International Issue Canadian in America/ American Serviceman Overseas

[firemanring]

I am an Active Duty American Military Air Force member stationed in the UK. My fiance is a Canadian Citizen living and working legally in the US, in California as a Registered Nurse. I need to know what procedures need to be accomplished so that she can join me here in the UK, both from an American/Canadian marriage perspective and from a military member/dependent perspective.

We're planning to marry in California on 4 November. I need to know what her status will be when we get married, if she'll have to change her paperwork as far as US Immigration is concerned to contiue working there until she joins me here in the UK.

I also need to know exactly what steps need to be taken so that she can work here as a Registered Nurse in the UK, and what ramifications there are to her being married to an American Citizen/ Air Force Member in the UK. Will that make things easier/ harder?

I feel a bit overwhelmed with questions that need to be answered, many of which I may not even be aware of to ask. If this site can't provide solutions to the questions and the situation, I at least need resources for the purpose of directing my questions to the proper place.

Thank you very much. I appreciate any help that can be provided.

 

[NYClex]

I can only give you very limited answers but I will try to point you in the right direction:

(a) American immigration status

It depends on what status she has now. If she already is a permanent legal resident (has a green card) then being married to you would not make a difference.

If she is living and working in the US under any other visa, she might want to obtain permanent legal residency. She would have to file for adjustment of status once she is married to you. Normally the person would be expected to be in the US during this adjustment, but there are special provisions for military spouses. Your JAG office should be able to help you here, they usually assist military members in immigration advice for their spouses.

(b) British immigration status

I have no idea about British law, but I would assume they have about the same kind of regulations pertaining to NATO status that we have. If you are in Britain under a NATO-status visa your spouse should be able to get the same visa, this would be the way it would be handled for a British soldier stationed in the US under NATO-status.

Your JAG office should know about this, too.

(c) British licensing for nurses

This might be a very tricky matter. The US for example requires extensive testing and paperwork before a foreign nurse can be licensed in the US. I could imagine that British requirements are not much easier. Your wife should inquire with the British board of nursing or however it is called, that info should be available on the internet.

Also you would have first to find out if a military spouse is allowed to work in Britain under the NATO-visa she might get. That info your JAG office should have.

If she would not be allowed to work under the military visa, it might be that her Canadian citizenship gives her privileges. Canadians are members of the British commonwealth and those usually receive preferential treatment under British immigration law. She should contact the British embassy about this.