Visa help!

cour3439

Do any of the military dependents out there have experience getting visas? My fiance is stationed overseas, and said all dependents need visas so I am trying to get one before we get married and I go live there with him but I am so confused! There are so many kinds, and I don't know if I can just wait and get one while I'm already over there with him because I don't cant to get the wrong kind. Any help would be loved!!!

kyrgyzstan

What country is he stationed in? Are you going to be command sponsored?

cour3439

He is in England and I do not know if I'll be command sponsored...

SheilaE

It's really important that you become command sponsored.  I know you want to be with him right away, but it would be beneficial for you to wait til he can get his orders ammended with you on them so you can be command sponsored.

When I moved to Japan I was command sponsored, I had to have a health and dental check (some bases can't take care of all mdeical problems), I recieved a No-fee passport (we dd this through the base SATO(travel) office, and that's about it.  I don't ever recall doing any Visa paperwork.  Since I was on his orders I don't think it was as big of a deal not to have it.  Also since I was on his orders, I had SOFA status.  So when I got to Japan, I had to get a SOFA stamp in both my regular passport and no-fee passport.  We also recieved some paperwork called a Family Entry Approval.  Again this was basically saying I was command sponsored, and I needed it everywhere the first few weeks I was there.  I needed it to check into housing (DH was away), to get into DBIDS, to check into TriCare, to get my SOFA stamps, and whatever else the base thought I needed it for.  That was my experience in Japan.

I found this http://benefits.military.com/misc/installations/Base_Content.jsp?id=4695
It has a small paragraph saying that you do need a visa as of 2004 and it takes about 45 days to recieve a visa from the UK.

Again, it's very important to be command sponsored.  That would be my main concern if I were you.  Also ask your FI to see if he can get you a check list of things you need to do to move there.

matty4128

I actually work assignments.  You cant start the process with the military until you are officially married.  It sucks but you cant get medically cleared or anything until its official.  It makes sense because if for some reason things didnt work the military wouldve wasted money.  You will need a Passport and Visa to go there.  You will automatically be command sponsored going to England.   I would make sure you have everything required to process your Passport and Visa and start saving money for the Visa because that is a reimbursed expense and comes out of pocket at first.