Visitor visa holder and US citizen plan to get married at church in US. Please help...

[jundp 191]

Good luck!

[dstir 0]

I have a question similar to this topic.

Is it possible to do a church and unofficial marriage in Taiwan while we're waiting for the K1 visa? Logistically it just works out better to do a little ceremony for the family in Taiwan before the visa is approved rather than after.

Do we just have to make sure the church officiating is fine with doing one that isn't official?

On a side note, does the US even recognize a Taiwan marriage? I did a quick search, but couldn't find anything.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Nik+Heather 121]

I have a question similar to this topic.

Is it possible to do a church and unofficial marriage in Taiwan while we're waiting for the K1 visa? Logistically it just works out better to do a little ceremony for the family in Taiwan before the visa is approved rather than after.

Do we just have to make sure the church officiating is fine with doing one that isn't official?

On a side note, does the US even recognize a Taiwan marriage? I did a quick search, but couldn't find anything.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Yes, the US typically recognizes marriages in other countries.

I don't know the answer about Taiwan specifically (so hopefully someone will answer, or you'll have to research), but if a ceremony is not legally binding, then you will not technically violate the K-1 visa requirements.

You will have to commit to being quite careful at many points in the future. For example, you don't want to go showing your wedding (ceremony) pictures at the interview. When referring to each other, don't call each other husband/wife. You probably won't want to wear your rings when presenting yourselves to officials (at interview OR POE!) When someone asks you when you got married, you'll have to remember the much less interesting date that you went to the courthouse in the US instead of the day months earlier when you got married in the church....etc. Trip up on any one of these, and you may find your case sent to the fraud department.

Some couples go for something less formal - a commitment or engagement ceremony instead. Then the family of the foreign fiance(e) get to celebrate with you and recognize your relationship without the same hassles of a secret wedding ceremony!