marry my american fiance while coming in the US as a tourist

[Dakine 26]

I'm a singapore citizen and my fiancee is american. we're both in singapore and want to move to the US. let say i go there as a tourist, get married to her there, have an adjustment of status, and stay in the US. any problems with this?

Great idea! More people should try it!

Actually LOTS of people do so and get away with it. I've never seen anyone busted even tho it's fraud to adjust status and stay in the US.

The ones that are successful don't talk about it. You'd think some of the ones that get busted would show up here on VJ. I've never seen one case in 4 years.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I'm a singapore citizen and my fiancee is american. we're both in singapore and want to move to the US. let say i go there as a tourist, get married to her there, have an adjustment of status, and stay in the US. any problems with this?

Great idea! More people should try it!

Roi Aggie,

You know better than to encourage visa fraud. Please remember we are here to help the querants, not to encourage illegal behaviour that puts them at risk.

Edited March 26, 2009 by Kathryn41

[Krikit 1,164]

Actually LOTS of people do so and get away with it. I've never seen anyone busted even tho it's fraud to adjust status and stay in the US.

It's only fraud if there was intent upon entry.

[himher 634]

You can file for an immigrant visa via DCF. Never filing taxes will likely create difficulty with the support affidavit.

there is no way to change the kind of visa! you need to cancel one and then file another kind!

why did you even file for a FIANCE visa if you knew you would get married in singapore anyways? just because it seems faster?

if the us citizen also lives abroad, why didnt you do direct consular filing? im not sure that filing a k-1 with the petitioner not residing in the us is even possible.....

I agree with what everyone has said and you need to be careful because it seems like you are running a very fine in between being totally honest and intentionally committing visa fraud.

For the record, You CAN file a K-1 with the petitioner not residing in the US. As long as the petitioner has a US address that they can receive mail at and a way to prove they can support the Non USC (either because of a job abroad or through a co-sponsor), then it is no problem.

I lived abroad throughout my entire K-1 process.

From what I am seeing though, it sounds like it is best to get married and do DCF. If you fiancee plans on staying in Singapore between now and June anyway, then that is ALMOST 6 months. Why don't you get married tomorrow at the courthouse (or as soon as you legally can based on how long it would take to get needed documents in order), live in Singapore while you wait for his residency of 6 months and then file DCF?

And just so you know, the residency requirment of 6 months is a bit different in every countries. Some countries require that you are a legal resident for 6 months. Other, like Brazil, only require that you have been IN the country legally for 6 months as long as you are a legal resident when you apply. For example, I entered on a tourist visa in Jan and will apply as a legal resident in July, it doesn't matter that I entered as a tourist. Email your consulate and they can tell you the answer, that's what I did.

I don't think Singapore residency will be an issue to us. My US citizen fiancee has been in Singapore for 10+ years and she's a permanent resident here.

what is more of a concern to us is establishing her residency/domicile in the US for I-864. my fiance was born is dallas, left the US when she was 9 y/o with her family. she has never been back to the US since then and now she's 24. she has never filed any US tax returns. her parents are also in singapore. any ideas?

[daboyz 36]

I'm not sure what path you should follow. If you have been living overseas for more than 6 months, go DCF for IR-1/CR-1 path. One thing I know for sure, if you listen to VJ member "himher" you will be getting some very bad advice.

[YuAndDan 153]

I don't think Singapore residency will be an issue to us. My US citizen fiancee has been in Singapore for 10+ years and she's a permanent resident here.

what is more of a concern to us is establishing her residency/domicile in the US for I-864. my fiance was born is dallas, left the US when she was 9 y/o with her family. she has never been back to the US since then and now she's 24. she has never filed any US tax returns. her parents are also in singapore. any ideas?

Marry first, then file the I-130 DCF, and shortly after marriage US citizen needs to move to USA in advance of the visa interview and re-establish US domicile (Rent apartment, look for a job, apply for a driver's license, etc..), file IRS return for 2008, and perhaps late one for 2007, will not need to pay any tax on foreign income. Need to be able to demonstrate re-establishing US Domicile, and being able to support prospective immigrant. Probably will need a Joint sponsor living in the USA too.

MORE: http://travel.state.gov/pdf/I-864GenInfo-FAQ-Final.pdf

[*Robert* 2]

I'm a singapore citizen and my fiancee is american. we're both in singapore and want to move to the US. let say i go there as a tourist, get married to her there, have an adjustment of status, and stay in the US. any problems with this?

Great idea! More people should try it!

Roi Aggie,

You know better than to encourage visa fraud. Please remember we are here to help the querants, not to encourage illegal behaviour that puts them at risk.

Well you're no fun Kathryn!

I'm being sarcastic for the most part, because it is not a question that can easily be answered.

As Haole mentioned, many people have done it, and not had any problems.

It is an option, just not one that most people here would support, due to "legal" issues.