COURT REGISTRATION AFTER INTERVIEW

[MakHen 1]

Hello VJ members, I am a k1 applicant to have my interview by march 26. My fiancee is coming down to Nigeria for our engagement ceremony and also to be present at the interview and if possible for us to travel back together. But my family is insisting dat a court wedding should take place here in Nigeria before I would leave with him, and as you know, it's customary to put in 21 working days notification to the court before the registration in which the court publishes the names. Therefore, I want to put in a date after my interview, so I really want to know if the consulate has a way of finding out those names the court publishes, or whether one has done court marriage.. Pls help!

[belinda63 3,044]

If your family wants a court wedding have them pay all the K-1 fees and all the CR-1 fees plus your living expenses for the next year.

You cannot enter the US with a K-1 visa if you are married. End of story. You might not get caught then but you still have to adjust status, remove conditions, and apply for citizenship (if desired). Each step will involve scrutiny of your records.

At any time if it is discovered you misrepresented your status (fiance when you were married) you are subject to loss of LPR and sometimes citizenship status and immediate deportation with a life-time ban.

[ChicagoSarah 127]

You cannot enter the US with a K-1 visa if you are married. End of story.

You cannot legally marry anywhere outside of the United States. That's the whole premise of the K1 visa.

If you MUST marry in Nigeria, then you'll have to abandon your K1, marry, and apply for a CR1 visa (which will be all new fees, new paperwork, and another 12-18 months).

[fqadri 8]

I agree with belinda63 Even if you get the K1 approved you can be stopped and sent back at arrival in the USA.

[nigerwife 17]

Therefore, I want to put in a date after my interview, so I really want to know if the consulate has a way of finding out those names the court publishes, or whether one has done court marriage.. Pls help!

The answer is yes--the Consulate most certainly has a way of finding out the names the court publishes.

The Consulate in Lagos is well aware of the different ways one can be "married" in Nigeria: Customary, White Wedding, Court. Marriage in any of these ways means you are married in the eyes of the United States and the Consulate--and will get you an immediate DENIAL on your K-1 visa through Lagos.

There seems to be a new trend of putting people going through Lagos on AP in order for the Consulate to conduct field visits to verify the legitimacy of information disclosed in the visa application and interview. I would NOT recommend testing this by trying to falsify dates.

[Ketsuban 1,034]

Please don't do this. You are really risking a lot here just to please your family who I'm sure have good intentions, but are essentially asking you to wreck your K-1 visa.

[Ryan H 3,825]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Progress Reports to K1 Process & Procedures.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

When we were in Lagos when went by the registry as we considered what to do and my husband ran into someone there he knew and they took at great deal of time showing us how it works even down to how they post the notifications where US citizens are involved to make it easier for the embassy to find when they stop by. If your family is going to insist you marry there kill the K1 and file the I130 after the wedding.

[LexxBec 0]

The premise of a K1 visa is to get married in the US. The COs are very good at cross referencing information that you submit to them. so in my opinion. One has to go for the other. Make up your mind as soon as possible