American fiancee pregnant,need advice.

budwider

Just got back a few weeks ago from my latest trip from the states,my fiancee thinks she may be pregnant,we havent started the visa application yet as we do not know what the best way to do it is,was thinking of marrying her when i return next month,then i will be able to fly her over to ireland to have the baby as i have vhi and it is a lot less expensive than the states,will this be possible? but because i have a stable job here making good money the fiance visa would only give me a certain window in which to immigrate,so maybe the best option would be to go for the spouse visa instead.I really dont know what to do here,i need all the advice i can get.she cant move here permanently as she has a child already and joint custody with her ex.so moving here permently is not an option,i have to go there.

please leave me any advice,personal experiences or any info that might be useful.thanks guys.

from a worried irishman

Das Kitty

I think you need to seek legal advice from an immigration advisor in the States. They'll be able to tell you what the best course of action is. I suspect getting married will be advised though.

silja

I know quite a bit about the immigration process to the USA. The fiancee and spousal visa take about the same time and it would be touch and go whether you'd be over there for the birth (takes 6-8 months if no major road blocks). If she has no insurance over there. coming to Ireland would be a good idea I think. However, are you sure your VHI would cover her, as she is already pregnant? Look into that before making decisions...

There is a North America forum on boards.ie, it's a good place to ask questions and get opinions on US visa stuff.

janmc

As silja said, I'm pretty sure she won't be covered by your VHI. A friend who was married a few years wasn't on her husband's policy and was surprised to find out that she wasn't eligible.

That said, get a pregnancy test (or 2) before worrying too much about it all!

mindydawne

budwider wrote: »

Just got back a few weeks ago from my latest trip from the states,my fiancee thinks she may be pregnant,we havent started the visa application yet as we do not know what the best way to do it is,was thinking of marrying her when i return next month,then i will be able to fly her over to ireland to have the baby as i have vhi and it is a lot less expensive than the states,will this be possible? but because i have a stable job here making good money the fiance visa would only give me a certain window in which to immigrate,so maybe the best option would be to go for the spouse visa instead.I really dont know what to do here,i need all the advice i can get.she cant move here permanently as she has a child already and joint custody with her ex.so moving here permently is not an option,i have to go there.

please leave me any advice,personal experiences or any info that might be useful.thanks guys.

from a worried irishman

I'm American and my husband is Irish. If you are planning on living here until the baby is born, it is MUCH easier if you are already married. All she will need to do is go to the nearest immigration officer (usually in your garda station depending on where you live, my local garda station does not have an immigration officer so I had to travel) and show her passport and your marriage licence. She'll get a GNIB card which is good for 1 year, and as long as you're married you won't have to pay the 150 euro fee. If she comes over as a fiancee, she will need to show proof that she has health insurance, what the health insurance covers, proof that she can support herself financially and won't be a burden on the state.

However, my home country is not as easy, lol. I recommend going to the US state department website, travel.state.gov. and under the visa section they outline what all you need to do. It's my understanding (and i'm not an expert) that once you are married you'll get a temporary visa while your application is being processed.

Good luck!!

silja

mindydawne wrote: »

It's my understanding (and i'm not an expert) that once you are married you'll get a temporary visa while your application is being processed.

Unfortunately, that is no longer correct. There used to be a visa where you could do some of the processing in the USA, but could not work during that time (K3 spousal visa). This visa no longer exists and the only option now is the CR-1 spousal visa, where the applicant cannot live in the USA while waiting for the visa. On the positive side, this visa is cheaper, has less paperwork, and leads to an immediate greencard upon entry (ie you can work, get a drivers license etc right away). That being said, you CAN visit on the visa waiver for max 90 days during the visa process, just bring poof that you will return to Ireland so you are not turned back at the border (rental agreement, bank account statements, letter from employer stating when you are expected back etc).

... back to the pregnancy. Even if VHI does not cover her, I would assume as the wife of an Irish citizen and legally in the country, she could go public.