Getting married on a touristvisa.

[yohino 22]

Me and my american fiancé got engaged a couple of weeks ago.

We have been thinking about the fastest way for us to be able to be together...

Would I get in trouble if I traveled to the States on my tourist visa ( visawaiver-program) and got married to him there?

The plan was for me to then go back home to Sweden and wait there for him to file the I130 and when that gets approved I would come back over.

I have heard that you could get in trouble if you travelled on your touristvisa with the intent to get married but does that apply even if I plan on going back afterwards?

I´m new to this site so I´m not sure if this has been a topic before but I would really appreciate some feedback!

[Nik+Heather 121]

Me and my american fiancé got engaged a couple of weeks ago.

We have been thinking about the fastest way for us to be able to be together...

Would I get in trouble if I traveled to the States on my tourist visa ( visawaiver-program) and got married to him there?

The plan was for me to then go back home to Sweden and wait there for him to file the I130 and when that gets approved I would come back over.

I have heard that you could get in trouble if you travelled on your touristvisa with the intent to get married but does that apply even if I plan on going back afterwards?

I´m new to this site so I´m not sure if this has been a topic before but I would really appreciate some feedback!

Your plan is legal and acceptable.

Enter. Marry. Leave. Apply for CR-1 visa.

You're good to go! Happy marriage!

[yohino 22]

How long does it "normally" take for the CR-1 visa to get approved?

Anyone who knows?

[rooster 1]

How long does it "normally" take for the CR-1 visa to get approved?

Anyone who knows?

Check the timeline tab at the top of the page. It will give you an idea of what to expect from your country.

[Krikit 1,164]

Moving this to the CR-1 forum. Agree with the others..... this is perfectly legal, however, you may encounter problems convincing the immigration officer at the POE. I wish you the very best.

Welcome to VJ, yohino.

[yohino 22]

What kind of problems could be encoutered?

[Nik+Heather 121]

Actually, I feel a bit guilty about my abbreviated reply...Please read the GUIDES and the FAQs at the top of the page. Actually, explore EVERY link at the top of the page. They are much more comprehensive than any forum answer you'll get. The FASTEST way to get here to be together is on the K1 visa, which your fiance can petition for right now.

The CR-1 visa is:

Cheaper

Less time to a green card (being able to work)

The K-1 visa is:

The most expensive

Less time to enter the US to stay.

Edited June 24, 2009 by Nik+Heather

[yohino 22]

Will do!

Thank you so much for the answers...everything is just confusing right now.

Who knew love came with all of this paperwork?

[Krikit 1,164]

What kind of problems could be encoutered?

Take a look at the visitation FAQ in my signature. You need to convince the immigration officer that you are not coming to the US with the intent to bypass the immigration process. There are many people who have been denied entry for this very reason. You have to have evidence that you are returning home and doing things the legal way. Not everyone has encountered problems, so please don't think that. You just need to be fully prepared and aware of the risks. The last thing you want to do is plan a big elaborate wedding and have all the guests fly in, only to discover that there is no bride. Take your time and read read read. Do some searches on the topic. There is lots of information available for those who want to find it. Good luck!

[mrsemcee 1]

i did that exact thing. i entered on VWP and then married in the US then left before my 90 days were up. then my hubby visited me in australia on a tourist visa and now he is going back to the US where he is a citizen and i have just applied for the I-130 for the CR-1 visa.

i dont know how long it takes... good luck!

[Moonskin 0]

Me and my american fiancé got engaged a couple of weeks ago.

We have been thinking about the fastest way for us to be able to be together...

Would I get in trouble if I traveled to the States on my tourist visa ( visawaiver-program) and got married to him there?

The plan was for me to then go back home to Sweden and wait there for him to file the I130 and when that gets approved I would come back over.

I have heard that you could get in trouble if you travelled on your touristvisa with the intent to get married but does that apply even if I plan on going back afterwards?

I´m new to this site so I´m not sure if this has been a topic before but I would really appreciate some feedback!

This is what I have done, because there was no other way for me and my now husband to do the things w/o long delays, money problems and so on.

I got in the USA the 1st of May, we married the 9th and I left to go back to France on the 24th. We have sent our I-130 package last wednesday (17th of June) and are now waiting for NOA1.

Ask me if you need anything, I will help as I can, as I am myself kinda a "noob" on the process hehe.

Good luck to you.

PS : In any way, when you get at the POE after you get off the plane, never, never say you are here to get married. You also may want to bring proofs that you are gonna come back to Sweden (round-trip plane ticket, rent for apartment, etc.) as you may feel safer then.

[pushbrk 12,877]

What kind of problems could be encoutered?

Take a look at the visitation FAQ in my signature. You need to convince the immigration officer that you are not coming to the US with the intent to bypass the immigration process. There are many people who have been denied entry for this very reason. You have to have evidence that you are returning home and doing things the legal way. Not everyone has encountered problems, so please don't think that. You just need to be fully prepared and aware of the risks. The last thing you want to do is plan a big elaborate wedding and have all the guests fly in, only to discover that there is no bride. Take your time and read read read. Do some searches on the topic. There is lots of information available for those who want to find it. Good luck!

The problem encountered is being denied entry. Generally, the solution is to to give a generic but truthful answer for the purpose of your visit. For instance, if you're going to a specific resort for your honeymoon, then the purpose of your visit could be to go to XYZ resort on holiday or simply "pleasure". There's no need to mention what you'll be doing every hour of your visit and the actual wedding probably won't consume more than about an hour of your time. You aren't doing anything wrong, so no need to disclose details.

[yohino 22]

Does anyone know if I need to leave the US before we file the I130?

I am planning on leaving after we get married but can we file the I130 before I do so? Or will we have to wait until I´m back in Sweden?

I´v been looking around and can´t seem to find an answer to this..

[Moonskin 0]

Does anyone know if I need to leave the US before we file the I130?

I am planning on leaving after we get married but can we file the I130 before I do so? Or will we have to wait until I´m back in Sweden?

I´v been looking around and can´t seem to find an answer to this..

You can, there is a specifical part on the I-130 for that. Part C-14, "If your relative is currently in the U.S." then you will have to complete what they asked, i.e. the stuff abt your I-94W (you get that on the plane).