K 1 Visa

[seanie 0]

I have just returned to the US from Thailand where we had a traditional Thai Buddist weddding ceremony for her family, there will not be another chance to get them all together again. We did not notified the Thai Amphur nor the US Embassy which they both do not recongnize this ceremony as legitimatem as it stands on it's own. I understood that and that is why we did this way,for the family in Thailand and the fact that I am so in love with her and want to marry my love legally in the US. I am told that the Fiancee Visa will take a couple months less to get approved and have her with me in the US sooner than the Spousal Visa process. I am now going to file for the K1 Visa and follow the process. Does anyone have a better idea or am I going in the right direction? Thanks

[thelastpetitioner 218]

youre doing the right thing,however if at any point you felt like your ceremony could get misinterpreted for a wedding ceremony,feel free to leave it out of the picture.good luck

PS: youre filing for a k-1,please fix your timeline

[Ryan H 3,812]

I am told that the Fiancee Visa will take a couple months less to get approved and have her with me in the US sooner than the Spousal Visa process. I am now going to file for the K1 Visa and follow the process. Does anyone have a better idea or am I going in the right direction? Thanks

First of all: Congratulations to you both!

Secondly: Since your ceremony in Thailand was not "official" in the sense that you did not notify any local authority there, the K1 process is essentially the only option available to you as the CR-1 would require a marriage certificate. So you are doing it the right way.

Finally: It takes 5 months from time of filing to approval by USCIS for both I-129F (which you will file) and I-130 (which is for CR-1 and not applicable to you specifically). After USCIS approval, the petition is sent to the NVC, I-130's undergo additional processing (again, not relevant to you) whereas I surmise based on what I have read is all the NVC will do with a K1 petition is assign it a case number and send to the appropriate embassy or consulate (which will be Bangkok in your case).

Good luck and best wishes to you both!

[seanie 0]

First of all: Congratulations to you both!

Secondly: Since your ceremony in Thailand was not "official" in the sense that you did not notify any local authority there, the K1 process is essentially the only option available to you as the CR-1 would require a marriage certificate. So you are doing it the right way.

Finally: It takes 5 months from time of filing to approval by USCIS for both I-129F (which you will file) and I-130 (which is for CR-1 and not applicable to you specifically). After USCIS approval, the petition is sent to the NVC, I-130's undergo additional processing (again, not relevant to you) whereas I surmise based on what I have read is all the NVC will do with a K1 petition is assign it a case number and send to the appropriate embassy or consulate (which will be Bangkok in your case).

Good luck and best wishes to you both!

Thanks so much for the info and confirmation. Here we go!

[Ryan H 3,812]

There is one thing I should mention and I wish I had remembered to earlier. When you start the process, DO NOT use terms like husband, wife, or wedding. If you do, then you will have a USCIS adjudicator or a VO at the embassy say, "you are married, you are not eligible for a K1, file a CR-1." When referencing your ceremony in Thailand, the best terms that I have seen people use are "engagement ceremony" or "engagement party."

[JD63 4]

Congrats!

There's a lot of helpful people on this board, many with Thai husbands or wives. Check out the Sawasdee (I think its on fourth or fifth iteration) thread for detailed questions you'll have later on in the process.

Don't sweat the buddhist ceremony, it should not be a problem at the embassy, just don't rub it in their face with a bunch of pictures that could be misconstrued as an official wedding. Anyway, follow the guides, fill in your timeline, and sit back for a long wait. Better start now with your fiance collecting birth certs and signatures and the things in the guides that may be needed later on.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I have just returned to the US from Thailand where we had a traditional Thai Buddist weddding ceremony for her family, there will not be another chance to get them all together again. We did not notified the Thai Amphur nor the US Embassy which they both do not recongnize this ceremony as legitimatem as it stands on it's own. I understood that and that is why we did this way,for the family in Thailand and the fact that I am so in love with her and want to marry my love legally in the US. I am told that the Fiancee Visa will take a couple months less to get approved and have her with me in the US sooner than the Spousal Visa process. I am now going to file for the K1 Visa and follow the process. Does anyone have a better idea or am I going in the right direction? Thanks

Just to reiterate, please amend your profile to read "K1" and not "IR-1/CR-1". To do this go to settings, profile, and scroll down to where it currently says "IR1/CR1" and change it to K1.

Also ensure you keep your timeline up to date to help both yourself and others following you (and when you ask qns). Thanks, welcome to VJ and congratulations

[seanie 0]

There is one thing I should mention and I wish I had remembered to earlier. When you start the process, DO NOT use terms like husband, wife, or wedding. If you do, then you will have a USCIS adjudicator or a VO at the embassy say, "you are married, you are not eligible for a K1, file a CR-1." When referencing your ceremony in Thailand, the best terms that I have seen people use are "engagement ceremony" or "engagement party."

Thanks I had planned not to use those red flag words, I do like the engagement ceremony bit.