Where To Get Married?

[notmuch88tosay 21]

Hello,

Originally me and my fiancee filed for a Fiancee Visa. Then she changed her mind and wanted to go for a Marriage Visa. My fiancee lives in China.

She asked me last night where we are to get married to be able to apply for the Marriage Visa.

My question is, do me and my fiancee get married in China, then file for a Marriage Visa?

If not, how do we go about filing for a Marriage Visa?

Thanks,

notmuch88tosay

[Que Saudade 284]

On your timeline, you already have an approved I-129F application back in August of last year. What is the status of that? It appears the consulate has received it. Have they not scheduled an interview or sent you a packet(however they do it in China)?

Changing will only add to your wait and money spent.

But, to answer your question. Yes, you can get married in China, then you come back and file CR1 and wait for it to be adjudicated. Make sure you are up to date about the process of getting married in China.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

You can get married anywhere in the world. Once married, then you file for a marriage visa. Where is not important (though you have to be able to legally wed in the country you are choosing).

[notmuch88tosay 21]

On your timeline, you already have an approved I-129F application back in August of last year. What is the status of that? It appears the consulate has received it. Have they not scheduled an interview or sent you a packet(however they do it in China)?

Changing will only add to your wait and money spent.

But, to answer your question. Yes, you can get married in China, then you come back and file CR1 and wait for it to be adjudicated. Make sure you are up to date about the process of getting married in China.

Hi Que Saudade,

Thanks for your reply and info.

Our approved I-129F application expired. My fiancee did not get her birth certificate and Chinese passport in time.

Thanks for the URL, I will read up about the Marriage Visa.

notmuch88tosay

You can get married anywhere in the world. Once married, then you file for a marriage visa. Where is not important (though you have to be able to legally wed in the country you are choosing).

Thanks Harpa Timsah,

I appreciate the info.

Take care,

notmuch88tosay

[bigdog 376]

If we did it over again we would have gotten married in China, applied and it would have been better than K1 for us. My wife could have stayed in China worked, finished her business and then came to USA with a green card.

[notmuch88tosay 21]

If we did it over again we would have gotten married in China, applied and it would have been better than K1 for us. My wife could have stayed in China worked, finished her business and then came to USA with a green card.

Hi bigdog,

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it.

I hope my Panda will follow through this time. No wedding date from her yet.

Take care,

notmuch88tosay

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures; OP is asking about the spousal visa process.

**Organizer hat off**

Since you will be getting married in China, you will need an Affidavit of Single Status before you and your fiancee will be able to register at the marriage bureau. There are two ways you can go about getting this, visit the US Embassy or one of the Consulates and they will provide you with one or you can obtain it stateside by following the instructions of the Chinese Consulate that has jurisdiction for the state that you reside in.

For the spousal visa process itself, once the petition is approved by USCIS, that approval never expires. The NVC will give people 1 year from the date of last contact before they consider a petition abandoned. If the NVC were to deem a petition abandoned, they would either let it gather dust while they work on other petitions or they would return it to USCIS.

I don't want to overload you with too much information, so I will stop here.

[pushbrk 12,975]

Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures; OP is asking about the spousal visa process.

**Organizer hat off**

Since you will be getting married in China, you will need an Affidavit of Single Status before you and your fiancee will be able to register at the marriage bureau. There are two ways you can go about getting this, visit the US Embassy or one of the Consulates and they will provide you with one or you can obtain it stateside by following the instructions of the Chinese Consulate that has jurisdiction for the state that you reside in.

For the spousal visa process itself, once the petition is approved by USCIS, that approval never expires. The NVC will give people 1 year from the date of last contact before they consider a petition abandoned. If the NVC were to deem a petition abandoned, they would either let it gather dust while they work on other petitions or they would return it to USCIS.

I don't want to overload you with too much information, so I will stop here.

There's a third way that is really far easier than following the instructions of the Chinese Consulate. Use visarite.com to get you what you need. If you can easily stop by a US Consulate in China, do that but second best is visarite.com Call them on the phone, as I don't think their website covers this. They can also get your new China visa at the same time. I don't use them for just the China visa but if you're needing both, it limits you to needing to send your passport out only once.

Back to the original question though, you can marry anywhere a government will allow you to both travel and marry. However, it's often quite difficult to marry in a country where neither bride or groom reside. In China, you'll marry at the place your bride is allowed to marry, usually the marriage office of her county.

Edited August 18, 2012 by pushbrk

[notmuch88tosay 21]

Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures; OP is asking about the spousal visa process.

