Does anyone know another way

[marmaduk]

Reverse mortgage is a way for homeowner to draw out the equity that they've accumulate without having to sell the house. Instead of getting the entire loan in one bulk payment like Home Equity Loan, the amount is spread out over a time period in which the Bank will send you a monthly cheque. Its usually popular to Senior.

Yeah, I doubt 18K is anywhere close to the kind of capital you would need.
Even if you utilize the K3 fiancee visa, that would still requires your fiancee to file I-130 & I-864, and that's where the financial obligation will rear its ugly head again (no, your finance won't be included in the calculation).

FYI, 125% above poverty guideline for a household of 2 is $16,037, roughly around $1360/month, unless your fiancee is in Alaska or Hawaii.

[sappyconifer]

Sponsored immigrant's liquid cash assets can be used to assist primary sponsor in meeting the requirements using a figure of 1/5th of their value.

[Theone]

A bit of **** being bandied around.

$18,000 of capital would equate to $3,600 of income.

But some good news, a K1 can self sponsor in London, check with the Consul, but GBP3 or 4K should do it.

BUT when you then marry and file to get your GC, you need to meet the poverty guidelines. You need to have lived together, not necessarily married, for 6 months to count your finaces as being co-mingled.

If you come through New York you should get an employment authorisation stamp, good for 90 days, get married as soon as you can and there should not be too much of a gap in getting your year employment authorisation based on marriage.

www.visajourney.com is more detailed on the process.

[marmaduk]

Theone is right. The K1 visas is a viable route. My bad, I was under the impression both K1 & K3 work under the same principle and didn't realize the I-130 can be applied later on in the case of K1.