Work visa after work visa after work visa. That's the story of our trying to stay together. We're both in education and Charles will be on his 4th work visa to continue working as a teacher here in upstate NY. He's "in between" visas at the moment, which is the one-year hiatus that an H1B visa requires. That means, he can't work here or live here--he can only be a visitor--for a year before getting another H1B. We're fortunate when compared to some other people's situations because we don't have to take a plane to see each other and Charles can still come here as a "visitor." But we're always in fear of exactly how much "visiting" he can do without jeopardizing the required time outside of the U.S. In addition, he's ALWAYS interrogated at the U.S. border when coming from Canada, regardless of whether he has the visa or not.

Another annoying note: New York State teacher certification law requires citizenship or permanent residence in order to keep one's teacher certification. Charles' certification expired without the possibility of renewal because he lacks permanent residence. As a result, he's now had to take more courses and sit for more tests and will have to reapply for a NEW certification once he's completed these additional requirements. Always such a hurdle! The alternative, which is not being together, just isn't an option for us. (photo; personal; Ron and Charles; "Our civil marriage day, June 29, 2006, in Montreal, Quebec.")

Tags: USA, Canada

I, Angie (US national) met Estefania (Spanish national) while we were both living in London in early 2009. At the time I was on a two year visa which expired on March 5, 2010. We tried everything we could to keep me in the UK but there was no hope due to the status of my previous visa. I packed my belongs and left behind the life I had built for myself but most important I left behind the woman I love and moved back to the US on March 10, 2010. While Estefania has since returned back to Spain to try and obtain a student visa, we are now about to walk down the long road that so many bi-national couples in America are walking down. OUCH!!! This really hurts!! (photo; personal; Angie and Estefania; "...taken in London where we first met.")

Tags: USA, Spain

My name is Javier. I am a 27 years old Mexican gay guy who fell in love with a beautiful 36 years old Puerto Rican. We meet in Dallas, Texas a couple of years ago and immediately fell in love. We started living together shortly after a few months of dating. After this period of time, I decided to move to Puerto Rico with him on a tourist visa. Before my I-94 expired, I went back to Mexico to apply for a student visa. My student visa petition was denied and my tourist visa was revoked. Since then, we have been living in a nightmare. He lives in Puerto Rico and I live in Mexico. We live every day separated from each other, because we have been trying to get my student visa so we can be together. We are so desperate...hopeless... and we cant wait to be together as soon as possible. We will fight 'til the end. We won't give up. But sometimes, even when we both try very hard to stay calm, somedays we just can't. I hope we can find the fastest way to be together soon. WE ARE ALL EQUAL. WE ARE NOT SECOND CLASS CITIZENS. WE DESERVE THE SAME RIGHTS. We send all our support to all the couples out there who live in the same situation. I'm also writing this to express to my boyfriend, THAT I LOVE HIM VERY VERY MUCH. MY HOPE IS FOR GOD TO HELP US ALL!!..GOD BLESS YOU!!..(photo; personal; Me and my beautiful Puerto Rican boyfriend at some bar loving each other very much!!)

Tags: USA, Mexico

We met through a mutual friend. Fell in love instantly. First meeting we were inseparable for 2 weeks. We cried when I had to leave. He thought I would be gone forever. I called him from Hawaii and he cried but it was a happy cry, because he knew we fell in love. It was very emotional. Today we are separated by many miles of water, many islands and countries. We meet online now 2 times a day for an hour at a time. I can financially only visit him on occasion. We wish that we could live in the USA but without the immigration laws to change it would force us to move elswhere. I will go back in September. I just wish he was coming back with me. Time passes. Our love is so strong....

(Photo; personal; "The Philippines our first happiness together. My LOVE. Sometimes I think we will be separated forever because my country is to slow to regognize that we are human and need to be with each other. Our bonding is a true bonding of love. Time passes but our love is strong. He is Filipino, Me American.")

Tags: USA, Phillippines

Before she fell in love with Hollender, the 30-year-old Fortner knew about the restrictive visa possibilities, but never thought it would affect her directly. “I was just hoping that be 2009 that it would be resolved,” she says, “but I guess not…” The separation has been difficult to endure, but the couple has made it so far: “That hasn’t stopped either of us from crossing oceans for our love.” Nor has it deterred her from aligning family, friends and friends of the GLBT community to help support efforts to change U.S. immigration policies dealing with same-sex couples. Each of them makes it a point to alert their social circles about legislation they find discriminatory. Luckily, they’re not alone.

