Case Denied

[PWC 24]

1 hour ago, Crazy Cat said:

One option, which I don't think has been mentioned in this thread, is to marry via a Utah Online Marriage, meet each other, then file the I-130.  The meeting can be short & sweet, but a meeting either during or after the online marriage MUST happen before USCIS will recognize the marriage.  

Marrying via Utah Online marriage results in an official marriage certificate from the state of Utah.

Let me understand what you are saying. So I went there in March of this year, and we spent a week together. So I can go to Utah Online services and we can get married from this service and it will be considered valid in the eyes of USCIS? Do you have a direct link, I just tried to look for a good link, there are so many.

Edited August 22, 2023 by PWC

[Crazy Cat 39,343]

18 minutes ago, PWC said:

Let me understand what you are saying. So I went there in March of this year, and we spent a week together. So I can go to Utah Online services and we can get married from this service and it will be considered valid in the eyes of USCIS? Do you have a direct link, I just tried to look for a good link, there are so many.

No.  I didn't say that.  I said you have to meet again either during or after the ceremony for the marriage to be valid for USCIS. Once you consummate the marriage, it will be recognized by USCIS. 

 

I'm not sure about Thailand, but in some countries such as Taiwan, the marriage is not official until it has been registered in that country. 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[Crazy Cat 39,343]

The advantage of an early Utah Online marriage is that after you meet, following the ceremony, USCIS will recognize the date of the ceremony as the official date of the marriage.  The official marriage date starts the clock for determining whether your spouse receives a 2 year Green card or a 10 year Green Card after entering the US. 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[PWC 24]

8 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

No.  I didn't say that.  I said you have to meet again either during or after the ceremony for the marriage to be valid for USCIS. Once you consummate the marriage, it will be recognized by USCIS. 

oh, but if I am going to go to Thailand I will just marry her while there through their system. I would not bother with online stuff.

[Crazy Cat 39,343]

2 minutes ago, PWC said:

oh, but if I am going to go to Thailand I will just marry her while there through their system. I would not bother with online stuff.

Your choice.  I'm just laying out the options and advantages of the online marriage.  

[PWC 24]

1 minute ago, Crazy Cat said:

Your choice.  I'm just laying out the options and advantages of the online marriage.  

I appreciate that. Now if it would work since I was already there and we already consummated out relationship while I was there then I would do that online marriage right now. She is in Thailand right now and I here in Philadelphia.

 

[Crazy Cat 39,343]

Just now, PWC said:

I appreciate that. Now if it would work since I was already there and we already consummated out relationship while I was there then I would do that online marriage right now. She is in Thailand right now and I here in Philadelphia.

 

USCIS is very clear.  They won't recognize a marriage until after it has been consummated, and you can't consummate a marriage until after the ceremony.  As I said, an early Online marriage results in a earlier date of marriage.  

[Redro 4,601]

On 8/21/2023 at 11:04 AM, PWC said:

Does anyone here know of any immigrations lawyers in the USA that are from Thailand? I am in the midst of planning another trip to Thailand to marry my fiance to then apply for the CR-1.

 

You don’t need a lawyer to plan a wedding in Thailand. US embassy Thailand has instructions on how to get married there. 
Alternatively, you can get married via Utah either while you are still in the US or you can get married via Utah while you are together in Thailand. 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Redro

[PWC 24]

1 hour ago, Crazy Cat said:

Your choice.  I'm just laying out the options and advantages of the online marriage.  

going back to the Utah option. This may be faster than going through Thai system, since Utah is US based, and probably easier on the paperwork aspect of it. Would you happen to have a good link for this?

 

[Redro 4,601]

1 hour ago, PWC said:

going back to the Utah option. This may be faster than going through Thai system, since Utah is US based, and probably easier on the paperwork aspect of it. Would you happen to have a good link for this?

 

https://www.utahcounty.gov/dept/clerk/marriage/onlinemarriage.html

[PWC 24]

8 minutes ago, Redro said:

https://www.utahcounty.gov/dept/clerk/marriage/onlinemarriage.html

Thank you. I had found it. Sent them an email asking some questions to clarify a few things. I wish I knew about the forum back before this slay ride started.

[W199 264]

4 hours ago, PWC said:

Let me understand what you are saying. So I went there in March of this year, and we spent a week together. So I can go to Utah Online services and we can get married from this service and it will be considered valid in the eyes of USCIS? Do you have a direct link, I just tried to look for a good link, there are so many.

Crazy cat was very clear.  He even underlined it and use all CAPS of what you MUST do to make it valid.

[W199 264]

2 hours ago, PWC said:

going back to the Utah option. This may be faster than going through Thai system, since Utah is US based, and probably easier on the paperwork aspect of it. Would you happen to have a good link for this?

 

When I did it, it was quick and easy to get the Thai marriage certificate.  And it was great to have a authentic Thai ceremony with everyone.  But you do then need to do an extra step.  You then just need to get a certified english translation.  In the future, if you ever need a copy of the marriage that could be tricky.   

 

Likewise, to get divorce, it was trivial, we just wallked in to the the same registrar in the district office. She wrote up 1 page agreement, and then wrote down in her book that we are now divorced, and gave us a dirovce certificate. Trivial and easy.  

[W199 264]

4 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

The advantage of an early Utah Online marriage is that after you meet, following the ceremony, USCIS will recognize the date of the ceremony as the official date of the marriage.  The official marriage date starts the clock for determining whether your spouse receives a 2 year Green card or a 10 year Green Card after entering the US. 

Excellent point! But for this case,  I wouldn't be surprised if she'll end up with a 10 year GC either way ... 😅

[PWC 24]

Updating Everyone.

 

You were all correct. It was denied because we did not know each other 2 years prior to filing.

 

I am very angry at my lawyer. He should have insisted we wait. He says he told menit might be approved, but that there was a slight chance it could be approved based on the circumstances of covid at the time.

 

However, she should know the immagration law without question.

 

Also the fact he did not mention Utah as an option really bugs me. We actually went this route.

 

I can post the link for the zoom wedding, if anyone is interested. I can have upto 100 logged in.