Timeline for K-1 marriage and divorce rate

[Krikit 1,163]

I believe you should have up to one year. But it goes beyond divorce rate improvement. One complaint I have, is 90 days is not enough time if you desire to marry in a particular season or on a meaningful date. I think it sucks that if my fiancée arrives in the autumn we have no way to marry in the spring or summer when it's warm! I find it unacceptable that the USCIS is virtually deciding our wedding dates.

I agree with you on that, KT. The K-1 visa pretty much rules out being able to choose a definite date and make plans for it.

[sj5 4]

ten years

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I believe you should have up to one year. But it goes beyond divorce rate improvement. One complaint I have, is 90 days is not enough time if you desire to marry in a particular season or on a meaningful date. I think it sucks that if my fiancée arrives in the autumn we have no way to marry in the spring or summer when it's warm! I find it unacceptable that the USCIS is virtually deciding our wedding dates.

Eh, there is a six-month window in which the K-1 holder can arrive in the US--which probably addresses your complaint.

[sparkofcreation 0]

Personally I've always thought that a shorter period between meeting and marriage made the marriage *more* likely to succeed, not less, but that's based on purely anecdotal evidence.

[bora bora 1]

Personally I've always thought that a shorter period between meeting and marriage made the marriage *more* likely to succeed, not less, but that's based on purely anecdotal evidence.

I disagree, I think it depends on the couple.

My husband and I DID live together before we met (just in his country, not the U.S.).

I voted that 90 days is enough but I think an extension up to 6 months wouldn't be too much to ask. I know that once you are granted the visa you have up to 6 months to arrive, but for us it was easier not to since my husband had to travel quite a distance for the interview - we met up there and flew to the U.S. together.

If people want to plan their weddings it makes it easier to have more time before the 90 days are up - so that is why I'd support the 6 months time period.

But that does not mean that I think the K1 visa is a "let's try this out" - if you are applying for K1 you should already know you want to marry that person.

[cieloazul 0]

Personally I've always thought that a shorter period between meeting and marriage made the marriage *more* likely to succeed, not less, but that's based on purely anecdotal evidence.

I disagree, I think it depends on the couple.

My husband and I DID live together before we met (just in his country, not the U.S.).

I voted that 90 days is enough but I think an extension up to 6 months wouldn't be too much to ask. I know that once you are granted the visa you have up to 6 months to arrive, but for us it was easier not to since my husband had to travel quite a distance for the interview - we met up there and flew to the U.S. together.

If people want to plan their weddings it makes it easier to have more time before the 90 days are up - so that is why I'd support the 6 months time period.

But that does not mean that I think the K1 visa is a "let's try this out" - if you are applying for K1 you should already know you want to marry that person.

I can see the reasoning in getting married during a certain time of the year, but I would think if the couple was serious about a long-term relationship they would want to get married ASAP. I married my wife in her country as she wanted but if we had gone the K-1 route, we would have probably been married within a few days of her arrival.

[DakotaK1 1]

90 days is enough.

I was able to see my husband so many times before we got married,however this can be very hard for some couples.

[greeneyedgirlfl 0]

The 6 months + 3 months is fine if you're willing to be apart from your SO for a longer period of time...if you're not, you're stuck with the time frame that USCIS gives you...

I would like to have the option of six months in the US...I wouldn't have to go through 2 weddings (a little redundant, IMHO, but such is life...)!

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Exactly! K-1 is not a shack-up visa, the couple are committed to marriage shortly after arrival.

Well said. I totally agree!

[sara535 15]

Your poll pre-supposes that the 3 month time limitation is a get-to-know-you period. It is not. The time between meeting and committing to an engagement is. When you become engaged you are saying "I am willing to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you." When you come to the US on a K-1 visa you are sealing the deal..... not giving it a trial run.

Amen to that Sister Krikit!

Very well said Krikit! That's why VWPs were invented..a three month opportunity to grasp whether you can live with your fiance or not! Marriage is a life long commitment end of.