Great news for Fortner, who says legally residing with Hollender will help her once again believe in the American dream. “I am only trying to have the same right as my neighbors if they were in my predicament,” she says. “I waited a lifetime for this type of love. I want to share my life with Kelly for more than a few moments at a time.” Read Story, Local singer Shannon Fortner is separated from her partner thanks to U.S. policy toward same-sex couples, but new legislation might allow the two to live together year-round by Cooper Levey-Baker and and Anthony Paull for Creative Loafing

(Photo, personal; Creative Loafing)

Tags: USA, United Kingdom

We met back in July 2005 via Yahoo! personals. It seemed like an odd way to meet; but whatever works. After about 3 months I got on a plane to Manila and we met in person. We are both Certified Rescue Scuba Divers. We go diving together all the time when I am [in Manila]. In October 2007 I was with him for a month. We went diving in Thailand and then the Philippines for a couple weeks.

We have tried to immigrate to New Zealand, but his visa even failed for that country. So we are really stuck now. It seems the only option is to endure the long distance, seeing each other occasionally and having the internet to keep us connected daily. The only way for us to get fair immigration policies is via the courts. After 2 years and 8 trips to the Philippines from the States, I don't know how much longer we can wait on things to change. I know it's tough for all of us in this situation. Find Gregg and Carlos' story on about.com's "gay life" gallery by Ramon Johnson.

(Photo: Personal, Gregg Walls, Gregg and Carlos)

Tags: USA, Phillippines

Shannon and I met one week upon my arrival in San Francisco in the summer 2007. I was only visiting for 6 weeks, and wanted to check out the queer arts and culture in the Bay Area. Our romance began as a magical summer love.

Close to my departure, Shannon decided to come see me in Vancouver where I was heading for my return plane to France. We started to make plans for her to come visit me in France, and for me to come stay longer in San Francisco after I was done with my studies the following year. Shannon started to take French classes. I looked at grants and schools in the Bay Area for a graduate program. We lived long-distance over a year with times when Shannon came to Paris or I traveled back to the US. Finally, I moved to San Francisco at the end of August 2008 on a tourist visa, hoping to create a life together, and ready to do whatever I could to stay in the country, near my love.

The more I looked at it, the more scary it became. The first weeks, I understood that even if we decide to get married (as it was legal at that time in California), this ceremony would not give me any immigration rights, which are on a federal level. It could even go against us, as I would become a visible illegal immigrant if I decided to stay beyond my tourist visa's legal limit. I knew this was not a good idea. I started to look at the idea of a male partner to marry. This option did not appeal to us. It is based on lying about our love and our queer identities.

As a transgender person, the solution I was told was to transition all the way, change my gender identification to male, then I could marry Shannon. This is totally unconceivable for me. I have no money, no time, and actually no desire to pass as a male, nor to talk to doctors about my gender identity. Actually, living in San Francisco makes me feel a lot better about my gender expression and I believe this is another reason why I should be offered a better shelter here in California.

The american government does not provide any help for LGBT immigrants.

I applied for a graduate program starting in Septembre 2009. I have to leave in two weeks, and I know I will not be able to use my tourist visa anymore, as I have used it too many times and become "suspicious" to any Customs officer. The times when I had to cross the border are the worst memories of my time in the United States. I was put under pressure, and I knew I could not talk about the real reasons that brought me to this unlikable border: being in love and wanting to be happy.

I am hoping to be accepted to school. I am looking for financial support everywhere I put my eyes on but I do not know if/when I will be able to cross back again. If I do get a student visa, it again will be for a temporary stay of a couple of years. And then, what? I just wish Shannon could sponsor me as a resident, so that we can explore more our life together and continue provide this country of the cultural diversity that makes it so different and rich. -jAms

When jAms and I met, it was like a dream. I knew the reality of different cultures and limited time together, but I wanted to focus on the connection we had and the magic of the present moment. I wanted us to live the dream for as long as we could. That dream has now lasted almost two years.

Yet there have been many moments of heartbreak. It breaks my heart to try to cross the border to my country of birth with the person that I love and to hear and see the way that immigration officials engage in front of signs promising that they will treat each person that comes through with respect. It breaks my heart that they ask for proof that my love does not want to live here, asking for bank statements, insinuating misuse of visas although jAms has never been in this country illegally.

