How can I marry a Syrian refugee?

[London2012 0]

I am a Syrian-American.

A citizen of the United States, an American passport holder.

In the summer of 2016, I will be traveling to Turkey to volunteer at a refugee camp, and marry a Syrian refugee.

I cannot start the process now because I have not met the girl yet, but I have connections in Turkey, and I will make my decision upon meeting the woman.

I am doing this because I am looking to get married to Syrian Arabic speaker like myself, and I would like to help out a Syrian girl and her immediate family.

I am so sorry if these are noob questions, I am just so unfamiliar with this process, but how does this work?

Can I start the process at the US Embassy in Turkey immediately upon marrying her?

Do I need a Turkish marriage certificate?

What is the fastest one could possibly get her into the United States?

Is there anything that would allow her to immediately come to the USA on a Visa, and finish the marriage process here in the States?

Does she need her Syrian passport, or would a Syrian ID card suffice?

The reason I ask is because I am only going to be in Turkey for 3 months, and would like to bring her into the USA with me, instead of returning and communicating with her through phone/skype on what she needs to do.

Can anyone give me their experience on this one?

Thanks so much guys.

Edited September 8, 2015 by London2012

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

~ Moved from K-1 Process to What Visa Do I Need - OP still deciding on immigration path~

[Boiler 45,670]

Can I start the process at the US Embassy in Turkey immediately upon marrying her?

Most unlikely, what will be your status in Turkey.

Do I need a Turkish marriage certificate?

I asume that will be the only one available

What is the fastest one could possibly get her into the United States?

About a year

Is there anything that would allow her to immediately come to the USA on a Visa, and finish the marriage process here in the States?

Nope

Does she need her Syrian passport, or would a Syrian ID card suffice?

Do not know, a passport would definitely be OK.

[belinda63 3,039]

She will need a passport for the visa, that is what the visa goes on. And she will need a passport to travel internationally.

[aaron2020 11,651]

I am a Syrian-American.

A citizen of the United States, an American passport holder.

In the summer of 2016, I will be traveling to Turkey to volunteer at a refugee camp, and marry a Syrian refugee.

I cannot start the process now because I have not met the girl yet, but I have connections in Turkey, and I will make my decision upon meeting the woman.

I am doing this because I am looking to get married to Syrian Arabic speaker like myself, and I would like to help out a Syrian girl and her immediate family.

I am so sorry if these are noob questions, I am just so unfamiliar with this process, but how does this work? Slowly. Immigration works slowly.

Can I start the process at the US Embassy in Turkey immediately upon marrying her? No. Direct Consular Filing (DCF) is not possible in Turkey. You would need to file in the US.

Do I need a Turkish marriage certificate? Yes. You need proof that you are married if you are seeking a spousal visa.

What is the fastest one could possibly get her into the United States? A spousal visa. The entire process will take about a year.

Is there anything that would allow her to immediately come to the USA on a Visa, and finish the marriage process here in the States? No. There is nothing immediate about immigration to the US.

Does she need her Syrian passport, or would a Syrian ID card suffice? She will need either a Syrian passport or a UN travel document as a refugee.

The reason I ask is because I am only going to be in Turkey for 3 months, and would like to bring her into the USA with me, instead of returning and communicating with her through phone/skype on what she needs to do. There is never going to happen. There is nothing that would allow you to bring her to the USA with you in 3 months.

Can anyone give me their experience on this one?

Thanks so much guys.

Hi,

It's great that you want to help with the Syrian refugee crisis. However, your plan has major flaws. Immigration is not a quick process. It takes years.

Marriage alone will not get her a US spousal visa. If it was, marriage to get a green card would be allowed. You will need to prove an on-going bona fide relationship in order to bring her here as your wife. You need to show a real relationship, and that it's not a marriage to get someone to the US.

You need to rethink your plan. The US Embassy's job is to detect marriages where there is no true genuine relationship and is primarily a scheme to get a foreign person a green card. That's their chief job. What you have described so far is a perfect example of a non-bona fide marriage to get a foreigner a green card.

Best of luck

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

Important part of this is you are looking a woman to marry to help a refugee/ not someone you love

If you are interested in helping refugee, write to congressman and ask if there is a way to help/ write to news media and ask

If immigration thinks this is just to help and not a real relationship, they will not approve

[ExPatty 502]

So let me get this straight, you don't know yet who you are going to marry, but you're intent on finding somebody to marry so that you can sidestep the normal refugee process for them and their family and "do your part"? Seems like a super bad idea.

