Newbie here, I have some questions about CR-1 process

[Dan from MI 23]

Hi Everybody

I wish I had seen this website a long time ago. This is a very helpful place to look for informations. I have not found answers to some questions I have. I hope someone can help clear up these questions.

My story:

• Met my future wife on a Christian dating website July 2012

• She was born in and is living in Brazil. I live in the US.

• After lots of emails, letters, phone calls, skype, texts I visited her in February 2013

• She visited me in April 2013 and I proposed to her (She said Yes!!)

The plan:

Marry in Brazil in a no frills civil ceremony in July or August 2013. My documents to apply for a marriage license are in the mail to Brazil right now. As soon as we have the marriage license I will travel to Brazil and we will be legally married in a civil ceremony. I will return to the US without my “bride” since I must return to work. She will hopefully visit in the US in the fall. Our Christian (and real) wedding is planned for January, 2014 in Brazil. Then we will come to the US and live happily ever after.

My questions:

When do we apply for the CR1 visa? Do we do it right away or must we wait until her name is changed on her passport etc.? Some have said we can file with her maiden name.

Do we file the paperwork for the CR1 visa in Brazil right away or should I file when I get back to the US? Which is better and quicker.

Would it help to put her name on my car registration or my house to help prove that we are serious about this?

Any other suggestions? Any pitfalls I should avoid? Anyone have a similar experience?

Thanks for any help.

Dan

[Penguin_ie 5,992]

You can file as soon as you have the marriage cert after your legal wedding. If the mail system is good in Brazil, you can file from there but if not, just wait until you are back in the US. For immigration purposes, your "real" wedding is the legal one this summer.

A word of caution: it takes most of a year to get a CR-1 spousal visa from filing. Your wife is extremely unlikely to have the visa in time for a January 2014 departure.

[Ivy. 113]

As far as immigration is concerned, your civil marriage is the real one. Religious ceremony is an option. Make sure you always use your civil wedding date as wedding date and not the church one.

As penguin said, cr1/ir1 takes a year. Your wife could visit in jan for up to 6 months if allowed but would not be able to move yet. She needd to do her medical and interview in brazil.

[Dan from MI 23]

As far as immigration is concerned, your civil marriage is the real one. Religious ceremony is an option. Make sure you always use your civil wedding date as wedding date and not the church one.

As penguin said, cr1/ir1 takes a year. Your wife could visit in jan for up to 6 months if allowed but would not be able to move yet. She needd to do her medical and interview in brazil.

Yes, that is what I meant about the civil marriage being the real one. We know that it will take up to a year or more for the CR-1 visa. We are hoping that she can be in US in January for as long as 6 months.

Thanks for answering some of the questions