Bringing my 16 year old fiancée

[MichonandRuben 15]

He asked for advice, not to be judged... Why must people troll? If you don't have helpful advice then why post? This may be a culturally common thing for him even though it is not so here in the USA.

I would agree with being sure this is what she wants and asking her what her intentions would be. She will be the one who is interviewed should the k1 visa be approved here and forwarded to the consulate in her country. Also you will have to meet her within the last two years and prove it for the K1 petition.

[Krikit 1,163]

Quite a number of comments violating the Terms of Service have been removed, along with those quoting them. Please refrain from passing judgement or administrative action will be taken. Thank you.

[Enigma11561 336]

I have a distant relative in Syria, she is 16 and me and my family always had her in mind for marriage. I want to ask for her hand in marriage but I need to make sure I can bring her to the US. I am a born US citizen. I read about the K1 visa, but I don't have pics, email, phone calls between me and her as of yet. She was too young to talk about these things. I also can't show that I went to see her in the past two years because the situation is Syria is dangerous, I'm sure they are willing to work with me on that specific requirement. Can a 16 year old get the visa and marry me here? Or should I go the CR1 route?

Dear OP

I am not familiar with the customs of your PARENTS home country, Syria, but you are a born and raised US man.At 22 you have gone through high school and college here. You know the customs of YOUR country. I am sure you have met, and dated, some women here and I suggest you continue to do so. Maybe I am reading between the lines here, but it seems it is more your parents wishes than yours to marry a girl, now very young by our your?)standards, whom you do not really know, have not met, whom you have not shared feelings on how SHE feels about this, and feel you can be happy for the rest of your life. That is a tall order. Maybe you should reconsider the consequences of what your actions will produce?

As far as a K1 is concerned. No "dangerous" situation can eliminate the requirement of having met in person over the last 2 years. Period.

[Sunnyland 639]

I have a distant relative in Syria, she is 16 and me and my family always had her in mind for marriage. I want to ask for her hand in marriage but I need to make sure I can bring her to the US. I am a born US citizen. I read about the K1 visa, but I don't have pics, email, phone calls between me and her as of yet. She was too young to talk about these things. I also can't show that I went to see her in the past two years because the situation is Syria is dangerous, I'm sure they are willing to work with me on that specific requirement. Can a 16 year old get the visa and marry me here? Or should I go the CR1 route?

To apply for a k1 visa you have to have a relationship with the beneficiary. If you don't have this relationship and you never met her or tallked to her before or anything, I wonder how you will know she is the one you love. As others said here, think twice before rushing into something you may regret later. If you want to marry her, its better you meet her in person and then see where it leads you. See if she wants to marry you. First establish a relationship, keep in mind that during the visa process you will be requested to submit all kinds of proofs of bona fide relationship and also an interview later for your "fiancee". Whatever you decide, wishing you good luck!

[Sandra G. 5,016]

She is a teenager.Marriage is for grown ups.

If you keep with this idea, I think is insane, then at least date 2 years, visit her a few times and then you will have some proof of a genuine relationship.

[Cathi 5,610]

I have a distant relative in Syria, she is 16 and me and my family always had her in mind for marriage. I want to ask for her hand in marriage but I need to make sure I can bring her to the US. I am a born US citizen. I read about the K1 visa, but I don't have pics, email, phone calls between me and her as of yet. She was too young to talk about these things. I also can't show that I went to see her in the past two years because the situation is Syria is dangerous, I'm sure they are willing to work with me on that specific requirement. Can a 16 year old get the visa and marry me here? Or should I go the CR1 route?

they are NOT willing to work with you on the requirement of having met in person within 2 years of filing the visa, it is NOT negotiable.

[Ontarkie 13,915]

Can she even sign the forms needing to submit, she is a minor and most forms require you to be at least 18 to be legally binding?

[rade2rising 205]

chopper marry her in Syria and then file the paperwork by time its all said and done she probably will be 18 when she gets to USA and then you dont have to worry about different state laws and such things. And yea they have 6yr age difference that is alot better than 36 yrs age difference. good luck buddy.

