Marriage ceremony in US, without legal paperwork filed

[thomahal 6]

Hi and thanks for any help you can give.

I had no concept precisely how Byzantine this whole process would be. I have gotten pieces of information from many sources which have seemed to indicate several different courses of actions. I won't go through all the twists and turns, but instead will try to give a brief summary that may help in getting an answer as to where to go from here.

I am a US citizen. I am trying to get officially married to a woman from New Zealand and have her immigrate to the US. I visited her in NZ for 3 months and she visited me here for 3 months.

I asked her to marry me and, weirdly enough, she said yes (while visiting me here in the States). So we started in on having a ceremony. Everything I had read to that point indicated that a K3 visa would get her here in a reasonable time frame after she returned to NZ following her visit here (since her tourist visa was going to be up very quickly after the wedding).

Basically, ON THE EVE OF THE CEREMONY, I started to see people saying that yes, there is a bunch of info from the Government site and on tons of "visa help" sites regarding the wonders of the K3 visa- but, as it turns out, it is, basically, all BS.

I see.

OK, after all the planning and searching.... now what?

We are not willing to wait for over a year to start our marriage. So ok, we will not file the Marriage Certificate and will bring her over on a K1, gladly repay the Marriage license fee, and register the marriage without another ceremony in the 90 days we have after her arrival.

After searching this site, I have seen several questions re: religious and other ceremonies performed IN OTHER COUNTRIES with different answers given, but nothing specifically addressing our situation. We have had a ceremony here in the States, but have not filed the paperwork. We are not legally married. Does anyone have any sure answers as to how this is going to affect the K1 visa application?

Thanks again for any information you can give.

[Penguin_ie 5,999]

To be honest, I have not heard of a case like yours.

First, I would ask who was your officiant? Ie are you SURE you are not legally married, that they did not file something?

[Unidentified 2,930]

Well the K3 doesn't exist anymore. If you've gotten married you wouldn't have been able to bring here her on a K1. You got married... did the officiant file anything?

Could be that you will get lucky and can go through the K1. If you're unlucky the officiant have already filed some paperwork. If you're even more unlucky the USCIS will still think you're married because you had the ceremony and you will be too married for a K1 but not enough married for a spousal visa.

[Lemonslice 5,168]

If she is currently in the USA and does not need to return to New Zealand shortly, you could marry legally and adjust her status. Look at the guide and study the steps to see if that would work for you.

Edited August 15, 2016 by Lemonslice

[Penguin_ie 5,999]

If she is currently in the USA and does not need to return to New Zealand shortly, you could marry legally and adjust her status. Look at the guide and study the steps to see if that would work for you.

Op says she already travelled back, this is not an option.

[Lemonslice 5,168]

Op says she already travelled back, this is not an option.

Oh I need another coffee :/

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

What will trip you up is trying to do AOS after she arrives. You can't use the first ceremony before you got the K1 . What you are asking is close to visa fraud. You went and got married and now you want to play the system to get her here the fastest. And you post your intent on a site that is monitored by immigration. Really there is nothing to say that the K1 won't slow down to be no faster than a CR1, the times change based on staffing and case load. I would just file the certificate and go the Cr1 route. It isn't like she can't visit you and vise versa. Better than risk a denial for filling for a K1 when you are married. ( which in worse case could lead to a ban that would keep you apart for a very long time )

[Unidentified 2,930]

What will trip you up is trying to do AOS after she arrives. You can't use the first ceremony before you got the K1 . What you are asking is close to visa fraud. You went and got married and now you want to play the system to get her here the fastest. And you post your intent on a site that is monitored by immigration. Really there is nothing to say that the K1 won't slow down to be no faster than a CR1, the times change based on staffing and case load. I would just file the certificate and go the Cr1 route. It isn't like she can't visit you and vise versa. Better than risk a denial for filling for a K1 when you are married. ( which in worse case could lead to a ban that would keep you apart for a very long time )

Lol, since when is immigration monitoring visajourney?

Sure USCIS is sometimes checking your social media etc. But I doubt they have time to sit and "monitor" a forum.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Lol, since when is immigration monitoring visajourney?

Sure USCIS is sometimes checking your social media etc. But I doubt they have time to sit and "monitor" a forum.

Laugh is you want but this site has actually been mentioned in more than one interview. There are a few members that even admit to working for USCIS.

[Unidentified 2,930]

Laugh is you want but this site has actually been mentioned in more than one interview. There are a few members that even admit to working for USCIS.

Yeah and we got lawyers etc here to, that's no news.

Links to people saying visajourney was mentioned in interview?

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Yeah and we got lawyers etc here to, that's no news.

Links to people saying visajourney was mentioned in interview?

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/234875-is-it-true-cos-read-visa-journey/ There is at least one other mention of such in the Sub Saharan forum

[Shauneg 763]

Yeah and we got lawyers etc here to, that's no news.

Links to people saying visajourney was mentioned in interview?

I've read numerous ones. I'm not searching out the links though....

[LionessDeon 2,060]

Regardless, what this OP is suggesting is on shady ground and to me .... lying. They got married. Did the officiant turn in the marriage license or give it back to you to submit? K1 isn't that much faster. I'd rather not stress and risk a ban. CR1 have alot of advantages, less expensive, green card upon entry etc. And you can visit.

Edited August 15, 2016 by LionessDeon

[Pitaya 2,577]

I've read numerous ones. I'm not searching out the links though....

Ditto and ditto.

[Shauneg 763]

Hi and thanks for any help you can give.

I had no concept precisely how Byzantine this whole process would be. I have gotten pieces of information from many sources which have seemed to indicate several different courses of actions. I won't go through all the twists and turns, but instead will try to give a brief summary that may help in getting an answer as to where to go from here.

I am a US citizen. I am trying to get officially married to a woman from New Zealand and have her immigrate to the US. I visited her in NZ for 3 months and she visited me here for 3 months.

I asked her to marry me and, weirdly enough, she said yes (while visiting me here in the States). So we started in on having a ceremony. Everything I had read to that point indicated that a K3 visa would get her here in a reasonable time frame after she returned to NZ following her visit here (since her tourist visa was going to be up very quickly after the wedding).

Basically, ON THE EVE OF THE CEREMONY, I started to see people saying that yes, there is a bunch of info from the Government site and on tons of "visa help" sites regarding the wonders of the K3 visa- but, as it turns out, it is, basically, all BS.

I see.

OK, after all the planning and searching.... now what?

We are not willing to wait for over a year to start our marriage. So ok, we will not file the Marriage Certificate and will bring her over on a K1, gladly repay the Marriage license fee, and register the marriage without another ceremony in the 90 days we have after her arrival.

After searching this site, I have seen several questions re: religious and other ceremonies performed IN OTHER COUNTRIES with different answers given, but nothing specifically addressing our situation. We have had a ceremony here in the States, but have not filed the paperwork. We are not legally married. Does anyone have any sure answers as to how this is going to affect the K1 visa application?

Thanks again for any information you can give.

You may be mincing words using ceremony....I'm not sure. Basically in Mizzou you have 15 days to file the license after a ceremony or it's voided. By a second ceremony I assume you just mean won't have a big wedding, you would still need to get married again even if it's just the court house. The first marriage never took place if the license isn't filed. You are free to do a K1.