Is it common for a immigrant to use a tourist visa and get married to stay here in the USA legaly?

Question

A tourist visa instead of a more complicated spouse visa. I also read in the pdf form document, the unmarried spouse may enter the us from their country within 90 days and the US spouse does not have to meet person to person first hand only if there would be extreme hardships for him/her. I don't have the money for an expensive lawyer. Thank you.

Answer 1

A great many people try it, but it does not work.  The foreign spouse has to return to their own country and wait for a spousal visa to be approved.  It can take 2 to 2-1/2 years.

You have to apply for a fiance visa.  It will take about a year to process.  Then the fiance can enter and you have 90 days to marry and apply for the spousal visa.  To get the fiance visa, you must prove how you met, when & where you have been together, etc. to prove that it is a valid relationship with intentions of a permanent marriage.  And you need to prove you have sufficient income and assets to provide for the spouse and guarantee a $30,000 bond.

Answer 2

Sounds like you are talking about the fiance visa, not the tourist visa. Yes, the fiance visa is pretty good and it seems that a lot of people getting married now are using it.

Answer 3

If you are able to get a tourist visa you just enter USA and vanish !

You get married and remain in USA for 10 years and when the US government announces amnesty periodically for illegal immigrants , you may register and get legalised.

Answer 4

It is very common and, if done correctly, it is legal and I understand pretty simple. I assume you are an American citizen. It should be easy.

You can find a lot of information in this site:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/...

Good luck!

Answer 5

K-3 visa: spousal visa you do not qualify

B-2 visa: tourist visa

K-1 visa; fiance visa

You want a K-1 visa. and you must get married within 90 days.

Getting married on a B-2 visa and filing for a change of status will get you 5 years federal prison, $250,000 fine plus deportation and lifetime ban for foreign born spouse. The charge is visa fraud. They can also add on making false statements to a federal officer, etc.

Go with the K-1!

Answer 6

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/...

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index....

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/m...

The most important requirement for K1 visa is not the lengh of dating but face to face meeting within 2 years prior to the petition.

Even though it is not illegal and there are people getting married and filing green card application after entering US on B1/B2 visa, there is still bigger change that Immigration Officer would deny your Adjustment from Tourist to Immigrant at the green card interview.

Either you opt to K1 or Adjustment of Status (AOS), your US Citizen fiance or spouse has to petition you and he or she has to have enough financial means to support you, by filing I-864 for you.

Read the instructions of the forms that you need to file and that will help you. Also, everything takes very long in USCIS process, so it would be better if you can be very very patient.  

Answer 7

Actually, it's illegal to use a tourist visa to come to the US if your intention is to get married and stay.  

If you do, then you have to prove that the decision to get married and stay was made AFTER you were admitted.