what to do immediately pre & post marriage

[rkk1 34]

Hello,

I had already submitted a K-1 visa for my fiance last week, but we are thinking to change it to a CR-1 so that we can just get married when I travel to India in November. We are planning to have a Hindu wedding there with family and friends. I'll only have just over a week in India (about 8-9 days) since I am a full-time student and have to get back home, so we need to make sure that everything is done properly during the short time that I am there.

I was looking for any guide/info on this forum regarding what to do step-by-step immediately pre and post wedding to streamline the process, but I haven't seen anything yet. If anyone knows any such threads, I'd be happy to be directed to those, otherwise, I'd love to have feedback regarding people's own suggestions of what they'd have done differently to simplify the process in their spouse's country. Post wedding, I don't want to be stuck at the Indian marriage registrar's office only to find out that I needed proof that I was never married previously from the US government, nor do I want to be back in the US finding out that I needed some document in my application to be notarized in India.

At this point, the only things I can think that I'll need are:

-lots of wedding pics

-marriage certificate to take to the registrar (does this need some notary signature?)

This is all I'm aware of. Do I need anything else? Do I need some kind of proof that I've never been married before, and if so, where would I get this (i.e. in the US before I leave for India, or would this be from the US embassy in Delhi, India)? Anything else that I'd need to do?

Thank you so much for all the help!!!

[Inky 1,110]

There is no "changing" one petition to another. You would have to start ALL over again, new petition, new payments and go to the back of the line.

[Navyk 78]

There is no "changing" one petition to another. You would have to start ALL over again, new petition, new payments and go to the back of the line.

Yes, those are two different routes for two different stages of relationships and K1 can't be changed to CR1. There is a likelyhood of you getting K-1 approved at USCIS in 60 - 90 days, which will allow you to get to the next step - NVC/ Consulate process/ interview. So it is going to be a tough decision for you to make. If I were you, I will either go thorugh the K-1 process or go to India right now to get married and file CR1 (I noticed that CR1 has better approval chances than K1). But if you have good engagement evidences (ceremony photos, guest list, ....), then continue with K1 makes semse.

[Ryan H 3,798]

I had already submitted a K-1 visa for my fiance last week, but we are thinking to change it to a CR-1 so that we can just get married when I travel to India in November.

There is no changing mid-stream, if you get married, you go back to the start and file new paperwork for a CR-1; this also means you have to pay the appropriate fees. The fees you already paid for the K1 petition will not be refunded and any waiting you have done up to this point will have been for naught.

[rkk1 34]

Ok, thanks so much everyone... I get it that I would have to start over with the CR-1, as there is no 'changing'. I think I just used the wrong words above.

Does anyone have any advice though on what I would need to do after arriving in India directly before/after the marriage in terms of what evidences I would need to collect to make the process painless for me? That's my main question and what I'm concerned about here.

[Inky 1,110]

You should ask in the region specific forum then because that is specific to that country.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/100-regional-discussion/