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~Alessa~

Is it necessary to have wedding ceremony?

By ~Alessa~ in Adjustment of Status (Green Card) from K1 and K3 Family Based Visas

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~Alessa~ Enthusiast

~Alessa~   26

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Russia
 Timeline
Posted

Hello everyone! me and my fiance don't like celebrating things and weddings and any other sort of ceremonies. But we were reading that USCIS wants to see wedding pictures. I am wondering if pictures from the court house will be enough?

We don't want to spend money on wedding, dress, guests, etc.

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cricketman Enthusiast

cricketman   22

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: India
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Posted

but for a k1 you dont want to get married or do anything official right ? then you have to apply for a different visa if you are married

K1 Journey

04/22/16....I-129F mailed to Dallas, TX

04/27/16....Delivered at Dallas, TX

04/29/16....USCIS Receive Date (Printed on NOA1)

05/02/16....NOA1 Text & E-mail. Case sent to CSC

05/09/16....NOA1 Hard Copy Received

07/12/16....NOA2 Approval Text & Email received (74 days)

07/16/16....NOA2 Hard Copy Received (4 days from text)

07/28/16....NVC Received Case (16 days from text)

08/01/16....Consulate Received Case

09/30/16....Interview

10/04/16....Visa Received

10/18/16....POE

10/28/16....Wedding

AOS Journey

11/18/16....Packet mailed to Chicago Lock Box, IL

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rutabaga Community Regular

rutabaga   209

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Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Serbia
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Posted

but for a k1 you dont want to get married or do anything official right ? then you have to apply for a different visa if you are married

She arrived in the US (using the K1) already.

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yuna628 Veteran

yuna628   9,528

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: United Kingdom
 Timeline
Posted

Hello everyone! me and my fiance don't like celebrating things and weddings and any other sort of ceremonies. But we were reading that USCIS wants to see wedding pictures. I am wondering if pictures from the court house will be enough?

We don't want to spend money on wedding, dress, guests, etc.

Having a ceremony at a courthouse is perfectly fine. It's an official legally binding marriage.

There are tons of couples that have courthouse marriages each and every day, whether they be immigrants or not. There is no requirement to have a lavish bash. Married is married is married.

Our Journey Timeline  - Immigration and the Health Exchange Price of Love in the UK Thinking of Returning to UK?

 

First met: 12/31/04 - Engaged: 9/24/09
Filed I-129F: 10/4/14 - Packet received: 10/7/14
NOA 1 email + ARN assigned: 10/10/14 (hard copy 10/17/14)
Touched on website (fixed?): 12/9/14 - Poked USCIS: 4/1/15
NOA 2 email: 5/4/15 (hard copy 5/11/15)
Sent to NVC: 5/8/15 - NVC received + #'s assigned: 5/15/15 (estimated)
NVC sent: 5/19/15 - London received/ready: 5/26/15
Packet 3: 5/28/15 - Medical: 6/16/15
Poked London 7/1/15 - Packet 4: 7/2/15
Interview: 7/30/15 - Approved!
AP + Issued 8/3/15 - Visa in hand (depot): 8/6/15
POE: 8/27/15
Wedding: 9/30/15

Filed I-485, I-131, I-765: 11/7/15

Packet received: 11/9/15

NOA 1 txt/email: 11/15/15 - NOA 1 hardcopy: 11/19/15

Bio: 12/9/15

EAD + AP approved: 1/25/16 - EAD received: 2/1/16

RFE for USCIS inability to read vax instructions: 5/21/16 (no e-notification & not sent from local office!)

RFE response sent: 6/7/16 - RFE response received 6/9/16

AOS approved/card in production: 6/13/16  

NOA 2 hardcopy + card sent 6/17/16

Green Card received: 6/18/16

USCIS 120 day reminder notice: 2/22/18

Filed I-751: 5/2/18 - Packet received: 5/4/18

NOA 1:  5/29/18 (12 mo ext) 8/13/18 (18 mo ext)  - Bio: 6/27/18

Transferred: Potomac Service Center 3/26/19

Approved/New Card Produced status: 4/25/19 - NOA2 hardcopy 4/29/19

10yr Green Card Received: 5/2/19 with error >_<

N400 : 7/16/23 - Oath : 10/19/23

 

 

 

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rutabaga Community Regular

rutabaga   209

Posted
Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Serbia
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Posted

FWIW (not a USCIS experience): the wife and I had a really small, intimate, and simple wedding with a JP officiating (we're not into ceremonies either and we're both more-or-less introverts so we're not into crowded events in general). She wore a white dress (nothing like the wedding gowns you'd expect) and I wore a navy blazer with a red tie. We only had a couple of people attend -- some family and a couple of friends, all in all it was the two of us, five guests and the justice of the peace. We got married in a public park near our apartment with a nice gazebo (where people generally come to take wedding pictures actually) and the only reason we didn't do it at a courthouse is that we were informed they don't really do courthouse weddings in CT (or at least our county) anymore. This was perfectly fine as far the CO who interviewed me at the embassy was concerned.

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Pitaya Grand Master

Pitaya   2,576

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
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Posted

We got married at the Seattle Justice Center, nice service. Check out our timeline for the details and review.

It is your marriage, not USCIS. The K1 requirement is that you get married, to your USC petitioner, within 90 days of your entry into the US. (period) The rest is up to your creativity.

