US and UK citizen want to live in US. Where to marry?

[ChicagoSarah 127]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/99-united-kingdom/

There's a good guide there for the London process after you have filed the application. Make sure you read through the K1 guides very carefully to make sure you've sent everything in correctly.

Setting a wedding date isn't something the government encourages. Anything can have hiccups along the way causing you to potentially lose money that can't be refunded if you need to change plans fast. We planned out our wedding for over a year without making any financial plans with vendors. Originally thought we'd be married by now.. who would of thought it would take this long.

We crossed our fingers and booked off-season (October) with vendors and had written into our contract that we could change dates without incurring any fees or additional cost if needed.

But regardless, the K-1 requires you both submit a letter indicating you will marry within the 90 days after he enters on the K-1. Past that, they aren't really interested or supportive of wedding plans being made in advance.

[Pennycat 880]

ok. You are ALL so wonderful! Thank you! it sounds like the best bet is to Marry here in the US. And try for the K1. I think I make more than enough according to the link I went to. I guess I need to just figure out where to start. Maybe a wedding date would help... but maybe not. Sounds like a lot of waiting

Wait wait, no. You don't get married first and THEN try for the K1 visa. You need to have the K1 visa before getting on an airplane to move to the US. The visa is what allows you into the country *with the intention of marrying and staying here* in the first place. Just showing up with your passport is a tourist visa only. When you try to move to a different country, any country, or work in one, things are significantly more complicated than just showing up at the airport with your passport. Showing up in the US with just your passport and no visa that permits you to stay and marry puts you in the position of either (a) telling the truth when they as you at passport control what the purpose of your visit is....and when you tell the truth being denied, and sent back (this does happen, and has happened to Visajourney members) or (b) lying to the immigration officials at border control and thus committing immigration fraud, which is not advisable under any circumstances, and not allowed to be discussed here.

Also, don't plan a wedding date! You'd be setting yourself up for failure then. If you're ready, just get the ball rolling on applying for the K1 visa. I can all but guarantee you that he will be in the position to fly back to the UK for a wedding a year from the day you apply. In terms of a US wedding if you go the K1 route--just know that you must be legally married within 90 days of him arriving in the US. Nothing is guaranteed until that visa is in his hand, though. Anything can happen, and visa delays have ruined more than one expensive wedding. What you do is, wait until you have the visa (~6 months after you apply, these days) and then he can either wait for a while in the UK while finalize details and make sure that he enters no more than 89 days before your wedding date....or just get on the next airplane and throw something together quickly. Or you could do what I'm doing, which is getting everything set up, with 2 or 3 options for all major vendors, and going with whatever combination of places/people are available on the date we wind up choosing. My whole family and close friends know about the 90 day thing so they know that it'll be short notice until a wedding and they're all good with it.

[Darnell 8,478]

Cuba has nice rum and funsies !

[yuna628 9,528]

Cuba has nice rum and funsies !

Darnell Are you obsessed with Cuba today?

OP: Catherine is absolutely right. You need to file a K1 before marrying.

[nsharp 0]

OK - thanks. I understand we have to do the K1 visa Prior to marriage. Thank you though for more explanation. Makes more sense to just get everything in order, and then once approved and visa in hand finalize wedding plans, even if they take a while, then he can come to US and we can marry within 90 days. I was thinking we had to marry within 90 days of him getting Visa, but now I am seeing that it is within 90 days of him arriving in US. Makes more sense. Thank you!

[Darnell 8,478]

Darnell Are you obsessed with Cuba today?

Nope Nope - just repeating it for emphasis, aye?

Perhaps it truly is the slippery slope - ie -

if'n yer not gonna get on a PC and read the Guides,

then ya might as well get to Cuba for a marriage.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Darnell

[Pennycat 880]

OK - thanks. I understand we have to do the K1 visa Prior to marriage. Thank you though for more explanation. Makes more sense to just get everything in order, and then once approved and visa in hand finalize wedding plans, even if they take a while, then he can come to US and we can marry within 90 days. I was thinking we had to marry within 90 days of him getting Visa, but now I am seeing that it is within 90 days of him arriving in US. Makes more sense. Thank you!

No problem--it's all so confusing at first, we've all been there (but quickly forget). Also, you have about 6 months to use the visa, if you want to wait that long. (Worry about this when/if you get there: but it's 6 months from the date of the medical appointment which is usually a few weeks before the visa is in hand). So there's breathing room, particularly if your visa goes through super-fast.

Everyone's situation is different and so will approach the problem differently. Us, we got stuck in "the long line", we're sick of waiting, his employment there is rocky (because of the inability to make long term commitments and plans) and we're just ready to move on with life. So we're going to do the "visa in hand, get on the next plane" thing, or something very close to it. We also aren't wild about the idea of being married on paper first, and then doing the dress, the vows, the party. To me (and Walter mostly feels the same way) it would feel like a re-enactment and I just don't care for the idea. So we're doing the crazy whirlwind of "wedding in 90 days notice". This is by no means necessary, and is 100% due to our preferences/opinions on the matter . If we'd flown though this process like some did, we'd probably use the 6-month "breathing room" to make wedding plans and also to get prepared for an international move/ merging of homes (which we're now WAY more than prepared for).

