Are vows in church always concidered legal wedding?

[anindon 0]

We were thinking about getting married at her church in the Philippines for her family and friends, and then coming to US the following week on the K1 visa. Then, within 90 days getting married in USA. She is not a Catholic so we hoped that the church would go along with us and allow the marriage to take place but not report it to the Philippine govt. It sounds like it might work and make everyone happy but I am concerned that somehow the US govt. would find out after we wed in this country and then void the marriage and visa. I am afraid that they will say that we lied on forms and prosecute us also. Does anyone have insight into this topic?

[xbabes8 0]

We were thinking about getting married at her church in the Philippines for her family and friends, and then coming to US the following week on the K1 visa. Then, within 90 days getting married in USA. She is not a Catholic so we hoped that the church would go along with us and allow the marriage to take place but not report it to the Philippine govt. It sounds like it might work and make everyone happy but I am concerned that somehow the US govt. would find out after we wed in this country and then void the marriage and visa. I am afraid that they will say that we lied on forms and prosecute us also. Does anyone have insight into this topic?

it is kinda scary to do that but if u will just to make it sure that the papers will not go to the NSO coz the US embassy will check the records from there but if ur marriage will not appear on the NSO records then ur marriage is void. Usually when u get married in the church they will forward it to the local registrar and forward it to NSO just make sure they will not do that. Just a piece of advice just keep ur wedddng pictures until the papers are over..

[When2RNLove 6]

We were thinking about getting married at her church in the Philippines for her family and friends, and then coming to US the following week on the K1 visa. Then, within 90 days getting married in USA. She is not a Catholic so we hoped that the church would go along with us and allow the marriage to take place but not report it to the Philippine govt. It sounds like it might work and make everyone happy but I am concerned that somehow the US govt. would find out after we wed in this country and then void the marriage and visa. I am afraid that they will say that we lied on forms and prosecute us also. Does anyone have insight into this topic?

If you guys are planning to legally wed in the philippines, be aware that you cannot petition your Fiancee from the US using the I-129F and then have the K1 Visa issued in the Philippines . The K1 is only for those who have not tied the knot. If you decided to marry in the philippines you might want to consider the K3 Visa because she would now be your spouse aka Alien Relative.

[ManilaIdaho 2]

Whether you call it a civil or church wedding,as long as you tied the knot,you already considered yourself married to one another and K1 is not the right one for you.either go for a K3 or Cr1.

good luck

[Honey&Sweety 1]

We were thinking about getting married at her church in the Philippines for her family and friends, and then coming to US the following week on the K1 visa. Then, within 90 days getting married in USA. She is not a Catholic so we hoped that the church would go along with us and allow the marriage to take place but not report it to the Philippine govt. It sounds like it might work and make everyone happy but I am concerned that somehow the US govt. would find out after we wed in this country and then void the marriage and visa. I am afraid that they will say that we lied on forms and prosecute us also. Does anyone have insight into this topic?

Being honest to goodness is the best weapon for successful life, we know that K-1 visa valid for 9o days and the marriage will take place in the country of the US citizen. Marriage here in the Philippines is valid wherever you go, and such you intend to marry in the church, church won`t tolerate such thing..US government will investigate things upon processing of your papers, so you can`t hide everything, you might be caught and it will bring problems for sure....Better get married in US , adjust status there and back here in Philippines after a year or two and if you had church wedding in US , you can do renewal of vows in the church here in Phils. so your fiancee`s family can be happy here , seeing their daughter in that important ceremony of her life. Hope it helps...God bless!

[rajemr2119 0]

hi, just wanna add comment to your post.. well as being through with K1 VISA.. I would strongly advice you not to get married in the philippines.. what you can do is process her papers and everything and then you two can get married when your girl is in the USA.. For getting married in the philippines would jeopardize your K1 petition to her for the US EMBASSY will find out eventually if you two would tie the knot in the philippines... if you want her to be with you less than a yr then process her K1 petition impromto..!! My Fiance' and I did met last feb for a week just this yr and then when he gets back, he did right away file the petition and everything, the petition was file april 2008 and it was approved july 2008 and the USCIS forwarded the petition to US EMBASSY MANILA and last week of JULY 2008, i did recieved my K1 VISA PACKET INSTRUCTIONS, and then I did completed all the documents needed(well, i was halfway to be done), and when I was gathering the necessary documents needed for my visa interview, I paid the required fees and then call for a VISA INTERVIEW! and while waiting for my visa interview date, i took the medical exam and then waited for the date of my interview.. i did choose sept 8, 2008 for my visa interview so that i still have enough time to complete all the neccesary documents needed.. and then the interview date did come and I was so confident and i did passed the interview so easily though i was so dang nervouse! then sept 9, my visa was apporved and delivered sept 11, 2008 and then I planned my trip to the USA.. and now am here in US for almost 2months.. and this coming saturday, december 6,2008 my fiance' and I will say our VOWS!! The church don't care, the church role is to marry a couple that want to get marry and they won't care to report to US EMBASSY though they will be question by some CI's from US EMBASSY!

getting married in the philippines isn't bad but if you file spouse visa it will take like forever for the two of you to be together,, so please just process her papers(K1) and then you too can be together in less than a yr!!.. I just hope my comment make sense to you and helps you, am not really good on posting but I tried my very best that my post would be of help?!

