Religious marriage on K-1

[*JG* 2]

This has got to be one of the most popular questions asked on VJ over and over again.

[KAT&Allie 0]

Assuming your religion is in anyway mainstream/ recognised as a religion by the US government, you should have no problems. Your celebrant will most likely be authorised to perform legal weddings- s/he can perform the religious ceremony according to your custom and then afterwards, you just sign the legal marriage cert in english with your legal names in a side-room or something (it's what a lot of Jewish couples do with the ketubah in Hebrew and then the legal marriage cert in English). If that is not an option, you can have a courthouse legal wedding performed by a judge the day of or after your religious ceremony.

Like pushbrk says, check with your clergy, they will know what to do.

Thanks for the advice. That's what usually happens in the UK. But what happens if the officiating rabbi is not from the USA? I assume he would not be authorised to perform the civil marriage so we have two options: either get a local one or have a civil ceremony later on.

[KAT&Allie 0]

This has got to be one of the most popular questions asked on VJ over and over again.

I seem to have missed them all . That's what happens when you get too wrapped up in your own world and problems however small they seem to be to everybody else. It makes me even more appreciative of everybody who took time to actually give an advice even though it was an “old question”.

[Ling Ling 22]

One more correction, some countries will allow (under certain circumstances) for two non-citizens to marry.

The circumstance usually requires that at least one person being a legal resident.

That is, most countries will only issue a marriage certificate when they have jurisdiction over at least one of the parties.

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

Assuming your religion is in anyway mainstream/ recognised as a religion by the US government, you should have no problems. Your celebrant will most likely be authorised to perform legal weddings- s/he can perform the religious ceremony according to your custom and then afterwards, you just sign the legal marriage cert in english with your legal names in a side-room or something (it's what a lot of Jewish couples do with the ketubah in Hebrew and then the legal marriage cert in English). If that is not an option, you can have a courthouse legal wedding performed by a judge the day of or after your religious ceremony.

Like pushbrk says, check with your clergy, they will know what to do.

Thanks for the advice. That's what usually happens in the UK. But what happens if the officiating rabbi is not from the USA? I assume he would not be authorised to perform the civil marriage so we have two options: either get a local one or have a civil ceremony later on.

Ok, so assuming we are talking about Judaism here, though this applies to other religions equally...

The foreign rabbi might be able to get "certified" to perform legal weddings in the USA, it's not that difficult; if he/ you have ties to the Jewish community there already, they could help to arrange that. Alternatively, if you are getting married in a synagogue, ask the local rabbi to "stand by" at the side of the chuppah and sign the legal cert with you; he likely will want to be there in his temple anyway

[KAT&Allie 0]

Ok, so assuming we are talking about Judaism here, though this applies to other religions equally...

The foreign rabbi might be able to get "certified" to perform legal weddings in the USA, it's not that difficult; if he/ you have ties to the Jewish community there already, they could help to arrange that. Alternatively, if you are getting married in a synagogue, ask the local rabbi to "stand by" at the side of the chuppah and sign the legal cert with you; he likely will want to be there in his temple anyway

Hmm... so it looks like the best option would be to either use a local rabbi or have him on the standby should we wish to use one of our own (we don't want to have chuppah in the synagogue but I assume the local rabbi would come if asked). Thinking about it, it all sounds logical so thanks for getting my thoughts onto the right track.

[Kim and Nath 0]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to ask this question but since we are taking K-1 route, thought to post it here.

OK, so the question is, does anybody know if a religious wedding ceremony is legal by itself in the USA and particularly in Florida or do we need to have a civil ceremony as well? I've heard different stories and now I'm well and truly confused. What I'm unsure about is that our names would be unrecognisable to the government since they are different from our everyday names (e.g. the names we have on our birth certificates and passports) and are used for religious purposes only. So if they cannot tell who got married, how valid is that ceremony in complying with K-1 requirements?

I can't believe I might have to plan not one but two wedding ceremonies (Girls, should I get two wedding dresses ?)

Any advice would be much appreciated.

To be honest, I would put off the religious ceremony until after the legal marriage, or until after POE. IE - if you marry in the UK, and try to use that prior to entry into the US, USCIS could claim you should have filed a K3 instead.

But the only way it's a legal marriage that will be accepted for AOS is one you file for a marriage license, have signed by who ever legally marries you, and files with the gov.

[Amin&Ani 0]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to ask this question but since we are taking K-1 route, thought to post it here.

OK, so the question is, does anybody know if a religious wedding ceremony is legal by itself in the USA and particularly in Florida or do we need to have a civil ceremony as well? I've heard different stories and now I'm well and truly confused. What I'm unsure about is that our names would be unrecognisable to the government since they are different from our everyday names (e.g. the names we have on our birth certificates and passports) and are used for religious purposes only. So if they cannot tell who got married, how valid is that ceremony in complying with K-1 requirements?

I can't believe I might have to plan not one but two wedding ceremonies (Girls, should I get two wedding dresses ?)

Any advice would be much appreciated.

http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1k2visa-application.html

look at the last question...

Good Luck!

[KAT&Allie 0]

http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1k2visa-application.html

look at the last question...

Good Luck!

Thanks. I wish I found that question and of course the answer before

[Amin&Ani 0]

http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1k2visa-application.html

look at the last question...

Good Luck!

Thanks. I wish I found that question and of course the answer before

yes me too... I am also planning to have a ceremony in April. I am confused!

Now, I have to change the plan to not to have a religious ceremony. In Iran, once two people get married religiously they legally married!

So I need to have an "engagement party". now I have a problem, since my fiancee is going to be wearing a white dress, and I afraid that would mean something to the immigration officers.

what do you recommend?

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

So I need to have an "engagement party". now I have a problem, since my fiancee is going to be wearing a white dress, and I afraid that would mean something to the immigration officers.

what do you recommend?

Don;t show photos of the engagement party, or maybe have her change into a "normal" dress before you leave the party and take a few photos then.