Filing I-130 before wedding reception

[HDia 105]

Hello everyone, new to the forum here but I have been reading around for a bit, wondering if anyone could help me out here.

 

My wife and I got our marriage certificate last month in Vietnam, so we're legally married. We're planning to have our wedding ceremony earlier next year, due to my job and timing. To save some time waiting, we want to file I-130 before the wedding ceremony.

 

I know having a wedding ceremony is a big thing in Vietnam. Will it be fine for us to file the petition now or should we wait? Thanks everyone!

 

EDITED:

 

We've been together for over a year, in that time span, I have made 2 trips back. I have a lot of photos of us together, and airplane tickets of us going places. I also have picture of my wife getting baptized, since I am a catholic.

By the time of the interview, we will have wedding photos ready.

 

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by HDia

[Crazy Cat 39,362]

If you are legally married, there is no reason to wait.  

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

Agreed. You can add the wedding reception/party photos later at the embassy stage or if USCIS wants more evidence. But legally married means you can submit the petition.

[HDia 105]

Thanks guys. I'm worried because I heard the HCM consulate is very difficult. We didn't have a traditional engagement ceremony either. Glad to hear that it will be fine for us to file the petition now.

[VNN 147]

On 5/10/2019 at 10:01 AM, HDia said:

Thanks guys. I'm worried because I heard the HCM consulate is very difficult. We didn't have a traditional engagement ceremony either. Glad to hear that it will be fine for us to file the petition now.

It is very normal not to have engagement ceremony or not to have two wedding ceremonies (bride's and groom's) when one of the two lives aboard. 

 

My wife and I only had one wedding ceremony at my wife's family, no issue getting her visa approved this April. My friend and his wife, also had very similar timeline as we did, got approved this April with just one wedding ceremony.

[HDia 105]

On 5/11/2019 at 10:12 AM, VNN said:

It is very normal not to have engagement ceremony or not to have two wedding ceremonies (bride's and groom's) when one of the two lives aboard. 

 

My wife and I only had one wedding ceremony at my wife's family, no issue getting her visa approved this April. My friend and his wife, also had very similar timeline as we did, got approved this April with just one wedding ceremony.

Thanks! I am just worried that since the CO will review the documents before the interview, he/she will then make it harder for my wife during the interview since we did not include wedding photos.

[VNN 147]

2 hours ago, HDia said:

Thanks! I am just worried that since the CO will review the documents before the interview, he/she will then make it harder for my wife during the interview since we did not include wedding photos.

The most important thing is to have physical time together (how many you visited, how long you spent, etc.).

 

They may ask if your parents/siblings attended the wedding, if not then why.