Marriage outside of US

[intrakelly 0]

Consider this. EU and America would like to marry but the EU party does not want to be made subject to PR status or greencard. Rather the EU party wants to retain plain alternative visa status thru the marriage. Marriage within the US wouldn't produce that. Already checked. Would marriage under another jurisdiction retain that status?

[Sister Fracas 5]

Consider this. EU and America would like to marry but the EU party does not want to be made subject to PR status or greencard. Rather the EU party wants to retain plain alternative visa status thru the marriage. Marriage within the US wouldn't produce that. Already checked. Would marriage under another jurisdiction retain that status?

It really depends on where you want to live. If you want to live in the US and be married, well, you'll have to have a greencard.

[Dr. Obvious 49]

Nevermind.

Edited July 11, 2008 by Wacken

[intrakelly 0]

Consider this. EU and America would like to marry but the EU party does not want to be made subject to PR status or greencard. Rather the EU party wants to retain plain alternative visa status thru the marriage. Marriage within the US wouldn't produce that. Already checked. Would marriage under another jurisdiction retain that status?

[payxibka 10,047]

Consider this. EU and America would like to marry but the EU party does not want to be made subject to PR status or greencard. Rather the EU party wants to retain plain alternative visa status thru the marriage. Marriage within the US wouldn't produce that. Already checked. Would marriage under another jurisdiction retain that status?

Please explain what you mean by "plain alternative visa" status thru marriage?

Where do the parties wish to reside?

FWIW, marriage is marriage....

[intrakelly 0]

Consider this. EU and America would like to marry but the EU party does not want to be made subject to PR status or greencard. Rather the EU party wants to retain plain alternative visa status thru the marriage. Marriage within the US wouldn't produce that. Already checked. Would marriage under another jurisdiction retain that status?

It really depends on where you want to live. If you want to live in the US and be married, well, you'll have to have a greencard.

Thank you Sister Fracas. Yr picture looks great. It is not quite our intent to live in the US permanently. It would be on an in and out basis depending on where God leads. So if I could circumvent being pinned down by conventional paperwork I'd be verry happy. However, I send you many blessings in Jesus' name.

[intrakelly 0]

Consider this. EU and America would like to marry but the EU party does not want to be made subject to PR status or greencard. Rather the EU party wants to retain plain alternative visa status thru the marriage. Marriage within the US wouldn't produce that. Already checked. Would marriage under another jurisdiction retain that status?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What exactly is a "plain alternative visa status thru the marriage"?

[Peikko 1,575]

Why do we have to 'consider this' three times in a row?

[Amby 490]

wait...what?

[lucyrich 20]

I also don't understand what "plain alternative visa status thru the marriage" means, but I suspect it means something like the ability to visit the US under a visitor's visa.

Whether I'm right or wrong on that interpretation, the fact remains that, US law doesn't care where you were married, as long as the marriage was a legal marriage in the jurisdiction where it took place.

Furthermore, immigration law isn't set up very well for couples where one is a US citizen and they want to make their primary residence outside the US, only visiting occasionally. Every time they plan a two week visit to the US, the non-citizen either has to enter as a visitor, which means proving non-immigrant intent, or else go through the whole long expensive marriage-based visa paperwork, only to abandon it at the end of the trip. Depending on the circumstances and country of origin, it may be very difficult to prove non-immigrant intent while married to a US Citizen.

If circumstances permit, it might be good to get a marriage based visa and live in the US long enough for the non-citizen to acquire US Citizenship, and then live abroad. Once the foreign spouse becomes a US citizen, they can come and go as they please, with no restrictions or worries about abandonment of status. But that solution isn't for everybody. It would require living inside the US for at least three years, plus probably another year and a half for paperwork delays.

I don't know of a good solution for someone in this situation, but I do know that it doesn't make a difference whether the wedding happens inside or outside the US.

[intrakelly 0]

Consider this. EU and America would like to marry but the EU party does not want to be made subject to PR status or greencard. Rather the EU party wants to retain plain alternative visa status thru the marriage. Marriage within the US wouldn't produce that. Already checked. Would marriage under another jurisdiction retain that status?

Please explain what you mean by "plain alternative visa" status thru marriage?

Where do the parties wish to reside?

FWIW, marriage is marriage....

What I mean is being able to enter the US on waivers or visitor visas. Point is that I do not want to be forced into a PR and/or green card status by marriage. The parties would be in the US for a season and out of the US for a season. I was thinking that marrying outside of US jurisdiction might tune out those requirements. One thing is for sure. We not desire to marry on US terrritory.

[Marilyn. 340]

I am really not clear what you are asking but you can come to the US to get married as long as the non-citizen returns back to their country...

[payxibka 10,047]

Consider this. EU and America would like to marry but the EU party does not want to be made subject to PR status or greencard. Rather the EU party wants to retain plain alternative visa status thru the marriage. Marriage within the US wouldn't produce that. Already checked. Would marriage under another jurisdiction retain that status?

Please explain what you mean by "plain alternative visa" status thru marriage?

Where do the parties wish to reside?

FWIW, marriage is marriage....

What I mean is being able to enter the US on waivers or visitor visas. Point is that I do not want to be forced into a PR and/or green card status by marriage. The parties would be in the US for a season and out of the US for a season. I was thinking that marrying outside of US jurisdiction might tune out those requirements. One thing is for sure. We not desire to marry on US terrritory.

I am married to a Ukrainian... However, I live most of the time in the USA.... I am not forced into the Ukrainian equivalent of a "greencard". I visit Ukraine every year and sometimes more than once a year. Your situation is not dissimilar. I can be refused entry at anytime just like a non-USC trying to come into the USA.

[almaty 19]

Thank you Sister Fracas. Yr picture looks great. It is not quite our intent to live in the US permanently. It would be on an in and out basis depending on where God leads. So if I could circumvent being pinned down by conventional paperwork I'd be verry happy. However, I send you many blessings in Jesus' name

sister fracas...........no comment...