Destination Wedding

[AshleyM 9]

Hi! So my fiance ans i are toying with the idea of a destination wedding. Can he travel outside of the US during the 90 days? What if when he gets the k1 visa approval we travel to our destination spot BEFORE he enters the US? We have our ceremony there then fly into the states and get our marriage certificate all before the 90 days, obviously.

[yuna628 9,680]

The marriage has to take place in the USA. Once they enter the USA with the K1 the marriage must take place there. Marrying somewhere else before entering the USA with a K1 is committing marriage fraud and is not the purpose of the visa.

Edited September 28, 2020 by yuna628

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

6 minutes ago, AshleyM said:

Hi! So my fiance ans i are toying with the idea of a destination wedding. Can he travel outside of the US during the 90 days? What if when he gets the k1 visa approval we travel to our destination spot BEFORE he enters the US? We have our ceremony there then fly into the states and get our marriage certificate all before the 90 days, obviously.

No- you have to get married in the USA- that is the purpose of the K1. Once he arrives in the USA he probably can't travel outside for about a year (when he receives his AP or greencard) Well technically he can travel outside but he wouldn't be able to come back without a new visa. 

[JFH 12,190]

*~*~*procedural question moved from “progress reports” to “process and procedures”*~*~*

[payxibka 10,045]

He can travel outside the USA during the 90 days but then he ain't coming back in anytime soon after that 

[YueQian 22]

After entering US on a K1 he can't travel outside until he gets the green card or advanced parole. 

 

Going to another country BEFORE entering US is ok, you can meet up there, have the ceremony and go to the US and get the marriage certificate.

[Just Paul 4,595]

7 hours ago, AshleyM said:

Can he travel outside of the US during the 90 days?

Not on a K1

7 hours ago, AshleyM said:

What if when he gets the k1 visa approval we travel to our destination spot BEFORE he enters the US?

He can not enter the US married using a K1 VIsa.   He would need a spousal visa.

7 hours ago, AshleyM said:

We have our ceremony there then fly into the states and get our marriage certificate all before the 90 days, obviously.

I'm guessing you don't understand K1 or spousal VISAs

[payxibka 10,045]

51 minutes ago, YueQian said:

After entering US on a K1 he can't travel outside until he gets the green card or advanced parole. 

 

Going to another country BEFORE entering US is ok, you can meet up there, have the ceremony and go to the US and get the marriage certificate.

how will you get a  marriage certificate in the USA for a ceremony performed elsewhere?

[YueQian 22]

9 minutes ago, payxibka said:

how will you get a  marriage certificate in the USA for a ceremony performed elsewhere?

 OP can do whatever required ceremony in the US to get the certificate. The abroad ceremony is essentially just a party, not legally binding. Plenty of couples have one ceremony in the US and one in the country the other person is from, or in the country they decide to take a vacation to, without getting legally married in each of those countries.

Edited September 29, 2020 by YueQian

[NovaDC 270]

1 hour ago, YueQian said:

 OP can do whatever required ceremony in the US to get the certificate. The abroad ceremony is essentially just a party, not legally binding. Plenty of couples have one ceremony in the US and one in the country the other person is from, or in the country they decide to take a vacation to, without getting legally married in each of those countries.

If they did that before applying for the K1 they'll definitely get denied.

[YueQian 22]

28 minutes ago, NovaDC said:

If they did that before applying for the K1 they'll definitely get denied.

A ceremony without certificate doesn't make you a married couple, a marriage certificate does. Try applying for a CR1 without a marriage certificatea and say we had a ceremony, will that work?

 

Maybe there's religious/regional exceptions where a ceremony without marriage certificate can qualify as a marriage, that's clearly not what OP is talking about...

 

Edit: and OP doesnt intend to do that before applying. 

Edited September 29, 2020 by YueQian

[Just Paul 4,595]

1 minute ago, YueQian said:

A ceremony without certificate doesn't make you a married couple, a marriage certificate does

Then you haven't heard of too married for a K1 and not married enough for a CR1.

 

DO NOT HAVE A CEREMONY

[TBoneTX 45,522]

Questions and potential disasters like this can be avoided when people become students of all phases of the immigration process -- early and thoroughly.  This goes for those who are new to it and for those who would offer catastrophic advice.

[PatLuvO 284]

If you want a destination wedding why not just do it after he comes and he has his proper paperwork to leave the country? That way you would have met the requirements of the K1 without running the risk of having issues.

[Crazy Cat 41,981]

7 hours ago, YueQian said:

OP can do whatever required ceremony in the US to get the certificate. The abroad ceremony is essentially just a party, not legally binding

This a bad idea.........

Edited September 29, 2020 by Lucky Cat