Islamic marrage in Morocco

[Swanaskas 0]

Hello First let me introduce myself, I am Sarah and Have been with my Moroccan Man Mourad for 10 months we have not yet met but are planing our trip to Morocco for July. Mourad lives and works in Dubai and we are planing for our 2 month stay in morocco together.

So if we do an Islamic marrage while thier is that considered leagal in the US? Im not conserned if it is or not but how will that effect the fileing prosses k-1 vs k-2? I prefer to do the K-1. I really just want to have some kind of ceramony in Morocco as if we have to marry in US it will be a visit to the town hall.

If we do deside to do a full leagal marrage in morocco can I still file the k-1 instead of the k-3

[brnidokiegurl 0]

if u marry u can not do k1. Also i would be careful about marrying on first trip, usually this is frowned upon by embassy. I had to file our marriage papers here to get the social security number name change

Edited October 12, 2008 by brnidokiegurl

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

if you marry him there you would have to file k3 for spouse visa, k1 is for fiance (unmarried)

[S and S 12]

I just showed up at the SSN office after getting married and changed my name with the marriage license (they wanted to translate it themselves and wouldn't take my translation). I never filed the papers anywhere else here in the US except for immigration.

[Martiniolive 0]

Hello First let me introduce myself, I am Sarah and Have been with my Moroccan Man Mourad for 10 months we have not yet met but are planing our trip to Morocco for July. Mourad lives and works in Dubai and we are planing for our 2 month stay in morocco together.

So if we do an Islamic marrage while thier is that considered leagal in the US? Im not conserned if it is or not but how will that effect the fileing prosses k-1 vs k-2? I prefer to do the K-1. I really just want to have some kind of ceramony in Morocco as if we have to marry in US it will be a visit to the town hall.

If we do deside to do a full leagal marrage in morocco can I still file the k-1 instead of the k-3

Hello Swanaskas welcome to mena. I am married to a man from Meknes Morocco and we married there in October last year. It took us 4 weeks to complete the process and it is Legally recognised in the USA. You do not have to marry again in the USA unless you want to. You will file the CR1 spouse visa if you marry in morocco to petition for your husband. You will get alot of help here on this forum. Best wishes , martiniolive

[Leyla 0]

I would advise that you have an engagement party or something like this on your first trip. I would also advise you get married in the US. I've heard that the K-3 Visa takes waaaaayyyyy longer than the K-1 (I'm not sure why). I would just go to Morocco and have fun! Get to know him and create memories. Then, when you come back to the US you will notice the distance will help your love grow stronger and when he finally gets here it is the best feeling in the world.

I got engaged on my first trip to Morocco and then when Tarik came to the US we got married! I wish you the best! Morocco is GREAT! Where in Morocco will you be?

[brnidokiegurl 0]

I just showed up at the SSN office after getting married and changed my name with the marriage license (they wanted to translate it themselves and wouldn't take my translation). I never filed the papers anywhere else here in the US except for immigration.

In the beginning i started with the drivers license, no prob there, went to the social security office and they said i had to take papers to the court clerk to register. So i went downtown, they took the papers and filed them and attached a paper to the top that says leave this attached and it has a filing number, then i was able to go back to social security and they did the name change.

[morocco4ever 63]

Hello First let me introduce myself, I am Sarah and Have been with my Moroccan Man Mourad for 10 months we have not yet met but are planing our trip to Morocco for July. Mourad lives and works in Dubai and we are planing for our 2 month stay in morocco together.

So if we do an Islamic marrage while thier is that considered leagal in the US? Im not conserned if it is or not but how will that effect the fileing prosses k-1 vs k-2? I prefer to do the K-1. I really just want to have some kind of ceramony in Morocco as if we have to marry in US it will be a visit to the town hall.

If we do deside to do a full leagal marrage in morocco can I still file the k-1 instead of the k-3

If I am reading it right, you are asking about the religious ceremony that is not registered with the courts. Am I correct? If that is the case I have seen people that have done that and didn't have problems with the K-1, but there have been some that have had problems. Personally I don't think its worth the chance of a denial. The K-1 is faster, but it does have a risk of being denied if you have specific red flags. Those have been expiring, and then you have to file again. Getting married legally in Morocco is difficult to say the least, but it can be done. I would expect that to take at least 3 weeks. The K-3 or the CR1 takes longer, but at least they won't expire it if it does get denied initially.

The best is up to you. But they do like to see that you have made more than one trip to visit him, for whatever that is worth.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Welcome to VJ/MENA, Sarah! A legal marriage in Morocco is an Islamic marriage; don't accept anything less and call yourself married. Islam requires an enforcable contract that can be adjudicated by a legitimate authority. Legal marriage in Morocco provides for that under the Moudawana Family Law provisions and Maliki law. It is wise and respectful to abide by the religious and/or secular laws of the country you are getting married in, just as you would do here to be married. An honorable Muslim man would not ask you to pretend to be married, then come back to the US to file for a fiance visa. Following secular US law to the letter to get a visa while disrespecting Moroccan religious law is not a good move.

