Dilong

Thanks for the input everybody. It seems most are advising against a lawyer. I am living in China and my GF and I have known each other for more than a year. But there is one issue that makes me want to consider getting a lawyer. She is married. She has been in a dead relationship for a long time, but it has taken a lot of work on her part to convince those involved that a divorce is the best course of action. She is trying to battle tradition. Anyway, I am worried about how this will reflect upon our K1 application if we start the process right after she completes her divorce (in the process of doing so now). This is why I am wondering if a lawyer could be of help.

Hi, Has anyone out there had experience using a lawyer or firm to complete the visa process? I am considering this in the hopes that it will speed up the K1 process a bit. Did any one have a bad/good experience using a particular firm? If so, I would be much obliged if you could share it with me. Thanks!

I have a Z work visa. As for the domicile issue: I have maintained my driver's license, I still have a bank an active US bank account, and I have filed taxes - though was not required to pay. The only issue may be an actual domicile. I do not have a place in the US. Would I be able to use my mother's residence to count for this? I receive mail there still and when we first return to the US the plan is to stay with her until we get set-up in our own place. Thanks for all the input everyone. This is really helping me sort everything out.

I am new on here, and thought maybe I would just tell you all my situation and ask for some advice. I have been living in China for almost two years now. I met my GF after I had been in the country for about half a year. For a while we were very close friends and then it developed into a more romantic relationship. She was in a dead marriage and trying to wriggle her way out of it slowly by basically convincing her family members who were very divorce-averse. Finally she was able to do it recently. Now I have a chance for a good job in the States, but I need to return around August. Basically I want her - and she wants - to come with me. But from all my research it seems the visa process could not possibly, even under the best circumstances, be so quick. I am also worried that going for a visa so soon after she got divorced may look bad. Basically I would like to know what everyone thinks is my best option. What kind of visa should we pursue? The goal is to get her over to the States as soon as possible, so we don't have to spend a long time apart. Oh, also we have not lived together yet so I don't know if that will factor in in any way. Ok, thanks everyone for reading this and giving me your advice.

I'm sorry, I got it a bit wrong in my last post. She had read that if we get married in China she will have to wait for something like a year or two after the VISA is granted before she can immigrate to the US. This sounds wrong to me, but it has her worried. Is it true that if we do the I130 it is usually quicker than the fiance visa and will allow her to immigrate as soon as it is granted? Thanks again for all your input on this everyone!

My GF told me she read on a Chinese website somewhere that if we go the I-130 route, it may be more complicated once we get to America in terms of her getting a green card. This website said if we do the fiance visa and get married in America then the process is simpler after that. Is there any truth to this? Sorry if my question isn't very accurate? I still get pretty messed up by all the numbers and terms.

If her visa application is rejected will we have another chance down the road to try again? Or does one rejection mean you can never try for another visa? Thanks.

Thanks for the input everyone. As for the DCF, it is also a possibility. We are both looking for a way to take it a little slower than immediately jumping into marriage. We saw the fiance visa as our best bet, though I know it only gives us an extra 4 months. Are there any drawbacks to the DCF? When we apply for her visa will she be required to show any documentation of being married prior, or will the consulate only see whether she is currently single or not? Thanks again for the help.

Hello All: I have a question about how a prior divorce affects the VISA process. I have been living in China for about 2 years and dating a Chinese girl. She was technically still married when we first fell in love and started dating, though the marriage was almost non-existent. He was gone a majority of the time and they barely interacted with each other. She has finally gotten a divorce and now we are planning to begin the VISA process in pursuit of a fiance visa. My question is, would it be better for us to wait another year before starting the process since a large part of our relationship was spent together when she was still married, on paper. I imagine that it might look like she is just trying to get out of the prior marriage and marry me to get to America. That is, of course, not the case at all. I would have no issue with this and would gladly wait another year before beginning this process, except that I will need to go back to the US to begin a new job. So if we should wait we will have to spend close to a year apart while the VISA processes, I guess. I don't like the idea of being apart so long. But I also don't want to try to push this through and ruin a chance at a VISA altogether.Does anyone have some experience in this matter or advice about it? Thanks for your help.