question about Photo, & miscellaneous

[Ryan76 46]

Hello all, I became a member here months back. I've been researching quite a bit, but now that we are in the process of gathering documents and completing forms I have many questions I need to ask.

First and foremost, I just went to Walgreens to see about getting my photo taken, and they told me they cannot give me a digital copy. I realize I don't need one for the forms, but I wanted to send it to my fiance so she could be sure to get her photo taken to the same size/dimensions. Also, the lady working at Walgreens told me that the Visa pictures are a different size than the 2" by 2" passport photos. She said she thought they were 2" by 3". So obviously with all of this confusion I did not get my pictures taken. I wanted to go to a place like walgreens who does this type of thing on a regular basis, but now I'm wondering if there's somewhere else I should go....or if we should just take our own pictures and print them. And why won't Walgreens sell me a digital copy? Any advice on this would be much appreciated.

Secondly, looking ahead we are trying to make some general plans/ideas for our wedding. We really want to be married in her church in Colombia with all her family. Is it okay for us to get married in her country when the K-1 is approved, or do we have to get married in the USA?

I'm going to have a lot more questions in the coming weeks, so I hope I don't get on your nerves! Thanks for your time.

Edited June 4, 2011 by Ryan76

[Tim/Mav 305]

Hello all, I became a member here months back. I've been researching quite a bit, but now that we are in the process of gathering documents and completing forms I have many questions I need to ask.

First and foremost, I just went to Walgreens to see about getting my photo taken, and they told me they cannot give me a digital copy. I realize I don't need one for the forms, but I wanted to send it to my fiance so she could be sure to get her photo taken to the same size/dimensions. Also, the lady working at Walgreens told me that the Visa pictures are a different size than the 2" by 2" passport photos. She said she thought they were 2" by 3". So obviously with all of this confusion I did not get my pictures taken. I wanted to go to a place like walgreens who does this type of thing on a regular basis, but now I'm wondering if there's somewhere else I should go....or if we should just take our own pictures and print them. And why won't Walgreens sell me a digital copy? Any advice on this would be much appreciated.

Secondly, looking ahead we are trying to make some general plans/ideas for our wedding. We really want to be married in her church in Colombia with all her family. Is it okay for us to get married in her country when the K-1 is approved, or do we have to get married in the USA?

I'm going to have a lot more questions in the coming weeks, so I hope I don't get on your nerves! Thanks for your time.

The Walgreens Merchant Employee was a Idiot about Passport Photos. You should have asked for a Manager.

Second: If you get Married with a K-1 pending: Your 129-F is Null and Void. Start all over.

Good luck.

[Ryan76 46]

The Walgreens Merchant Employee was a Idiot about Passport Photos. You should have asked for a Manager.

Second: If you get Married with a K-1 pending: Your 129-F is Null and Void. Start all over.

Good luck.

You must have misunderstood me, or I worded my comment poorly. I meant AFTER the k-1 is fully approved, is it okay to get married in her country, or do we have to say our vows in the USA to make it official? We don't want to do anything wrong/illegal, and we want to be 100% perfect and truthful with all of our information.

Yeah, I was kind of thinking the lady at Walgreens didn't know what she was talking about. So i do need a 2" by 2" photo, and it shouldn't be a problem to get a digital copy on a CD, correct?

[Tim/Mav 305]

You must have misunderstood me, or I worded my comment poorly. I meant AFTER the k-1 is fully approved, is it okay to get married in her country, or do we have to say our vows in the USA to make it official? We don't want to do anything wrong/illegal, and we want to be 100% perfect and truthful with all of our information.

Yeah, I was kind of thinking the lady at Walgreens didn't know what she was talking about. So i do need a 2" by 2" photo, and it shouldn't be a problem to get a digital copy on a CD, correct?

You will have to Marry in the US within 90 Days ... Not get a NOA2 Approval and Marry in another Country. Not Posible. Remember, The 129-F Petition is to Marry in the States when she Arrives. It's OK to have a Engagement Party, but don't Marry there. That is NOT Your Petition for your bride.

Also. 2x2 Passport pictures are what is needed. Even at Walgreens it is Standard.

