SnowColdIce

With all due respect @pushbrk that is not correct. Have you logged in and done the form on the USCIS website? The form online is quite different from the instructions. The general requirements are the same, but the order and the way they ask it is much simpler. In fact, you can download the form online into a PDF version of what the paper I-130 would be, and you can see how some things struggle to fit and are even on their own blank pages because they do not belong anywhere on the paper form or they simply don't match well. The I-134A is not a form that is submitted on the I-130 Application. The only additional form submitted is the I-130A. The Additional Evidence is submitted in its own section regarding "Proof of Bona Fide Marriage". Each section has its own place for uploading information. Example Proof of Marriage is where you upload your Marriage Certificates.

@IWander @pushbrk I understand what you folks are saying. However, I don't know if you have filled the form Online. But many things from the instructions page don't even match. Like for example they say to upload a divorce certificate if applicable, but in the Online Form, there is nowhere to upload that info at all. There are only a few places where it is allowed to upload documents, and none of them refers to this at all.

Hello Everyone, My wife has been married 2 times in total (1 with me now + 1 past spouse). So I put 2 on the question "How many times has your beneficiary been married?" In the Form I-130 online, on Beneficiary's Family -> Current Spouse I put myself as the information for the current spouse as well as when and where did the beneficiary marry the current spouse (me). However, there is a question that says "When did your beneficiary's last marriage end?", I understand "last" as the previous marriage my wife had, and I put the date that marriage ended. However, she thinks it can also refer to her latest one which is with me, in that case, it should be empty. The next page says "Beneficiary's prior marriages" where I listed her past marriage and also when it ended. So it might also be redundant I put that same date on "When did your beneficiary's last marriage end?". I used to be somewhat sure of my answer as I thought it was referring "last" as being the previous one (before me). But now I must admit I am confused and doubting my answer. So what is the proper answer to that question on Beneficiary's Family -> Current Spouse -> When did your beneficiary's last marriage end? Also nowhere in the form it has asked me to submit divorce evidence like a divorce certificate. Is that normal? Thanks to all in advance. I have the rest of the form ready and planning to submit it today. Just this doubt now came up while we were reviewing together.

Just to add more info in case anyone reads this thread later on. I emailed the IOM (International Organization for Migration) Clinic in Moscow which is the place that currently does the Medical Exams for the interview, I asked if Russian Federation citizens need the COVID vaccine for U.S. Immigration. They answered: "Vaccination against Covid is not mandatory for RF citizens."

Thank you very much! @ah-no I searched through their Embassy site but I guess I didnt do a good job of it. Thanks again!

Thanks, @TBoneTX always informative as usual! Does anyone have a source of where to find info about the COVID vaccine not being required for Russians? I have searched in many places but can't find any besides here. I also have an email out to the IOM clinic in Russia that does the Medical exams but they have not answered. Their website does not give any information about it. The only small snippet that mentions some sort of different situation on their site says: "According to TI of USA for immigration health assessment it’s recommended to do accepted WHO vaccines such as Phizer, Moderna, Janssen, etc. Vaccines “Sputnik-V” and “Sputnik light” are considered and will be included in the Vaccination record form if done." Does anyone have more info?

Inside the topic of vaccines, is the beneficiary required to have all the listed vaccines from the vaccination records? For example: COVID-19 (not for Russians) Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Influenza Influenza type b (Hib) Measles Meningococcal Mumps Pneumococcal Pertussis Polio Rotavirus Rubella Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids Varicella Does my wife need to have records for all of these for her medical exam? If so, what if she is missing some? Will she need to get them now before her medical exam?

We have met already in many countries. I guess in a way we both wanted to have a ceremony either when she gets here or before, but instead, we do it before and kill 2 birds with one stone. Nothing huge though.

@JayFromTexas Yes we are aware of it, however, we still wanted a wedding, nothing big though, something small and intimate with only family.

@gstrength no, she lives in Russia. Cuba is just a convenient location in general for us.

@SalishSea no issues whatsoever. Even though US-Cuba relationship is not the best, is also not at it's worst point. So in reality there is no danger to anything. Again I go there and they don't even care when entering CBP. I got asked more about when I came from Dubai with a layover in Egypt, CBP was way more strict.

Oh I see, thank you really! Yeah we can marry in Cuba as foreigners as usual but I just wanted to see because there is a possibility of the paperwork to be done faster if I marry under a Cuban passport there. (Just Cuba shenanigans) @SalishSea that's a great question. Actually, I am from Cuba, I have been living in the US for about 11 years now. I go there from time to time to visit family exclusively and usually just for 3 or 4 days max. She has gone to Cuba twice for vacation, we actually met at the Hotel we were both staying at the last time she went. I usually don't go to Hotels in Cuba at all but I treated my family to a beach vacation for a few days on that trip. And from there, she and I have traveled together and been together in other countries. We chose Cuba due to being a place for me to go easily and having family there, and for her as well (Cuba is friendly with Russia) it's easier to go and take her parents there for our wedding. It basically evolved like a regular relationship with the only difference is that she lives in a different country (Russia). We never knew about each other existence before we met in Cuba me just approaching her because she seemed lost lol. I don't see why it would be an issue since I go there often, and she has only gone twice, and we both did it for completely different reasons. It would be the same situation if it were in Spain or Germany. Or are you asking due to geopolitical implications?

