Didn't disclose Intention to Marry at POE

[loosegee 3]

Hello everyone. I just joined up and have a question.

I am currently in the US from the UK on a visa wavier. I am due to fly home to the UK this Sunday, 17th July 2011. My now wife lives in California and a few months ago her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. My wife and i weren't supposed to get married until i moved to the US next year but because of the news with her mom we decided to get married while i was here now. We made the decision to get married in April this year and i flew to California in May with the intention of getting married. At the port of entry in New Jersey when asked what the purpose of my visit was i just said that i was here to spend some time with my friend and their family because my friends mother was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. I have been to the US to visit my wife 7 times in the past 4 years and i never once mentioned a girlfriend or fiancee. I always said i was visiting friends in case they didn't let me in.

We have started gathering all our information and filled out the I-130 form. All we need to do now is gather some affidavits of support and then after i go home my wife is going to petition to bring me back. We are a little worried though in case they ask what i said at the port of entry when i arrived here to get married. Technically i didn't tell the whole truth.

My question is.

Will the fact that i just said i wanted to visit my friends because their mother was sick and didn't mention that i was also getting married go against us an if so, to what degree?

My intention isn't to stay here now. I intend to return home and wait for the process to be completed.

To summarise

Back in April my fiancee got news that her mother was terminally ill.

She called me and told me about this and we decided to get married during my upcoming visit in May because she wanted her mother to be at and able to enjoy our wedding.

I entered the US but didn't mention my wedding intentions

We are now married and i am returning home in 2 days while we file the I-130 form and wait for the process to complete so i can return as a permanent resident next year

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

You did nothing wrong, unless they specifically asked you about getting married. You are allowed to get married on the VWP, and you are doing the right thing by leaving within the 90 days and applying for the CR-1, so no problems.

[loosegee 3]

Sorry I realized I misposted in the wrong forum. Will repost CR-1 category.

[loosegee 3]

Hello everyone. I just joined up and have a question.

I am currently in the US from the UK on a visa wavier. I am due to fly home to the UK this Sunday, 17th July 2011. My now wife lives in California and a few months ago her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. My wife and i weren't supposed to get married until i moved to the US next year but because of the news with her mom we decided to get married while i was here now. We made the decision to get married in April this year and i flew to California in May with the intention of getting married. At the port of entry in New Jersey when asked what the purpose of my visit was i just said that i was here to spend some time with my friend and their family because my friends mother was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. I have been to the US to visit my wife 7 times in the past 4 years and i never once mentioned a girlfriend or fiancee. I always said i was visiting friends in case they didn't let me in.

We have started gathering all our information and filled out the I-130 form. All we need to do now is gather some affidavits of support and then after i go home my wife is going to petition to bring me back. We are a little worried though in case they ask what i said at the port of entry when i arrived here to get married. Technically i didn't tell the whole truth.

My question is.

Will the fact that i just said i wanted to visit my friends because their mother was sick and didn't mention that i was also getting married go against us an if so, to what degree?

My intention isn't to stay here now. I intend to return home and wait for the process to be completed.

To summarise

Back in April my fiancee got news that her mother was terminally ill.

She called me and told me about this and we decided to get married during my upcoming visit in May because she wanted her mother to be at and able to enjoy our wedding.

I entered the US but didn't mention my wedding intentions

We are now married and i am returning home in 2 days while we file the I-130 form and wait for the process to complete so i can return as a permanent resident next year

[Anh map 2,098]

Non issue

[payxibka 10,045]

you have done nothing wrong... it is not illegal to come to the US and get married... people have destination weddings here all the time.

[Redtalent 0]

Hello everyone. I just joined up and have a question.

I am currently in the US from the UK on a visa wavier. I am due to fly home to the UK this Sunday, 17th July 2011. My now wife lives in California and a few months ago her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. My wife and i weren't supposed to get married until i moved to the US next year but because of the news with her mom we decided to get married while i was here now. We made the decision to get married in April this year and i flew to California in May with the intention of getting married. At the port of entry in New Jersey when asked what the purpose of my visit was i just said that i was here to spend some time with my friend and their family because my friends mother was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. I have been to the US to visit my wife 7 times in the past 4 years and i never once mentioned a girlfriend or fiancee. I always said i was visiting friends in case they didn't let me in.

We have started gathering all our information and filled out the I-130 form. All we need to do now is gather some affidavits of support and then after i go home my wife is going to petition to bring me back. We are a little worried though in case they ask what i said at the port of entry when i arrived here to get married. Technically i didn't tell the whole truth.

My question is.

Will the fact that i just said i wanted to visit my friends because their mother was sick and didn't mention that i was also getting married go against us an if so, to what degree?

My intention isn't to stay here now. I intend to return home and wait for the process to be completed.

To summarise

Back in April my fiancee got news that her mother was terminally ill.

She called me and told me about this and we decided to get married during my upcoming visit in May because she wanted her mother to be at and able to enjoy our wedding.

I entered the US but didn't mention my wedding intentions

We are now married and i am returning home in 2 days while we file the I-130 form and wait for the process to complete so i can return as a permanent resident next year

I don't think you're going to have any problems. The USCIS won't know WHY you visited, just that you did. It's also not a problem because you didn't come to the US with intent to stay. Because you are are going home, you'll be perfectly fine!

[payxibka 10,045]

Sorry I realized I misposted in the wrong forum. Will repost CR-1 category.

In the future, please do not repost.... somebody will move it to the correct forum

[loosegee 3]

Note taken

[loosegee 3]

Thanks for the quick replies. Appreciate it.

@payxibka

Usually a destination wedding involves husband and wife returning to their home country. I'm sure if I'd mentioned I intended to marry a US citizen there'd have been a problem

[payxibka 10,045]

Thanks for the quick replies. Appreciate it.

@payxibka

Usually a destination wedding involves husband and wife returning to their home country. I'm sure if I'd mentioned I intended to marry a US citizen there'd have been a problem

and? your intent is to do such and your wife's is as well... just happens to be two different countries at the time being

the issue is not the marriage... the issue is intending on STAYING

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

duplicate topics have been merged.

[Casprd 167]

Since you are planning on returning home and following the CR-1 process it won't be a big deal. You may have entered on the VWP with the intent to get married but not with the intent to immigrate so it is a non-issue.

Someone else can correct me if I am mistaken, but I don't think you need to wait until you leave to start the petition. Unless you need to go home to gather some documents or something for the petition, there is no reason from the USCIS standpoint that you can't start it while you are in the US. You just need to return home for the interview and all is good.

[JoannaV 174]

No problem. If you were going to try to file AOS then it would be a problem. (Well, honestly it probably wouldn't be a problem, but it should be a problem, and you'd be in the wrong legally and morally lol.) But for CR1 you really needn't worry at all :-) All they're interested in is your marriage certificate and that's it! When I married my husband I said I was visiting my fiance but didn't mention any marriage plans. Never lie to an immigration official, but that doesn't mean you have to volunteer your life story and create more hassle for yourself :-)

Like Casprd said, you can send off the I-130 any time, even today.

Of course, as you're returning home in two days and have already filled out the I-130 as if you were back in the UK this isn't very helpful for you to know now. But anyway.

[Channah&Aaron 51]

; I said I was visiting a friend too instead of, at that time, my boyfriend. Well, they found out that me and Aaron were dating during secondary inspection. They denied my entry May last year and put me on the first plane back.. Never lie again! You may also end up on the first plane back home!

Other than, I don't see any problems. You are flying back home and start the legal procedures . It would be illegal to get married and stay (intend to immigrate).

Good luck on the rest of your journey

Edited July 16, 2011 by Channah&Aaron