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Matt & Bing

Religious ceremony in the Philippines?

By Matt & Bing in Philippines

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Matt & Bing Rising Star

Matt & Bing   56

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Philippines
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Hello and thanks in advance for any replies. I have searched this topic and did find much good information but I just want to ask questions very specific to our situation.

We have applied for a K-1 visa. So I underdstand that the whole purpose of the visa is for my fiancee to come to the US to get married. But of course we would also like a "wedding" in the Philippines too. This "wedding" would be after the visa is issued and immediately before we travelled to the US.

We are Catholic. Is it possible to have a non-legal religious ceremony in the Philippines? Is there any danger in doing this? Would/could a priest perform a marriage that was not legally binding?

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Matt & Bing Rising Star

Matt & Bing   56

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Philippines
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might be better answered in the regional forum

moving from K-1

OK - thanks. I just found this thread too http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=164718

Service Center : California Service Center

Consulate : Manila, Philippines

I-129F Sent : 2008-12-02

I-129F Receipt Notice : 2008-12-05

RFE: 2009-02-26

Approval Notice: 2009-03-13

NVC Received: 2009-03-23

Left NVC: 2009-05-12

Stuck at NVC 50 days

Interview: 2009-06-23 Passed!

Visa picked up: 2009-06-25

POE Detroit: 2009-07-04

Married: 2009-09-11

Filed for AOS: 2009-09-22

Biometrics taken: 2009-10-29

Advance Parole approved 2009-11-04

Employment Authorization approved 2009-11-04

AOS Appointment 2009-12-15

AOS Approved 2009-12-15

Green Card Received 2010-01-02

Filed for ROC: 2011-09-17

ROC approved 2012-03-21

Green Card Received 2012-03-26

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YuAndDan Grand Master

YuAndDan   153

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: China
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Posted
might be better answered in the regional forum

moving from K-1

OK - thanks. I just found this thread too http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=164718

Looks like you found your answer.

In PI a religious wedding is considered to be legally binding, if you marry out of the USA before using the K-1 you will no longer be fiancee and will be starting over again filing for a spousal visa.

What many do is simply have an engagement party, like a reception without any "Marriage" before leaving for the USA on the K-1 visa.

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edp333 Experienced

edp333   9

Posted
Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Philippines
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It would be very difficult to find a Catholic Church/Priest to do a non-binding wedding in the Phils. They are very strict on you having the proper paper work and are booked far in advance.

Having an engagement party at a wedding venue, like YuandDan suggested, would be a better idea.

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Honey&Sweety Community Regular

Honey&Sweety   1

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Philippines
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Posted
Hello and thanks in advance for any replies. I have searched this topic and did find much good information but I just want to ask questions very specific to our situation.

We have applied for a K-1 visa. So I underdstand that the whole purpose of the visa is for my fiancee to come to the US to get married. But of course we would also like a "wedding" in the Philippines too. This "wedding" would be after the visa is issued and immediately before we travelled to the US.

We are Catholic. Is it possible to have a non-legal religious ceremony in the Philippines? Is there any danger in doing this? Would/could a priest perform a marriage that was not legally binding?

A priest wont tolerate any acts of illegal ceremony .The purpose of your K-1 VISA is to get married in the US, not here in the Philippines. I know what you feel that you want your family or the family of your fiance to witness the two of you getting married, but this is the fact that you can`t do it here and it might just endangered your visa processing. I am a Catholic and if I were in your shoes I won`t try doing that non-legal religious ceremony since all Catholic wedding or all marriage ceremony is sacred.

While in the Philippines you can just do Engagement Party here so your fiancee`s family can attend that would be a good idea.

You can just probably get married in US like a court wedding or civil wedding. Then , after a year or two you can get married in the church here in the Philippines, so that in a way God will bless your marriage through His God`s minister.

May God bless you both in your visa journey. Happy New Year!

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