Merlofil

1 hour ago, pushbrk said:

Of course it's "allowed".   The issue is whether doing so will cause a problem during Removal of Conditions.  THAT is going to depend on the OTHER evidence of an ongoing relationship.

Yes, that’s what I meant. I apologize for the wording of my question. We will have joint bank account, we will put each other on our leases and we will visit each other as much as possible given work/school commitments.

16 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Yes, this is allowed. That said, note that she will need to go through ROC just under 2 years after arrival on the CR-1 visa where she needs to show evidence of a bona fide marriage. This is absolutely possible while living separately, but it is something that may raise some eyebrows for extra scrutiny. Be sure to have and collect evidence throughout the entire period from arrival showing regular visits, commingling of finances, etc. And once she is living in the same residence as you, have evidence of her actually living there with you.

Ok perfect, thank you for your answer. I would be the immigrant so I am the one that has to go through ROC correct?

Hey everyone, 

My girlfriend and I decided that we will be going the CR1 route next march. I will fly in, get married on an esta, fly home and we will apply immediately. Once the CR1 is approved and I move to the US we might not be able to live together right away. She is going to PA school and depending on where she goes it might be too rural for me to find a job. My question is, are we allowed to not live together once our CR1 is approved and I come to the US? It would obviously be temporary until she is done with PA school and we would like to do this as long distance being 3-4 hours away is very different to long distance 8 hours away (with a plane) and time difference. 

Thank you! 

33 minutes ago, bakphx1 said:

We got a CR1 visa, and the part about having a joint bank account, living together and things like that are not usually needed if you have been married for under 2 years and living apart. They understand that logistically this doesn't make sense. 

 

The main thrust of your petition will be photos, travel documents showing you head travel to see each other, trips taken together.

 

Secondarily, some prints of text or messaging helps show a flow of regular communication. You don't need to go overboard on this, just a page per week over a period of time is plenty. The content of the conversations are not reviewed as much as dates.

 

For the financial part, I had my husband on my credit card as an authorized signer, but that may or may not make sense for you. It can be thrown in but that's more of a strategy of including everything plus the kitchen sink.

Thank you for your answer, its very helpful!

Just now, ms_bobdog said:

You can also put each other on your insurance as beneficiaries, to add on.

Thank you for the suggestion! She is on her parents insurance so I don't know if thats possible.

Just now, Ryan H said:

 

Incorrect, what the OP is proposing to do (marry in the US and return to his country afterward) is just fine.

 

OP, you should have plenty of evidence of time spent together in-person, that will be your strongest evidence so focus on that.  You will not be required or expected to have joint accounts.

Thank you for your help, thats what I was hoping!

Just now, jyaku said:

If you want to get married in the US, you need a K-1 visa. For that the stuff you have is sufficient.

 

When you file for a green card, add the marriage certificate and it should be enough. A bank account and matching credit cards would help.

 

When you file for green card removal of conditions 2 years after you receive the green card, then you need bank accounts, life insurance, health insurance, proof that your marriage was legit.

I dont need a K-1 to get married in the US. I can get married on an esta, fly home and apply for a CR1 and thats what we intend to do. I do not want to sit at home for six months while we wait for my status to be adjusted. 

Hey everyone, 

My girlfriend (US citizen) and I (Italian) want to get married in the US, have me fly home and apply for the CR1 visa. I will be living in Europe while she will be living in the US after we get married. We will visit each other but we won't have a joint bank account (unless we add one another on our respective ones in our countries) and obviously we will not be able to have a joint lease. 

How do we prove our marriage is real? We have been dating for 3 years (2 years when we were students at the same university) and have many pictures together and have flight itineraries together. Will that be enough? 

Thank you!

4 minutes ago, redvines said:

It is an offense to lie, so should you be asked directly if you are getting married answer yes and then have all your paperwork tucked away showing you won't stay.

 

However, depending on what you plan to do during your trip visit or holiday may be appropriate answer. Last year when I came to the US (with my fiance at the same time, as we were living in Australia) I answered vacation - which was true, as I had time off work and we were off to Disneyland and New York during our month in the US too. If they had directly asked if I was getting married during my stay the answer would have been yes, but they didn't and we left the country later on and filed.

