meauxna

I know there has been a lot to cover and that this came up a few times.
He can not just go to the Consulate of his choice, and his passport doesn't necessarily have anything to do with it.
If you hire a lawyer to assist you with your case, this is a topic you need to all get very clear on, and make sure he has permission to apply in the UK.
It's not a given.

Consular districts are based on *residence* or place of last residence. My DH is a UK citizen, but was not resident there and did not/could not interview in London.

A quick jaunt to Vegas is fine; there are lots of stories posted about how to get your marriage certificate from Clark County afterward.

Getting married in the US is a perfectly valid tourist activity; there is nothing shady about it.

imalzrd

ohhhhh.....*sigh* then it would be S. Africa. Cack. thanks for making that crystal. its further, more expensive to get to for interview/medical, less friendly for him........but there it is.

Debs~

imalzrd

what a day. I liked the lawyer...my g/f and I went dressed professionally...he was unshaven in a sweater w/ a hole in the front! lol

I will not say more than the basics of what I learned there, it may not be appropriate and my brain is FRIED tonight. But first and foremost, without this forum, and the nice folk who take the time to give advice, I'd have NEVER been able to keep up. with that said:

we are going to marry when he visits in March. (and Elkton requires mandatory SS #'s!!? but he won't have one!) he will then sign on to his next ship contract out of Balt. at the end of that 4-6wk holiday/honeymoon. at that point lawyer of my choice (I'm going to see another one or 2 as well..if I can stand it) wil file I-130. DH2B will work on ships until he gets notice of interview/med in UK.

YES. UK. not S.A. this particular lawyer thinks that indeed, the PP saying BC AND the fact that he does NOT have a prior residence,due to living on a ship, will make him eligible to file in UK. (pls...don't shoot this msngr....until tomarrow..I'm a bit out of sorts tonight)

DH2B can continue to earn what he needs too, until notice to go to UK.

but ya know what? I'm a bit off tonight because all this technical mumbo-jumbo has me feeling (and I WILL correct this i nmy head asap!) that our marriage is just a link in the cogs. to hear the lawman WHISK over that detail....it just felt....eh. like our marriage is a technicality. something to be done with to move on. I know in a way it is...in order to go toward the bigger picture....and that what it means to me NO ONE can touch. (which is ALOT if you knew our stories)

our other option might raise some eyebrows . Lawman had a perfectly legal way to do this... after marriage, wait 60 days to file...as he stays in DE on waiver, but can't work, and his interview/med can be done in Philadelphia.

I'm just givin' you the shorhand here for now...but we didn't choose that option anyway....

Elkton. & SS #'s. I don't WANT to go to L.V to be married (no offense to those who have) .....I will call Elkton tomarrow and find out about that....
Debs~

fatbrit

Maryland Code
§ 2-402
.
(3) provide the clerk with the Social Security number of each party who has a Social Security number.
.

Emphasis added by me. You should be okay.

imalzrd

how did I miss that!!??? I went to :
http://www.courts.state.md.us/clerks.../marriage.html

and I missed that!? well thats good...and its good that I recognize my weaknesses and accept them.... (i.e. despite the crazy cost of lawman, I'm hiring one.... cuz I'm not cut out to be 'detail' oriented. ;0)
but I can groom a dog like nobodys bid-nit! lol....
thank you. fatbrit...very very much

fatbrit

There's the law....and then there's some office drone's interpretation of the law. Google for the Maryland Code and use the reference I gave you.

meauxna

Hey Debs, glad to hear your meeting went so well today!

I just want you to know that it's true, when we're talking about the mechanics of the immigration process, it does seem to take the glow of the most important time of your life.. it's one of the reasons I love staying around this group.. to continue reading stories like yours. It keeps me in touch with that feeling.. I had it too!
So I'll just throw out there... don't for a minute think that your *marriage* or your wedding is an insignificant part of all this, think of immigration as a part of what you have to do, like blood tests or figuring out how to get a license, but don't lose the magic feeling you're having now, that you've found each other and a way to be together. Us oldsters know better than most how special it is after waiting so long, or going through so much.

None of us want to take that away from you; we want to help you be together.

(and, you don't want to pay lawyer rates to have someone coo and fuss with you.. plenty here will do that and relate better.. go help MandyNI plan her wedding for some fun! )

imalzrd

(and, you don't want to pay lawyer rates to have someone coo and fuss with you..)

LMAO! (eek, I clearly txt w/ my 19 y/o too much!)

so true....the image of a lawyer doing that is funny though...

and besides meeting with another lawyer who quoted me much less $, but needs to prove to me same criteria I'm looking for (aila and confident and Forthright) AND start the process of collecting docs. from countries far and wide, I can do my best to plan for our wedding that will happen in about 6 weeks. ;>0 and make it as special as it feels to my insides...

Debs~

TracyTN

Agreed. Though the only day that was better in my life than my wedding day was when he arrived here with that visa. It just seemed like such a milestone, esp. after all we'd gone through to get there.

You're aware of it now so you'll definitely focus on the right thing - no worries!

imalzrd

yes!! the 'flip switch' has been activated! I just felt so sad yesterday when I did get to talk to Martin, and he was asking me such sweet ques. like "what do you want to wear?" "what date?" etc....my brain couldn't even flip over to that part of all this....it felt very sad about that.

BUT, I control that flip switch now....;0) so thanks everyone!

I agree Tracy, that will be a grand day indeed!

Debs~

Noorah101

I have to say the day Sadegh got his visa, and the day we arrived in the USA together, were more special days than our actual wedding day!

Rene

BritishGuy36

Here's a raised eyebrow for you.

Who told you it's legal? Lying to the US authorities about whether you had intent to marry on the VWP and adjust status is immigration fraud.

But I think you already knew that from your discussions here.

imalzrd

yep. I knew, I know. we're not going there.
I'm not comfortable recanting direct quotes from the lawyer, and the chances of me botching a direct quote are great.

BritishGuy36

It's astounding how many lawyers do advocate a path that's illegal.

ian-mstm

I suppose it doesn't really matter to them that they do... they would never be the ones to suffer the consequences of their own bad advice!

Ian