soon as I just took a few hours to sit down and make my OWN list of what needed to happen and in what order, it really seemed doable. Seriously- sit down for 2 hours, on your own, and write down the steps. You'll feel so much better once you do.

[snow]

I have one small question! Isn't he married still? He should get this divorce done ASAP!!

Are you trying to get him into the UK or you to the US?
I posted some infos I wrote down while looking for our visa here (AT ~> US): https://members.lovingfromadistance....h-things/page2

I have no infos on getting into the UK, so that you will have to look up.

Good luck!

[kiara_silver]

Congrats! to you both!
Not to much advise, everyone's said go look online, and I wouldn't be much help. We're getting married next year and are also in a US/UK relationship, but im applying for college and going on a student visa first. (Long story, got accepted then surprise our little bundle of joy changed plans so had to delay school for a year) All I can say is the visa processes are long, expensive, and time consuming, and theres a lot of requirements you don't see until you start reading up on it. But I hope it all works out to you, and everything goes smoothly.

[snow_girl]

I have one small question! Isn't he married still? !

She makes a very valid point. Can't start planning a wedding till he can actually get married.

[Louise_B]

I have one small question! Isn't he married still? He should get this divorce done ASAP!!

Are you trying to get him into the UK or you to the US?
I posted some infos I wrote down while looking for our visa here (AT ~> US): https://members.lovingfromadistance....h-things/page2

I have no infos on getting into the UK, so that you will have to look up.

Good luck!

Thats all being dealt with I got no worries about that His officier is speeding things up.