[Tim/Mav 305]

Just looked at what wrote about a Digital CD Copy for Passport Pictures... Well, that even confused me because She will need Original Passport Pictures and Digital (Electronics) I don't think are applyable? Maybe another member can answer that. I don't the CD's or any such digital devices are allowed in Any Embassy. You need to send Originals is my thought

[Love Eth 14]

I think you can have traditional wedding back there even before the approval of the K-1 visa. However, after your fiancee comes to US, you should have to have LEGAL WEDDING as required by the USCIS. This could be signing the wedding certificate in front of an official with 2-3 witnesses from each side or a big wedding like the Royal one. USCIS requires you to have a legal wedding here in US before 90 days of the fiancee's arival. So that you can adjust the status of your fiancee.

Edited June 4, 2011 by Love Eth

[my uk love 0]

Yeah, I was kind of thinking the lady at Walgreens didn't know what she was talking about. So i do need a 2" by 2" photo, and it shouldn't be a problem to get a digital copy on a CD, correct?

I think the reason why the lady could not give you a digital copy of the photo is because they take the passport photos with a regular digital camera and size the photo on their machine before they print it out. If they were to give you a digital copy it would just be a regular size picture.

[Ryan76 46]

You will have to Marry in the US within 90 Days ... Not get a NOA2 Approval and Marry in another Country. Not Posible. Remember, The 129-F Petition is to Marry in the States when she Arrives. It's OK to have a Engagement Party, but don't Marry there. That is NOT Your Petition for your bride.

Also. 2x2 Passport pictures are what is needed. Even at Walgreens it is Standard.

Okay, thanks. I think what we will do is say our vows and become legally married when she arrives in the US, then after we will go to her country to have a wedding ceremony. Surely once we legally say our vows in the USA, there's no reason we can't have a non-legal wedding ceremony outside of the US.

[Ryan76 46]

I think you can have traditional wedding back there even before the approval of the K-1 visa. However, after your fiancee comes to US, you should have to have LEGAL WEDDING as required by the USCIS. This could be signing the wedding certificate in front of an official with 2-3 witnesses from each side or a big wedding like the Royal one. USCIS requires you to have a legal wedding here in US before 90 days of the fiancee's arival. So that you can adjust the status of your fiancee.

Okay, so we could have a "non legal" wedding in her country first, then have a legal wedding when she arrives. That's pretty much what we were wanting to do. Once the K-1 is approved, we wanted to fly to her country for the ceremony in her church, then return to the USA and have a legal/official wedding.

[Tim/Mav 305]

Okay, thanks. I think what we will do is say our vows and become legally married when she arrives in the US, then after we will go to her country to have a wedding ceremony. Surely once we legally say our vows in the USA, there's no reason we can't have a non-legal wedding ceremony outside of the US.

You are Correct Ryan. Do not Marry until she gets here. Then you can do whatever you wish after that to meet the expectations. Family members do not understand sometimes the Immagration Process sometimes and/or realize the Petitioner has Steps to Follow according to USCIS.

Good Luck

[LookyWhatIFound 38]

Okay, so we could have a "non legal" wedding in her country first, then have a legal wedding when she arrives. That's pretty much what we were wanting to do. Once the K-1 is approved, we wanted to fly to her country for the ceremony in her church, then return to the USA and have a legal/official wedding.

Somebody correct me on this, but I thought you weren't allowed to leave the US until after you get Advanced Parole and working on Adjustment Of Status.

[Tim/Mav 305]

Somebody correct me on this, but I thought you weren't allowed to leave the US until after you get Advanced Parole and working on Adjustment Of Status.

LOL.. Thats It! I need a Beer.

[Tim/Mav 305]

Somebody correct me on this, but I thought you weren't allowed to leave the US until after you get Advanced Parole and working on Adjustment Of Status.

I think LookWhatIFound is Correct. I don't think she can Leave after arrival in the US. Sounds right from what I read.

[Ryan76 46]

I think LookWhatIFound is Correct. I don't think she can Leave after arrival in the US. Sounds right from what I read.

Oh man...okay.

Well what about this....

Once the K-1 is approved, I fly to Colombia and we have a non-legal/non-official wedding ceremony in her church. Then together we fly to the USA and have a legal wedding (or say our vows in front of a Justice of the Peace). Is there any problem with that?

[LookyWhatIFound 38]

Oh man...okay.

Well what about this....

Once the K-1 is approved, I fly to Colombia and we have a non-legal/non-official wedding ceremony in her church. Then together we fly to the USA and have a legal wedding (or say our vows in front of a Justice of the Peace). Is there any problem with that?

Ooh you need to make double sure that in no way does the US interpret this as a legal wedding. If at the interview there's any hint or interpretation that you might possibly be married they could deny you the K1.

Good luck!

Edited June 4, 2011 by LookyWhatIFound