Advice on best process to follow

[MarkGA 0]

I've been reading this forum for a while and still not sure what the right way is to go here. I'm leaving in a week to meet my girlfriend and her family for the first time in India. We've talked about getting married in India or the US and I'm not sure what the best thing is to do first. As with everyone else, I want to take the shortest path for the two of us to be together. If we did decide to get married in India, I realize that we would then file a K-3 visa and wait for that to be completed. I've been told by others I've consulted not to do this and instead to get married in the US as that will make the process move more quickly. However, it seems that waiting on the fiance visa can take a long time.

We'd like to have a traditional wedding in India and a ceremony in the US. I wish there was a way for her to come to the US and get married and be with me while we wait for her visa status to be approved in order for her to work and gain residency status. But I have yet to see anything that tells me that is even possible.

I hope my questions make sense and if I'm asking a question with an obvious answer, please forgive me for my incompetence in being able to understand all these processes.

Thank you-

Mark

[marea 0]

I've been reading this forum for a while and still not sure what the right way is to go here. I'm leaving in a week to meet my girlfriend and her family for the first time in India. We've talked about getting married in India or the US and I'm not sure what the best thing is to do first. As with everyone else, I want to take the shortest path for the two of us to be together. If we did decide to get married in India, I realize that we would then file a K-3 visa and wait for that to be completed. I've been told by others I've consulted not to do this and instead to get married in the US as that will make the process move more quickly. However, it seems that waiting on the fiance visa can take a long time.

We'd like to have a traditional wedding in India and a ceremony in the US. I wish there was a way for her to come to the US and get married and be with me while we wait for her visa status to be approved in order for her to work and gain residency status. But I have yet to see anything that tells me that is even possible.

I hope my questions make sense and if I'm asking a question with an obvious answer, please forgive me for my incompetence in being able to understand all these processes.

Thank you-

Mark

Hi there MarK for my opinion I think you go for the K1 or fiance visa it's much faster that anything else and once you got married in US you can go back to India and do the traditional wedding.. Goodluck and best wishes....

[trinket 30]

MarkGA,

Well everything depends upon which service center are you going through, right now as the trends are going, if you are applying for K-1, vermont is much faster, but if you compare IR-1 or K-3 speed and K-1 speed of california service center then I would say IR-1 and K-3 are processed faster through cali compared to K-1.

Now, there are a few more things to consider before you jump into a decision, when you go to India, Indian marriage system is complicated and takes time to register marriage, do ask your girlfriend to talk to local registrar office and ask what all might be needed and how soon the process can be done, basically things depends upon which state you live in, also you might need to have a notarised statement made from USA, stating your marital status being single and you are of a legal age, just a very basic No objection letter is what you might need, again depends upon which state she is from and how the registrar office in her district works. If you are going through the k-1 route, even though it is much faster comparatively but it is more scrutinised.

Since you still have some time to leave for India, I would suggest you and your girl friend to make wise decisions, make sure you take enough photographs, I am not sure if any of you or your girl friend is a Hindu, but if you are, then please make sure to have at least a small engagement party, with friends and families, and do take pictures, do take receipts from the ceremony hall, hotel guys, also make sure to take the name and address of at least 20 friends who came (do emphasise on friends, more than family), do take other vendor bills too. At least Delhi consulate is notorious of asking these kind of things, even if you get married in India, do make sure to collect these and save yourself and your girlfriend from 221g later on during consulate level interview.

Also if you are getting engaged, make sure you don't take any photograph which suggest that any "hindu marriage rituals", for example things like wearing garland or even wearing small amount of sindoor or things like that, I am not much into rituals but others might help you with it.

All the best with what you choose for

[MarkGA 0]

Thanks Marea and Silent for your great advice and kind words. Gives us a lot to think about. I really want to her and I to experience the traditional Hindu wedding ceremony, and I'm sure we'll find a way to make that happen in the right timing. The adventure begins.

I'm so glad this place exists and that there are so many great people willing to share advice and be a source of encouragement.

I'll keep you all updated and wish you all the best.

-Mark

[Steve Y Jessica 1]

Aslo, one thing that speeds up the process, and the biggest thing that gets you the visa much faster with the K1 is not the time for processing. It is the fact that you can file the paperwork right away. Whereas you have to wait to get married before sending in the paperwork for the K3 or CR1. And this can add quite a bit of time, due to the fact that getting married in any other county takes alot of preparation and time.

