HighwayStar 08-09-2007, 01:34 PM I apologise for having more or less dropped off the radar these past few months, though I've been regularly lurking all the time.
Unfortunately, it seems that, unlike my SO posted some time ago, our LDR hasn't bitten the dust after all. We are now together in the US, but in less than four weeks I'll have to get back to Italy - alone. I won't get into detail of the many practical setbacks we've experienced since we left Rome at the beginning of July (though our relationship is stronger than ever). Suffice it to say, we won't probably be able to marry before I go back home, which will make things rather difficult for us both.
Since I am about to complete my PhD, I'm not likely to be able to leave Italy until the end of the year. My leave of absence from work (three years altogether) will end on January 31, 2008 - after that, I'm supposed to get back to work, or to apply for another few months' leave of absence, which this time would be unpaid. I can afford to take some months off without getting any money, but I don't want to start eating into my savings, and life in Italy is quite expensive.
Michael's divorce will probably be final in a few weeks, possibly in September, but by then I will be unable to take time off. He could come here, but he needs to work, and arranging for a wedding in Italy (even the simplest one) takes time because of our laws. Therefore, at present the only viable solution seems to be the K-1 visa for me. Now, I know more or less how it works, as I've often visited the VisaJourney website. What I would like to know is how much it is going to take and if there are likely to be any problems along the way, seen as I am a middle-aged woman from Western Europe, with very good education and financial position, but still not a spring chicken.
As I know at least one AL member (Aina, aka Joelstrouble) went the same way some time ago, I'd be very grateful to you for any advice or feedback on the best way to go about it.
grumpysgirl 08-09-2007, 01:45 PM I apologise for having more or less dropped off the radar these past few months, though I've been regularly lurking all the time.
Unfortunately, it seems that, unlike my SO posted some time ago, our LDR hasn't bitten the dust after all. We are now together in the US, but in less than four weeks I'll have to get back to Italy - alone. I won't get into detail of the many practical setbacks we've experienced since we left Rome at the beginning of July (though our relationship is stronger than ever). Suffice it to say, we won't probably be able to marry before I go back home, which will make things rather difficult for us both.
Since I am about to complete my PhD, I'm not likely to be able to leave Italy until the end of the year. My leave of absence from work (three years altogether) will end on January 31, 2008 - after that, I'm supposed to get back to work, or to apply for another few months' leave of absence, which this time would be unpaid. I can afford to take some months off without getting any money, but I don't want to start eating into my savings, and life in Italy is quite expensive.
Michael's divorce will probably be final in a few weeks, possibly in September, but by then I will be unable to take time off. He could come here, but he needs to work, and arranging for a wedding in Italy (even the simplest one) takes time because of our laws. Therefore, at present the only viable solution seems to be the K-1 visa for me. Now, I know more or less how it works, as I've often visited the VisaJourney website. What I would like to know is how much it is going to take and if there are likely to be any problems along the way, seen as I am a middle-aged woman from Western Europe, with very good education and financial position, but still not a spring chicken.
As I know at least one AL member (Aina, aka Joelstrouble) went the same way some time ago, I'd be very grateful to you for any advice or feedback on the best way to go about it.
One thing I do know is they dont care about the age thing as long as you have enough evidence to support your relationship. You will also have to have letters of support from family and friends (there should be forms included in the K-1 visa packets for this. IF you do not come from what the clasify as a 3rd world country you will be okay there. Normally it takes between 3 to 6 months to gain a visa (USA from what I understood)
A good person to ask on this is Marcy..she has gone through it for the USA with her husband. I am getting the one to move to Australia so the USA one could be different..OH MARCY!!!! help? LOL
What I would like to know is how much it is going to take and if there are likely to be any problems along the way, seen as I am a middle-aged woman from Western Europe, with very good education and financial position, but still not a spring chicken.
What exactly do you mean by this? Can you be more specific about what worries you?
It seems like you're worried that your age, or even age gap, might go against you. That shouldn't happen, it should just be down to whether or not your relationship is 'real' or not. Yeah, I can imagine a situation where someone might see an age gap couple and have concerns, because of personal prejudice, but as long as you can prove your relationship (and marriage once you're married) is real then they wouldn't be able to do anything.
