.
I'm no expert here. Just a yank with some insight into cross-atlantic migration.
Regarding your rental income, figure out what you can demonstrate as disposable income .. after taxes, after bank transfer fees, etc.
Let's go with $1000 USD after taxes. At approx. 33% tax rates, that would be the equivalent of ~$18,000/year USD salary (I'm painting with a broad brush for estimates and general guidlines).
A family of three is considered to be below the poverty line on an annual income of ~$14,000 USD. So, from your property rental, you are demonstrating an income for yourself that is above the poverty line, generally.
Now, what city are you headed to ...?
Washington DC, Los Angeles, New York .... poverty level would be something more like ~$25,000 for one person.
You get the picture. Assets that you can't liquidate and spend don't hurt to list, butthey probably don't help.
BUT, combined with your wifes income, you can probably demonstrate comfortably that you have financial means.
Start job-hunting .. if you can show some serious prospects, or even a conditional offer, you'd be sitting pretty. If some friend can provide a job offer for your application .. it would have to be legitimate through a properly registered business, but once you're actually in the States there's no reason why the offer can't ''fall through'' for some reason, allowing you to look for other work.
Your age and education and work experience are all factors, too. Play them up to the maximum on all forms. It shows you are employable and will be part of the professional workforce, not some welfare case.
So far, though, it looks like you're in about as good a shape as you can expect for solid consideration & approval for a green card.
As a Brit, your path will be easier than almost anyone else in the world.
Your fiance can ask the American embassy in the UK for assistance and advice, you can ask the British embassy in the U.S. for advice. Highly recommended that you both get familiar with your respective embassy websites. In detail.
My experience has been that the UK embassies are more helpful and rational. U.S. embassies tend to be more uptight and unhelpful.
Also, this website is your life for a while; get very familiar with it :
http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm
For example, you want to know what the Updated Affidavit of Support Guidelines are :
http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/publicaff ... 2106FS.pdf
Your wife will be filling out these forms for your green card application.
Again, I can point you in this direction, but I haven't gone through it, so you're gonna have to do a lot of your own research on this.
Uh, having your ''official'' wedding ''there'' translates to in the U.S. ...?
Check into it to be sure. I'll take a guess here, but keep in mind I could be very wrong.
I think that the U.S. will consider it favorable if you are already wed before you begin the application process. Meaning, the civil service in the UK can only be to your favor.
Don't underestimate the power of Christian church documents, even if you have a small four-person chapel service. The U.S. is a bit religion-batty these days; the president thinks that God talks to him and about 50% of the country believes him.
Civil services only tend to look like marriages of convenience and might mark you for a bit of extra scrutiny. Again, as a Brit, you will generally not be in for such a tough time, especially if you come into it prepared and looking professional & educated, etc. A civil marriage and demonstration that you have plans for a church wedding should be more than enough.
-- vilkatis
Luck!]