Perfect, thank you! Thats where my misconception was. I assumed that in every case when they asked my plan for the trip I had to say marriage when in reality I can answer visiting and then if asked about marriage answer that I will be. 

33 minutes ago, Quinton1980 said:

Fly to the US.  If asked, you are on vacation (it's the truth right?), get married, fly back, apply for CR1.  Italy is part of VWP so get ESTA and fly.  Don't make this complicated.

I just didn’t know if withholding the information that I intend to get married would have an effect on the CR1 application.

36 minutes ago, peachouille said:

I did exactly what you're planning on doing last summer, and didn't volunteer more than I needed to at the border. I'm a student too btw.

 

I was asked the purpose of my visit, and I said visiting my fiancé which was absolutely true. CBP officer didn't ask more about that, just what I did back home and how long I was planning on staying.

 

Now if he had asked me "are you going to get married while you're here", of couse I would have said yes and explained the plan cause lying would be illegal. 

 

Didn't have any trouble going back for Christmas saying I was visiting my husband. I was asked then if I planned to move to the U.S. and I said that we had filled our petition and I'd be moving after I was done with my studies or after we got the visa, whichever comes last. No problem there either.

 

Good luck!

Ok perfect this is the exact type of answer that I was hoping for! So I shouldn’t volunteer that I am getting married but rather only say it if asked directly. I thought that I was supposed to state it once asked for the purpose. Rather I can just say visiting and only add if asked more. Thank you!

23 minutes ago, kris&me said:

Since you mention she is from poor family,   the CR1 is definetly the way to go / saves the over $1200 AOS fee

BTW  green card sometimes comes fast but sometimes little slower / ours came in 6 weeks

and you need green card to work

also when interviewing you will need the criminal investigation from both UK (living there) and Italy (as you are Italian citizen)

 

u don't mention her state but if you are close to Canadian border,  she could cross and marry there too

Thank you for your advice! It’s actually an excellent point about Canada as she lives in Michigan. Do you know the process there? Can you get married within a day because as I mentioned she cannot take time off. 

10 minutes ago, NJI751 said:

Does the 30-60-90 day rule apply in this case or not?

IT doesn’t as I have no intent to adjust my status while I’m the us. I fully intend on returning home and then applying for CR1

9 minutes ago, ad8816 said:

My husband (also an Italian citizen) came in December 2017 for a visit and we got married two days after he entered. He returned back to Italy after a few weeks and we submitted our CR-1 Visa petition. He has never had any issues at entry. CBP are usually like "what's your intent" "where will you be staying" "what's your fiancé's name" etc. The questions are never too crazy and I don't think being honest will hurt you, but when you enter if you say, "I'm here to see my fiance," you're not lying! Good luck!

Thank you for your answer! So he didn’t state he was there to marry you? He just said visiting and then you got married?

4 hours ago, SeabreezeUF said:

Unfortunately, no one can give you a definitive answer because every entry is at the discretion of the officer, as @Little_Vixen said. The risk is that the officer decides to send you straight back home.  It sounds like you have good evidence for your return home and honest intent so that all works well in your favor but there's still that small chance CBP may not let you enter. I would go for it but I wouldn't plan an expensive or nonrefundable wedding just to be on the safe side.

 

Also, you'll probably see these two threads be merged since we aren't supposed to have multiple threads on the topic.

We would literally just get married in a courthouse and I would leave within a month. It would be during spring break for my masters. I just don’t know if it’s worth the risk and shouldn’t instead consider a k-1. I just don’t want to sit at home at 24 after graduating from my masters.

4 hours ago, Boiler said:

I take it you have a visitor visa.

Correct I would be entering on an esta, marrying and then departing within the month. 

4 hours ago, NikLR said:

One thing with the cbp, be concise.  Don't be wordy.  Dont offer more information than asked. 

 

Purpose of visit? Getting married to my girl friend. (Or visiting girlfriend which is the truth) 

How long is your stay? Say date when you are leaving.

Where do you work? I dont I go to school at X. I'm in the middle of X degree. 

 

Dont go into immigration questions unless asked.  

 

Thank you for your advise, it actually really helps. The one thing I’m unclear on is if I state I’m visiting my girlfriend, marry and then leave would that be considered visa fraud as I didn’t tell them I was getting married?

