Getting Married before K-1 is approved

[Mia & Venoy 0]

hello everyone! I hope someone can give me an expert opinion on this one on how to proceed. we have applied for k-1 visa almost 8 months ago and after waiting for months and months and months...we finally decided to have a church wedding in the philippines for religious and cultural reasons. After all wedding plans have been finalized (I'm getting married in June 4), the NOA2 arrives! Isn't that ironic? The thing you've been waiting for finally gets here and you don't know what to do with it now!

So my question is, is there a way to convert k-1 to k-3? if not should I just ignore this k-1 application and start I-130 after we get married? or will my k-1 visa somehow conflict and slow down my I-130 application?

Please help!!!

Thanks!

Mia & Venoy

[thelastpetitioner 218]

nope,this is posted in the wrong forum.AND there is no way to convert k-1 to cr-1,which is the correct visa now.your noa 2 is good for 4 months,you can get married,gather your evidence before you leave Philippines, come back,wait till it expires and then apply for the right visa.

just so you know,marriage based visa take up to a year.

[Mia & Venoy 0]

thanks for the prompt reply...i'll be reposting this to the right forum...forgive my "newbie"-ness...hehehe

nope,this is posted in the wrong forum.AND there is no way to convert k-1 to cr-1,which is the correct visa now.your noa 2 is good for 4 months,you can get married,gather your evidence before you leave Philippines, come back,wait till it expires and then apply for the right visa.

just so you know,marriage based visa take up to a year.

[Sunny123 44]

I completely understand getting sick and tired of all the waiting but you will have to start this process all over again. Do you want to do this all over again including the waiting?

[Mia & Venoy 0]

yep the waiting gets the best of us. but like i said for religious and cultural reasons, we felt that getting married could not wait until we get past all this bureaucracy. i was hoping for suggestions. we are already aware that we have to take a step back in the whole process if not start over. my question was what our next step should be so that I won't mess up the i-130 application that i know i need to file.

[canadian_wife 1,831]

No way to convert, if you get married you'll have to start all over again, new petition, new fees, new wait

Good luck

[Mia & Venoy 0]

thanks for the reply...do i need to cancel or withdraw my k-1 or just go ahead and apply i-130 after getting married

No way to convert, if you get married you'll have to start all over again, new petition, new fees, new wait

Good luck

[Penguin_ie 6,002]

If you are absolutely sure you want to do this, then withdraw the K1 now- call NVC (and embassy, if the case has been sent there already), and follow up with a registered letter. Then start with the CR-1 (there is no K3 anymore) once you are married.

[bayojona3231 4]

Please DO NOT DO IT. You would have to start all over. You may have to refile for CR1.Our US Embassy would check to make sure that both of you are eligible to get married when your spouse arrives in the U.S.

I was at the Manila Embassy with my wife when she went to her interview. So many people were deneid the fiance visa for various reasons.

hello everyone! I hope someone can give me an expert opinion on this one on how to proceed. we have applied for k-1 visa almost 8 months ago and after waiting for months and months and months...we finally decided to have a church wedding in the philippines for religious and cultural reasons. After all wedding plans have been finalized (I'm getting married in June 4), the NOA2 arrives! Isn't that ironic? The thing you've been waiting for finally gets here and you don't know what to do with it now!

So my question is, is there a way to convert k-1 to k-3? if not should I just ignore this k-1 application and start I-130 after we get married? or will my k-1 visa somehow conflict and slow down my I-130 application?

Please help!!!

Thanks!

Mia & Venoy

[Sunny123 44]

You can send a letter to the USCIS stating you wish to withdrawl your I129f petition and have decided get married and go CR-1/IR-1 visa route instead.

Edited April 16, 2011 by Sunny123

[MikelanNida 28]

congratulations on your k-1 and your marriage. I understand you wanting to be married but I would have a hard time throwing away the chance to be together right now over the wedding. But i am sure you are making the right decision for you.

[Brad and Vika 129]

Moving to K-1 forum

[Brad and Vika 129]

Duplicate topics merged

[BSquared 9]

hello everyone! I hope someone can give me an expert opinion on this one on how to proceed. we have applied for k-1 visa almost 8 months ago and after waiting for months and months and months...we finally decided to have a church wedding in the philippines for religious and cultural reasons. After all wedding plans have been finalized (I'm getting married in June 4), the NOA2 arrives! Isn't that ironic? The thing you've been waiting for finally gets here and you don't know what to do with it now!

So my question is, is there a way to convert k-1 to k-3? if not should I just ignore this k-1 application and start I-130 after we get married? or will my k-1 visa somehow conflict and slow down my I-130 application?

Please help!!!

Thanks!

Mia & Venoy

We're new here too - so I could be wrong, but many people have mentioned just doing ceremonies in their home country and not actually finalizing the marriage with documentation... Wouldn't it be easiest/the most logical for you to do this as well? That way you can use your K-1 (because even though you had a 'wedding' you're legally unmarried without a certificate..) and be together sooner? That way you don't have to re-apply and wait ALL over again. I just know I've been reading a ton and have seen people mention this before. I'd hate to see you wait another year after marrying simply because you had the ENTIRE ceremony and became legally married. No matter what you choose... best wishes and good luck.

[thelastpetitioner 218]

We're new here too - so I could be wrong, but many people have mentioned just doing ceremonies in their home country and not actually finalizing the marriage with documentation... Wouldn't it be easiest/the most logical for you to do this as well? That way you can use your K-1 (because even though you had a 'wedding' you're legally unmarried without a certificate..) and be together sooner? That way you don't have to re-apply and wait ALL over again. I just know I've been reading a ton and have seen people mention this before. I'd hate to see you wait another year after marrying simply because you had the ENTIRE ceremony and became legally married. No matter what you choose... best wishes and good luck.

as far as i know,Phillipinos as a whole are religious people,and you can only have religious ceremonies when traditionally its not considered marriage through local point of view.

they preview each file specifically with the traditions of each country in mind in the embassy stage