Also remember, the K1 is a single entry visa. After she comes here she cannot leave until you are married and complete your adjustment of status. You can get permission for her to travel, but that also takes time.

There are advantages and disadvantages to all of the visas. You need to look at them all, decide what your priorities are and then make an informed decision as to what is best for you.

Good luck.

[pushbrk 13,118]

I've been reading this forum for a while and still not sure what the right way is to go here. I'm leaving in a week to meet my girlfriend and her family for the first time in India. We've talked about getting married in India or the US and I'm not sure what the best thing is to do first. As with everyone else, I want to take the shortest path for the two of us to be together. If we did decide to get married in India, I realize that we would then file a K-3 visa and wait for that to be completed. I've been told by others I've consulted not to do this and instead to get married in the US as that will make the process move more quickly. However, it seems that waiting on the fiance visa can take a long time.

We'd like to have a traditional wedding in India and a ceremony in the US. I wish there was a way for her to come to the US and get married and be with me while we wait for her visa status to be approved in order for her to work and gain residency status. But I have yet to see anything that tells me that is even possible.

I hope my questions make sense and if I'm asking a question with an obvious answer, please forgive me for my incompetence in being able to understand all these processes.

Thank you-

Mark

You seem to understand the process well enough to understandably be hoping you're wrong, but you're not. There's no fast way but the one usually least slow is the K1 fiance visa path. However, it doesn't match all couples' life plans because it does require the marriage occur in the USA. "Traditional marriage" can carry many meanings and if what you do gives the impression you became husband and wife before obtaining the K1 visa, entering the US and marrying, you'll be starting over again with a spouse visa process.

[MarkGA 0]

We have decided to go the route of the K1 visa. Her family is in support of us taking any process that would allow the two of us to be together more quickly. If that means we get married in the US and have a ceremony later in India, then we will do that. I really appreciate the attitude of her family and we realize that due to circumstances beyond our control we just all have to be flexible and understanding. So, I'm going to start getting together the needed documentation for the K1.

Thank you all for your comments.

-Mark

[Steve Y Jessica 1]

We have decided to go the route of the K1 visa. Her family is in support of us taking any process that would allow the two of us to be together more quickly. If that means we get married in the US and have a ceremony later in India, then we will do that. I really appreciate the attitude of her family and we realize that due to circumstances beyond our control we just all have to be flexible and understanding. So, I'm going to start getting together the needed documentation for the K1.

Thank you all for your comments.

-Mark

Good Luck!

[nunyab 0]

Good luck as well... make sure you check the stats out first.!!!!! if you haven't already. Happy Journey.

[marea 0]

Goodluck and hope you will have enough patience going through with these process... Don't forget to pray, it moves mountain...

Keep in touch!!!

[MarkGA 0]

Goodluck and hope you will have enough patience going through with these process... Don't forget to pray, it moves mountain...

Keep in touch!!!

Yes in deed...prayer is important. I'll definetely keep in touch here as I progress forward. I'm flying to India on Monday and will get to meet the entire family. Should be a great experience.

I know I can probably do all this work on my own as everyone seems to do, but I think I'm just going to hire an immigration attorney to handle it for me. I think it will just give me a better peace of mind that everything is taken care of the first time and have someone who can help me get everything done. Not sure if anyone else has done this, but for me I think it makes the most sense.

God bless-

Mark

[marea 0]

Goodluck and hope you will have enough patience going through with these process... Don't forget to pray, it moves mountain...

Keep in touch!!!

Yes in deed...prayer is important. I'll definetely keep in touch here as I progress forward. I'm flying to India on Monday and will get to meet the entire family. Should be a great experience.

I know I can probably do all this work on my own as everyone seems to do, but I think I'm just going to hire an immigration attorney to handle it for me. I think it will just give me a better peace of mind that everything is taken care of the first time and have someone who can help me get everything done. Not sure if anyone else has done this, but for me I think it makes the most sense.

God bless-

Mark

Hi Mark that's great to hear that you will be meeting her family.

With regards to lawyer, you will be amazed if I tell you that my husband and I never hire any lawyers to do it for us. VJ members really helped us and we didn't spend any penny. All you have to do is post your questions here and you will be surprise that there are people in here that offers help for free.

I hope you will think about it.... for some had a headache and got money problem when they asked their lawyers to handle it.

So there goodluck to you...