Might have to get a proxy...

[Cazwik 11]

If things work out in 2 weeks with the interview( so freaking nervous) my fiance is arriving at my mom's because I don't have a place off post yet. The problem is I dont know when I will get a chance to go marry her and it will be pushing time to get her here in a plane from MD being she is almost 7 months... However I am in Colorado , and they allow Proxy marriage, I seen them advertised online for like another 1000$ , Really hoping not to do that!But it would be helpful for me if I could get one when she gets here , so I can at least have her on my benefits before the birth of our daughter.... Has anyone ever had experience with this ?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Bad idea. USCIS does NOT recognize proxy marriages unless the marriage has been consummated after the marriage took place (which for them means that the couple has been in the same place together after the marriage). You'd have to see her anyway after the proxy marriage in order for it to be legal for USCIS, so you might as well find a place that you can marry quickly - in person together.

[Cazwik 11]

Will the military reconize it ? I plan on seeing her after the marriage of course. I just don't know if I will be able to do it before the baby is born , and I can't fly her here , get married , and fly her back untill I get a apartment, then fly her back again.

I was going to marry by proxy , get the benefits , then fly her here when I have the apartment .... that won't work?

[Cazwik 11]

I just found this somewhere , from state.gov

9 FAM 40.1 N1.3 Proxy Marriage

9 FAM 40.1 N1.3-1 Consummated

(CT:VISA-1000; 09-03-2008)

For the purpose of issuing an immigrant visa (IV) to a “spouse,” a proxy

marriage that has been subsequently consummated is deemed to have been

valid as of the date of the proxy ceremony. Proxy marriages consummated

prior to the proxy ceremony cannot serves as a basis for the valid marriage

for immigration purposes.

9 FAM 40.1 N1.3-2 Unconsummated

(CT:VISA-1165; 03-06-2009)

A proxy marriage, that has not been subsequently consummated, does not

create or confer the status of “spouse” for immigration purposes pursuant to

INA 101(a)(35). A party to an unconsummated proxy marriage may be

processed as a nonimmigrant fiancé(e). A proxy marriage celebrated in a

jurisdiction recognizing such marriage is generally considered to be valid,

thus, an actual marriage in the United States is not necessary if such alien is

admitted to the United States under INA provisions other than as a spouse.

(See 9 FAM 41.81 N1.1.

...pretty much its gibberish to me.

[Operator 1,925]

Are you going to meet her when she arrives? Do a quick civil ceremony then.

MD does not allow proxy marriages.

Edited January 9, 2012 by Operator

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

What you found says what I said. A proxy marriage is NOT recognized unless the couple meets in person after the marriage. That means if you get a proxy marriage your marriage is not valid until you meet in person after the marriage.

So, if you have to meet anyway in order to get a "real" marriage, it's better to get married in person when you meet. A proxy marriage does not give any "benefits" for USCIS. She won't be your spouse for USCIS and you will fail the requirement of her K-1 visa, which is to get married in 90 days.

The military won't let you have a few days leave at least in order to get married?

In simple terms: this is a bad plan for a million reasons. Think of another solution that involves getting married in person within the 90 days.

Edited January 9, 2012 by Harpa Timsah

[together4evr 360]

I just found this somewhere , from state.gov

9 FAM 40.1 N1.3 Proxy Marriage

9 FAM 40.1 N1.3-1 Consummated

(CT:VISA-1000; 09-03-2008)

For the purpose of issuing an immigrant visa (IV) to a “spouse,” a proxy

marriage that has been subsequently consummated is deemed to have been

valid as of the date of the proxy ceremony. Proxy marriages consummated

prior to the proxy ceremony cannot serves as a basis for the valid marriage

for immigration purposes.

9 FAM 40.1 N1.3-2 Unconsummated

(CT:VISA-1165; 03-06-2009)

A proxy marriage, that has not been subsequently consummated, does not

create or confer the status of “spouse” for immigration purposes pursuant to

INA 101(a)(35). A party to an unconsummated proxy marriage may be

processed as a nonimmigrant fiancé(e). A proxy marriage celebrated in a

jurisdiction recognizing such marriage is generally considered to be valid,

thus, an actual marriage in the United States is not necessary if such alien is

admitted to the United States under INA provisions other than as a spouse.

