Apfelkuchen

Oh, in that case I'm not sure where the cufflinks box comes in at all . Just answer the questions on the form honestly.

jeffreyhy

That "different category" isn't a category that does not need to be declared. Duty may be owed on the portion of the ring's value that excedes the personal exemption.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...emption,-gifts

Regards, JEff

Welshgator

Just throwing this in, just in case - if you have been married before, you will need a copy of the divorce papers to get your new marriage license rubber stamped at the local courthouse. Wish you luck together.

md95065

More accurately, you may need a copy of your divorce papers to get a marriage license - some states require it and some don't.

GarethB789

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm getting a bit anxious now about coming in. If I declare that I'm getting married what evidence are they likely to ask for that I am returning? I have a return flight, and obviously have a full time job here in London that I am still in employment with.

All I want to do is get married and come home and see out my part of the visa process.

Is it common for people to come over to the states to get married and declare this at POE?

Thanks again guys

Pulaski

Personally I would recommend that your answers to any questions be truthful and brief, and if asked the purpose of your visit, you say "visiting my girlfriend". Any mention of a "wedding" or "fiance" risks opening a can of worms that is better left closed.

So far as evidence goes to prove you are going home to the UK again, in case the subject of a wedding comes up, I would recommend a current mortgage statement or rental agreement, and a letter from your employer stating how long you have been employed and the date on which you are expected back at work. Those are the things I took when I married under the same circumstances as you.

The other piece of advice I would give is that you enter the US at a major international hub, such as JFK, Newark, Chicago, or Dulles as the likelihood of the purpose of your visit being raised is much less. The only time I ever had agro from the immigration officer was at a smaller airport with few international flights. When I came to get married, I flew to Newark, cleared immigration and then caught the connecting flight to my final destination.

Apfelkuchen

I don't have the stats to hand but plenty of people who post here do or have done it. I did what you are doing last August and am now back home in Germany waiting for my visa. I told the (whole) truth when asked the purpose of my visit (to get married) and wasn't asked any further questions. If I had been asked for proof that I didn't plan to stay I had a return ticket, letter from my employer stating the date I was expected back and a letter from my landlord dated a few days before my flight and stating the end date of my contract with her (I took the latter because although I had a rental agreement for all CBP knew that could have been out of date).

GarethB789

Thanks very much for your reply. I can certainly arrange a letter from my employer but I am living with my parents at the moment in order to save money for my eventual move later this year or early next so I can't provide evidence of mortgage/rent.

The thing I am worried about is that if I do not disclose the fact that I plan on getting married if it doesnt come up, then will it come up during my application. For example they could look at records and see that I got married on this trip but failed to declare it at the boarder. Will that go against me in any way. I am happy to just say I am visiting my girlfriend if its easier, I just don't want to do or say anything that will endanger the process.





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Pulaski

There is no provision for "declaring it at the border", and your conversations, or lack thereof, are not recorded, nor are they any part of your subsequent marriage visa application.

Visiting the US, marrying, a USC, and leaving again is 100% legitimate. There will never be an issue with you having done that. The risk is that you are turned away at the POE when you arrive to get married.

Apfelkuchen

It won't come up then, but if it does somehow come out during further questioning at the border that you intend to marry and were evasive about it at first, that could cause problems.

EDIT: For example, a couple of times when visting my boyfriend (now husband) and stating that as my purpose I was asked follow-up questions about whether we planned to get married in the future. I wouldn't have been comfortable saying 'visiting my boyfriend' when I arrived to get married in case the same thing happened and it looked like I had at first been trying to conceal something.

Pulaski

I agree, however how is it going to come out? Unless you volunteer the information, or have your marriage licence tucked in the back of your passport, there is no reason for the subject to come up. I too had the "possibly, some time in the future" conversation once when I arrived, but just kept my responses as brief as possible. I deliberately came in through a much larger POE when I came to get married. That said even mentioning "girlfriend" might be a bad idea, although I suggested that in my earlier post, above.

Apfelkuchen

Well, on one 'visiting my boyfriend' occasion I was asked whether I was engaged. At that point I wasn't, but a logical follow-up to a 'yes' answer in that case would have been: 'When's the wedding?'. I agree, however, that in the vast majority of cases it is probably possible to keep the secret without having to tell an outright lie. I just decided that I was more comfortable admitting to my primary purpose, especially as I was confident that wouldn't cause me any problems.

jeffreyhy

Entering the USA for the purpose of marriage to a US citizen is a legitimate use of a B-2 visa, or the VWP, as long as the alien intends to return to a residence abroad soon after the marriage. It's specifically listed as such, with respect to the B-2 visa, in Section 15.3(2)(B)(10) of the CBP IFM.

My feeling is that, as with any other B-2 or VWP entry, the person's demeanor will be as important, if not more important, than any documentation they have as "proof" that they will leave as they should.

Regards, JEff

md95065

I think that anyone entering the US using the VWP can expect to be asked at least two questions - "What is the purpose of your visit?" and "How long do you intend to stay in the US?" - certainly if, by some chance, you are not asked those questions there is no need to volunteer the information but, realistically, the chances of that happening are pretty much zero.

So, the OP almost certainly will be asked "What is the purpose of your visit?" and, while I agree that answers should be truthful and brief it is not a good idea to answer in a way which could be construed as being evasive. Hence my earlier advice - if the primary purpose for the OP's visit is to get married and not just to "visit" then they should say so, but they should also word their reply carefully so that they do not say anything which might suggest that they have immigrant intent on this particular trip.

Pulaski

You make a fair point, but with all due respect I disagree, as I stated earlier.