Wedding before K1 visa is approved

[cycleserg 0]

Okay here is my question.

I just sent the K1 visa packet to the Laguna Niguel service center last month. I am returning back to Russia to visit my fiance in November. She wants to marry in Russia before she leaves her friends and family to come to the US. She is a very religious person so this is very important to her. Obviously the K1 visa will still be in the works in November. If we marry in Russia while the K1 is still working it way through, will this cause her problems at the interview? We still plan on marrying in the US to complete the process.

[iceyspots 0]

Yes. Your petition will be denied. If you file a fiancé visa and you are married, that is misrepresentation.

[twostar55 0]

Okay here is my question.

I just sent the K1 visa packet to the Laguna Niguel service center last month. I am returning back to Russia to visit my fiance in November. She wants to marry in Russia before she leaves her friends and family to come to the US. She is a very religious person so this is very important to her. Obviously the K1 visa will still be in the works in November. If we marry in Russia while the K1 is still working it way through, will this cause her problems at the interview? We still plan on marrying in the US to complete the process.

Based on my experience, you should have a "cerimonial' wedding in Russia. In other words "not official" concering the U.S. goverment. Otherwise, it wold seem to me if you have this ceremony in Russia, it could be construed as a legal marriage in a foreign country--and then you are possibly looking at K-3 situation.

[William33 110]

Do not conduct an official wedding while under a K-1 and continue, that is Visa fraud.

Religious ceremony is ok, nothing else.

If you need to get married now, withdraw the K-1 and submit the K-3 application/I-130 package.

Really difficult at this stage, stay on track with the K-1 and do the ceremonial thing.

Just a thought.

[den_y2005 0]

she will not be entitled to K1 visa once she is married.

you need to apply for K3 for that.

[GeorgiaOnMyMInd 0]

i had a friend who told me similar case today. She met this girl on their medical. She said that her interview will be on August 08, 2006 she is on a K1 but she confessed that they had been married last feb 2006 and she said it was official but they never withdraw the K1 as early as possible. I know she could get denied.

what a mess??? it was just a little common sense of knowing whats the right thing to do.

Now, she just said that if she got denied on her interview date....then they will start again to process for the right visa maybe (K3) that fits her status now. OMG

Dont you think it would not be complicated at all? The US consulate will have a previous record of you already being denied and yes its consider as visa fraud

why they didnt withdraw the case as early as possible or after the said wedding, her petitioner should know at least better than her.

and she said yes the wedding was official and it was registered at at NSO in the Philippines.

Edited August 3, 2006 by jshaft

[ftr_mrs_f 0]

Hello, i asked this question a couple of months back, maybe you will find this useful : http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;#entry132997

[rosyanne 0]

Once you are officially married, you should cancel K1 and start K3.

[Mew 0]

Also, it's been discussed in every possible detail in this thread:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...&hl=wedding

[cycleserg 0]

Also, it's been discussed in every possible detail in this thread:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...&hl=wedding

Thanks everyone for your input. One last question. What if she does not say anything about the wedding during the interview?

How can they find out? Do they run any checks?

Has anyone heard of doing just the religious ceremony in the Russian Orthodox Church?

Thanks

[GeorgiaOnMyMInd 0]

Yea rosyanne is absolutely right! Once you are officially married, you should cancel K1 and start K3.

If the wedding was really initiated and it was officially registered as legal & genuine.

[GeorgiaOnMyMInd 0]

cycleserg, regarding your question as what we are saying here. Yes you can do that if the said wedding is not official. I mean you did it just for the family & friends sake but it wont be registred in the statistic office.

I know a friend who did a wedding like this She was a K1 but they got married but it wasn't registered here so She still remain K1 and single. I was talking with the Philippine law i dont know in your county.

But here in PI if you are single and on a K1 one of the requirements from the US consolate is a CENOMAR

Certificate of No Marriage. But once you got married you are not qualified to have this since you are married this will be stated in the CENOMAR that you had a record in their office of a previous marriage.

You can have the wedding but off the record. You kow what I mean?

Because if the wedding is official no matter you wouldn't mention it to the Consul during the interview....

The CENOMAR can't lie for you and here in PI aside from showing them your CENOMAR for K1

they also conducted their personal inquiry with the National Statistis Office. They had a personal hotline number that will redirect them to the National Statistic Office and have an inquiry if a previous marriage exist in your name, they have a very rigid investigation. We can't fool them.

[antone 0]

Thanks everyone for your input. One last question. What if she does not say anything about the wedding during the interview?

How can they find out? Do they run any checks?

Has anyone heard of doing just the religious ceremony in the Russian Orthodox Church?

Thanks

They may or may not check - but the advice you get here will pretty much always be "Don't lie to immigration officials".

If it's not legally a marriage then it's technically OK, but do see the other comments made about COs and CBP officials not believing this. As someone pointed out, it's a lot easier to prove that you are married than to prove you aren't.

[GaryC 7]

Be very careful about having an "unofficial" wedding. If a priest declares you "man and wife" in a religious ceremony then the embassy may consider you married! Check with the embassy about it first or you may have a problem!

[mendeleev 69]

It is advantageous, maybe, for the original post that it is difficult to get married legally in Russia. According to the US Embassy site, you'd need to get execute a freedom to marry affidavit at the US Embassy and then somehow get it legalized at the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow. This process would probably take several days. Then you registers at ZAGS at the place where she lives and, 32 days later, you can get legally married.

You should check with the embassy, but inasmuch as a church wedding carries no legal significance in Russia, you almost certainly would not be legally married in the eyes of the USA.