VWPs are great for the people who live in those countries. There are a lot of people that dont have that option.

and as has already been mentioned, there is often a big difference between being engaged and actually living together day to day. When you add to that the stress of immigration and culture adjustment, well, it can be very tumultuous. I agree that the time shouldnt be used as a get to know you type thing but I also think its important to realize sometimes the reality is just not what either or both parties expected. Thats kind of inherent in long distance relationships, isnt it? so what would be the harm in having a little extra time for those couples who need it?

(having said that, I married my husband the day after he arrived here 3 and a half years ago so we didnt waste any time )

[mnieto 2]

Your poll pre-supposes that the 3 month time limitation is a get-to-know-you period. It is not. The time between meeting and committing to an engagement is. When you become engaged you are saying "I am willing to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you." When you come to the US on a K-1 visa you are sealing the deal..... not giving it a trial run.

Exactly! K-1 is not a shack-up visa, the couple are committed to marriage shortly after arrival.

I absolutely agree

[chri'stina 190]

I would hate to impose on my friends to house my SO for any onger than I have to. I do NOT believe in living together before getting married.

I agree..in our case it was different though because I still lived with my family, so he stayed with my family when he came over. My sister let him have her room and she moved into my room.

I think there should be an option for more than 90 days. Not because of getting to know each other, bc I agree that it's not a "get to know you" visa. But because of things like planning the wedding, and letting the SO get their feet established a little more. So they should get the EAD soon after arrival IMO so they can start working and making money to contribute to the upcoming marriage if need be. Like in our case, Sujeet would have loved if he could have worked before we got married and got his own place which I would move to after the marriage. But bc of the EAD stuff we had to live with my family after marriage for a few months until he started working. I didn't make enough at my job to move out.

We wanted to get married as soon as possible after his arrival so that he got his EAD as soon as possible.

Also with the worrisome visa process, some couples just don't know when to plan the wedding for until the visa is approved. If there was more time after they came here, the wedding plans wouldn't be so stressful and last minute. And after being apart for 11 months I didn't want to stay apart even longer just so I could plan a bigger wedding. I loved my wedding but it was much smaller than the wedding I would have planned if I had more knowledge of the wedding date ahead of time.

[Jack and Barbara 0]

I would hate to impose on my friends to house my SO for any onger than I have to. I do NOT believe in living together before getting married.

I agree..in our case it was different though because I still lived with my family, so he stayed with my family when he came over. My sister let him have her room and she moved into my room.

I think there should be an option for more than 90 days. Not because of getting to know each other, bc I agree that it's not a "get to know you" visa. But because of things like planning the wedding, and letting the SO get their feet established a little more. So they should get the EAD soon after arrival IMO so they can start working and making money to contribute to the upcoming marriage if need be. Like in our case, Sujeet would have loved if he could have worked before we got married and got his own place which I would move to after the marriage. But bc of the EAD stuff we had to live with my family after marriage for a few months until he started working. I didn't make enough at my job to move out.

We wanted to get married as soon as possible after his arrival so that he got his EAD as soon as possible.

Also with the worrisome visa process, some couples just don't know when to plan the wedding for until the visa is approved. If there was more time after they came here, the wedding plans wouldn't be so stressful and last minute. And after being apart for 11 months I didn't want to stay apart even longer just so I could plan a bigger wedding. I loved my wedding but it was much smaller than the wedding I would have planned if I had more knowledge of the wedding date ahead of time.

I agree the EAD should be effective when they come over, but since it is not, there is even more incentive to get married imeadiately upon reuniting in the U.S. Even if we had 6 months or more to get married after the SO arrived here, we would still get married relatively quick. We would want to start the AOS so that she could get her citizenship sooner, along with the EAD and especially the AP.

[KandD 1]

Exactly , I dont want to get married in a snow storm.

[Ursa Tripudio 2]

Your poll pre-supposes that the 3 month time limitation is a get-to-know-you period. It is not. The time between meeting and committing to an engagement is. When you become engaged you are saying "I am willing to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you." When you come to the US on a K-1 visa you are sealing the deal..... not giving it a trial run.

YES