nervous, about marrying too soon

[LunarStar 1]

This isn't new, and I tried looking around but didn't really find a a particular topic to match mine.

So, I was recently engaged, and plan to go the spousal visa route for me and my fiance. I currently live with my fiance in his home country of Japan(been working here for 9months now, lived together for 6 months, and plan to leave by the end of November). After reading about how there seems to be an unspoken expedited service for petitioning the CR-1 visa when an expat lives overseas in America's case, We decided to get married by the middle or end of the month and have my I-130 out by then too. In your opinion, is that to soon to file for the petition?

I also don't plan to change my last name, I'll save all that paperwork change and stuff when I get back to the states..will that also raise some eyebrows?

I mean, yes we love each other...and we've been in a Long Distance Relationship for 5 years, but I wonder if they would think its a sham marriage...

We also don't plan to have a real official ceremony till 1 year later hopefully

I'm just nervous because we're hoping everything goes right and that he'd be able to join me in the states by late December or January.

Should I wait a lil bit after we're married before we file for the CR-1 visa?

[Dirk 30]

This isn't new, and I tried looking around but didn't really find a a particular topic to match mine.

So, I was recently engaged, and plan to go the spousal visa route for me and my fiance. I currently live with my fiance in his home country of Japan(been working here for 9months now, lived together for 6 months, and plan to leave by the end of November). After reading about how there seems to be an unspoken expedited service for petitioning the CR-1 visa when an expat lives overseas in America's case, We decided to get married by the middle or end of the month and have my I-130 out by then too. In your opinion, is that to soon to file for the petition?

I also don't plan to change my last name, I'll save all that paperwork change and stuff when I get back to the states..will that also raise some eyebrows?

I mean, yes we love each other...and we've been in a Long Distance Relationship for 5 years, but I wonder if they would think its a sham marriage...

We also don't plan to have a real official ceremony till 1 year later hopefully

I'm just nervous because we're hoping everything goes right and that he'd be able to join me in the states by late December or January.

Should I wait a lil bit after we're married before we file for the CR-1 visa?

Not sure the name thing is going to be a big deal, my ex brother in law, married somone from Osaka, she kept her japanese name, she has her greencard and no issues getting it or the visa. In there case they filed within a week of marrige. As long as you meet and can prove the requirements, there should be no issue. Japan is not considered a high risk country, so do not create stress worrying.

[LunarStar 1]

Thanks, thats good to know!! Okay stress towards filing too soon is away, and now stress towards the paperwork!

[Anh map 2,098]

This isn't new, and I tried looking around but didn't really find a a particular topic to match mine.

So, I was recently engaged, and plan to go the spousal visa route for me and my fiance. I currently live with my fiance in his home country of Japan(been working here for 9months now, lived together for 6 months, and plan to leave by the end of November). After reading about how there seems to be an unspoken expedited service for petitioning the CR-1 visa when an expat lives overseas in America's case, We decided to get married by the middle or end of the month and have my I-130 out by then too. In your opinion, is that to soon to file for the petition?

I also don't plan to change my last name, I'll save all that paperwork change and stuff when I get back to the states..will that also raise some eyebrows?

I mean, yes we love each other...and we've been in a Long Distance Relationship for 5 years, but I wonder if they would think its a sham marriage...

We also don't plan to have a real official ceremony till 1 year later hopefully

I'm just nervous because we're hoping everything goes right and that he'd be able to join me in the states by late December or January.

Should I wait a lil bit after we're married before we file for the CR-1 visa?

Correction, you will have the real official wedding ceremony prior to your petition filing. If not, the petition will be denied and money wasted. You may have a big party with friends and family in the future, but you'll already be married.

You can file as soon as you have the marriage certificate. No need to wait any longer than that. Especially if you want to minimize the time apart in your scenario.

[LunarStar 1]

Correction, you will have the real official wedding ceremony prior to your petition filing

Anh: Ah yes yes, that is true=)

thanks for the advice!

[dwheels76 5,468]

To be on target with being together in US you say december or january u want to get on that filing soonest. With DCF filing it should be pretty quick but still.