4 minutes ago, SeabreezeUF said:

Unfortunately, no one can give you a definitive answer because every entry is at the discretion of the officer, as @Little_Vixen said. The risk is that the officer decides to send you straight back home.  It sounds like you have good evidence for your return home and honest intent so that all works well in your favor but there's still that small chance CBP may not let you enter. I would go for it but I wouldn't plan an expensive or nonrefundable wedding just to be on the safe side.

 

Also, you'll probably see these two threads be merged since we aren't supposed to have multiple threads on the topic.

Thank you for your honest opinion! I am really looking at the CR1 despite the risk because as a 25 year old graduate sitting at home for 6 months really isnt ideal.

Hey everyone, 

I made a similar thread yesterday but received conflicting information therefore I wanted to post again in order to get more opinions!

My girlfriend and I (both 23) intend to get married in the US and then apply for the CR1 visa. We need to get married in the US as her family isnt very wealthy and they can't afford to go anywhere for the wedding. My girlfriend also can't go anywhere as she cant take time off work. 

My question is as follows, what are the risks of flying in to get married? My intention is obviously to leave and I would have a lease, letters from professors/school stating I need to fly back to complete my masters, return ticket and bank account/phone contract.

Thank you!

Just now, missileman said:

Perfectly fine.

Do you think that it would be hard to prove that my intentions are to go back home? I do not want to be turned away at the border. 

On 4/17/2018 at 7:01 PM, missileman said:

Only you and your fiance can decide which route is better for you.  This is my comparative analysis.

K-1: 8-10 months

    More expensive than CR-1

    Requires Adjustment of Status after marriage (expensive and requires a lot of paperwork)

    Spouse can not leave the US until she receives approved Advance Parole (approx 3-4 months)

    Spouse can not work until she receives EAD (approx 3-4 months)

    some people have had problems with driver licenses, Social Security cards, leases, bank account during this period .

    Spouse will not receive Green Card for many months after Adjustment of Status is filed.

CR-1: 12-14 months

    Less expensive than K-1

    No AOS required.

    Spouse can immediately travel outside the US

    Spouse can start work if desired

    Spouse receives Social Security Card and Green Card withing 2 or 3 weeks after entering the US

    Spouse  has legal permanent Resident status IMMEDIATELY upon entry to US.

 

All-in-all, the CR-1 is superior to the K-1 imo.

Is there an issue with entering the US to marry and then leaving in order to apply for the CR1? 

On 4/15/2018 at 3:56 PM, payxibka said:

K-1 is faster.  Marriage in the USA.  Green Card in about a year after marriage and applying to adjust status.  Can't travel abroad or work until you receive advance parole or work authorization

 

CR-1 is slower, Marriage in foreign country.  Green card upon arrival.  Can work and travel abroad immediately

 

 

I thought the marriage could be in the US as well for the CR1 as long as you leave after. 

Any other opinions would be greatly appreciated!

1 hour ago, NikLR said:

Going on vacation? Visiting your girlfriend? Seems fine to me.  Dont pack much, keep the time frame inside the USA short. Done.

I have no intention to lie. I just want to know the risk involved in saying "I am here to marry my girlfriend, I have documentation to show that I will need to go back to London to finish my studies and we will apply for the CR1 visa from there". I want to do things the right way but always making sure that I dont put our relationship and future status at risk

41 minutes ago, JackG said:

Just get married in another jurisdiction that has very short resident requirements like 1-3 days, perhaps in the Caribbean. You can both do a short honeymoon and then the wedding is as valid as if you came to the US got married and left. No worry about being admitted and you can apply for the CR-1.

Unfortunately she will have no time off for us to do that and her family is relatively poor so they couldn't afford to come to the wedding. It's important for her to have them present when we get married. You think showing documentation that I will need to go back, such as letters from the school/professors, return flight and lease and being honest about it all won't be enough?

1 hour ago, cyberfx1024 said:

Because the vast majority of people LIE when they are going through POE. So once they are called out on their lie then the truth comes out and CBP is pissed.

I would absolutely tell the truth and I would have, what I believe is, enough documentation to show that I will need to go back to the UK. You think if I tell the truth and have documentation I'll be fine? As I previously stated its the small risk of being turned away because that would compromise by relationship and potentially work in the future.