[Alex&Manny 16]

Isn't there a section about arranged marriages, somewhere in all the paperwork?

I am by no means stating I agree with arranged marriage, but some countries and cultures do.

Maybe this is his case - so quit judging. If it's not, then, yes - arranged or not - your significant other HAS to agree to marry.

As for the two year rule, I'm not very sure. I would think there is no exception. Wait another year or so, you're both young, MAYBE (HA!) Syria will calm down and you'll be able to visit.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Alex&Manny

[fantonledzepp 159]

If I remember correctly, I believe the K1 instructions do have an exception to the 2-year rule. It states that it is waived if it violates long-standing religious traditions, or something like that. Is that the case with this arranged marriage?

[VanessaTony 3,567]

If I remember correctly, I believe the K1 instructions do have an exception to the 2-year rule. It states that it is waived if it violates long-standing religious traditions, or something like that. Is that the case with this arranged marriage?

It is EXTREMELY hard to get the 2 year meeting requirement waived. Many religious traditions have ways around the meeting thing. Like meeting with a chaperone etc. It is most likely they won't get that requirement waived.

The way I feel about him marrying a teenager aside, I would be concerned about what sort of issues would arrive wherever he lives, if people discover he's married a teenager. As others have said, with parental consent it's legal, but there are some places it might not be, and waiting 2 years would get rid of the risk of that being an issue.

**Edit - A spousal visa might be best because even though the parents would consent to the visa etc, how would they come to the US to sign permission on the license? Would the registrar not require them to be there? Could they mail in their consent? It just sounds confusing. Possible maybe, but spousal would be easier... if he lives in a state where his underage marriage would be legal.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Vanessa&Tony

[Krikit 1,163]

Post violating the warning has been removed and member banned from thread.

[AmyWrites 593]

Judgments aside, you do need to figure out that there is a visa interview (aside from the fact that you MUST meet within the last two years), and I can't see how a CO would approve a 16 year old marrying some guy she basically has no relationship with.

[Artisan 138]

The number of judgmental posts in this thread is horrid. Cultures all around the world engage in arraigned marriages on a regular basis. Asking what the young woman wants in this situation is akin to asking if the woman cares if she is turned out onto the street by her family (which is likely what would happen if she disagreed with the arranged marriage). When my wife was 25 she was considered an old maid and her family had given up hope of her ever getting married.

As for the marriage being legal most people in the US tend to forget that the legal age to marry in some states is lower than it is in most of the world. The legal age to marry with parental consent in Kansas is 12 for a girl, the same for Massachusetts. In New Hampshire it is thirteen. By the age of 16 a woman is able to be legally married in almost every state of the Union. So people really need to get off their high horses and realize their moral outrage has no place in a forum designed for people seeking immigration advice.

To the OP, if your family is arranging the marriage it would be best to set up a chaperoned visit to formalize the engagement. There are occasional exceptions made for religious reasons but it would be best not to count on one being made in your case. It may also be better to avoid the K-1 path altogether and marry her in Syria and then file for a CR-1 visa for her as your spouse.

[rlogan 2,036]

I have a distant relative in Syria, she is 16 and me and my family always had her in mind for marriage. I want to ask for her hand in marriage but I need to make sure I can bring her to the US. I am a born US citizen. I read about the K1 visa, but I don't have pics, email, phone calls between me and her as of yet. She was too young to talk about these things. I also can't show that I went to see her in the past two years because the situation is Syria is dangerous, I'm sure they are willing to work with me on that specific requirement. Can a 16 year old get the visa and marry me here? Or should I go the CR1 route?

Boy that's a tough spot given the violence there. But since there is not much chance of getting her here on a K-1 without meeting her first maybe the best thing to do is go the CR1 route.

Ignore the bullies here. Marriages in their states are legal at 16 too, but after racism declined in the 1960's it became more popular to bully people like you. Good luck. It is very sad what is happening in Syria and I wish you and your family well.