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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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sundizz
Joined: 17 Dec 2009
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 Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 4:30 pm Post subject: Marriage and going to the US steps? |
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I've tried to do some Google searches, but wanted to see if anyone on here could give me a quick rundown (that's gone through it) on the marriage process and how long it takes and any requirements.
-I'm a US citizen
-She's Korean
We plan to the move to the US after getting married.
-What do we need to do?
-How long does it take?
-Any requirements/hiccups
-Any restrictions on her work status etc?
Also do I need to have a job lined up (sponsor) or something? I'm doing a Masters program in the US so don't have any job. I've just been coming to Korea on a tourist visa for now to stay with her and her family (can do most of my Masters stuff online). |
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sundizz
Joined: 17 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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Related question; is it possible for her (Korean girl/citizen) to get a dual citizenship of the US and Korea?
This stuff is exhausting to even read about...not going to be great having to do all the actual paperwork. |
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Stan Rogers
Joined: 20 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Its too bad doing things the legal way have to be so time consuming and complicated. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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Getting married is the easy part.
Trip to the embassy, trip to the gu office and done like dinner.
Her emigrating to the US (as a spouse) is another matter.
The K3 / CR1 visa is time consuming, expensive and pedantic.
http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/types/family/spouse-citizen.html
The difference between K-3 (non-immigrant) and CR-1 /IR-1 (immigrant) are the normalization process. K3 applicants have to adjust their status when they get to the States.
CR1s are good to go once they obtain the visa. (This visa takes even longer than the K3 - 2 years is common for a CR1 application).
http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/types/family/immediate-relative.html
You can typically expect about a year between starting the process and actually getting on a plane (K3).
AFTER she arrives Stateside there is another waiting period (up to 2 years) for her to normalize her status and actually get her green card.
Congrats on the pending nuptials and condolences in having to deal with USCIS.
http://www.uscis.gov/family/family-us-citizens
K3 - non immigrant visa.
CR1 = immigrant, conditional residence (married less than 2 years).
Must remove conditional status within 90 days of 2nd anniversary.
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KimchiNinja
Joined: 01 May 2012
Location: Gangnam
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| Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 9:50 pm Post subject: Re: Marriage and going to the US steps? |
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| sundizz wrote: |
Any requirements/hiccups |
The only hiccup comes in 20 years, when you have completed your masters program and made a million dollars, then she divorces you and under USA law takes 140% of your assets. Then you work it off for the rest of your life. 
Sorry, couldn't help it! Congratulations, hopefully. |
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thrylos
Joined: 10 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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Some friends who have returned to the States got their wives' immigrant spousal visa within 5-6 months of applying, closer to 3-4 months from the time they started the paperwork. They were told it could take up to 2 years, but in reality it was pretty quick (and expensive, about $1500-2k for everything.) They have been married for some time, though, and with kids, if that makes any difference.
You do have to show a sustainable income, whatever that means, based on cost of living. For a family of 3, it was around $30,000/year, for 2 probably less. It can be either in bank accounts, employment, or assets/real estate and I think sponsors (parents, etc) could qualify, if needed. They basically want you to show them that you're not going there and immediately becoming welfare king and queen.
Dual citizenship isn't allowed through naturalization-- she'll either be an immigrant w/a green card and her Korean passport, or she'll have to give it up for US citizenship further down the road, I think after 5 years on a green card. Your kids could hold both. |
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Died By Bear
Joined: 13 Jul 2010
Location: On the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
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| Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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| thrylos wrote: |
Some friends who have returned to the States got their wives' immigrant spousal visa within 5-6 months of applying, closer to 3-4 months from the time they started the paperwork. They were told it could take up to 2 years, but in reality it was pretty quick (and expensive, about $1500-2k for everything.) They have been married for some time, though, and with kids, if that makes any difference.
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I think it depends on where you live.
Here's a gem: If you live in a place where the lines are long and slow every day like Phoenix for example, let's say you're in the middle of the whole process of trying to get her a green card, permanent residence card, and somewhere along the line of the two-four year span it takes; she wants to visit Korea. Now you have to apply for that permission to travel. It takes a long time to get that permission. Their form will write something like 'allow six months to process' - and they are about to miss their deadline. Now you have to fax them a reminder that they're about to break their 'commitment' of getting your wife approved within that time frame. Finally, just two days before her flight, the letter of permission arrives. That's the kind of shit a slow office will put you through just to travel out of the country. |
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thrylos
Joined: 10 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 1:34 am Post subject: |
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| Died By Bear wrote: |
| thrylos wrote: |
Some friends who have returned to the States got their wives' immigrant spousal visa within 5-6 months of applying, closer to 3-4 months from the time they started the paperwork. They were told it could take up to 2 years, but in reality it was pretty quick (and expensive, about $1500-2k for everything.) They have been married for some time, though, and with kids, if that makes any difference.
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I think it depends on where you live.
Here's a gem: If you live in a place where the lines are long and slow every day like Phoenix for example, let's say you're in the middle of the whole process of trying to get her a green card, permanent residence card, and somewhere along the line of the two-four year span it takes; she wants to visit Korea. Now you have to apply for that permission to travel. It takes a long time to get that permission. Their form will write something like 'allow six months to process' - and they are about to miss their deadline. Now you have to fax them a reminder that they're about to break their 'commitment' of getting your wife approved within that time frame. Finally, just two days before her flight, the letter of permission arrives. That's the kind of shit a slow office will put you through just to travel out of the country. |
Let me just clarify that said folks were living in Korea, went through the process with the US embassy in Seoul, then moved back. |
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