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ckel11310

South Korea - Having a ceremony before K-1 gets approved

By ckel11310 in Asia: East and Pacific

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ckel11310 Enthusiast

ckel11310   10

Posted
Filed: AOS (apr) Country: South Korea
 Timeline
Posted

Hi all. We have our NOA1 and now waiting for our NOA2, but were wondering what would happen if we were to have a ceremony in my fiancee's home country of South Korea before getting officially married in the US. According to South Korean law, having just a ceremony is not recognized as an official marriage in South Korea, and therefore the US wouldn't recognize it as an official marriage either, right? We wouldn't be signing any papers or anything.

Thank you ahead of time for your thoughts and replies.

Charles & Eun Hee's Timeline


Our Story
7/18/2010 Arrived in Korea and started my new job the next day
11/3/2010 First met at work!
1/25/2011 Became a couple
11/3/2011 Proposed <--- She said yes!
4/21/2012 I came back to America after spending almost 2 years in Korea, she came to visit for a month
5/22/2012 She went back to Korea
7/23-28/2012 Visited South Korea to see her


USCIS/NVC
2/17/2012 Sent I-129F package to Dallas Lockbox
2/23/2012 NOA1 --> Vermont Service Center
8/15/2012 NOA2 (174 days)
8/18/2012 NOA2 Hardcopy received
8/27/2012 Received case number
8/29/2012 Left NVC for Seoul Embassy
9/4/2012 Received and signed by Seoul Embassy, 12:17 PM Local Time
9/6/2012 E-Packet 3 Received via email
10/13/2012 Medical
11/1/2012 Interview *APPROVED*
11/12/2012 POE - JFK, NY
12/3/2012 Married!!!


AOS
12/26/2012 Sent I-485 and EAD (I-765) to Chicago Lockbox
1/2/2013 NOA1
1/25/2013 Biometrics Appointment
2/25/2013 EAD (I-765) Approved
3/7/2013 EAD (I-765) Received

4/18/2013 AP (I-131) Sent

4/24/2013 NOA1

4/30/2013 AP (I-131 Approved)

5/4/2013 AP (I-131) Received

9/24/2013 NOA2

Ryan H Grand Master

Ryan H   3,830

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
 Timeline
Posted

As long as having such a gathering would not constitute a legal marriage, then it is permissible. However, you still want to be very careful about this because any reference to such a gathering can cause a CO or a CBP officer to think you are already married and deny the K1 application or deny entry to the US on that basis.

Our journey:

Spoiler

September 2007: Met online via social networking site (MySpace); began exchanging messages.
March 26, 2009: We become a couple!
September 10, 2009: Arrived for first meeting in-person!
June 17, 2010: Arrived for second in-person meeting and start of travel together to other areas of China!
June 21, 2010: Engaged!!!
September 1, 2010: Switched course from K1 to CR-1
December 8, 2010: Wedding date set; it will be on February 18, 2011!
February 9, 2011: Depart for China
February 11, 2011: Registered for marriage in Wuhan, officially married!!!
February 18, 2011: Wedding ceremony in Shiyan!!!
April 22, 2011: Mailed I-130 to Chicago
April 28, 2011: Received NOA1 via text/email, file routed to CSC (priority date April 25th)
April 29, 2011: Updated
May 3, 2011: Received NOA1 hardcopy in mail
July 26, 2011: Received NOA2 via text/email!!!
July 30, 2011: Received NOA2 hardcopy in mail
August 8, 2011: NVC received file
September 1, 2011: NVC case number assigned
September 2, 2011: AOS invoice received, OPTIN email for EP sent
September 7, 2011: Paid AOS bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 9, 2011)
September 8, 2011: OPTIN email accepted, GZO number assigned
September 10, 2011: Emailed AOS package
September 12, 2011: IV bill invoiced
September 13, 2011: Paid IV bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 14, 2011)
September 14, 2011: Emailed IV package
October 3, 2011: Emailed checklist response (checklist generated due to typo on Form DS-230)
October 6, 2011: Case complete at NVC
November 10, 2011: Interview - APPROVED!!!
December 7, 2011: POE - Sea-Tac Airport

September 17, 2013: Mailed I-751 to CSC

September 23, 2013: Received NOA1 in mail (receipt date September 19th)

October 16, 2013: Biometrics Appointment

January 28, 2014: Production of new Green Card ordered

February 3, 2014: New Green Card received; done with USCIS until fall of 2023*

December 18, 2023:  Filed I-90 to renew Green Card

December 21, 2023:  Production of new Green Card ordered - will be seeing USCIS again every 10 years for renewal

 

Sirdaniel42 Proficient

Sirdaniel42   86

Posted
Filed: Timeline
Posted

As long as having such a gathering would not constitute a legal marriage, then it is permissible. However, you still want to be very careful about this because any reference to such a gathering can cause a CO or a CBP officer to think you are already married and deny the K1 application or deny entry to the US on that basis.

:thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:

 
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