If you marry, you will need to file for a K3 or CR1 visa. If you file for a fiance visa, that will be a K1. Getting married is easier if you have contacts within the system, and/or if you marry in a major city. My husband and I married in 10 business days during our first visit and had no problems getting a visa. Prior to your visit, have your intended get a copy of the paperwork requirements for marriage to a foreigner from the local courthouse; what you need to bring and do can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

There will be some pre-trip prep, for example, verification of your criminal record from your state investigating agency, obtaining multiple copies of birth certificates, financial info, etc. to bring with you. Count on having extra money for copying, authenticating documents, translations, travel, hotel stays, and even bribes, if necessary. Yo may also need to pay a lawyer to bust thru barriers that can crop up and slow your progress in unexpected ways.

The K1 fiance visa is simpler in the front end, but has more immediate paperwork, deadlines and adjustments on the back end after the visa is issued. The K3 is the simpler marriage visa, but also has more paperwork before the visa and adjustments after the visa. Both of them are temporary, non-immigrant visas which must be converted after entry. The CR1 marriage visa is a permanent visa with more paperwork at the front end, but far less at the back end. It also comes with immediate work authorization.

Insha'allah,we will be of assistance to you here. May your journey be short and sweet!

[nunyab 0]

While i am sure you can get islamically married without a judge in our case the Masjiid would only accept the judge's marriage too. Yes it takes a while fyi and it all matter who you know there too btw. The first trip i would HIGHLY reccomend an engagement party and then come back for the wedding ceremony. You can start all your papers for marriage there as long as you come back in three months. The reason why i am suggesting it is the Moroccan consulate is horrible for thinking our men our using us.

This shows there is a pattern and no rush.... but again it is your life. Also, if you are living there for 2 months with him it may be frowned upon by others so be careful too. I wish you a warm welcome to MENA we have a lot of exerperince here and i wish you a mabrook on your impending whatever lol

~Rajaa

[Staashi 371]

Good Morning Sanaskas, I would also just like to give you my two cents...get to know your fiance in person before you marry him. It's just my little touch of common sense advice for a Monday morning.

All the best to you both - may you have a wonderful time in Morocco.

[sara535 15]

Good heavens, I think your biggest challenge is going to morocco in July!!! I guess it depends on where though, the mountains or the coast will probably be alright - I just hope he's not from marrakesh or somewhere in the south.....

[Swanaskas 0]

Thank you everyone,

I have desided that I will go to Morocco for 6 weeks and we are going to just do an engagment party, after looking into all that would have to be done I just dont think all that stress it worth it for my first trip. As it is we will be traveling all over the country.

sara535~ No we will not be going any where south of Casa. he is from larache and we will be on the coast in the north for most the time.

Rajaa~ I really dont think we are rushing it and hope the consolet with see that it will be 19 months from the time we met online to the time we met in person and I will not be filing right away when I get back.

I was wondering too about staying there for 2 months and what his family would think, I ask if I would need a hotel to stay at while there and he instist that I will stay with family. Remeber too he is traveling from UAE to Morocco for the same 2 months and we will be traveling to many different famliy members houses. Last july and Aug while he was in Morocco he tried his best to intrduce me to everyone he could when he got online and I had 1 phone call with his mother.

Virtual wife~ Can you explain what; if any is the difference in Islamic marrage and legal marrage. Someone had suggested we just do the Islamic marrage and worry about the leagal one when he gets here. Mourad has never mentened anything about doing something like this and I forgot to ask him today what it all about. The last thing I want to do is disrespect his religion or the laws in Morocco that is why I want to understand everything plenty before I go.

Thanks again

Sarah

[sereia 0]

*sigh* Do you really think you could get to know him well enough in person from ONE MEETING to marry him? Internet and phone chats are not necessarily a good guide as to how it will be once you are married.

I know you didn't ask, but I had to say something in regards to what Staashi said. I just don't understand women who do such a thing. Oh well, have fun traveling around Morocco.

[sara535 15]

*sigh* Do you really think you could get to know him well enough in person from ONE MEETING to marry him? Internet and phone chats are not necessarily a good guide as to how it will be once you are married.

I know you didn't ask, but I had to say something in regards to what Staashi said. I just don't understand women who do such a thing. Oh well, have fun traveling around Morocco.

I did it and next month will celebrate my 4th wedding anniversary Marriage is rarely a bed of roses or a walk in the park all the time no matter how well you think you know your prospective spouse.

Having said that I also have to agree that even though I have been there done that it still seems pretty crazy when I see/hear someone else doing it