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

American Gordon Stewart stands in his gutted London flat that he hopes will be a home for him and his Brazilian partner, Marcos, who isn't allowed to enter the U.S. Stewart's employer, Pfizer, has helped make it possible for them to live together in London, where Marcos has the right to work and health-care benefits.

A U.S. citizen, the 47-year-old Pfizer marketing exec had planned to live and work in New York until he retired. His parents are deceased, and his sisters and brother, nieces and nephews live in the U.S., as do most of his life-long friends.

When Marcos called Stewart from São Paulo to tell him his routine student-visa renewal turned out to be anything but, Stewart had worked for Pfizer for more than seven years.

Marcos' student visa wasn't renewed, they were told, because the consulate didn't think he was in the U.S. as a legitimate student. He wasn't married, he was nearing 40, and Stewart, his financial sponsor, wasn't married and was over 40.

It took time. And over the next 17 months, Stewart flew to Brazil 34 times. Eventually he was offered a position in England. His partner could move there and join him, legally. In 2005, Stewart and Marcos moved to London. Neither is a U.K. citizen.

"The outrage is the amount of taxes you as an American have to pay and then your partner isn't even allowed to come here," says Stewart. Read story, Immigration law divides gay couples, Partners left to make painful choice By Lisa Kennedy, The Denver Post.

(Photo: by Cate Gillon, Getty Images. "I still hope that one day we'll have the choice to live in the U.S.," says Gordon Stewart. )

Tags: USA, Brazil, United Kingdom

One loving family torn apart from two different countries.
America & United Kingdom.
Two loving dads.
Two Daughters.
Then we came back to the UK...
And we became homeless.
We're still fighting to stay together!
Leaving...but, we're forced to say goodbye.
Please help support UAFA (Uniting American Families Act)
And keep families together!

Same sex couples if one's from America and the others from another country are not allowed to live together! the UAFA will allow them to have the same rights ....please support this cause.

Tags: USA, United Kingdom