Wedding Requirements

[jbbailey 0]

So my fiance is a US citizen and I am a Canadian citizen and we are planning a wedding next summer (2013). We were hoping to do a small civil ceremony (maybe with a few friends but no family) so that we could start our VISA paperwork as paying for a wedding is difficult when we're in two seperate countries and are travelling to see each other.

Will USCIS look negatively on the fact we had a wedding with no family and it was more of a civil union or does it even matter?

[Thomas&Cleofe 358]

It does matter....USCIS likes to see that your family knows and approves of the wedding.....USCIS will wonder why you are hiding the ceremony from your family. It looks suspicious to USCIS.

[dwheels76 5,468]

And especially with you being able to visit right next to each other almost. You don't have the excuse like many of us have with getting tourist visas and the distance. Its very customary that at least the petitioner is meeting the benficiaries family and friends if they aren't included its looked at like a red flag cuz you are deemed to be hiding your relationship. They may care they may not you never know.

[akihon 129]

part of evidence that they like to see to show that your marriage is bona fide is "wedding photos with family" ... because this tells them that your family was there and approved of the relationship and marriage. Not involving them in the wedding and photos just seems suspicious and may jeopardize your application.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

Ridiculous answers

From experience, no family attended our wedding and we were approved without issue. We got married on a Wednesday in city hall.

No one questioned our bonafides, no one assumed we were 'hiding our marriage', and it won't jeopardize your petition.

Good luck

[Thomas&Cleofe 358]

Ridiculous answers

From experience, no family attended our wedding and we were approved without issue. We got married on a Wednesday in city hall.

No one questioned our bonafides, no one assumed we were 'hiding our marriage', and it won't jeopardize your petition.

Good luck

These are NOT ridiculous answers. You are replying from ONLY your own personal experience. You are suggesting that NO consular officer will ask for family pictures together of the wedding....and you would be wrong. Not all consulates or consular officers will question this, but some do. And for you to say that no applicant needs to provide family photos of the wedding is 100% misleading.

[dwheels76 5,468]

Ridiculous answers

From experience, no family attended our wedding and we were approved without issue. We got married on a Wednesday in city hall.

No one questioned our bonafides, no one assumed we were 'hiding our marriage', and it won't jeopardize your petition.

Good luck

How rude? There's nothing ridiculous about what any of us posted. That's great for you and yes this is Canada so sure its a lot more lenient than Lagos. But we are all still showing a bonafide relationship.

Sure he or she may never be asked for that but well it sure doesn't hurt to prepare him. So he may have an explanation why family isn't there.

Unless someone is just total off on the subject matter there's nothing ridiculous. That's like telling people that was a stupid question. Not nice dear at all.

[jbbailey 0]

What about having the parents sign affidavits or letters showing their support of the marriage? Would that counteract the negativity of not having parents there at the civil union?

The other option is have her parents there, but not mine since they would be flying in for nothing more than a civil union.

[Thomas&Cleofe 358]

What about having the parents sign affidavits or letters showing their support of the marriage? Would that counteract the negativity of not having parents there at the civil union?

The other option is have her parents there, but not mine since they would be flying in for nothing more than a civil union.

Of course, absolutely....that would be a great support for evidence.

[jbbailey 0]

Of course, absolutely....that would be a great support for evidence.

That's what I thought. I have spent many times with her family and there are many pictures of us together over our year and a half together. I even was all traditional and asked for her fathers permission before asking her to marry me. She also has come to Canada and met family once and is set to come up again next week. My family is very excited as well for us and totally approves.

We want to have a wedding with all our family and friends, it's just not cost effective right now to do it and we don't want to have to wait to start the VISA paperwork until we can afford the $20,000 wedding (if that makes sense at all). To us it makes sense, and we would think it would make sense to whomever was doing our interview, but we don't want to assume that it would be enough or that it wouldn't be questioned prior to the interview.

I do understand that we have it easier than others with no visitor VISA requirements, but there are also restrictions on how much time I can spend in the US and we are looking forward to starting our life together and starting a family together and the sooner I can live in the US and start working, the sooner those plans come to fruition.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

These are NOT ridiculous answers. You are replying from ONLY your own personal experience. You are suggesting that NO consular officer will ask for family pictures together of the wedding....and you would be wrong. Not all consulates or consular officers will question this, but some do. And for you to say that no applicant needs to provide family photos of the wedding is 100% misleading.

Not rude, but I am answering with experience from the Montreal consulate, are you?

Married is married. Having the family there is NOT a requirement - which is actually what the OP asked. Why would they ask for it?

What's also misleading is judging the OP's marriage. It is not a shame or is it less bonafide. But hey, attack me.

Good luck all

Edited August 3, 2012 by canadian_wife

[canadian_wife 1,822]

How rude? There's nothing ridiculous about what any of us posted. That's great for you and yes this is Canada so sure its a lot more lenient than Lagos. But we are all still showing a bonafide relationship.

Sure he or she may never be asked for that but well it sure doesn't hurt to prepare him. So he may have an explanation why family isn't there.

Unless someone is just total off on the subject matter there's nothing ridiculous. That's like telling people that was a stupid question. Not nice dear at all.

Rude? How about assuming the OP is 'hiding the marriage' because the family wasn't there.

That's rude

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

One of the things you could do is make a wedding video and post it online for your families to attend remotely.

[Thomas&Cleofe 358]

Not rude, but I am answering with experience from the Montreal consulate, are you?

Married is married. Having the family there is NOT a requirement - which is actually what the OP asked. Why would they ask for it?

What's also misleading is judging the OP's marriage. It is not a shame or is it less bonafide. But hey, attack me.

Good luck all

Wow are you misinformed....."Married is Married"??? Many married couples get denied a spousal visa due to the fact that the consular officer believes the marriage is for immigration purposes only.

[velrich 50]

There are other ways to prove a 'bona fide' marriage other than having family members at weddings.

There are instances when family members are estranged or they do not like your spouse and have no interest in attending weddings. This is not a big issue.