Marriage During Naturalization Process

[skrooge 0]

Hi fellow Vjers. How are you all doing? I have a quick question here. I am in the middle of my naturalization process. I am scheduled for an interview the beginning of next month. Don't know how long after that for an oath in NY. Anyways my fiance is here visiting with me and she is returning just before the end of the month. I want to marry her while she is here so that after I get my citizenship I can begin the filing process. Will marrying her before the interview cause any problems or delays or will I will I have to give them information about her at the interview and show the marriage certificate? I'm trying to reduce my expenses and save money for when she comes here to live with me until she finds a job. I don't want to go the K1 route for various reasons. Any advice or suggestions? All will be appreciated.

[Harsh_77 716]

You can marry before get your citizenship, and she can return back and wait in her home country until the process is complete.

That is perfectly legal and valid, you have not violated any regulation in doing so.

I dont think you get questioned about if you are married or not and even if they ask you being getting married while natualization process was going on should not impact you.

[nigel 7]

coming to the usa on VWP or any other visa, then having the intention of getting married to a "usc",.. immigration won't like that..unless you filed the correct visa for your intentions...

and if they get a sniff at P.O.E of your girlfriends intention of getting married to a usc while on such a travel visa will turn her backside back....

There is a valid reason why there is a K1 visa for situations like this....which some folks don't want to understand on a immigration point of veiw...

Why the rush to get married before your usc/oath anyways..? after that you can apply for a k1 or 129 /130 eitherway it dont take that long nowadays like years ago..

[skrooge 0]

coming to the usa on VWP or any other visa, then having the intention of getting married to a "usc",.. immigration won't like that..unless you filed the correct visa for your intentions...

and if they get a sniff at P.O.E of your girlfriends intention of getting married to a usc while on such a travel visa will turn her backside back....

There is a valid reason why there is a K1 visa for situations like this....which some folks don't want to understand on a immigration point of veiw...

Why the rush to get married before your usc/oath anyways..? after that you can apply for a k1 or 129 /130 eitherway it dont take that long nowadays like years ago..

First of all let me say she was here, emphasis on was! She was here on a valid 10 year multiple entry B1/B2 visa with a six months stamp in her passport. I asked this question after she was already here. No one was trying to circumvent the law or anything because I am not a USC in fact I still am not as they have put back my interview by a month due to so many closings because of the weather. Furthermore we have been together too long to call this a rush to get married. This is NOT your typical relationship of meeting someone online and in less than a year we are ready to spend the rest of your life with them. She was here and we thought it best to go the CR1 route instead of the K1 as it best fits our situation. Not everyone wants to go the K1 route.

[nigel 7]

First of all let me say she was here, emphasis on was! She was here on a valid 10 year multiple entry B1/B2 visa with a six months stamp in her passport. I asked this question after she was already here. No one was trying to circumvent the law or anything because I am not a USC in fact I still am not as they have put back my interview by a month due to so many closings because of the weather. Furthermore we have been together too long to call this a rush to get married. This is NOT your typical relationship of meeting someone online and in less than a year we are ready to spend the rest of your life with them. She was here and we thought it best to go the CR1 route instead of the K1 as it best fits our situation. Not everyone wants to go the K1 route.

Well first time you mention B1/B2 Visa so im not a mind reader...

Now saying all that....best go with the 130 route as it best fits your situation.

[bonnerbonner 6]

I thought this forum was to assist other VJ friends based on our experience and not to judge them. If you need clarifications, then kindly ask more questions. It's also a person's choice to chose which way he wants to file, I think the question was on if marrying his woman will affect his naturalization and not on how to file for her.

[nigel 7]

I thought this forum was to assist other VJ friends based on our experience and not to judge them. If you need clarifications, then kindly ask more questions. It's also a person's choice to chose which way he wants to file, I think the question was on if marrying his woman will affect his naturalization and not on how to file for her.

And? Your point is..

[NickD 202]

I thought this forum was to assist other VJ friends based on our experience and not to judge them. If you need clarifications, then kindly ask more questions. It's also a person's choice to chose which way he wants to file, I think the question was on if marrying his woman will affect his naturalization and not on how to file for her.

That is precisely what that I-130 is all about, to petition for, in this case, your spouse, spouse has to complete the I-485 and several other forms. No waiting time for spouses except for processing times, nothing is instantaneous with the USCIS. As long as the spouse is here legally, forms can be filed here, forms even ask the question if that spouse is here or in the home country. And once the NOA is received, that spouse be no longer concerned about that I-94, is then here legally, but cannot work, can't open a bank account, can't really do much of anything until either an EAD or green card is received.

