Starting Visa process

[CoxJeff91 1]

I'm a US citizen and my wife is from Colombia, we got married on October 23rd through a notary in Colombia. I'm currently living in Indiana and looking for a good lawyer to help us with the process. I'm also asking what paperwork we will need to get the process started.

[CoxJeff91 1]

I would also like to know if i need to register my wedding in the United States?

[Loren Y 2,731]

What type of wedding was it. Never heard of getting married via a notary. In order to be legal in the eyes of USCIS, you both have to be together at the same time to get legally married. There is more to it than just signing papers. I would double check you have a legal marriage first. As long as you were with your spouse at the time, you should be good. I'm thinking it was their version of a court house wedding?

As for registering it here, the US recognizes most foreign marriage certificate. You may have to get it apostilled in columbia before you bring it here, but you would have to check on that.

Edited November 20, 2020 by Loren Y

[SalishSea 16,718]

1 hour ago, CoxJeff91 said:

I'm a US citizen and my wife is from Colombia, we got married on October 23rd through a notary in Colombia. I'm currently living in Indiana and looking for a good lawyer to help us with the process. I'm also asking what paperwork we will need to get the process started.

Read the guides for help with the process.

 

I agree with Loren, it sort of sounds like you had a proxy wedding?  If so, that won't fly with USCIS.

 

Visa Journey is a DIY site, and most of us have done our immigration processes without hiring a lawyer.  Is there some specific reason why you think you need one?

[CoxJeff91 1]

Yes, it was a court house type of wedding and we were both there together.  I just want to know if hiring a lawyer makes the process easier rather than doing it myself.

[Tm and Je 32]

1 hour ago, CoxJeff91 said:

I'm a US citizen and my wife is from Colombia, we got married on October 23rd through a notary in Colombia. I'm currently living in Indiana and looking for a good lawyer to help us with the process. I'm also asking what paperwork we will need to get the process started.

I am from Colombia and yes, your civil marriage is recognized here in the U.S. Not many people understand the word "Notary" for marriages. It is better if you use the term "Civil ceremony." In this site, you will find guidelines about the CR1 visa. It is a DIY process. Good luck. 

[Tm and Je 32]

15 minutes ago, CoxJeff91 said:

Yes, it was a court house type of wedding and we were both there together.  I just want to know if hiring a lawyer makes the process easier rather than doing it myself.

Some people use lawyers because they do not have enough time to spend on their process, they are lazy to read or their cases are not easy ones. I have read many cases where lawyers have delayed cases because they have sent wrong information or didn't send the right documents. 

[Babu Frik 1,162]

Read the guide first then see if you have any questions.

You can file online now which the guide doesn't cover, but the instructions as far as what you need to provide are the same.

The online version can be confusing so feel free to ask when you get to it.

 

 

[Soup Dragon 104]

You still have to spend time providing information and evidence to the lawyer and to check over the forms so you may as well save yourself some money and do it all yourself

 

[Crazy Cat 39,135]

14 hours ago, CoxJeff91 said:

I would also like to know if i need to register my wedding in the United States?

There is no central marriage registry in the US.  There is no need to register.  You do, however, have to have a valid marriage certificate issued in Colombia. 

[Ryan H 3,790]

Moved from Progress Reports to Process & Procedures.

[Ryan H 3,790]

***Off topic and derailing posts removed, do not revisit that subject matter in this thread or Administrative Action will be taken.***

[Morty 20]

On 11/19/2020 at 9:13 PM, CoxJeff91 said:

I would also like to know if i need to register my wedding in the United States?

I remember reading an old post in the forum here about someone having trouble with a clerks office, but that sounds unusual.

All you need is your original from Colombia BUT you can do this in some states, you have to check with where you'll be residing.

 

I did this to make things easier and not to have to worry about getting copies or translations in the future, it's kinda weird but it works.

You have to get a license just like you're getting married but just no wait period.

[Locito 85]

We went DIY all the way with our CR-1 thanks to help from the guides and forums on VisaJourney. No RFE or similar although our case was pretty straightforward anyway. Just a lot of waiting (like everyone else in the same situation). Now a couple of years later I am back here for all my ROC needs 😅

 

If you have the finances for it and attention to detail is not of your strengths, hiring a lawyer is not always a bad choice--as long as you choose a good one. I guess we all have heard horror stories about how a bad lawyer can really mess things up. You can't really tell USCIS that you blame your lawyer if things go pear-shaped. I am happy we did the process without legal assistance. Admittedly the process does seem very daunting when you are an immigration n00b.

 

As for the marriage certificate, the only time we have had trouble using our Swedish marriage certificate (which is very plain and basically just a printout from the population registration system), was when my wife added me to her health insurance (haven't found a good enough job in the US yet that would actually provide benefits...). In the end the school district she works for grudgingly accepted the certificate as we pointed out that it was accepted by the US Embassy in Sweden as a proof that our marriage is legal.