Eligibility for Green Card - Without being married/employed.
- Thread starter Nightkd
- Start date
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
Other ways include sponsorship by a sibling, parent, or child. And if you're feeling lucky, there is the diversity lottery. But for that lottery, you have to be from a country that does not have a high rate of immigration to the US (there is a list of which countries are disqualified), and only 50,000 people are accepted each year out of the millions who apply.
TheRealCanadian
Volunteer Moderator
Nope.
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
Student visa is another possibility. That would give you a few years to decide if you really want to get married and want to live in the US.
Triple Citizen
Registered Users (C)
Born in the UK.
I don't want to study....
Seems kinda silly they don't have a longer term Visa without getting hitched. I take it my dad's Uncle won't count as a close enough family relative to sponsor me? Even though he immigrated with his amazing qualifications and has a respectable place in society over here now?
Meh.
I don't want to study....
Seems kinda silly they don't have a longer term Visa without getting hitched. I take it my dad's Uncle won't count as a close enough family relative to sponsor me? Even though he immigrated with his amazing qualifications and has a respectable place in society over here now?
Meh.
Where you are in society doesn't matter. If it did, they wouldn't have even interviewed me because of my father in law.
And no, there is no other option.
And no, there is no other option.
BornintheRSA
Registered Users (C)
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
It's not silly, it's sensible. You expect them to grant a multi-year stay to an adult who is neither going to study nor work, and isn't marrying a US citizen or resident?
How long do you want to stay? You can get up to 6 months with a tourist visa.
I'm actually trying to figure out what's going on, seen as I'd found all this out, but my partner seems to think there IS another way without the marriage/employer sponsorship route. Hmm, seems I was right.
I want to work from home - it's just not a desperate thing as my partner earns enough to support us both & more. I want to live with my partner and I'd basically be looking after his house while he's at work, then eventually raising his kids if all goes to plan. That's what I want to do.
I'd rather not have to worry about HAVING to leave, but hey ho. I'd also quite like to be able to drive etc here. Hmm. So, 6 month Visa, how long does that take to come through? And where would I have to be to apply? - Eg US (on VWP currently, I know it can't be extended, but applying for the 6 month???) or UK?
I want to work from home - it's just not a desperate thing as my partner earns enough to support us both & more. I want to live with my partner and I'd basically be looking after his house while he's at work, then eventually raising his kids if all goes to plan. That's what I want to do.
I'd rather not have to worry about HAVING to leave, but hey ho. I'd also quite like to be able to drive etc here. Hmm. So, 6 month Visa, how long does that take to come through? And where would I have to be to apply? - Eg US (on VWP currently, I know it can't be extended, but applying for the 6 month???) or UK?
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I just wanted to quote this bit as I said almost the exact same to my partner in the car today... His reply "So you're saying that people don't come over here and just decide to stay? They HAVE to get married? And I mean, not everyone has a job to go to...."
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TheRealCanadian
Volunteer Moderator
Then marry him.
You need to return to the US and apply for a B visa. The only way to stay beyond your 90 days is to get married.
If he was ready - worried about upsetting his parents more than anything - I would. Just to be his Mrs if nothing else....
I need to return to the US?????
I don't intend to stay beyond my 90 days if you're talking about the VWP. I'm talking about applying for the B2 Visa and while waiting for that, can I still travel on the VWP? Eg sticking to the terms of the VWP - making sure I return to the UK within the 90 days before going back to the US (if they let me) - am I able to do that while they're processing the B2 request?
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
You can get a B2 visa within a week, but you'll need to do it outside the US. Make the appointment (if walk-ins are not allowed), pay the fee, bring the application form and documentation of your ties to the UK, they'll interview you, and you'll get your passport back in a few days, with or without the visa depending on whether you were approved. Look up the details on the consulate's web site for the UK or call them.
Just be aware that if you use the visa within a month or two after returning from a 90-day VWP trip, that lowers your chances of getting a 6 month stay granted. They generally don't want you to spend more than a total of 6 months as a visitor within any 12-month period.
Just be aware that if you use the visa within a month or two after returning from a 90-day VWP trip, that lowers your chances of getting a 6 month stay granted. They generally don't want you to spend more than a total of 6 months as a visitor within any 12-month period.
Jackolantern
Registered Users (C)
Well, there are people who just go to the US and decide to stay without getting married or getting a work visa ... but they do it illegally and have to live with the risks and consequences of doing that.
Most Americans have no idea how restrictive their own country's immigration policy is.
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BornintheRSA
Registered Users (C)
You're absolutely right.
After staying here for 6 months on a B2 visa I was gonna go home and apply for a Fiance visa then come back and get married within the 90 days.
My hubby just said "No. There won't be any problem as long as we get married before your 6 months are up."
I tried to explain that being married doesn't make me legal.
He just didn't get it.
On another note... He doesn't want to marry you coz he doesn't want to upset his parents? Seriously lame excuse.
Thank you all, there's some really useful info there.
Yeah, I told him the US doesn't want people like me just to come here and stay without having strong family ties (eg being married to him) or giving something back - eg having specific experience/qualifications etc for a job. He just keeps saying "There must be a way for you to just stay..."
Basically; what I've said is, we could get married, sort out the green card etc, pay all the expenses for that, then in a year or two (when we've got enough money saved) have two ceremonies to celebrate - one for his parents in the US and one for mine in the UK - maybe a renewal of vows or something. He's just worried his parents will be upset they're missing out on the 'main event' as it were - not like mine are 4000 miles away!!! Bah.
Yeah, I told him the US doesn't want people like me just to come here and stay without having strong family ties (eg being married to him) or giving something back - eg having specific experience/qualifications etc for a job. He just keeps saying "There must be a way for you to just stay..."
Basically; what I've said is, we could get married, sort out the green card etc, pay all the expenses for that, then in a year or two (when we've got enough money saved) have two ceremonies to celebrate - one for his parents in the US and one for mine in the UK - maybe a renewal of vows or something. He's just worried his parents will be upset they're missing out on the 'main event' as it were - not like mine are 4000 miles away!!! Bah.
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