K1 visa wedding locations

[T_Bone 0]

Hello, Very new just starting the K1 journey but was curious is it going to be possible once I hopefully get my K1 visa for my fiancé and I to get married in Mexico (she enjoys Cabo) and if not we also like St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. She likes the idea of a beach wedding somewhere very warm. I guess Hawaii is another option? Thank you, sure I will have many more inquiries along the way.

[Unlockable 7,306]

9 minutes ago, T_Bone said:

Hello, Very new just starting the K1 journey but was curious is it going to be possible once I hopefully get my K1 visa for my fiancé and I to get married in Mexico (she enjoys Cabo) and if not we also like St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. She likes the idea of a beach wedding somewhere very warm. I guess Hawaii is another option? Thank you, sure I will have many more inquiries along the way.

Nope. If she comes on a K1 the marriage has to take place here in the US. If having a destination wedding outside the US is important to your fiance then the K1 was a bad idea. The K1 is extremely restrictive on what the beneficiary can do when they arrive. If she leaves the US after coming here on a K1, she will not be let back in and the whole process will be abandoned.

 

Another option is to have a quick courthouse wedding here, then AOS. After she gets her approval for travel (about 6 months) you two can have a wedding ceremony in those countries you mentioned.

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

In addition to not being able to get married outside of the US on a k1 (something you should have known before you started the process!)  it may be hard logistically to plan a beach wedding in Hawaii for example- you don’t know when the visa will be issued and once it is it has an expiration date- it may  be difficult to plan if you want family and getting the venue/decorations/Justice of the peace etc never mind that covid has its own restrictions. I am not here to discourage you just letting you know the realities of planning anything with a k1 definitely has its challenges. I wish you good luck on your journey.

[JFH 12,189]

Hawaii and St Thomas would work. Mexico would not. 
 

If you have overlooked the fact that the K-1 strictly requires that the marriage takes place in the US or its territories (hence St Thomas being an option), I am concerned you may have missed other pertinent details. A good read through of the entire process would be wise.

Edited February 22, 2021 by JFH

[Pinkrlion 2,610]

You can have a beach wedding in California or Florida.  

[SteveInBostonI130 3,319]

17 hours ago, T_Bone said:

Hello, Very new just starting the K1 journey but was curious is it going to be possible once I hopefully get my K1 visa for my fiancé and I to get married in Mexico (she enjoys Cabo) and if not we also like St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. She likes the idea of a beach wedding somewhere very warm. I guess Hawaii is another option? Thank you, sure I will have many more inquiries along the way.

Please read the K1 information on USCIS and the guides here.

 

K1 is a single entry visa.  Once you leave the US you cannot enter on the K1 again.  You will need to start the US immigration process all over again.  If you get married outside the US, then you would need to apply for a CR1 spouse visa.

 

After you marry, you cannot leave the US until either your AOS is approved and you get your greencard, or you get your advanced parole approved.  Therefore, no honeymoon outside the US.  Or visits back home for celebrations.

 

Of the choices you mentioned, Hawaii is best.  Even US Virgin Islands has a slight risk due to chance of flight emergencies that may route the plane to a non-US airport.

 

Or as someone else mentioned, California or Florida.  Key West would be great.

[Demise 1,099]

18 hours ago, T_Bone said:

Hello, Very new just starting the K1 journey but was curious is it going to be possible once I hopefully get my K1 visa for my fiancé and I to get married in Mexico (she enjoys Cabo) and if not we also like St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. She likes the idea of a beach wedding somewhere very warm. I guess Hawaii is another option? Thank you, sure I will have many more inquiries along the way.

For purposes of K-1 AOS: USVI or Hawaii is fine (as is any of the mainland 48 states + DC, Alaska, Guam, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, for any overseas state or territory make sure you are flying directly from there to the mainland or wherever you reside without stops in foreign territory), Mexico is not. The problem here is that K-1 requires you to marry after entry (if you marry before then the proper process would be to file I-130 and go through the CR-1 track instead), and K-1 is a single entry visa so you can't enter, leave, marry in Mexico, and re-enter on the same K-1.

Edited February 22, 2021 by Demise

[Ryan H 3,791]

~~~Hijack post and replies to said post removed.~~~

[CrisBR 30]

On 2/21/2021 at 7:11 PM, T_Bone said:

Hello, Very new just starting the K1 journey but was curious is it going to be possible once I hopefully get my K1 visa for my fiancé and I to get married in Mexico (she enjoys Cabo) and if not we also like St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. She likes the idea of a beach wedding somewhere very warm. I guess Hawaii is another option? Thank you, sure I will have many more inquiries along the way.

Hello!

Once your fiancée gets a K1 Visa to come to the US, the marriage has to happen in the US territory.

After the marriage, no international trips allowed until she has her conditional Green Card. If she inadvertently leaves the US without her Advance Parole (travel document)  or Green Card, she won’t be admitted into the US anymore. 

[HRQX 4,145]

3 minutes ago, CrisBR said:

she won’t be admitted into the US anymore. 

*they would have to start CR-1 process

[CrisBR 30]

1 minute ago, HRQX said:

*they would have to start CR-1 process

Exactly. And this would mean 2-3 more years down the road to get that spousal visa approved. And now with this Covid’s domino effect, God knows when things will get back to that old regular timeline. 

Why risk, right? 

Just don’t go anywhere. Stay in the US, have your HM in the US and just hang tough, be patient and make sure you won’t have any regrets later.