Honeymoon questions

[Valerita 0]

Ok, so if we don't start the process until after our honeymoon, can we leave the country on a cruise for our honeymoon after we're married?

Someone told my mom that we're not allowed to leave the country at all after we're married until he has his Green Card. (She also told her a lot of other things that were total bull, so I don't know what's true or not from her.)

The cruise we were hoping to go on leave and return from the same port, and I know that the regulations are different for USC's, but I'm not sure about him. Anyone know the deal with international cruises? Its through the caribbean, so its not to Europe or anything too far.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

An F- 1 is a non-immigrant visa, and it is illegal to use a non-immigrant visa to come to the US to immigrate. While your fiance has a valid student visa, it is generally not recommended to take an international honeymoon and use the F-1 visa to come back and file AOS. People do this, but there is a chance he could be denied at the border because now he has clear immigrant intent and is traveling with his wife with the purpose of getting a GC.

[Valerita 0]

Thanks Harpa!

Not what I wanted to hear, but I'm definitely glad I know this now instead of at the border.

Well crud, time for a Plan B.

[Little_My 464]

Agree with Harpa. Though it is possible that you could return from the cruise without any issues, there's also a chance that you'd be questioned more upon return and he would not be allowed back in because of the fairly obvious intent to immigrate. If that happened, your only option would be to take the CR-1 route, which would mean him waiting the visa process out in Guatemala - and the average processing time for CR-1 is around 9 months.

A much safer way is to marry, file the AOS paperwork as soon as possible and wait until you get him the AP before planning any international travel.

[hikergirl 277]

When I took a Caribbean cruise departing and arriving at the same US port, all non-USC were required to go to a mandatory Customs Inspection on board ship. They looked at our passports and we had to answer similar questions to what would be asked an the airport.

As to your particular situation, I am not sure if they would let him back in with his F1 visa or not and I personally would not want to chance it.

[Valerita 0]

No, I definitely don't want to risk it. Thanks!

[jkelly07 120]

first of all when you arrive at check at the termanal, you are ask for all you paper passport permanent resident card, if you don't have it thay won't let you board the ship, and if you did board the ship when it arrives back in port everybody must go through customs, your going to have problems, i would not chance it.

[Gosia & Tito 199]

Ok, so if we don't start the process until after our honeymoon, can we leave the country on a cruise for our honeymoon after we're married?

Someone told my mom that we're not allowed to leave the country at all after we're married until he has his Green Card. (She also told her a lot of other things that were total bull, so I don't know what's true or not from her.)

The cruise we were hoping to go on leave and return from the same port, and I know that the regulations are different for USC's, but I'm not sure about him. Anyone know the deal with international cruises? Its through the caribbean, so its not to Europe or anything too far.

Assuming you are in AOS, you don't have F-1 anymore. If you have not started AOS, you need to do it asap. I'd not leave on a F-1, being married that is; and if you are in AOS you should no leave until you have green card in hand or advance parole documents, otherwise is considered that the application has been abandoned.

Hope this helps

Edited September 11, 2011 by Gosia & Tito

[ceadsearc 516]

For the record, as long as he is not out of status, he doesn't need to wait for a green card before he leaves, he needs to wait for his Advanced Parole paperwork to come through (about 2 months after filing).