Marrying someone from a foreign country?

Question

I am interesting in marrying a woman who is from China. What are the steps I need to take? Should I go to China and marry her first before bringing her over here or use the fiance visa route? How long does it take for her to come here on a fiance visa from processing time to her actually being here? How much does it cost?

After we get married, what is the process towards citizenship. How long will this take and how much will it cost?

Thank you.

PS The I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) asks for a Social Security number. Does she need a this? What is a "file number A"?

Answer 1

Sorry I can't help you but I will be watching for the answers as I too may be bringing a girl to the US from the Philippines but now living in Japan (for employment opportunity). Your post asks the exact questions I have in my mind.

Answer 2

you can petition her for a fiancee visa (K-1). it would take almost a year to get your fiancee here in the US. you have to get married within 90 days upon her entry in the US.

this is the K-1 visa guide:

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

you can also opt to go to china and marry her there but you would have to come back to the US all by yourself. you will have to petition her for a spousal visa:

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

if she doesn't have any social security number or alien number, just put N/A

Answer 3

For the fiancee route, you need to have met at least once in the last two years and have documentation to prove this.

The fiancee route usually take 8-12 months, although it can take longer. The time-frame is just the same if you married her in China.

The cost: budget for a round $2,000 including all of the forms, medical, police clearance forms and the visa itself.

Process to citizenship, once you are married and she has her green card, then she will become eligible to file for citizenship 90 days prior to the 3rd anniversary of her becoming a permanent resident, provided you are still married *and* living together. If not it is five years. The cost of this is $675, not including postage or traveling expenses.

She does not need a SSN number for an I-129F nor can she get one from outside of the U.S. and an A# is what will be assigned to her once you file the petition. She will not have yet, so need to worry.

Answer 4

Get her pregnaunt first. then bring her to the country you want to live at .

Answer 5

I dont know the steps, but I wanted to wish you luck and say be prepared, I do know there are a lot of steps. :-)