**Organizer hat off**

Since you will be getting married in China, you will need an Affidavit of Single Status before you and your fiancee will be able to register at the marriage bureau. There are two ways you can go about getting this, visit the US Embassy or one of the Consulates and they will provide you with one or you can obtain it stateside by following the instructions of the Chinese Consulate that has jurisdiction for the state that you reside in.

For the spousal visa process itself, once the petition is approved by USCIS, that approval never expires. The NVC will give people 1 year from the date of last contact before they consider a petition abandoned. If the NVC were to deem a petition abandoned, they would either let it gather dust while they work on other petitions or they would return it to USCIS.

I don't want to overload you with too much information, so I will stop here.

Hi Ryan,

Thanks so much for the info.

So if I understand correctly, I can get an 'Affidavit of Single Status' at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the U.S. State I reside in? Or do I get this document in China?

As for the CR-1 Spousal Visa, if I understand correct, you are saying I will have 1 year to get it completed or to be in contact with them pleading for their patience before they consider the petition abandoned, is that right?

I appreciate your help,

notmuch88tosay

[notmuch88tosay 21]

There's a third way that is really far easier than following the instructions of the Chinese Consulate. Use visarite.com to get you what you need. If you can easily stop by a US Consulate in China, do that but second best is visarite.com Call them on the phone, as I don't think their website covers this. They can also get your new China visa at the same time. I don't use them for just the China visa but if you're needing both, it limits you to needing to send your passport out only once.

Back to the original question though, you can marry anywhere a government will allow you to both travel and marry. However, it's often quite difficult to marry in a country where neither bride or groom reside. In China, you'll marry at the place your bride is allowed to marry, usually the marriage office of her county.

Hi pushbrk,

Thanks for your reply, thanks for the info and thanks especially for the visarite.com link.

Your help is very much appreciated.

Take care,

notmuch88tosay

[pushbrk 12,975]

Hi Ryan,

Thanks so much for the info.

So if I understand correctly, I can get an 'Affidavit of Single Status' at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the U.S. State I reside in? Or do I get this document in China?

As for the CR-1 Spousal Visa, if I understand correct, you are saying I will have 1 year to get it completed or to be in contact with them pleading for their patience before they consider the petition abandoned, is that right?

I appreciate your help,

notmuch88tosay

There are no US Consulates in the USA. Ryan referred to Chinese Embassy or Consulate, not US Consulate IN THE USA. You can obtain the "Certificate of Marriageability" at a US Consulate in China. If you're going to be near one of those on your trip, that's the easy way. If not, I recommend visarite.com

[Darnell 8,478]

to the OP...

she had hukuo problems prior - with this 'not wanting to travel to hukuo city to get civil documents'

and now she seeks to get married?

She's going to have the same problem, as she is required to get married in her hukuo city.

What city is she in, and what is her hukuo city?

[notmuch88tosay 21]

There are no US Consulates in the USA. Ryan referred to Chinese Embassy or Consulate, not US Consulate IN THE USA. You can obtain the "Certificate of Marriageability" at a US Consulate in China. If you're going to be near one of those on your trip, that's the easy way. If not, I recommend visarite.com

Thanks so much pushbrk,

visarite.com sure beats having to search out a U.S. Consulate in China.

Even though I do hope to be going to China soon, the less I will have to do while I'm there, the better.

Thanks again,

notmuch88tosay

[notmuch88tosay 21]

to the OP...

she had hukuo problems prior - with this 'not wanting to travel to hukuo city to get civil documents'

and now she seeks to get married?

She's going to have the same problem, as she is required to get married in her hukuo city.

What city is she in, and what is her hukuo city?

Hi Darnell,

She has asked me to come to China to accompany her to get her birth certificate and passport. She knows it is required.

But wait a minute, you are saying that we MUST get married in her hukuo city? We are not able to get married in any other city in China?

notmuch88tosay

[pushbrk 12,975]

Hi Darnell,

She has asked me to come to China to accompany her to get her birth certificate and passport. She knows it is required.

But wait a minute, you are saying that we MUST get married in her hukuo city? We are not able to get married in any other city in China?

notmuch88tosay

Both Darnell and I told you that in somewhat different ways. She will marry not necessarily in her hukuo city but in the marriage office that services that city, usually the county seat. She should be checking this out herself as all her Notarial documents will come from there as well, some for the I-130 and others, like the police report later. She should not obtain the police report at the same time she obtains the birth certificate, divorce decree (if applicable) and the Notarial translation of your marriage certificate.