Completed: K1/K2 (271 days) - AOS/EAD/AP (134 days) - ROC (279 days)

"Si vis amari, ama" - Seneca

 

 

 

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cricketman Enthusiast

cricketman   22

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: India
 Timeline
Posted

Sorry, I missed out that portion

Congrats to both of yall :) !!!

She arrived in the US (using the K1) already.

K1 Journey

04/22/16....I-129F mailed to Dallas, TX

04/27/16....Delivered at Dallas, TX

04/29/16....USCIS Receive Date (Printed on NOA1)

05/02/16....NOA1 Text & E-mail. Case sent to CSC

05/09/16....NOA1 Hard Copy Received

07/12/16....NOA2 Approval Text & Email received (74 days)

07/16/16....NOA2 Hard Copy Received (4 days from text)

07/28/16....NVC Received Case (16 days from text)

08/01/16....Consulate Received Case

09/30/16....Interview

10/04/16....Visa Received

10/18/16....POE

10/28/16....Wedding

AOS Journey

11/18/16....Packet mailed to Chicago Lock Box, IL

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Illiria Proficient

Illiria   980

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: United Kingdom
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Posted (edited)

I hate being the center of attention, never wanted a big wedding. we went to Las Vegas and married at the Clark county office of civil marriages. We had one witness, a friend of ours from work, who took a few photos for us. Very inexpensive wedding, spent more on the dinner that night for the two of us. We spent most of the cost on staying at a couple of hotels we wanted to try out. Ended up being around $1000 in total - including the hotels for 5 nights, food, license, ceremony.

This wasn't an issue for us at aos at all, they were more confrontational that my us citizen husband grew up in my country and that his us citizen mom still lives there. Apparently the idea an American might want to live in another country is an anathema to them.

Edited by Illiria

K-1 Met:2002 Dating :2003 I-129F Sent : 2013-06-01 I-129F NOA2 : 2013-08-20 Medical: 2013-12-20 Interview Date : 2014-01-22 POE: 2014-02-19 Wedding: 2014-03-18

AOS/EAD Date Filed : 2014-04-04 BioAppt: 2014-05-13 EAD in Production: 2014-07-08 Interview date: 2014-07-14 Green Card received: 2014-07-19

ROC Date Filed: 2016-04-26 Cheque Cashed: 2016-05-10 NOA1: 2016-04-28 Biometrics: 2016-06-30 Approved: 11-08-2016 Green Card Received: 11-18-2016

 

Citizenship Date Filed: 2017-04-18 Cheque Cashed: 2017-04-24- NOA1:2017-04-21  Biometrics: 2017-05-19 Inline: 2017-07-12 Interview Date: 2018-02-13 Oath: 2018-03-15

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TBoneTX Grand Master

TBoneTX   43,058

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
 Timeline
Posted

*** Thread is moved from the K-1 Process forum to the AOS/Family-Based main forum -- OP is past the K-1 phase, and leaving the thread where it was posted might cause confusion. ***

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

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Andrea&Henry Proficient

Andrea&Henry   311

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Venezuela
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Posted

my hubby and I got married on a wednesday morning without any family and friends around just the 2 of us and it wasnt an issues

OUR AMAZING JOURNEY 

 

2011

UiSpm4.pngHWwxm4.png

 

2012

YIRsm4.png   Mi1Gm4.pngTh37m4.png    

 

2013                                                  2014                                                     2015

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2016

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Unidentified Mentor

Unidentified   2,930

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Sweden
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Posted

My husband and I got married on a fishing pier with only him, me, his co-worker who performed the ceremony and his best friend who was the photographer. You'll be fine.





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Bluey Contributor

Bluey   2

Posted
Filed: AOS (pnd) Country: Hong Kong
 Timeline
Posted

You are fine with court house wedding, but make sure you take lots of photos including photos of dinner afterward.

Hello everyone! me and my fiance don't like celebrating things and weddings and any other sort of ceremonies. But we were reading that USCIS wants to see wedding pictures. I am wondering if pictures from the court house will be enough?

We don't want to spend money on wedding, dress, guests, etc.

Currently on H1B in New York City. Filed for AOS in Apr 2016.
02/05/2016 : Civil ceremony at New York city hall
04/02/2016 : Mailed in the AOS package (130, 485, 131, 765)
04/14/2016 : Chicago office cashed the checks
04/20/2016 : Receipts received by mail
05/09/2016 : Biometric appointment
07/01/2016 : EAD/AP approved
07/09/2016 : EAD/AP combo card received
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JoBri Proficient

JoBri   545

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Philippines
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

Courthouse pics are all we used. One of the witnesses took the pics for us, to include: 1) Judge (who was also a pastor) speaking to us 2) Exchanging rings 3) First kiss when married 4) Signing marriage certificate, plus close up of certificate after we signed.

Oh, but all that was for a K3 spousal visa, and the wedding was in the Philippines. I just saw you are doing the K1. Never-the-less, the marriage details dont change, just the time in the process.

Hello everyone! me and my fiance don't like celebrating things and weddings and any other sort of ceremonies. But we were reading that USCIS wants to see wedding pictures. I am wondering if pictures from the court house will be enough?

We don't want to spend money on wedding, dress, guests, etc.

Edited by JoBri
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