Are Virtual Weddings Allows and Accepted by USCIS?

[AneliaO 10]

Are online marriages valid or even worth it?

[Crazy Cat 44,810]

If you are talking about marriages such as a Utah online marriage, they are valid for USCIS purposes once the couple has met (either during or after the marriage ceremony).  USCIS will not validate a marriage until this "consummation" has been established.  Once this requirement has been met, an I-130 can be submitted by the US petitioner.

Edited August 5 by Crazy Cat

[AneliaO 10]

6 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

If you are talking about marriages such as a Utah online marriage, they are valid for USCIS purposes once the couple has met (either during or after the marriage ceremony).  USCIS will not validate a marriage until this "consummation" has been established.  Once this requirement has been met, an I-130 can be submitted by the US petitioner.

Thank You!

[wildbug100420 287]

44 minutes ago, AneliaO said:

Are online marriages valid or even worth it?

Spend plenty of time together before filing again. Morocco is high fraud country. 

[Crazy Cat 44,810]

2 hours ago, AneliaO said:

Thank You!

One more thing.  Once the couple has met, USCIS will consider the marriage having taken place on the original date of the ceremony.

[pushbrk 13,664]

1 hour ago, Crazy Cat said:

One more thing.  Once the couple has met, USCIS will consider the marriage having taken place on the original date of the ceremony.

Yes, and the location of the marriage will be the location indicated on the marriage Certificate.  It's actually the location of the officiant, usually a judge.  Although Utah County is the entity dealt with, sometimes the judge is in another county.

 

To reiterate, the petition cannot be filed unless there is evidence of consummation included.  Unless the couple is physically together during the ceremony, they must have evidence of being together in the same country between the marriage date and petition filing date.

[Bethie 125]

20 hours ago, AneliaO said:

Are online marriages valid or even worth it?

Yes they are, but that is a big red flag,  coming from Morocco,  is a high fraud country

 

You need to spend lots of time together,   pics of you and your other, parents, friends, family, events, etc. a few trips would help your case.

 

But then you have to consumate the marriage before filing your petitions with USCIS.

Best wishes.

 

[JeanneAdil 7,132]

the CR 1 can also be denied (our 1st one was and we had to appeal and reapply)

You need to actually know what CO saw on computer and why denied the K1

Casa will not say age difference as that is age discrimination / the CO will come up with something he says to deny 

 

For us the CO said "i did not know what books wife read"

and we had a long discussion of this in text messages with her trying to tell me and me saying "i never heard of Shakespeare and Mark Twain"

so, i did see but didn't know these books

 

You need to talk to the bene and find out what was asked and bene's impressions of the "turn around " when the passport was returned 

you also need to formally withdraw the K1 -letter to USCIS office will do that -case $, both names and both DOB's/  you can send this letter in with the new I 130 for spouse visa

If you have to go to consummate the marriage from Utah zoom,  why not marry there?  Make sure Casa accepts (immigration does but how do the consummate the marriage?)

Reason is 

Morocco does not accept it as legal meaning u can not stay in same room with him-not even to eat or a motel ,or person who rents an apartment as they are required  to see marriage certificate

 

A Utah Zoom marriage, legally performed via Utah's online marriage laws, is generally not recognized as valid in Morocco. While Utah recognizes online marriages, Morocco typically requires marriages to be performed in person or according to local religious and legal customs

Edited August 6 by JeanneAdil

[AneliaO 10]

My fiancé and I have ways of being able to consummate in Morocco. That is not a concern.    I do not have enough leave days from work to spend 3 weeks in Morocco or we would have been married in Casablanca a long time ago.

[SalishSea 18,479]

8 hours ago, AneliaO said:

My fiancé and I have ways of being able to consummate in Morocco. That is not a concern.    I do not have enough leave days from work to spend 3 weeks in Morocco or we would have been married in Casablanca a long time ago.

Lack of time off isn't a concern of USCIS/DOS.  Actual time spent together in person is important for high fraud consulates.

[Bethie 125]

On 8/5/2025 at 1:46 PM, AneliaO said:

Are online marriages valid or even worth it?

In short, NO.

[S2N 354]

1 hour ago, Bethie said:

In short, NO.

Um, that’s not at all what anyone said.

 

They said that your application will likely have additional issues beyond just whether it was virtual or not, and you need to consider the specifics of Morocco when making your decision.

 

If the specifics of Morocco make it to inconvenient to you, you’ll need to consider other options, but to be clear, the other issues of there being a large age difference in a high fraud country will remain and will continue to be the largest issue.

[Crazy Cat 44,810]

2 hours ago, Bethie said:

In short, NO.

Online marriages are absolutely worth it for many situations.  The consulate in Morocco will absolutely honor a Utah online marriage if the couple meet either during or after the ceremony.  Spending quality time together is required for any consulate.  I agree that is always more scrutiny in certain countries.

Edited Thursday at 04:35 PM by Crazy Cat

[Reynal2m 39]

We got married online through Utah’s virtual marriage process — it was quick, simple, and completely valid. It’s especially worthwhile in places like the Dominican Republic, where same-sex marriage isn’t legal. To prove consummation, we submitted a hotel bill from our honeymoon and pictures...

[AneliaO 10]

9 minutes ago, Reynal2m said:

We got married online through Utah’s virtual marriage process — it was quick, simple, and completely valid. It’s especially worthwhile in places like the Dominican Republic, where same-sex marriage isn’t legal. To prove consummation, we submitted a hotel bill from our honeymoon and pictures...

Perfect! Thank you for sharing your experience