[nsharp 0]

the IF portion of the "if and when you get there" scares me. I guess I am going to have to learn some patience. Well, I am going to England to visit him in 2 months. Guessing we will start the process then.

[Darnell 8,478]

if'n you saw him within the last 2 years, as of yesterday, you could file the I-129F today.

have you two met up face to face? how'd it go ?

[nsharp 0]

oh yes. Crazy story... We met 17 years ago. His sister lives here in my town, so he comes here every year or so to visit. At the time when we met, he was here in the US for about 18 months, and we dated the entire time. Well, when he had to leave I didn't really understand... (long time ago), and we ended it, and never had ANY contact at all. Recently I found out he was coming back to visit his sister, so I let her know that I wanted to see him. We had not see eachother in 17 years, and when we saw eachother it was like we went RIGHT back to how we were all that time ago. We spent his entire visit together, and now talk on phone several times a day. He would like to try to see eachother at least every 12 weeks for now, so I am going to England for 2 weeks in October.

[Pennycat 880]

the IF portion of the "if and when you get there" scares me. I guess I am going to have to learn some patience. Well, I am going to England to visit him in 2 months. Guessing we will start the process then.

Don't be scared! I meant if you get to the point where you're wanting to delay his immigration by up to 6 months--not many people choose to delay that long. Don't worry, that just didn't come out right. Basically, I meant to say, WHEN you get the visa and IF you decide that you want to delay his moving here by as long as possible, the 6-month date is from the date of your medical appointment, not the date of the visa issuance. But that's really not a detail that you need to be concerned with at this stage in the game, and you will probably never even need to do that kind of math.

You can easily do the visa even if you're not together (as long as you've met in person at least once in the past 2 years). Have him fill out his G-325a, and write his own letter of intent (and sign both), pop them in the mail to you. While he does this, you do the i-129f (he has nothing to do with that form), your G-325a and your own letter of intent. By the time he mails his forms to you, you'll be done and can submit immediately. You seriously could do this over the weekend and file next week.

Here's how it works (which you can see in detail here: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow

You do the i-129f (and the G-325as). You're basically saying to the government "hey, can you please allow this guy to apply for a K1 visa?". That is Department of Homeland Security (Customs and Immigration Service)--they do a basic background check, make sure that you're eligible for that particular visa and if so, pass you to the State Department (the US consulate overseas).

Then, you apply for the visa itself from the consulate, which is several other government forms, requirements etc. They will issue the visa (or not, but that doesn't happen much).

Then, you use the visa, and have 90 days to marry and apply for permanent residency (which is back to USCIS).

Edited July 29, 2015 by CatherineA

[ChicagoSarah 127]

oh yes. Crazy story... We met 17 years ago. His sister lives here in my town, so he comes here every year or so to visit. At the time when we met, he was here in the US for about 18 months, and we dated the entire time. Well, when he had to leave I didn't really understand... (long time ago), and we ended it, and never had ANY contact at all. Recently I found out he was coming back to visit his sister, so I let her know that I wanted to see him. We had not see eachother in 17 years, and when we saw eachother it was like we went RIGHT back to how we were all that time ago. We spent his entire visit together, and now talk on phone several times a day. He would like to try to see eachother at least every 12 weeks for now, so I am going to England for 2 weeks in October.

It's lucky when the fiance is from a VWP country. Makes visiting easier!

Good luck with everything. This site is full of information and people willing to help. It's tedious, but not so bad...but patience is definitely key!

Wishing you luck with the 12 weeks...we set out saying 12 weeks...then it became 5-6 weeks (we were lucky enough that his best friend works for an airline, though).

Have a great visit and don't stress! It's like doing taxes....just follow their rules and instructions, no matter how ridiculous they seem, and you'll be fine!

[Darnell 8,478]

oh yes. Crazy story... We met 17 years ago. His sister lives here in my town, so he comes here every year or so to visit. At the time when we met, he was here in the US for about 18 months, and we dated the entire time. Well, when he had to leave I didn't really understand... (long time ago), and we ended it, and never had ANY contact at all. Recently I found out he was coming back to visit his sister, so I let her know that I wanted to see him. We had not see eachother in 17 years, and when we saw eachother it was like we went RIGHT back to how we were all that time ago. We spent his entire visit together, and now talk on phone several times a day. He would like to try to see eachother at least every 12 weeks for now, so I am going to England for 2 weeks in October.

Oh WoW ! He sounds like a cute fella, possibly even a Keeper !

But I digress.

If'n you two have met within the last 2 years (as of yesterday), you could file the I-129-F today. I hope you understand that bit.

There are other bits, best learned about in the K-1 FlowChart in the Guides Section.

[nsharp 0]

That flow chart link that was sent didn't go thru. it said contents unavailable

[Pennycat 880]

That flow chart link that was sent didn't go thru. it said contents unavailable

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow

Originally, I had a colon after it, and I fixed it but I guess the link din't fix. Either way, you can get to this and more from the "Guides" section above (links to the various forms and such). USCIS's own website is pretty clear, too (but doesn't explicitly ask for letters of intent, which people here find very useful). One 1-129f from you, one g-325a from each of you, and one letter of intent from each of you. Oh, and a check for $340. Ha. You could easily take care of this in a matter of days. It took us a month because well.... sometimes, men don't listen. I'm going to leave it at that.