When is the marriage legal in the US

[wanderingbeing 0]

Hello,

This is a nice helpful site, a very good idea indeed. Glad I found it. Well my question is with the K3 visa at what point is it legal here to change my status to married? I've heard it both ways that the US government recognizes my marriage in Peru and also the opposite that I need to wait for the Visa to be approved so my wife can come here. And then when she is here we can marry again and then it is legal. I was hoping you experienced people wouldn't mind educating me.

We got married in Peru August 6th and I am back in the US until December. Just waiting on a few things then I can send out the initial I-130 petition, so still a lifetime away from the documents finishing. But I'm sure surviving this wait makes the relationship so much stronger in the long run.

Thank you so much for taking the time to help.

~Nicholas & Claudia

[Neonred 3,553]

If you got married, even in Peru, then you are married everywhere. Do you have some documentation that shows you were married? Get it translated as you will need it later.

[wanderingbeing 0]

Thanks, yes I have it translated officially and have copies. But besides the petitions and visa for my wife. Do I need to do something else in the US to say hey I'm married I'm changing my status officially now? Because I would like to put her on my medical insurance because my medical insurance works in Peru as well currently I believe. Or should I just go for it and change all my license and tax info and everything now?

If you got married, even in Peru, then you are married everywhere. Do you have some documentation that shows you were married? Get it translated as you will need it later.

[JohnWendy 0]

If you have the Marriage Certificate.... you are married.... I changed my auto insurance policy and got a 15 % discount! I also changed my life and health insurance policies. I now list maried on any application I file (by not doing so you will be commiting a crime)

Edited September 23, 2007 by JohnWendy

[pushbrk 12,824]

If you have the Marriage Certificate.... you are married.... I changed my auto insurance policy and got a 15 % discount! I also changed my life and health insurance policies. I now list maried on any application I file (by not doing so you will be commiting a crime)

Married is married. Think it through. Do you think all married people who travel internationally or live abroad for part of their lives need to marry again in each country in which they live? You would have chaos.

If you are legally married in Peru, you are legally married period.

[dawnnhatem 0]

If you have the Marriage Certificate.... you are married.... I changed my auto insurance policy and got a 15 % discount! I also changed my life and health insurance policies. I now list maried on any application I file (by not doing so you will be commiting a crime)

Married is married. Think it through. Do you think all married people who travel internationally or live abroad for part of their lives need to marry again in each country in which they live? You would have chaos.

If you are legally married in Peru, you are legally married period.

thats pretty true...but what might be confusing to you is that a lot of couples will have a church- or family-centered ceromony, but choose not to register it with the local government, intending to marry "for real" when they get here. This lets them feel and behave married, but continue their k-1 process(it wouldn't help a k-3 at all) . It works for some, backfires on some, but a lot of people do it. I think the general rule is the the us recognises foriegn marriages when the foreign gov recognises them, so if you were married by someone authorized to marry you, and it is documented with the local gov however they document the other local marriages, then you should be all set.

[Reba 2]

If the couple is legally married in one country, then they are legally married in the eyes of the US (or any other) government for the purposes of immigration and anything else they can throw at you.

However, in some countries in Europe for instance, a church wedding performed by a priest is not legally binding, it is a spiritual ceremony only. A couple in these countries who wish to have a church wedding must also get married by a legal entity such as a judge or magistrate or whomever is licensed in that particular country to perform legally binding marriages.

If, in the state where you reside, it is legally required for you to notify the DMV, and state tax office or anything else that you are now married, then go ahead and do it. As far as medical insurance goes, speak with the plan administrator (if it is through work, this is usually the HR manager), there's usually just a simple form to fill out to change your plan from single to family insurance. And your monthly premiums will go up most likely, depending on your plan. Same with car insurance, call your insurance provider to let them know you're married.

Its really fairly simple and painless.

[pushbrk 12,824]

If you have the Marriage Certificate.... you are married.... I changed my auto insurance policy and got a 15 % discount! I also changed my life and health insurance policies. I now list maried on any application I file (by not doing so you will be commiting a crime)

Married is married. Think it through. Do you think all married people who travel internationally or live abroad for part of their lives need to marry again in each country in which they live? You would have chaos.

If you are legally married in Peru, you are legally married period.

thats pretty true...but what might be confusing to you is that a lot of couples will have a church- or family-centered ceromony, but choose not to register it with the local government, intending to marry "for real" when they get here.

Those people are "not married" Not married is not married. I've said before. Those who don't know the difference would be foolish to handle immigration petitions on their own.

Edited September 23, 2007 by pushbrk

[Elbereth 0]

Those people are "not married" Not married is not married. I've said before. Those who don't know the difference would be foolish to handle immigration petitions on their own.

i think that you are being a little harsh.... it some coutries, religious ceremonies are perfectly valid for all effects... in those cases, there would have to be some sort of officialisation it the USA, wouldn't there?

[pushbrk 12,824]

Those people are "not married" Not married is not married. I've said before. Those who don't know the difference would be foolish to handle immigration petitions on their own.

i think that you are being a little harsh.... it some coutries, religious ceremonies are perfectly valid for all effects... in those cases, there would have to be some sort of officialisation it the USA, wouldn't there?

No. A marriage that is "valid for all effects" in any country is valid in the US.