He'll have to fill in and sign forms to say that he will support you and you won't have to (won't be able to!) go on welfare, so money doesn't really come into it from your end.
If there's anything you want answering I hope I can help! At the moment we're applying for Permanent Resident status after getting married on the K-1 visa.
One thing I do know is they dont care about the age thing as long as you have enough evidence to support your relationship. You will also have to have letters of support from family and friends (there should be forms included in the K-1 visa packets for this. IF you do not come from what the clasify as a 3rd world country you will be okay there. Normally it takes between 3 to 6 months to gain a visa (USA from what I understood)
A good person to ask on this is Marcy..she has gone through it for the USA with her husband. I am getting the one to move to Australia so the USA one could be different..OH MARCY!!!! help? LOL
Pretty much all right, except I can't imagine they'll need letters of support. We haven't needed to do that.
From applying to getting the visa took about 4 months for us, and I hung onto some of the forms for a while because it all happened quite fast and we didn't expect it to! Really depends on which service centre it goes through in the US, and that depends on where the US citizen lives.
grumpysgirl 08-09-2007, 02:20 PM Pretty much all right, except I can't imagine they'll need letters of support. We haven't needed to do that.
From applying to getting the visa took about 4 months for us, and I hung onto some of the forms for a while because it all happened quite fast and we didn't expect it to! Really depends on which service centre it goes through in the US, and that depends on where the US citizen lives.
For the Aussie visa you have what are forms 888 LOL for letters of support. I dont know how US is though. We had to save all functions tickets all that for us to get ours started. I know there is a US forum for this but I am trying to remember where it is. I will look when I get home in about 5 hours :)
marcy 08-09-2007, 02:44 PM I don't think you *need* letters of support either. We used them during our interview because there was such a significant age gap. It wasn't the years so much as Dev was 19 and we were worried that this alone would really concern the Consulate. We had letters from both our parents supporting our marriage and when we were asked the inevitable question about our big ol' age gap... we handed over those letters and weren't asked another question about it.
I don't think you should have a problem due to age gap alone, but make sure you have PLENTY of documentation as to the legitimacy of your relationship. Read Visajourney and post here... we're happy to help!
I don't think you *need* letters of support either. We used them during our interview because there was such a significant age gap. It wasn't the years so much as Dev was 19 and we were worried that this alone would really concern the Consulate. We had letters from both our parents supporting our marriage and when we were asked the inevitable question about our big ol' age gap... we handed over those letters and weren't asked another question about it.
I don't think you should have a problem due to age gap alone, but make sure you have PLENTY of documentation as to the legitimacy of your relationship. Read Visajourney and post here... we're happy to help!
Exactly, it's them verifying the 'legitimacy' of the marriage. After all, people DO marry just to get into the country. And age gap might make them think about it, but having enough evidence of the relationship should easily be enough to answer their concern.
The point where you might want such letters is the interview at the US Embassy (would be in Italy), but even there I wasn't asked much at all, just how we met, etc. In our case we'd met about 7-8 times over a couple of years, had proof of all that and had photo's showing us together in lots of places. Think it was quite obvious we weren't faking!
marcy 08-09-2007, 05:10 PM Yes thats where we used our letters at the Consulate interview in Vancouver and like I said... it was Dev being 19 :eek: that concerned us... I'd say it probably isn't necessary for everyone, but it did help us! :)
Belisama 08-09-2007, 05:19 PM I don't think you *need* letters of support either. We used them during our interview because there was such a significant age gap.
That's what we did, too -- it's not that it's "required" but anything you have that will document the legitimacy of your relationship is never a bad thing.
grumpysgirl 08-09-2007, 08:57 PM That's what we did, too -- it's not that it's "required" but anything you have that will document the legitimacy of your relationship is never a bad thing.
Well I wish aussie ones would let us not do it LOL..we will have people writing them out for us thank goodness:)
See i knew someone here would be able to answer about the american ones :)
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