girlfriend in Japan

[nakamuru]

I have a girlfriend in Japan I"m a permanent green card holder but i was born in korea (came here when i was 3 1983)... if we decide to get married, what are the certainties she will be able to get a green card and live here in Seattle. I dont know if Japan embassy has strict rules or not.. But she is 20 years old. And also how long does process take??

Her teacher informed her that she can't cause i was born in Korea (But i have been living here since 1983). Do i need american citizenship then?

[rayb]

If you marry her in any other country, then petition her as your spouse, and you are at least age 21, she can get a spousal visa to come to the U.S.

--Ray B

I have a girlfriend in Japan I"m a permanent green card holder but i was born in korea (came here when i was 3 1983)... if we decide to get married, what are the certainties she will be able to get a green card and live here in Seattle. I dont know if Japan embassy has strict rules or not.. But she is 20 years old. And also how long does process take??

Her teacher informed her that she can't cause i was born in Korea (But i have been living here since 1983). Do i need american citizenship then?

[nakamuru]

Ok kind of confused. So you are saying I have to go to Japan and marry her there and then petition the request here? Or she comes here and marries and then flies back to japan and i have to petition the request.

So is this a pretty certain way of getting her to live here in usa Permanently? I'm wondering the cost and wait period of this process?

[rayb]

If the young lady gets to the U.S., you can marry her, then petition her as your spouse.

--Ray B

Ok kind of confused. So you are saying I have to go to Japan and marry her there and then petition the request here? Or she comes here and marries and then flies back to japan and i have to petition the request.

So is this a pretty certain way of getting her to live here in usa Permanently? I'm wondering the cost and wait period of this process?

[nakamuru]

Ok when you mean she gets to usa.... Do you mean like she comes here to visit on vacation, and I petition her as my spouse? Does that mean that after I do that.. she has to go back to Japan? Or she waits with me here and just wait until the green card finalizes.. i'm really confuse... I mean I dont mind going to Japan and getting married. (although it would be filled with anxiety since i never went there before) ... But if has to be I dont mind.. But if she came here to the states for visiting... I can do the process ? Hmmm... or do i start filling out paper work now? A friend of mine who had oversee marriage said it took about one year for process and about 2grand.... So wondering if i fill paper out now???

[rayb]

Nakemuru,

You can fill out the paperwork anytime, but you can't submit it until you are married.

If here on a visitor visa, and you decide to marry, she can remain in the U.S. while her petition and Adjustment of Status paperwork are being processed.

--Ray B

Ok when you mean she gets to usa.... Do you mean like she comes here to visit on vacation, and I petition her as my spouse? Does that mean that after I do that.. she has to go back to Japan? Or she waits with me here and just wait until the green card finalizes.. i'm really confuse... I mean I dont mind going to Japan and getting married. (although it would be filled with anxiety since i never went there before) ... But if has to be I dont mind.. But if she came here to the states for visiting... I can do the process ? Hmmm... or do i start filling out paper work now? A friend of mine who had oversee marriage said it took about one year for process and about 2grand.... So wondering if i fill paper out now???

[nakamuru]

So let me get this straight. She comes to Seattle from Japan on a visitors visa (how long are visitors visa usually and its pretty easy to obtain? Or is this dependent on country?) And we decide to get married, we can fill out the paper work and she can stay until it gets finalized? But is it usually a certainty of the forms getting all passed so she doesn't get deported back? Also does this mean that I have to have a quick on traditional wedding cause the timeframe of her coming here on visitors visa only gives me few weeks to get it all ready...

[nakamuru]

Nakemuru,

You can fill out the paperwork anytime, but you can't submit it until you are married.

If here on a visitor visa, and you decide to marry, she can remain in the U.S. while her petition and Adjustment of Status paperwork are being processed.

--Ray B

did you work for the government or something? What else method can I do to have her living here permanently via marriage...

Other option i'm guessing are:
I go to Japan and marry her.. then come back to Seattle and petition the request... which means she will have to wait for this pocess right? (which I have been told takes about a year??)

are there any other options?

I think the option you talked about is great since it allows me to be with her while it's being processed. But im just worried about the form not passing and she has to go back... And since I don't speak Japanese (I speak little Korean) how I will get a job over there.

I don't have any criminal record and I have a permanent resident card since 1983. Is getting a us citizenship give me much more guarantee chances?

[rayb]

If you're not a U.S. citizen, your gal would be out of status too long if she came here on a visitor visa and you petitioned her, and tried to Adjust her Status. Since you are not a U.S. citizen petitioner, she would have to wait a few more months after your I-130 petition was approved before you could apply for her Adjustment of Status, and she would be a visa overstay during that period.

I was assuming you are a U.S. citizen with my earlier replies, but just went back to your first messages.

Your best option is to go to Japan, marry her, then peition her and wait in the U.S. for her to be eligible for an immigrant visa. The wait would probably be 14 months or so.

--Ray B

did you work for the government or something? What else method can I do to have her living here permanently via marriage...

Other option i'm guessing are:
I go to Japan and marry her.. then come back to Seattle and petition the request... which means she will have to wait for this pocess right? (which I have been told takes about a year??)

are there any other options?

I think the option you talked about is great since it allows me to be with her while it's being processed. But im just worried about the form not passing and she has to go back... And since I don't speak Japanese (I speak little Korean) how I will get a job over there.

I don't have any criminal record and I have a permanent resident card since 1983. Is getting a us citizenship give me much more guarantee chances?