Hi I'm Laura. I'm currently living in Cambridgeshire, UK but am hoping to move out to the States next year. My boyfriend Tom is serving with the US Air Force and we met whilst he was on a tour here. He has just been posted to Bahrain for a year and after that he will be going back to the States. I really want to join him but am unsure of the best visa to apply for.

I currently work for the Ministry of Defence and did look at the possibilty of getting a job with them. However because Tom is going to Alabama there is little chance of that as most of the MoD jobs are in Washington DC. I have a degree in Forensic Science and have a little experience in IT Security (my current job field). I have also been looking into the Spouse and Fiance(e) Visas but because I want to get the ball rolling soon I think the former will be out of the question. I think I need some help! Thank you.

Hi Laura, and welcome to the forum.

You're aware, of course, that if you go for a fiancée visa, you'll have to get married within 6 months of your arrival in the US. The up side is, however, that you will probably be able to look for a job pretty much as soon as you get there, and you can apply for a green card immediately after you get married.

Alabama is not exactly the easiest place for a foreigner to find a job - but the way most visas with work privileges work, you'll need to have the job offer before you can apply for the visa. Also, given the ways of the US military, there is the chance that he may wind up stationed somewhere else, even if he has been told his next assignment is Alabama.

Take a look at the website for the US consulate in London. Visa Services U.S. Embassy London They have links to information on visa types and procedures and while it's a little overwhelming at first, you'll get an idea what's available and how best to fit things into your plans. And keep us posted on how things are coming.
Cheers,
Bev

After looking at the website I think the fiancee visa would be the best option even though it's costlier. I knew we had to get married within so many months (says 90 days on the site), that's not too much of an issue with me. I think I'm just more worried about how long the process will take as I'm already facing a year without him and don't want to be apart longer than is necessary. In addition the job prospects. I know there is a possibility I may be able to apply for a job on the base temporarily whilst I look for a more perminant one.

Also dosen't applying for a green card mean I have to go through the visa process again but as a spouse?

Applying for a job on the base depends upon your having the proper sort of visa. I'm not sure, but I think you have some opportunity to work with the fiancée visa. Yes, you have to "re-apply" for the green card once you're married, but it's part of the process that's included with the fiancée visa, so at least you don't have to return to the UK to file the application.
Cheers,
Bev

I was curious, so I took a look at the visa requirements. Apparently you have to file for a work authorization form after you get the visa.

And Bev is right. Military orders are subject to change right up to the last minute. And depending on the military's needs, being assigned to a unit somewhere does not necessarily mean that is where he will spend a majority of his time. TDY (Temporary Duty Yonder) assignments are common, and unaccompanied.

I think I read somewhere that you could work on a fiancee visa, if not then I'll have to wait.

Yes I know, I come from a military family myself and am all to aware of temporary deployments etc. Currently he is away for a year, if I can get through that I can get through anything.

Not being a stranger to the military way of life will make things a lot easier.

From what I read, I think you can work while on the fiancee visa, too. The web site just says that you have to file a separate form, and it seems to be something you do after you get the visa. Just more paperwork, I guess.

Yeah plus a fee for filing that form! Seems they want money for everything because to file for perminant residency it's $1000 and to file to be able to work its $340. Better start saving.

They just raised all the filing fees in the US last summer - and created a backlog for themselves as everyone rushed to file before the prices went up!
Cheers,
Bev

I've just read this news

'For all those who have heard the horror stories about the time taken for American visa applications to be processed, good news comes from the director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

In the summer of 2007, the USCIS received in excess of three million immigration applications and petitions across all visa categories. This volume in just three months was unprecedented in the history of US immigration services, and as a result there were severe delays in the processing of naturalisation petitions. In June and July 2007, for example, the spike in such applications represented a massive increase of nearly 350 per cent compared to the same period in 2006.

The good news is that the problems have finally forced changes to the outdated system.

In an attempt to reduce current processing times, which have lengthened as a result of last year's influx, Emilio Gonzalez, director of USCIS, has announced an overhaul of his department and its methods to the House of Repesentatives.

Firstly, he will address staffing issues by increasing overtime during the first half of 2008 and then employing an extra 1,800 personnel later in the year. There will also be an improved training programme introduced and more 'creative approaches' taken in the adjudication processes to increase output, without affecting standards. Lastly, there are plans to increase efficiency by improving the information technology used by the USCIS.

It is hoped the USCIS's two-year response plan will help reduce application processing times to six months for many visa categories by the end of 2010.'

Guide to Emigrating Abroad, Advice & Information on Overseas Emigration

Good news for most. Plus I've also managed to get in contact with a guy I worked with a couple of years ago. He went through the fiance(e) visa process last year. Hopefully I'll be able to pick his brains.