What constitutes a legal marriage after K-1 Fiancee Arrives?

[GatorFan96 0]

It looks like my fiancee and I are on track for her visa to get approved later this summer and she will be moving to America to be with me on November 8th. I know that we have to get married within 90 days, but does that mean that we only have to get legally married? I know we have to go to the local county office and get a marriage license, but we weren't planning on having the big ceremony until next spring so we can plan it together when she arrives. Is the marriage license enough legal proof to show that we are married or will we have to have a small ceremony with a justice of the peace or a clergyman?

Thanks

[Girona40 1]

You will have to go through the legal ceremony of marriage. A license is not "proof" that you are married at all, it is simply the document that allows you to get married.

If you are planning a big wedding in the Spring, then I would suggest getting married in the Court House, by a Justice of the Peace, which meets the requirement of "legal" marriage in the eyes of the USCIS and then have your big wedding for the family in the Spring time.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Yup. You need to send a copy of your marriage certificate with your AOS packet, not the marriage license. The marriage certificate is what you get following a ceremony, big or small, with a person dully authorized by the state/county to perform marriages.

[dirtyd301 0]

We are doing the same. We are going to Vegas on Wednesday, getting married on Thursday and then next year having a ceremony. Its hard to plan a big wedding when you are apart and I think that this is very common to have two weddings during the process. Good Luck!!

Diana

[GatorFan96 0]

Wow - thanks for all of the quick responses! I will have to find a justice of the peace to marry us shortly after she arrives.

[luv2teach77 41]

Being granted a marriage lisence doesn't constitute being legally married.

Just get legally married at the local court house. That will fulfill all the K-1 requirements. Then you can arrange to have a larger religious ceremony later on.

Mark

[motu 6]

The place where you get your license is normally where they perform the marriages also - pretty much every day - all the time! And the charges are minimal. Ask them about it and go for it. (We did ours in Orlando - license on Thursday and Marriage on Friday!) Good Luck

[Tom and Jenny 0]

Do you have to get married in a court house or can you have a ceremony in a church or at home? Which way leads to us getting copies of the certificate the fastest? Thanks for the help!

[TimsDaisy 0]

A lot depends on your state and county.

Look for your local county registrar/recorder - many/most have websites now - and find out the requirements. Many places have same-day service for everything, license and ceremony/legal marriage. You can get it done right at city hall and sometimes walk out with the proof. Or if it needs to get mailed to you, it might take a week or two. Just don't want until day 89 to do it and you should be fine.

[Tom and Jenny 0]

A lot depends on your state and county.

Look for your local county registrar/recorder - many/most have websites now - and find out the requirements. Many places have same-day service for everything, license and ceremony/legal marriage. You can get it done right at city hall and sometimes walk out with the proof. Or if it needs to get mailed to you, it might take a week or two. Just don't want until day 89 to do it and you should be fine.

Is a wedding outside of the courthouse considered a legal marriage for the K1 visa?

[Yodrak 7]

Tom and Jenny,

If there's a marriage certificate issued by the local government registrar's office, a marriage exists.

If a marriage exists, and it was created within 90 days of the alien's entry, then the K1 requirements have been met.

Yodrak

Is a wedding outside of the courthouse considered a legal marriage for the K1 visa?

[Otto 83]

• If there's a marriage certificate issued by the local government registrar's office, a marriage exists.
  
• If a marriage exists, and it was created within 90 days of the alien's entry, then the K1 requirements have been met.
  

Yodrak

'nuff said

[serendipitous 0]

Nice topic. I learned something new!

I did not know a license was different than a certificate.

I love this place! haha.

[msu17 0]

A lot depends on your state and county.

Look for your local county registrar/recorder - many/most have websites now - and find out the requirements. Many places have same-day service for everything, license and ceremony/legal marriage. You can get it done right at city hall and sometimes walk out with the proof. Or if it needs to get mailed to you, it might take a week or two. Just don't want until day 89 to do it and you should be fine.

Is a wedding outside of the courthouse considered a legal marriage for the K1 visa?

You can get married anywhere, the same as normal couples do (hehe, both being USC!). As long as you have the certificate, the government doesnt care where you did it (well as long as the where is in the USA...). Park, city hall, vegas, church etc all are totally legit places

[Tom and Jenny 0]

A lot depends on your state and county.

Look for your local county registrar/recorder - many/most have websites now - and find out the requirements. Many places have same-day service for everything, license and ceremony/legal marriage. You can get it done right at city hall and sometimes walk out with the proof. Or if it needs to get mailed to you, it might take a week or two. Just don't want until day 89 to do it and you should be fine.

Is a wedding outside of the courthouse considered a legal marriage for the K1 visa?

You can get married anywhere, the same as normal couples do (hehe, both being USC!). As long as you have the certificate, the government doesnt care where you did it (well as long as the where is in the USA...). Park, city hall, vegas, church etc all are totally legit places

Thanks everyone for the help! All of the visa requirements are so strict, so I wanted to make sure before we begin planning everything.