Help, I need legal wedding advice

[LorenaE (B) 1]

My interview is about to happen in a month, I'm collecting all my paperwork and I'm so excited and nervous!!

The thing is, my fiance and I got married in a catholic church last September. We did that because my family can't travel to the US and his family can't come over, so, from the beginning we decided to have 2 weddings... a religious one here and a legal one there.

In Mexico, a religious wedding isn't considered legally valid by itself, so, we aren't in a marriage recognized by the government.

I wanted to submit our wedding pictures as evidence that proves we are a real couple, but I have been wondering if it would affect our case.

I am thinking about getting a "not married status certificate" to support that evidence.

 

I guess my question is: should I do that or should I avoid the whole not legally married thing and not submit the pics?

 

Thank you for your help!!!

[Roel 7,191]

12 minutes ago, LorenaE (B) said:

 

The thing is, my fiance and I got married in a catholic church last September. We did that because my

Church marriage means that you're already "too" married for K1 visa. It might not be "legal" in Mexico, but in the US embassy they will 100% see this as legal marriage.

 

Cancel K1 and start CR1 visa.

[Just Paul 4,591]

Including you marriage pictures would tend to show you are married.

 

There is a phrase used on here that matches your case.  Too married for a K1 and not married enough for a spousal visa.

[Crazy Cat 39,388]

17 minutes ago, LorenaE (B) said:

I wanted to submit our wedding pictures as evidence that proves we are a real couple,

Extremely unwise......extremely.....never submit pictures which could look like a wedding....even if you are not legally married.

Edited May 19, 2019 by missileman

[LorenaE (B) 1]

Just now, missileman said:

Extremely unwise......extremely.....never submit ambiguous evidence.....

Thank you, I won't take the pics then.

[LorenaE (B) 1]

3 minutes ago, Paul & Mary said:

Including you marriage pictures would tend to show you are married.

 

There is a phrase used on here that matches your case.  Too married for a K1 and not married enough for a spousal visa.

Thank you, I won't take the pics to the interview then.

We figured to do it that way since our family situation is complicated and we wanted both families to be part of it.

We don't know when we are going to be able to come back to Mexico because of the status adjustment, so we did it before leaving.

[Crazy Cat 39,388]

2 minutes ago, LorenaE (B) said:

Thank you, I won't take the pics to the interview then.

We figured to do it that way since our family situation is complicated and we wanted both families to be part of it.

We don't know when we are going to be able to come back to Mexico because of the status adjustment, so we did it before leaving.

Why not legally marry in Mexico, and file CR-1?

Every couple has their own priorities, and each couple must decide which visa is better for their situation.

K-1
    Slightly faster arrival in the US (currently about 5 months sooner)    
    More expensive than CR-1    
    Requires Adjustment of Status after marriage (expensive and requires a lot of paperwork)    
    Spouse can not leave the US until she/he receives approved Advance Parole (approx 5-6 months)    
    Spouse can not work until she/he receives EAD (approx 5-6 months)    
    Some people have had problems with driver licenses, Social Security cards, leases, bank account during this period    
    Spouse will not receive Green Card for many months after Adjustment of Status is filed.

  

CR-1
    Slightly slower arrival in the US (currently about 5 months later)

    Less expensive than K-1    
    No Adjustment of Status(I-485, I-131, I-765) required.    
    Spouse can immediately travel outside the US    
    Spouse is authorized to work immediately upon arrival.    
    Spouse receives Social Security Card and Green Card within 2 or 3 weeks after entering the US    
    Opening a bank account, getting a driver's license, etc. are very easily accomplished with GC, SS card, and passport.

    Spouse has legal permanent Resident status IMMEDIATELY upon entry to US.
   

 

[LorenaE (B) 1]

1 minute ago, missileman said:

Why not legally marry in Mexico, and file CR-1?

Every couple has their own priorities, and each couple must decide which visa is better for their situation.

K-1
    Slightly faster arrival in the US (currently about 5 months sooner)    
    More expensive than CR-1    
    Requires Adjustment of Status after marriage (expensive and requires a lot of paperwork)    
    Spouse can not leave the US until she/he receives approved Advance Parole (approx 5-6 months)    
    Spouse can not work until she/he receives EAD (approx 5-6 months)    
    Some people have had problems with driver licenses, Social Security cards, leases, bank account during this period    
    Spouse will not receive Green Card for many months after Adjustment of Status is filed.

  

CR-1
    Slightly slower arrival in the US (currently about 5 months later)

    Less expensive than K-1    
    No Adjustment of Status(I-485, I-131, I-765) required.    
    Spouse can immediately travel outside the US    
    Spouse is authorized to work immediately upon arrival.    
    Spouse receives Social Security Card and Green Card within 2 or 3 weeks after entering the US    
    Opening a bank account, getting a driver's license, etc. are very easily accomplished with GC, SS card, and passport.

    Spouse has legal permanent Resident status IMMEDIATELY upon entry to US.
   

 

Because it has already taken a year and a half. The timelines said 7 months for a k1 Visa and it's been way longer than that. They are very behind on the cases at the USCIS and the consulate at the moment. 

A CR1 Visa would take like a year more and we are so close to being together now.

I don't have a tourist Visa and he can o fly travel twice a year.

It's been 5 years and we can only see each other twice a year.

It would just take too long.

[Roel 7,191]

But yet you lowered your chances of getting a K1 visa by getting married in Mexico....

 

There has been many cases on VJ where people got their K1 visa denied because of religious ceremonies. If I were you, I'd start preparing CR1 visa forms as a backup plan at this point.

[Mike E 11,724]

25 minutes ago, Roel said:

Church marriage means that you're already "too" married for K1 visa. It might not be "legal" in Mexico, but in the US embassy they will 100% see this as legal marriage.

 

Cancel K1 and start CR1 visa.

If the K-1 is rejected because the embassy considered them married, would the petitioner be subject to a ban for visa fraud?

[LorenaE (B) 1]

I just miss him so much, I need to be with him.

[VNN 147]

5 minutes ago, Mike E said:

If the K-1 is rejected because the embassy considered them married, would the petitioner be subject to a ban for visa fraud?

No. It is more like a "technicality" no-fault issue but it will result a loss of time and money.

[Roel 7,191]

8 minutes ago, LorenaE (B) said:

I just miss him so much, I need to be with him.

Yes, well, you're not the only one.

Many of us wanted to have our families attend out weddings but we followed the rules and sucked it up.

[VNN 147]

12 minutes ago, LorenaE (B) said:

I just miss him so much, I need to be with him.

We all understand but most of people needed, need, and will need to wait and many waited much longer than others. Immigration is not so fun. The fact that it is Mexico can also considered a better thing compared to many others: it is quite cheap to travel from US to Mexico (I paid $1,000+ for each round trip to visit my wife) and 2.5-3 days vacation just for flightings.

Edited May 19, 2019 by VNN

[LorenaE (B) 1]

Just now, Roel said:

Yes, well, you're not the only one.

Many of us wanted to have our families attend out weddings but we followed the rules and sucked it up.

I'm sorry, yes, I made a mistake.

On the instructions it says that you can't be married according to the legal aspects in the country of the beneficiary, that's why I thought it was ok.

Please don't be so hard on me.

It is what it is, and what's done is done.

If I get rejected, then we will try again.