Miss Porter Faces U.S. Visa Hurdle

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30586, 31 October 1964, Page 2

Miss Porter Faces U.S. Visa Hurdle

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Oct. 30. The Olympic sprinter, Miss D. Porter, may not have her wedding in Los Angeles on December 19 because of delay in obtaining her immigrant visa to the United States. Her fiance, 23-year-old Bud Barker, a United States Air Force officer-trainee, is considering the possibility of coming to New Zealand for the ceremony. As the wife of a United States serviceman Miss Porter could then return with him to the United States. Miss Porter wants the wedding to take 'place in California as planned, but there is a six-year waiting list for prospective New Zealand emigrants to the United States.

"The Air Force is trying to help my fiance as much as they can but they can’t allow him much time,” Miss Porter said today. “Then there’s the money problem—it would cost him 1000 dollars for the return fare and there is my fare to the United States as well.” Miss Porter said her fiance was considering the possibility of obtaining a “hop” on board a military aircraft but that might not be possible until January. "I have my wedding dress and everything else,” she said. “All I need now is to get over there. It would be far better if I could go to the United States, but there is no preference with regard to visas and I can’t get married on my visitor’s visa.” Miss Porter met her fiancee while training at Occidental College in California.

Meanwhile, she intends to continue training with a view to competing In track events in Auckland up to the time of her wedding.