so-called wedding

[Sveta & Ron 23]

I am wondering what kind of wedding could sveta and i have in ukraine in a church since this is svetas first and all her friends and family is there i want them be part of it and at same time not be a legal wedding so no problems with our k1 i hear people having a engagment party is this as close to wedding we can have till after she gets her aos? or how soon could we return ukraine after a jp marriage in usa can we go have a real wedding ?

[Darkmoonfaerie 19]

I am wondering what kind of wedding could sveta and i have in ukraine in a church since this is svetas first and all her friends and family is there i want them be part of it and at same time not be a legal wedding so no problems with our k1 i hear people having a engagment party is this as close to wedding we can have till after she gets her aos? or how soon could we return ukraine after a jp marriage in usa can we go have a real wedding ?

I wouldn't do ANY kind of "wedding" before using the K-1. In some countries that makes you legally married, even without a license, etc. Why not get married by a JP here THEN go back to the Ukraine and have a church ceremony? A fake church service prior to the K-1 wouldn't mean anything anyway. If you do it afterward, you can have the marriage blessed in a church. As for time, you'd have to wait till she has her AP/EAD or AOS - so a few months after you mail those applications (which you do after your wedding here in the states).

[leith@Ievgeniia 8]

You can do church wedding only. It's not fake unless you don't believe in God. Just ukrainian government does not recognize it as a legal wedding

[leith@Ievgeniia 8]

the safest way is to fly back after she can leave country and do church wedding. there are other ways do to things but it is not so legal and not right to show one how to break laws in a place where we try to keep laws.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I am wondering what kind of wedding could sveta and i have in ukraine in a church since this is svetas first and all her friends and family is there i want them be part of it and at same time not be a legal wedding so no problems with our k1 i hear people having a engagment party is this as close to wedding we can have till after she gets her aos? or how soon could we return ukraine after a jp marriage in usa can we go have a real wedding ?

Most Orthodox churches will not do this, they are not going to do an "unofficial wedding". Most require that you have had the civil ceremony first (or marriage in the USA first) You chose the K-1, that measn you get married in the USA and no where else. I cannot recommend attempting any sort of fake wedding before hand, there are simply too many horror stories of visas being denied, accusations of fraud, etc. She should check with her church to see what type of wedding they would accept prior to thiers, they may require a civil wedding (JP) rather than a church wedding in the USA. Orthodox Priests can be funny about this and if she intends ever to have a ceremony in an Orthodox church it is best to talk it over with them.

DON'T DO a fake wedding before you apply for the visa.

After a JP marriage here you can file for AOS immediately (as soon as you get your marriage certificate) and get an AP so she can return to Ukraine in 2-3 months after you file.

You can do church wedding only. It's not fake unless you don't believe in God. Just ukrainian government does not recognize it as a legal wedding

And most Orthodox churches will NOT do this. It is not recommended to do it at all.

The other option is to have a REAL wedding in Ukraine and withdraw the I-129f and file an I-130 for a CR-1

[Darnell 8,478]

what kind of wedding?

a beer kegger at the local parking lot.

officiant can be the local farmer growing the weed.

huh? what? pardon?

who's hairbrain idea is this, to get married whilst a K-1 is in play ?? get to that person, remove their weed supply, then in about 11 days, sit them down, have a focused conversation about what the church will not do, compared to the tenets of the k-1 visa and marriage-ability.

Good Luck ! Taking someone's weed is always a problem, you must be sneaky.

[baron555 934]

DON'T DO a fake wedding before you apply for the visa.

I concur; why would you throw everything to the wind now? If it is such a big deal to her, then cancel the K-1 and redo for a CR-1 (and spend more money and wait another year for her to come here).

Make sure you two have talked this out thoroughly so there this no confusion about both of your intentions for the future and your personal priorities.

[Sveta & Ron 23]

maybe stuck with a engagement/going away party.... glad i not have a facebook page i hear easy to get wrong idea of photos and pun jokes uscis and the visa aprroval can get messed up from misunderstanding

[baron555 934]

maybe stuck with a engagement/going away party.... glad i not have a facebook page i hear easy to get wrong idea of photos and pun jokes uscis and the visa aprroval can get messed up from misunderstanding

Sure hope you two haven't been calling each other My Darling Husband and My Darling Wife.....even that can get her booted out of the interview.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Absolutely do not do anything that the US government may view as you being married before your fiancee enters the US. Do not have a "non-legal" wedding. Do not refer to her as your wife. Do not have her refer to you as her husband.

While your explanation may be reasonable, the US Embassy may not care. So don't jeopardize the K-1 with anything that the US Embassy may view as a marriage.