PhilG

I've just gained my fiance's visa, and I shall be leaving for the States in a few months.

I just wondered whether there's anything to stop us getting married over here for the benefit of our UK friends and family, and then having another ceremony in the States.

Is this a totally ludicrous idea? Is it allowed by immigration and marriage rules? Has anyone here done it?

Poppy girl

It can be done but not sure about the immigration process my buddy married her american hubby in Tenerife and then they came back to NY and married there, this was in 2002, and I know she got her GC.

Ray

Forget it ....

the K-1 would become invalid ...

nothing to stop you having the reception ...
just not the actual wedding ..

PhilG

Thanks Ray. Is that based on reasonably expert knowledge?

Ray

Well !! see if anybody diagree's

CharlieS

We have 2 different 'wedding' dates but only one of them is official.
We married in Sausilito for the K1 visa which is the date on all our paperwork. We then had a 'glitzy' wedding in Sacramento a month or so later for family and friends but it really was just a ceremony. No official paperwork or dates stem from the glitzy one.

Noorah101

You can do it the other way around. You MUST enter the USA as an unmarried person on the K-1. You MUST get married within 90 days in the USA. Then, you can go anywhere you want to have an unofficial ceremony (once you have AP in hand so you can travel).

Personally, I would not have anything that even remotely resembles a wedding in the UK before using your K-1 visa.

Rene

Bill_S

Ray is correct. Unless you want to throw away the K-1 and start from scratch afterwards, don't do it. Have a big party with friends if you want, but don't have any sort of "ceremony".

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Other than the fact it will invalidate the K-1 visa, no problem at all. You get married in the UK, spouse returns to US and files I-130, you go to NVC and LND and get an Immigrant Visa and then have the second ceremony in the US.

I've never heard of anyone doing it -- but if that is what you want to do, go for it!

hobbes79

Just don't get a marriage license and get a mate who isn't permitted to do marriage to do the ceremony, and have it somewhere a little unorthodox (not a church)... top of hill, on the beach, etc. Tell everyone the mate got ordained on the internet.

Won't count for nothing, but will look the part for family and friends

If you "get married" twice, the fact is one of the "marriages" is going to count for nothing from a legal perspective and is just a ceremony and gesture.

Might as well make that the first one as opposed to the second...

Bill_S

A BE couple did something like this, and it came out at the GC interview. Their case was delayed because they were required to prove that the "blessing" ceremony was not a wedding.

Just Jenney

There are two problems with your idea. One is that your US fiancee would need a UK fiancee visa to marry you over there. Do you really want to go to all the time, effort and expense to make that happen -- especially when it means all the time, effort and expense you put into getting your K-1 visa will go to waste?

Secondly, if you DID want her to get a UK fiancee visa so that you could marry in the UK, don't plan on trying to slip through immigration on your K-1 visa and then adjust status to permanent resident. You don't want to go through what this family went through (and STILL might be going through -- unfortunately I wasn't able to locate any follow-up articles about their situation).

~ Jenney

meauxna

hobbes, this isn't directed at you, just jumping off from here...


The problem with having an unofficial ceremony is what to do if/when the story comes out to the wrong people.

There is a recently posted story of a visa denial (flat out no) where the couple had a ceremony (non legal marriage) and used the photos of it to 'prove' their case. The CO had kittens and said it looked just like a marriage ceremony to him and the couple would have to apply for a K-3 visa. I don't know how they will overcome that; they're in a pickle now.

There is a recent story of a couple who had a religious ceremony abroad and a K-1 visa issued. When the man arrived at the POE he said he was here to live with his 'wife' (she was, in his mind, since they'd had the ceremony). the CBP agent said 'hmm, K-1 visa means no wife" and he sent the man back; no admission at all. I don't know how they're going to solve that one.

There's the story here of George and his fiancee's ceremony abroad, for her church, non legal, but again, the photos came out and their AOS was held up for close to 3 years.

So while on its face it sounds OK to do a non-legal ceremony beforehand, there can be complications. I guess it comes back to that Dirty Harry theme: Do ya feel lucky?
There are some countries where the non legal ceremony is recognized by the ConOffs as something that is going to happen and is "ok", but there are pretty cleanly outlined boundaries and traditions for that. If you apply for Advance Parole, you can go 'home' a few months after your US wedding and have a party with the family. Or a blessing ceremony or whatever you like. Just do it after marrying in the US.

ian-mstm

I notice the OP hasn't returned to ask another silly question! He probably thinks we're just making up this stuff!

Ian

hobbes79

Hmm, I live and learn. I guess I can imagine the confusion. Every country has different ideas of what a 'proper' wedding is. US immigration can't be expected to know what they are for every single one.

Probably best to do it the other way round as I suggested. First and proper marriage in US, fly back for the gesture wedding in the UK.