Assume the OP is applying for the five year, no problems there either. Even a married person can wait for the five year and avoid bringing in a truck load of evidence.

[bonnerbonner 6]

Point is, if you have nothing constructive to say then stop being an A$$.

[NickD 202]

You would need roughly a couple of thousand bucks to file these forms. See a new fee for the I-864, is free with the USCIS, but if filed here, the Department of state wants 88 bucks to peek at it, but won't if your spouse is abroad. I-693 is fee free, but a USCIS approved doctor may take you to the cleaners, should add at least another extra couple of thousand dollars for that.

Had that times two with my stepdaughter, no free ride for kids. Ha, not sure if I could have gone through this if my wife had ten kids.

A K1 visa is that, a visa to permit a person that doesn't have one or can't get one to come here. Should be a survive on how long a marriage lasts on a K1, the only two I know about ended up in divorce, 90 days is not long enough to get to know one another, in my opinion. And if kids are involved, not only the spouse, but the kids as well.

My wife's relatives in Venezuela and Colombia can't even get a visa to come here, what they want is a person that owns property, has a job, and a family to support so they are sure to go back. Mother-in-law managed to get one to visit us, is a widow, but does own property, but with no kids at home. But it took her almost two years to get it. So we end up visiting them.

[nigel 7]

Yep its all $$$$ NickD

Edited February 8, 2011 by nigel

[Okalian 41]

coming to the usa on VWP or any other visa, then having the intention of getting married to a "usc",.. immigration won't like that..unless you filed the correct visa for your intentions...

and if they get a sniff at P.O.E of your girlfriends intention of getting married to a usc while on such a travel visa will turn her backside back....

There is a valid reason why there is a K1 visa for situations like this....which some folks don't want to understand on a immigration point of veiw...

Why the rush to get married before your usc/oath anyways..? after that you can apply for a k1 or 129 /130 eitherway it dont take that long nowadays like years ago..

The OP clearly indicated that his future wife does not intend to stay here and adjust status, but will go home and apply for an immigrant visa. So the next time she returns to the US, she will enter as an immigrant spouse of a US citizen.

Like he asked, kindly ask questions before jumping to conclusions

[nigel 7]

The OP clearly indicated that his future wife does not intend to stay here and adjust status, but will go home and apply for an immigrant visa. So the next time she returns to the US, she will enter as an immigrant spouse of a US citizen.

Like he asked, kindly ask questions before jumping to conclusions

Best you read the post from top to bottom then...before you jump to conclusions

Edited February 9, 2011 by nigel

[skrooge 0]

coming to the usa on VWP or any other visa, then having the intention of getting married to a "usc",.. immigration won't like that..unless you filed the correct visa for your intentions...

and if they get a sniff at P.O.E of your girlfriends intention of getting married to a usc while on such a travel visa will turn her backside back....

There is a valid reason why there is a K1 visa for situations like this....which some folks don't want to understand on a immigration point of veiw...

Why the rush to get married before your usc/oath anyways..? after that you can apply for a k1 or 129 /130 eitherway it dont take that long nowadays like years ago..

For the benefit of those who maybe in a similar situation and wanting to know what has happened. I married my wife and she returned to her home country in February (her intent was never to stay!) I had my interview in March. They were going through my N-400 application asking if anything had changed after most answers being no. They stopped asking & I had to tell them I got married. They took the marriage certificate photocopied it & gave it back to me. I completed the interview & PASSED! When I was leaving they said they would run an IBIS check (I guess to verify that she had left & that we weren't trying to commit fraud). I received my interview letter shortly afterward. I had my Oath Ceremony on Wednesday and now I am officially a US citizen. So now I can begin the filing process for my wife. So if anyone else was wondering, there is no harm in getting married during the process.

[NickD 202]

One issue not discussed in this thread is the previous history of Skrooge. Is applying for the five year, therefore must be an immigrant himself. So how did he get here? Due to a previous marriage to a US citizen? Or by some other means. If he came via marriage, getting remarried, in particular to someone from his home country could raise huge flags. Not only for the interview, but also in the petitioning stage.

Just reflecting back on the hell I went through in bringing my wife to be here. Was previously married, am a natural born and so was my ex-wife and we were divorce nine years before. Marriage is just about the only way to bring a person here unless you are lucky with that highly limited lottery. So the USCIS sure makes a huge issue out of it. Was treated like a criminal, until I proved myself, innocent. And that took a lot of paperwork and explaining. Even got to the point where we were considering a different country that would accept us, so we could be together.