Edited December 5, 2008 by rajemr2119

[ronjie 0]

getting married in the catholic church would consist of at least one of you being catholic. I understand you are talking about the ceremony only. and there being no marriage license or contract to be signed. but that is something I would do on a return trip to PI. you already know what trouble it will cause if found out while going through K1 process. definitely not worth risking !!

[JeroenAndMichelle 28]

Like all others said, do it on a return trip, when you go visit the foreign spouse's family again.

Thing is, last year someone else from the Philippines did exactly the same, the embassy found out about it and their visa got denied. Saying that the wedding was not legal as it was just a ceremony and nothing else did not help. They had to start over and file for a K3 visa since the embassy claimed that it would be a legal marriage.

Like everyone else said: be safe and don't do it, wait with it until you go back again.

[chris-lei 1]

It is not worth risking your K1 process by having a religious ceremony without registering it to the NSO. And I dont think that it is possible in the Philippines. Any wedding ceremony even the Christian ones require a marrriage license. The officiating Pastor or Mayor will still have to register that to the NSO. US embassy might get hold of that, which eventually might compromise your K1 visa.

If you really want to satisfy her parents, marry her in the Philippines then wait a while longer before she can go here. Say, you'll have to wait for another 3-6 months longer.

With K1, marry her in a civil ceremony here and come back to the Philippines for a bigger church wedding. That's the way most of us does or will do.

Pick your choice.

[rajemr2119 0]

We were thinking about getting married at her church in the Philippines for her family and friends, and then coming to US the following week on the K1 visa. Then, within 90 days getting married in USA. She is not a Catholic so we hoped that the church would go along with us and allow the marriage to take place but not report it to the Philippine govt. It sounds like it might work and make everyone happy but I am concerned that somehow the US govt. would find out after we wed in this country and then void the marriage and visa. I am afraid that they will say that we lied on forms and prosecute us also. Does anyone have insight into this topic?

the wedding church is the most sacred of all ceremonies for me, and yes! it is deffenitely legal by any means.. once you get married, you are married.. well, just wanna add a comment on the topic of this corner here visajourney.. thanks! --maje08

[KimandRuss 0]

The decision whether it's considered legal or not is often left up to the perception of the CO.

As stated earlier in this thread, even if you say it's not legal... your CO may come to another conclusion. We've seen this scenario played out an awful lot here on VJ. People having ceremonies, people wearing rings, people referreing to each other as husband and wife. Even though we don't think these things should matter when the law states otherwise..it often still does. The process is difficult enough without adding yet another equation.

Personally, I woudln't take the chance.

(moving to general discussion)

[Badgerella 5]

I suppose it really is fair to say that I have no idea how the Catholic church works in the Philippines, but here in Croatia, the Catholic wedding ceremony at a church is just as legal as doing it at a court house, or wherever else a civil wedding can be performed. Once you're done with the ceremony itself (the religious part), the priest has you sign the same document you'd sign in a civil ceremony. Afterwards, it's forwarded to wherever those documents go to. There is no way to avoid the document part.

[pushbrk 13,124]

Married is married. There's usually some paperwork involved and some sort of registration with civil authorities. Whether a church ceremony alone, without paperwork is considered legal marriage depends on the local laws. It definitely counts in Canada.

If your plan is for a ceremony or celebration after the visa is in hand, then there are no "Consular Officer" issues. However, check with the local laws as to whether a "ceremony" is a "legal marriage". If it is, don't do it. If your plan is to do a ceremony before the visa is in hand, scrap that plan.

[anindon 0]

Please let me clarify a couple things from my original post that were not clearly explained... Our plan was to marry legally in the US from the beginning, we were looking for way to demonstrate to her family and friends our committment before leaving. It is a matter of respect for their feelings, and the fact that we probably won't be able to return for a year or so....Originally it was her idea because she is not a member of the Catholic church. She is a member of a small Christian church and she thought her church could have a small ceremony that would demonstrate our love and committment. Something that would allow us to show respect to her family and would not be concidered a "legal" marriage. We were'nt trying to be tricky or anything. The family and friends all know that we are getting legally married in the US, cause that has been the plan all along. So I misspoke when I said I didnt want the Philippine and US governments to find out, what I was trying to ask was, what is the threshold where vows become "legal"? I am new to this journey and my question was phrased incorrectly because I did'nt think it through before I wrote the post. I was only trying to find some way to make everyone happy...that would be honest and within the laws. Thanks for all the help.....

[pushbrk 13,124]

Please let me clarify a couple things from my original post that were not clearly explained... Our plan was to marry legally in the US from the beginning, we were looking for way to demonstrate to her family and friends our committment before leaving. It is a matter of respect for their feelings, and the fact that we probably won't be able to return for a year or so....Originally it was her idea because she is not a member of the Catholic church. She is a member of a small Christian church and she thought her church could have a small ceremony that would demonstrate our love and committment. Something that would allow us to show respect to her family and would not be concidered a "legal" marriage. We were'nt trying to be tricky or anything. The family and friends all know that we are getting legally married in the US, cause that has been the plan all along. So I misspoke when I said I didnt want the Philippine and US governments to find out, what I was trying to ask was, what is the threshold where vows become "legal"? I am new to this journey and my question was phrased incorrectly because I did'nt think it through before I wrote the post. I was only trying to find some way to make everyone happy...that would be honest and within the laws. Thanks for all the help.....

Then arrange a ceremony to occur after the visa is in hand and arrange with the Church to make sure the ceremony does not constitute a marriage. Maybe something like they might do when a couple wants to renew their vows. If that doesn't work, then arrange a party where you stand before the guests and declare your commmitment.