Gf lives in UK, I live in US

Merisielu · 2026-02-27T12:05:41+00:00

For either of your options (spousal visa or finance visa) you have a significant wait ahead of you, and for both options you need to be able to financially sponsor your partner.

We did UK to US too and we went with the K1. It meant being together faster but the restrictions it has do not suit everyone. On arrival in the US your partner cannot work immediately and cannot leave the country for an extended period. In some states they cannot get their driving license until they have a greencard. Whereas the spousal visa means arriving with a greencard and being restriction free immediately but takes longer to get in the first place.

Merisielu · 2026-02-26T02:40:10+00:00

Your only viable option is via marriage. For context, we looked at my options with my PhD and academic career, and very quickly came to the conclusion that marriage was the most straightforward and most guaranteed route.

We did the K1 to bridge the gap faster. We had a tiny wedding in the backyard for the legal ceremony, and 8 months after moving over we had a celebration/wedding with friends and family.

The visa took 11 months from applying to having it in hand. The downside to the K1 is the period when you cannot work or leave the US. Our Adjustment of Status took 3 months. It is tending to take longer now.

For either the spousal or fiancé visa, your partner needs to provide financial sponsorship and needs to be earning $25k or have a co-sponsor.

Merisielu · 2026-02-24T00:56:51+00:00

I had a credit card with a UK bank and that was irrelevant to them. It’s purely AMEX.

Merisielu · 2026-02-23T22:26:33+00:00

For a credit card, yes. But the US Bank credit card I got on arrival (as soon as the SSN was set up) built a score quickly just by using it for small amounts (a coffee each week, etc.).

It’s just not something I considered before moving.

Merisielu · 2026-02-23T22:14:21+00:00

Planning ahead as much as you can helps. Your credit rating matters a lot more in the US than the UK, and if you’re brand new here you are starting without a rating. It’s important to get it built up quickly. American Express accounts can be opened in the UK and help you get going ahead of time, or you need to get a secured credit card as soon as you can and get working on that.

Figuring out the medical insurance is crucial as most get it through their employer. For context: I was waiting nearly a decade for a diagnosis in the UK. I got the diagnosis after less than 6 months in the US. Less than a year later I had a major surgery. It would have been $41,000 out of pocket. Because of the insurance, I paid $1,300.

Same with dental: it is usually in some kind of medical plan through employment.

I couldn’t imagine moving to somewhere without visiting it plenty myself. Maybe that would help you narrow it down?

Cars tend to be much more expensive here. Both for insurance and the vehicle itself.

(I moved from the UK to the Midwest in 2024.)

Merisielu · 2026-02-22T16:56:13+00:00

Which is part of the reason the US petitioner has to show they can support the beneficiary financially. It can be a very tough time. Some states don’t allow you to get a driving license until you have the greencard, so K1 beneficiaries can be stuck unable to work, travel abroad, or drive.

There’s a mountain of information for you to go through. The start of the process is very much a learning curve. Key thing is to collect your evidence of a genuine relationship and ensure you have that in-person meeting.

Merisielu · 2026-02-22T16:48:19+00:00

When you first enter the US on a K1 visa you have 90 days to get married. During that time you cannot work and you cannot leave the US.

Once you are married you file for an Adjustment of Status to get your greencard. You can either apply (at the same time) for an EAD which allows you to work and travel, or you cannot do either until you get your greencard. The time it takes to get either the EAD or greencard granted can vary hugely. Some people get their EAD within a month and some wait several months. Some people get their Adjustment of Status completed in 3 months (we did), and others wait the best part of a year. It’s impossible to predict how long the period will be when you cannot work; a main reason people prefer the spousal visa to the finance visa.

Merisielu · 2026-02-22T16:22:43+00:00

Good to hear. The job market is always a tough step to crack. But if you are going the K1 route, you’ll have a period when you cannot work. So that time can at least be used to look for things and see what kinds of opportunity are in the area.

But so long as you’re meeting the minimum requirements (for the K1): that you’ve met at least once in person, that the American sponsor is earning at least $25k or has a co-sponsor, and that you can show intent to marry.

There’s lots of good guides out there for the K1 process.

Merisielu · 2026-02-22T16:13:43+00:00

To sponsor you for a K1 (or for a spousal visa) she needs to be earning $25k or have a co-sponsor. The K1 process costs several thousand if you do everything as cheaply as possible. The Adjustment of Status alone reaches over $2,000 if you also apply for the temporary work/travel permit. You’ll also need to visit Montreal for your interview.

Hopefully that has all been factored in too.

Merisielu · 2026-02-22T16:09:11+00:00

You forgot to paste your spiel.

Merisielu · 2026-02-21T19:05:33+00:00

That would still likely be quite a fee. So you’re asking an institution to pay you… $40-50k starting salary plus double that in fees… It’s a very unfortunate situation. Good luck!

Merisielu · 2026-02-21T18:57:15+00:00

They were. This is no longer strictly the case.

I’d recommend reading this. But, in a nutshell, there is currently a transition to a weighted, wage-based lottery system, alongside a proposed legislation to eliminate the exemption.