[Alaska2012 462]

So you are going down and pick a pretty girl who is in need?

This sounds like a bad idea on so many levels!

Good luck proving you are in a real relationship

[Jawaree 718]

Marrying to help someone & family is not a bonafide marriage in USCIS eyes

marrying her if you meet and love her eventually in that 3 mths is.

Yes a valid passport is needed for travel worldwide also the marriage certificate

from wherever you both get married & her birth cert.

I know you say you are from that region but be very carful these days traveling to Turkey

The process will take 14-16 mths after marriage, in the meantime you must be collecting

evidences that this is a true on-going love relationship. Have pictures etc

[Amhara 460]

Man, I think others are reading your post wrong. This isn't some bleeding heart dude - he has a legitimate reason for wanting to marry a Syrian woman - he's Syrian native! Dude, there is nothing wrong with wanting someone from a particular nationality/linguistic background. There are several thousand relationships that are started because someone wants to marry from their home country - nothing wrong with that at all.

Think about using the fiance visa. It's more money, in the long run, but may be shorter. When you are in Turkey, try to keep her in an apartment, but realistically, I think that is a bad idea. My real advice is to marry her in Turkey, live with her when you are there, and submit your spousal visa as soon as you qualify. Wait the time with her. Not unless you can afford your housing and a separate housing for her while you are engaged. You can submit a fiance visa while you are there, but proof of ongoing relationship is needed at the embassy interview stage.

Just know, that you won't be able to help out her family with a visa - she will need to do that after becoming US citizen; LPR visas are very limited, but you may be able to go that route too. So if you are paying family expenses while you two are together, make sure you can dedicate yourself to that for the entire time they need it.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Amhara

[Loki_Go 126]

Could this be something of an arranged marriage?

OP, just consider what would happen to her status and yours if you're not approved; if your application is found to be invalid and perhaps even fraudulent. I'm sure getting approved from Turkey is hard enough for legitimate relationships.

[Beginning777 6]

Along with what have been said, by others, you should, never marry for anything else other than love. I'm sure as much as you think this might be helpful, could definitely become a disaster for you both.

Nothing is wrong in going to find a wife, but you must give it time, for you both to fall In love and be sure this is what you both want. Immigration is all about binding together real relationships, for the pure purpose of love and family and nothing else. Good luck!!

[Arslan12 20]

That sounds like a bad idea. I understand that you want to help a Syrian girl by bringing her here. But according to US immigration laws marrying to help someone is illegal. There are other ways you can help a refugee by sending donations to him/her in Turkey, Like camps, tents, blanket etc.

You have to slow down and think about your intentions too. Why do you want to help a "girl" only. What do you want in return? Do you think that if you bring a helpless girl to America as your wife, she will be a more submissive wife to you? Before she can be approved of a spouse visa, You have to prove that your relationship is a Bonafide relationship since you are requesting an immigrant spouse visa.

[Arslan12 20]

Man, I think others are reading your post wrong. This isn't some bleeding heart dude - he has a legitimate reason for wanting to marry a Syrian woman - he's Syrian native! Dude, there is nothing wrong with wanting someone from a particular nationality/linguistic background. There are several thousand relationships that are started because someone wants to marry from their home country - nothing wrong with that at all.

Oops I am sorry, I missed that too. His profile has Turkey flag. Yes that's correct, If he is already a Syrian native. then that's a different situation. Most people in Syria, Turkey and Pakistan too do arranged marriages anyway.

[Amhara 460]

Do more research on Turkish laws, your Turkish visa (such as extending it - but two foreign visitors/non-resident aliens can get married in Turkey rather easily), if the US Turkish embassy will allow DCF (direct consular filing), and what you will need to do to qualify for the US spousal visa.

If you do fiance or spousal, you will still need time and Arslan brought up great points that you will need to overcome during your USEM interview. Here's some links that may help you in researching your questions:

http://turkey.usembassy.gov/consular_general_information.html

http://turkey.usembassy.gov/consular/packet_35_turkey_100909.pdf

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/turkey/5/instruction_packages/Syrian%20Libyan%20Filing%20I_130%20In%20Turkey%20Instructions%20.pdf

Edited September 8, 2015 by Amhara