[dawnnhatem 0]

Those people are "not married" Not married is not married. I've said before. Those who don't know the difference would be foolish to handle immigration petitions on their own.

i think that you are being a little harsh.... it some coutries, religious ceremonies are perfectly valid for all effects... in those cases, there would have to be some sort of officialisation it the USA, wouldn't there?

No. A marriage that is "valid for all effects" in any country is valid in the US.

yes, you would think it should be that simple....but it not always so. In some countries, (pretty possibly the one the op is dealing with) an officially un-recorded marriage ceromony is completly binding. You'd think that means they are married here too, but without gov't issued docs, you can't always successfully satisfy that immediate relative requirement. Are the op's docs gov't issued? I don't know. Probably, he seems smart. It would be nice if married/not married was black and white like you say and I think its crazy to be partially married on purpose...but believe me, there are a lot of couples who are not married enough to get a hassle-free ir-1/cr-1 , or too married to get their k-1.

[pushbrk 12,824]

Those people are "not married" Not married is not married. I've said before. Those who don't know the difference would be foolish to handle immigration petitions on their own.

i think that you are being a little harsh.... it some coutries, religious ceremonies are perfectly valid for all effects... in those cases, there would have to be some sort of officialisation it the USA, wouldn't there?

No. A marriage that is "valid for all effects" in any country is valid in the US.

yes, you would think it should be that simple....but it not always so. In some countries, (pretty possibly the one the op is dealing with) an officially un-recorded marriage ceromony is completly binding. You'd think that means they are married here too, but without gov't issued docs, you can't always successfully satisfy that immediate relative requirement. Are the op's docs gov't issued? I don't know. Probably, he seems smart. It would be nice if married/not married was black and white like you say and I think its crazy to be partially married on purpose...but believe me, there are a lot of couples who are not married enough to get a hassle-free ir-1/cr-1 , or too married to get their k-1.

In the former, the couples are not married. In the latter, they are. "Married" is defined by local laws. Not all "wedding ceremonies" constitute "marriage" but all "marriage" between any two individuals who otherwise qualify to get immigration petitions approved is "marriage".

You must submit a marriage certificate from the local government agency where the marriage took place, in order to get a spouse based petition approved. That approval, is defacto evidence the "marriage" will be recognized in the US. Married is married, period. IMO, people who don't understand the difference between married and unmarried have no business handling their own spousal visa process. The OP knows he's married but just hadn't thought through the chaotic ramifications of any need to marry again after US arrival.

[desert_fox 32]

[ yes, you would think it should be that simple....but it not always so. In some countries, (pretty possibly the one the op is dealing with) an officially un-recorded marriage ceromony is completly binding. You'd think that means they are married here too, but without gov't issued docs, you can't always successfully satisfy that immediate relative requirement. Are the op's docs gov't issued? I don't know. Probably, he seems smart. It would be nice if married/not married was black and white like you say and I think its crazy to be partially married on purpose...but believe me, there are a lot of couples who are not married enough to get a hassle-free ir-1/cr-1 , or too married to get their k-1.

Really???

Try going to the US Consulate and apply for some kind of benefit based upom your 'bindig' marriage and see how far you get. You are prob talking about some kind of religious ceremony.

[pushbrk 12,824]

[ yes, you would think it should be that simple....but it not always so. In some countries, (pretty possibly the one the op is dealing with) an officially un-recorded marriage ceromony is completly binding. You'd think that means they are married here too, but without gov't issued docs, you can't always successfully satisfy that immediate relative requirement. Are the op's docs gov't issued? I don't know. Probably, he seems smart. It would be nice if married/not married was black and white like you say and I think its crazy to be partially married on purpose...but believe me, there are a lot of couples who are not married enough to get a hassle-free ir-1/cr-1 , or too married to get their k-1.

Really???

Try going to the US Consulate and apply for some kind of benefit based upom your 'bindig' marriage and see how far you get. You are prob talking about some kind of religious ceremony.

Yeah, I'm not sure what is meant by "binding" either but in many countries, including the US, those who conduct religious wedding ceremonies are authorized to execute legal marriage certificates in behalf of the parties. Those same individuals may also conduct ceremonies that do not constitute legal marriage, such as reaffirmations or even the whole religious rite without the government paperwork.

There are other countries where only government officials can execute legal marriage certificates. In those countries, religious ceremonies do not constitute legal marriage, no matter how "binding" the parties might consider them to be in the eyes of God.

[My Honey 0]

Hello,

This is a nice helpful site, a very good idea indeed. Glad I found it. Well my question is with the K3 visa at what point is it legal here to change my status to married? I've heard it both ways that the US government recognizes my marriage in Peru and also the opposite that I need to wait for the Visa to be approved so my wife can come here. And then when she is here we can marry again and then it is legal. I was hoping you experienced people wouldn't mind educating me.

We got married in Peru August 6th and I am back in the US until December. Just waiting on a few things then I can send out the initial I-130 petition, so still a lifetime away from the documents finishing. But I'm sure surviving this wait makes the relationship so much stronger in the long run.

Thank you so much for taking the time to help.

~Nicholas & Claudia

Definately the U.S. recognizes your marriage! We were married in Lima Peru and had our marriage license translated and certified. We are still waiting for our approvals but, just have your marriage documents translated and send everything. You will be fine!