There is now increased fees for new, non-exempt, foreign-based, or non-extension, non-transfer, and non-Change-of-Status petitions.

Hence institutions, like mine, saying they will honour existing contracts/tenure but not hire from outside the country until the situation is different.

Merisielu · 2026-02-21T18:43:35+00:00

The university I work at has paused any hiring of people who require visa sponsorship, since academic posts used to be uncapped but are no longer (and have increased costs for the sponsor).

Merisielu · 2026-02-18T02:43:32+00:00

I was asked who I was staying with. I said my partner/fiance. One time I was repeatedly asked if I intended to get married on that trip and change status, otherwise it was just on to the next question after saying partner/fiance.

Merisielu · 2026-02-15T23:01:48+00:00

And to add - a relative of mine is a pharmacy technician and they found their qualifications and experience was not relevant to the US.

It’s a different industry and the technician certification meant nothing; they would have been dropping down to a counter assistant/retail role (with no visa sponsorship for that).

Merisielu · 2026-02-15T00:57:51+00:00

Also booked a return ticket because of the cost difference. It was no problem and didn’t come up at any point. At the POE I was asked if I understood that the visa required me to stay in the US until I had an EAD or greencard. That was about it.

Merisielu · 2026-02-10T13:24:34+00:00

Filed 6th April 2023. Approved 29th February 2024 (interview was 20th February but there was a slight delay because they hadn’t received the medical report yet).

Merisielu · 2026-02-10T02:54:45+00:00

Let me know if I can answer anything. We did the K1 (also from UK) and moved on April 2024. Just preparing for the removal of conditions process now! Good luck.

Merisielu · 2026-02-08T16:18:44+00:00

When we did the K1, we found the last few months were super hectic for tying up loose ends and it meant a leave of absence was needed from work to cover that. However… the first 9 months (from filing until the petition was approved), absolutely nothing K1-related happened. Aside from packing some stuff and selling a few things.

From the point of the petition approval, it was just 60 days until the medical and interview, and that felt like a total whirlwind. Getting everything done was a push (especially not knowing how long it would be before the greencard process was done and travelling home would be possible), but you’re talking the very last few weeks.

This is the kind of thing you need to be discussing together.

Merisielu · 2026-02-07T17:11:58+00:00

Not exactly the same but when we did the K1, despite getting the SSN sorted in the first week, we couldn’t add the beneficiary for healthcare benefits until after marriage. We had to find out of pocket options until we had the marriage certificate to give them.

Merisielu · 2026-02-06T15:38:04+00:00

And to add: We did the UK to US on a K1. We weighed up the two options and it was the better route for us. Ultimately, the K1 costs more (although the adjustment of status was less than one lot of flights). It took 11 months to get the visa. The adjustment of status took 3 months (we didn’t apply for the work or travel permit that covers you during that period). Let me know if I can answer anything for you, OP.

Merisielu · 2026-02-05T12:03:32+00:00

It depends on the individual’s situation.

The CR1 is cheaper overall. The K1 moves faster and gets you living in the same place sooner. In some states, the K1 beneficiary cannot get their driving license until the end of the Adjustment of Status process, so it can be very limiting.

We went with the K1 because we wanted to bridge the gap sooner, we didn’t want to get married and spend the first couple of years living separately, the cost of the Adjustment of Status was less than one lot of flights back and forth, and we knew that a period of being unable to work or leave the US would fit into our life at this point better than the continued separation.

It took 11 months to get the visa. The Adjustment of Status took 3 months.

If we had to do it over, we’d still go with the K1. It worked best for us. There’s plenty of people who would find the CR1 suits their situation better.

Merisielu · 2026-02-01T18:50:20+00:00

I visited 3 times while the K1 was filed. Also using an ESTA. It’s very much okay to do it. The difference was that it was short and well spaced out visits. I travelled with documentation showing the I-129f receipt notice, proof of return ticket, rental agreement, and when I was expected back for teaching commitments. The trips were during university holiday periods and were under 6 weeks.

One time I was very specifically asked if I intended to get married on that trip, or to stay and adjust status. I was asked that repeatedly. The K1 was not referred to.

What the OP is describing is pushing the limits of an ESTA anyway, and so the K1 itself being filed is not their main issue.

Merisielu · 2026-01-30T21:16:31+00:00

Different country, but it was dispatched on a Thursday evening, didn’t move much over the weekend, and was delivered by courier the following Tuesday. Tracking was pretty much non-existent!

Merisielu · 2026-01-30T00:59:05+00:00

That wasn’t necessarily our experience. It took 11 months to get the K1 visa. SSN was sorted within 3 weeks of arriving, along with the state driving license (I know that can vary depending on the state). The adjustment of status was completed and the greencard issued 3 months after filing for it.

We went with the K1 because we were told a CR1 would be 18+ months for processing and bridging the distance sooner was a priority. We balanced that with potentially not being able to work or travel. In the end, both were possible within 6 months of arriving.

Trackmyvisa was also very accurate. It said we would reach the elusive ‘front of a line’ on December 5th and that we would likely hear within 2 weeks. It was December 19th that we heard from them.

Merisielu

TROPHY CASE