@SalishSea thank you for your response! So right after the moment we get married and obtain our Cuban Marriage Certificate and do a Certified translation to English that's all that's needed for USCIS/NVC/Interview? Meaning there is no need to submit it to the State in any way for it to be valid in the US? I was asking about the passport in case it's put on the marriage certificate or in case the CR1 process specifically needs my marriage to be done under a US Passport. I am aware it doesn't get annotated to my passport, but maybe it does on the certificate itself?

Hello All, My better half and I are planning to get married soon in Cuba so we can finally start the process here for a CR-1 Visa. I am assuming that we just need the original Marriage Certificate and a certified translation to English for the whole Visa process is that correct? No need to register said foreign marriage in the US in civil court or anything? Also another question, does the passport used to get married matter for USCIS or the US in general? The reason I ask is because I am both a US and a Cuban Citizen, she is Russian. She would use her Russian passport as expected, but in my case, I enter Cuba with my Cuban passport (due to Cuban regulations). They (Cuba) don't care (as far as I know) which passport I use, but it may make the process more seamless and speedier if I marry with my Cuban passport instead of the US one. Now since I am a US Citizen, does USCIS need my marriage to be done with my US Passport? I cannot find any language regarding that requirement anywhere. Thanks in advance, please feel free to ask if you need more clarifications.

So basically if we marry in person then immediately it's all ok since we are physically there. If we marry through Utah Internet Marriage, even if we have seen each other physically before, we need to see each other physically again after the marriage for the CR-1 to be valid?

Do you happen to know if you can start the process as soon as you get married?

Thanks! Why did you wait 4-5 months to file your petition? Was it personal choice? Or is there some wait time between when you marry and when you can submit the petition? Also, when you visited, did you do so on a B Visa or with the Visa Waiver Program?

Hi @TBoneTX! Yes I have been reading quite a lot about that region since I have also been considering K1. I feel like I know you now because I have seen you in so many threads haha! Yes I am aware Warsaw is no longer a safe option so most people are having it transferred if possible. As I understand, we need a marriage certificate to submit the application. In case of marriage on a 3rd country or even in the US with Utah Zoom Marriage, we take the marriage certificate of that country is that correct? For example if married on Turkey, then we need to get the Marriage Certificate from there and possibly even have it translate it?

Lemonslice, does that mean that for CR1, usually the interview is had where she resides? Even if we get married in a 3rd country?

Although that would be the normal route, US immigrant visa services are not going on at the moment in Moscow. They are all transferred to Warsaw, Poland by the NVC.

Hello everyone, Quick question to all of you folks that are more experienced on the CR1 side of things. My other half is Russian, she lives there. I cannot just simply go there due to the current world situation, so we just meet in 3rd countries. Our next trip will probably be in Dubai or Turkey due to the relatively ease of travel for her to be able to go there. Now we are also in the process of deciding if go with K1 or CR1, for CR1 my question now is, I read somewhere that the interview is had where you get married. Example, if we go to Turkey and get married there, then our Visa interview WILL be in Turkey? Am I correct in this? I cannot marry her on Moscow for obvious reasons that is somewhat dangerous for me to go. Another thing would be to do a Utah Zoom Marriage, which apparently it is fully recognized by USCIS and there are no issues with it whatsoever according to some posts here. Is that correct? In the case that we marry using the Utah Zoom Marriage, where do we have our Interview? (Assigned consulate for Russia is Warsaw, Poland. Problem is that Russians cannot enter there unless they get REALLY creative, so most people doing K1 for example are having the case transferred to Turkey, or Kazakhstan.) As a side question, any idea if AFTER applying to CR1, will it be ok for her to apply for B2 so we can at least meet here whenever we want while she waits for the I-130 to process? Thank you all in advance!

Holy cow this blew up a bit. Thank you all for this info! I am now considering both this and CR1 depending on our possibilities and timelines.

I am just curious for your perspective and experience on this, no need to react this way. Just questioning your statement the same way as I question theirs out of curiosity. I am genuinely just curious about your experience.

I understand the letter of intent. However what about other people's experience? @powerpuff and @SalishSea seem to have indicated an engagement ring and wedding plans are not required as much.

Hi powerpuff, yes I am starting to consider it now more. I am aware of the AOS application also, and its drawbacks, but now I just found out how long the work permit also takes. And she would not want to sit idle for too long here. I will research into CR1 now, same as to decide between a marriage in 3rd country or Utah Zoom Marriage.