We spend months apart and then have weeks together. We've now had the longest time together and it is coming to an end as the visa comes to an end. Again we must separate. Again our relationship is not validated. Again we don't know the next time that we will get to see one another. I never know if this dream has come to an end or we can keep believing in a future together. -Shannon
(photo; personal; "October 2008 - a fancy date", jAms & Shannon together since: June 7, 2007)

Tags: USA, France

I am a 2nd class US citizen and my partner is Canadian. We met and fell in love in July 1997. We lived together for 4 years in Canada, until I was turned back at the border for having a DUI in the US. Larry then landed a job in the US and his employer was going to sponsor him. We were doing everything legally. We lived together for 10 months in the US. Then 9/11 happened and he lost his job and was sent back to Canada. We have been living apart ever since. This has caused many financial hardships on both of us, as we gave up our lives to be together. We also had our phone tapped by the Bush administration. We have spent thousands in lawyer fees, only to come to the conclusion that we cannot be together. He will be able to retire early in 2 years, but will only be able to visit the US for 6 months out of the year. While this is better than most Binational couples, our lives will never be complete until UAFA passes. I am urging everyone to get involved and help get this law passed. We have been really patient until now, but we are fed up!

President Obama said he not only believes in Change, he believes in Action. He also stated that "Doing nothing is not an option...you didn't send me to Washington to do nothing. The time for action is now". Well, it is time for an uprising in this country if this law is not passed this year. This is affecting over 100,000 Binational Couples.

President Obama does not believe in gay marriage. I personaly don't care what you call it, as long as I can be with my life partner. We demand EQUAL FEDERAL RIGHTS! The time for Change is now!!! (photo; personal; "This is us in Miami...we try to do a family vacation once a year", Art and Larry together since: July 1997)

Tags: USA, Canada

We met the end of 2007 just before Kiyo had to leave the United States to return to Japan after his Student Visa expired and he couldn't get a H1B visa even though he had an employer to sponsor him. My first trip to Tokyo in May 2008 was incredible!!! Although I had strong feelings for him, I wasn't sure I wanted to have a long distance relationship, but after spending more than a week with Kiyo I fell deeply in love...When I returned to the States I decided to go back for his birthday on July 9th and ask him to marry me. On August 18, 2008, at San Francisco City Hall, Kiyo and I were one of the 18,000 lucky couple to be married in California. Our one real hope for happiness is the passage of Uniting American Families Act. (photo: personal; "On August 18, 2008, at San Francisco City Hall, Kiyo and I were one of the 18,000 lucky couples to be married in California", Kiyo and Jim together since: May 2008)

Tags: USA, Japan

When I met my White Russian in person for the first time, one cold winter day in Warsaw, Poland, I knew my life had forever changed. Dzmitry is the love of my life, and a profound blessing that God sent to me! I've never experienced this depth of love. But we can't live together. Belarus is 5000 miles from the United States. I've only been able to visit him two times in nearly 5 years!!  I own a small business and have to work long hours. Sometimes I'm so lonely missing him that I feel like I can't possibly withstand more of the stress. It's pure Hell to be forced to live like this, separated from my beloved, especially as I realize that my own country, "the land of Liberty," the United States of America, doesn't give a damn about me because I'm homosexual, and my family has no value.

We're praying that President Obama will not delay issuing an immediate presidential executive order to nullify all laws in the United States of America that have been destroying the lives of GLBT Americans.  Dzmitry and I, and the tens of thousands of couples like us, only want to live normal happy lives together, so that we can help contribute to the happiness and well-being of our country. Visit Madison and Dzmitry on Change.org (photo: personal; Madison and Dzmitry, 2007-2008)

Tags: USA, Belarus

First Massachusetts, then California; now United Nations
Forcibly separated same-sex Mass. couple accuse U.S. of treaty violation at United Nations
Media inquiries should be directed to Erin Hoefler, 978-374-1900, Ext. 114
HAVERHILL, MASS. – If the experience of Tim Coco and Genesio J. Oliveira Jr. is any example, future same-sex married couples in California face an uphill battle in securing minimal Federal rights. Coco and Oliveira, married three years ago in Massachusetts, hope their twin cases, including a complaint filed this week with the United Nations, will help. Coco and Oliveira accuse the United States of violating the “Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment” by... Read full Press Release and Tim and Genesio's Story on their website ReuniteThisFamily.com (photo: Reunite This Family)

Tags: gay immigration, equality