Plan for AOS, does this sound ok?

[netsatwork 0]

I am glad to finally be posting in this forum. We are still waiting for the visa to be in hand, but the word is that it was approved finally! I almost understand the K1/I212/I601 waiver process after a year and now I need to learn the AOS process. I am trying to decide upon the best way for us to get started with the AOS so my fiance can start working. The K1/waiver process has made it tough and she really needs to get back to work as soon as she can.

We are hoping that she will be coming to the US via Chicago on May 14th. We plan to meet in Chicago and get married in Chicago that next week. Our residence will be in Kentucky, so my first question is if getting married in a different state will be (1) a problem for the AOS or (2) a delay for us to get a certified copy of the marriage certificate. I know it depends on the state, but just wondering if anyone knew about marriage in different states having an effect.

My second question is about her changing her name. She was going to take my last name after we got married, but will this cause any trouble in paperwork processing? I assume not, but I wanted to check.

Other than that, it seems like just a lot of paperwork, money, and finding a civil surgeon (not to say that all of that is easy!)

Thanks for the help!

[Rhiannercakes 14]

1) I was married out of my state of residence, the certificate took longer yes because I didnt stay long enough to pick it up, so it had to be mailed. Mail is pretty much the only delay for the certificate. No problems being married in a different state.

2) No, it will not cause any trouble. Just list her married name on the AOS paperwork and they'll do the card in her married name.

[netsatwork 0]

Great! Thanks for the quick reply. I will keep reading about the process in Chicago for the marriage certificate and see if we can get it while we are there.

Take care!

[Darnell 8,478]

That would be best, pick it up in person.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Here's some info about the licence and certificate I found:

- http://www.chicagomarriage.com/marriage_license.htm - general info

- http://www.cookcountyclerk.com/vitalrecords/marriagelicenses/Pages/default.aspx - this is the Cook County (where chicago is) page that talks about it and where you can "purchase" a licence

- http://www.cookcountyclerk.com/vitalrecords/marriagecertificates/Pages/default.aspx this one tells you that a licence IS NOT automatically sent out and that you will need to ask for one

Here are some "married at the courthouse" links:

- http://www.yelp.com/topic/chicago-court-house-wedding-in-chicago

- http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/marriage/court-house-marriage-chicago-41041.html

Also, about AOS, here's a link that should help make things less confusing: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/235331-aos-ead-ap-from-k1-the-aussie-way-doc-list-included/

Hope all that helps and congrats.

p.s. Note the Cook County requirements for ID so your fiance will need to have her birth certificate and her foreign passport handy to use as ID. Best of luck. Oh and also, my husband and i stayed at the Chicago Watertower for our honeymoon. It was gorgeous. I mentioned we were just married and found chocolate dipped strawberries in our room when we checked in (given free of charge) and a "congrats" note from the hotel

[netsatwork 0]

Here's some info about the licence and certificate I found:

- http://www.chicagomarriage.com/marriage_license.htm - general info

- http://www.cookcountyclerk.com/vitalrecords/marriagelicenses/Pages/default.aspx - this is the Cook County (where chicago is) page that talks about it and where you can "purchase" a licence

- http://www.cookcountyclerk.com/vitalrecords/marriagecertificates/Pages/default.aspx this one tells you that a licence IS NOT automatically sent out and that you will need to ask for one

Here are some "married at the courthouse" links:

- http://www.yelp.com/topic/chicago-court-house-wedding-in-chicago

- http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/marriage/court-house-marriage-chicago-41041.html

Also, about AOS, here's a link that should help make things less confusing: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/235331-aos-ead-ap-from-k1-the-aussie-way-doc-list-included/

Hope all that helps and congrats.

p.s. Note the Cook County requirements for ID so your fiance will need to have her birth certificate and her foreign passport handy to use as ID. Best of luck. Oh and also, my husband and i stayed at the Chicago Watertower for our honeymoon. It was gorgeous. I mentioned we were just married and found chocolate dipped strawberries in our room when we checked in (given free of charge) and a "congrats" note from the hotel

Wow! Thanks for all of the information! This is great! I am trying to find hotels now (that aren't crazy expensive), but most of all we are praying that the visa gets here early next week so we don't have to cancel the flight for the 14th.

Thanks again!

[belinda63 2,981]

I know in Kentucky you can get the marriage certificate same day, we were married and had it in hand all in about 30 minutes. Also there is no wait on the license. So adding that in about 1 hour total for a courthouse wedding and getting the certificate.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Wow! Thanks for all of the information! This is great! I am trying to find hotels now (that aren't crazy expensive), but most of all we are praying that the visa gets here early next week so we don't have to cancel the flight for the 14th.

Thanks again!

No problem. A little warning on the hotels. My husband warned me that you should be REALLY careful when booking hotels in Chicago. We booked this one: http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-2993-sofitel-chicago-water-tower/index.shtml and used this website: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g35805-d236299-Reviews-Sofitel_Chicago_Water_Tower-Chicago_Illinois.html for checking the reviews first.

Some of the reviews for other hotels we were looking at were REALLY bad (like blood on the walls, roaches etc) and they were 3 star! Use this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g35805-Chicago_Illinois-Hotels.html to look at the hotels. it will list the price and then you can read reviews and see pics etc.

Good luck!

[Kimbear 53]

Regarding the certificate from cook county. When you get the licence they will tell you it takes 3 weeks after you mail it back to be able to order certificates. this is bogus. lol. i was married april 11th, we mailed it in the 12th (monday) and it was process and in the system the 14th. i had waited 1.5 weeks before going in, and was surprised at how fast it was recorded in the vital statistics dept. Also they are now closed on the weekend but open late on Wednesday, and it was empty the last 2 times we went in.