(See 9 FAM 41.81 N1.1.

...pretty much its gibberish to me.

this is in regards to an immigrant visa, like a spouse in another country and not a fiance that came here on a nonimmigrant visa.

I think I would still do the proxy marriage to get her insurance benefits but she will have a preexisting condition and insurance may not cover the birth anyhow.

Please email or call someone at uscis in your town to get the right answer of recognizing a proxy marriage in the usa if you are in the military. I think they would accept it. But I know a few married couples from India it did not get accepted. But you have to consumate the marriage after the certificate is on file at the courthouse.

[Tien 0]

Are you going to meet her when she arrives? Do a quick civil ceremony then.

MD does not allow proxy marriages.

Alright, this is not going to be easy because you will have to spend some money first. I was in the same situation about a month ago where my fiancee was on her way over and I still lived in the barrack. I ended up got an apartment, paid for the first month and deposit. By the time she got here, the house ready. We went to the court and got married (4 days after she landed). G1/S1 helped us out couple days later with paperwork for the the military side. Or you can get an on-post hotel for her ($55/day)..until you get a house/apartment (on/off post)

[Enigma11561 336]

Can you meet her at your mom's house? Get married and fly back to your post? These proxy things don't bode well for immigration purposes and to go this far and then have something go possible wrong, is not worth it.

[Robert&Karen 264]

How about a Space-A flight? How much leave time do you have saved? Ask for a long weekend maybe?

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

As others have said you will run into problems in the immigration process with a Proxy Marriage.

Your best bet would be to meet her at your Mom's and marry her in person. This would allow you to follow the rest of your plan.

[Dave&Roza 748]

Either postpone her arrival a month or so and get the off base living situation cleared up or have her stay with your Mother and see if you can meet her to get married before the 90 days after her entry into the US is up. She has 6 months to use the K-1 visa to enter the US on. I would suggest she remain in her country until things are settled on your end in regards to living arrangments, but the baby's birth abroad would add another wrinkle to the problem. It might be cheaper to have the baby in her country and then get a passport of the child as a USC and bring them both to the US before her K-1 expires.

Good luck,

Dave

[Theresa0828 65]

If things work out in 2 weeks with the interview( so freaking nervous) my fiance is arriving at my mom's because I don't have a place off post yet. The problem is I dont know when I will get a chance to go marry her and it will be pushing time to get her here in a plane from MD being she is almost 7 months... However I am in Colorado , and they allow Proxy marriage, I seen them advertised online for like another 1000$ , Really hoping not to do that!But it would be helpful for me if I could get one when she gets here , so I can at least have her on my benefits before the birth of our daughter.... Has anyone ever had experience with this ?

for this money $1000, i would rather have her fly to where you are... have her stay in a reasonable hotel then have a military wedding (you do have a chaplain at your base, do you?)... then after that she can go back to your mom's house until you get settled...

or vise versa, get time off if you can, go home, marry her then go back to your post...

[Cazwik 11]

Its not so simple to just take leave, You can't just take it outside a block leave unless its death of a family or you get a red cross message.. I was going to get married Proxy here I n Colorado because it is one of the one 4 states that it is legal ( the other being Montana , Texas and California ). And because I could get married and get her on the Army benefits , After marriage the army allows you ten days to get settled in with your spouse. Its hard to just go get a apartment when your not making BAH or marriage pay. Of course after wards I could go get her , and if she couldn't fly I could drive her with the U Haul. I really don't want to have the baby abroad considering that was the main reason I put in for a expedite, And I would really like to see my first child born here, and I really would like not to pay a big hospital bill because I couldn't get to her in time. I thought about the whole get a hotel and send her here , but who knows how long it may take to get a apartment to be ready to be moved in... Anyway, Thanks for all your help and advise , I wanted to call the court house here and immigration but by the time i get off work its to late.

If its not one thing its always another...

~chad

[Kang 22]

The risk is so big with proxy marriages.

Worst scenario?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32891829/ns/us_news-life/t/marines-widow-baby-immigration-limbo/

The USCIS is not proxy marriage friendly. IF the UCSIS gets grouchy, you might spend more money and wait longer time than not being married and not having BAH

One more thing, hospitals are much cheaper in the Philippines. There are many good private and public(state) hospitals that do not charge much but have good services.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Kang