Getting married

[JayMain626 21]

Hi I posted a while ago about my situation.

I am a UK citizen currently serving in the army. My fiancé is a US citizen living in Michigan.

We are planning our wedding for the summer in August. I am aware that it is perfectly legal to enter the US as part of the VWP and get married and me return home. Then apply for CR-1.

I was just wondering if any one has done this. And how there entry was for example. Best way to answer the questions at passport control. I understand that to lie is an offence I'm just a little worried about being denied access.

If I was to answer the what is the intentions of your visit with visiting my fiancé. I assume they would move on to the are you getting married question quite quickly. They didn't however do this the last time I was there.

Does anyone have any advice on what evidence I should take with me to prove my ties to the country. I suppose me still serving in the armed forces would be a good start.

My intentions are obviously legal I am just scared after we have planned our wedding me getting denied access.

Thanks for any replies

Jamie

[rpaterson 42]

My situation is similar to yours although a little different.

I am also a UK citizen and travelled to the US on the VWP and got married while I was there. I then returned home and filed a CR-1 and am currently waiting it's approval. The difference with my situation is that I wasn't planning on getting married when I went to the US, it was a very unexpected but incredible romance that I'm happy to say ended in a wonderful marriage but it wasn't planned, as I presume yours is as you are already engaged. So going to the US under the VWP program and getting married is totally acceptable, its just the intent to stay in the country while on the VWP that is illegal. So you just need to prove you'll be going home again.

However having married a US citizen, each time I want to visit the US I am now faced with a similar situation to yours at customs where I have to prove I intend to return to the UK and not simply stay there. It is a very common situation that a lot of us here on VJ face when visiting our spouses and by being as prepared as possible with proof of ties to home you should be OK.

I have taken letters from my employers showing continuing employment, documents detailing my return flights, and financial commitment details such as orthodontic treament plans, outstanding bills and rental agreements etc to show I am tied to a property here. But so far I have never had to use them as at the border when asked why I am visiting usually I just say I'm on holiday and the conversation doesn't get much more complicated than that. I of course would not lie if asked who I am visiting but unless asked there's no need to offer up information you think may lead to questions about your stay.

So you should be fine. Just don't go into too much detail unless you're specifically asked. And it goes without saying not to lie. But just saying you're on holiday or visiting friends shouldn't be met with much further questioning, after all that's what most people are there for.

Good luck! And hope all goes well for you in the future!!

[JayMain626 21]

Thanks,

It's just normally when they ask what your doing the then ask who is your friend and so on and so on. I haven't had an issue before it's just cos I am getting married, so if the questions do come up I want to be prepared.

Also if I say that I'm visiting friends then it comes out I'm getting married then it will look bad I suppose.

[altito 63]

I am a Spain citizen and got married in the U.S. last May 2013 on a VWP short stay. I didnt specify anything at the border, I didnt want to take risks. I just said I was visiting some friends. I had no problems. There were no more questions.

I stayed in the US for 4 days and flew back to Madrid.

After a few months my husband came to live with me here and recently we filed I-130 to go to California.