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Mike and Angie

Religious Ceremony in Mexico

By Mike and Angie in K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures

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Mike and Angie Newbie

Mike and Angie   0

Posted
Filed: Country: Mexico
 Timeline
Posted

My fiancee's family is Catholic. Is it possible to have a purely Catholic ceremony and still be ok for a K1 visa? I would love to do this for her parents but I know we may have to wait until her Green Card is processed. If anyone has done this or heard of it, please reply back.

This site is great! Thank you everyone for your input...

Mike

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jsnearline Proficient

jsnearline   2

Posted
Filed: Country: Philippines
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

A friend of mine knows someone who went to Mexico to pick up their fiancee and have a ceremony there. When they tried to enter the US afterwards, ICE found some evidence of the ceremony in their luggage and denied her entry saying her K1 was no longer valid. You have to be very careful about that kind of thing.

My wife is a Catholic Filipina. She originally wanted the ceremony in the Philippines, but we were able to work things out with my parish to have a Catholic wedding here in the US within the 90 days allowed by her K1. It was a tight schedule - started marriage prep one week after she got here, but we're glad we did it the way we did. We went back to Manila to celebrate with her family once she got her green card.

Edited by jsnearline

08/28/2004 Engaged

09/22/2004 I-129F submitted

10/01/2004 I-129F Approved

12/15/2004 K1 Issued

12/30/2004 Arrival in US

02/19/2005 Married

01/30/2006 Conditional Green Card Approved

01/15/2008 Conditions Removed and 10 Year Card Issued

03/28/2009 N-400 mailed to Lockbox

07/17/2009 Interview Denver USCIS office RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL

08/28/2009 Naturalization Ceremony - US District Court - Denver, Colorado[/b][/u]

09/04/2009 Applied for passport

09/22/2009 Passport approved and mailed

09/24/2009 Passport received

08/26/2009 Naturalization Certificate and Name Change Petition arrive back from State Department

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maggieNomar Experienced

maggieNomar   0

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Filed: Other Country: Morocco
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Posted
A friend of mine knows someone who went to Mexico to pick up their fiancee and have a ceremony there. When they tried to enter the US afterwards, ICE found some evidence of the ceremony in their luggage and denied her entry saying her K1 was no longer valid. You have to be very careful about that kind of thing.

My wife is a Catholic Filipina. She originally wanted the ceremony in the Philippines, but we were able to work things out with my parish to have a Catholic wedding here in the US within the 90 days allowed by her K1. It was a tight schedule - started marriage prep one week after she got here, but we're glad we did it the way we did. We went back to Manila to celebrate with her family once she got her green card.

I have read about others trying this and having problems as well. The problem is, you never know what the government knows or will find out, and IMO, it's not worth the risk of being turned away and having to start all over with a K3, if you can even get approved for that after trying to enter on an invalid K1. I have heard of people doing a ceremony but leaving out the legal marriage vows, more like a committment ceremony, but again, I personally do not think it is worth the risk, now matter how much it means to the family.

Maggie

08-07-06 I129 NOA1

02-05-07 Visa in Hand

02-13-07 POE JFK w/temp EAD

02-23-07 Civil Marriage

06-17-07 Wedding

08-13-07 Card received in mail

04-14-09 Trip to Maui for Anniversary

06-04-09 Filed to lift conditions

08-13-09 Perm Card received

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Navidad81 Rookie

Navidad81   0

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Peru
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i just got back from spending christmas with my fiance and his family. we had a purely religious wedding ceremony for his church, family, and friends...it was also a nice way to say goodbye to everyone for when he comes in about 2 months...but it was not a legal ceremony in any way...it was not reported...my fiance's sister did the same with her american husband and had no problems...just keep it hush from the government there...if you're careful, i don't foresee any problems.

Timeline:

Oct. 6 - Packet mailed by lawyer to CSC

Oct. 10 - NOA1 Received

and still waiting

May 19 - Set wedding date that I hope we don't have to change

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kitkat1 Experienced

kitkat1   5

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Mexico
 Timeline
Posted
My fiancee's family is Catholic. Is it possible to have a purely Catholic ceremony and still be ok for a K1 visa? I would love to do this for her parents but I know we may have to wait until her Green Card is processed. If anyone has done this or heard of it, please reply back.

This site is great! Thank you everyone for your input...

Mike

Yes it's fine - it has no validity in the US and has been done with no negative impact on the K1 process.

Waiver approved after 10 months. Did NOT use a lawyer

CDJ Pilot Program Information

I-601 Waiver Guidelines

I-601 Waiver Overview

Hardship Letter Guidelines

Tips for Writing Hardship Letters

Examples of Approved Hardship Letters

Examples of Denied Hardship Letters

You can find me on I2US and FBI

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mfarmer2 Contributor

mfarmer2   0

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Mexico
 Timeline
Posted

I am marrying my fiancee from Mexico this year. We are having just the religious ceremony in Mexico and then having the civil marriage once she gets her K1 visa and enters the US. Like others said, just keep it hush-hush and everything will be fine. Good luck!

AOS

7/27/07: Mailed AOS package to Chicago Lockbox via USPS

7/29/07: Package was delivered to Chicago Lockbox (Day 1)

8/30/07: NOA1 received (I-485, I-765, I-131)(Day 33)

9/4/07: Checks Cleared (Day 38)

10/5/07: Biometrics (Day 69)

10/18/07: AP & EAD Approved (Day 82)

1/9/08: AOS Interview (Day 165)

1/9/08: RFE, need to provide I-693A (Day 165)

2/7/08: I-485 Approved (Day 194)

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