Like mentioned you just need to be married to file. You aren't in a high fraud country so it should all be fine.

Now the fun begins getting your petition together. Have fun

[Ryan H 3,812]

With DCF filing it should be pretty quick but still.

DCF is not an option in Japan (no USCIS field office there). However, the time from filing to adjudication decision of the I-130 is likely to be quick since the petitioner currently resides in Japan.

[Nick1980 11]

Not sure the name thing is going to be a big deal, my ex brother in law, married somone from Osaka, she kept her japanese name, she has her greencard and no issues getting it or the visa. In there case they filed within a week of marrige. As long as you meet and can prove the requirements, there should be no issue. Japan is not considered a high risk country, so do not create stress worrying.

Which countries are considered "high Risk"? Is there some list or something that I can look at out of curiosity?

[Anh map 2,098]

Which countries are considered "high Risk"? Is there some list or something that I can look at out of curiosity?

There is no official list. High risk = high fraud rate.

Nigeria has been the unquestioned #1. Vietnam is right up there. There is usually a correlation to poor economic conditions.

[Nick1980 11]

There is no official list. High risk = high fraud rate.

Nigeria has been the unquestioned #1. Vietnam is right up there. There is usually a correlation to poor economic conditions.

I figured as much...just kind of curious where Serbia ranked. Its not the poorest country but it seems alot of African and Asian countries are more high fraud.

[LOVE2OURBB 1]

There is no frame time of how soon or how late you should apply for a visa after marriage, what the emmbassy really looks at is the fact that your relationship is a real one, and it seems like you have a lot of evidence to show that your relationship with you fiance is a real one, but on one recomendation i will tell you to make sure even if you dont have a big wedding take pictures of your wedding even if is a civil one, I did not have a wedding with my husband only a civil one and we only presented our marriage liscence and pictures of my trip to his native country, but we had tons of evidence of our relationship since the day we met. Dont let anything stop you or discourage you , i wish you all the luck and you both should be able to get a visa.. I only recommend you be patiendt because it may take longer than what you predict

BEST OF LUCK

[happiestmanalive 23]

5 years long distance means you should have some Skype info, emails, so on and so forth. Get those ready to use as proof that your relationship is a real one and you will be fine.

I went the K-1 visa route. My fiance is currently with me now and we will be getting married in three weeks. But because of the K-1 route, we had to spend a lot of time apart and it sucked. Getting married in Japan and going that way would keep you together more I think. Either way, good luck!

[himher 634]

After the IR/CR visa is issued, your husband has (6) months after the issue date to use it. Ours was issued for instance in October, 2011 and we entered the US at the end of Feb, 2012. The earlier the better - if it's early (like ours was LOL) you have plenty of time to delay your actual move.

It is quite common to file immediately after the wedding. This is what we did.

There is no requirement for "proof of relationship" for IR/CR applications. The K1'ers always advise to send in a lot of that unnecessary #######. Send in exactly what the I130 petition asks for.

Good luck!

This isn't new, and I tried looking around but didn't really find a a particular topic to match mine.

So, I was recently engaged, and plan to go the spousal visa route for me and my fiance. I currently live with my fiance in his home country of Japan(been working here for 9months now, lived together for 6 months, and plan to leave by the end of November). After reading about how there seems to be an unspoken expedited service for petitioning the CR-1 visa when an expat lives overseas in America's case, We decided to get married by the middle or end of the month and have my I-130 out by then too. In your opinion, is that to soon to file for the petition?

I also don't plan to change my last name, I'll save all that paperwork change and stuff when I get back to the states..will that also raise some eyebrows?

I mean, yes we love each other...and we've been in a Long Distance Relationship for 5 years, but I wonder if they would think its a sham marriage...

We also don't plan to have a real official ceremony till 1 year later hopefully

I'm just nervous because we're hoping everything goes right and that he'd be able to join me in the states by late December or January.

Should I wait a lil bit after we're married before we file for the CR-1 visa?

[bigdog 376]

Not sure the name thing is going to be a big deal, my ex brother in law, married somone from Osaka, she kept her japanese name, she has her greencard and no issues getting it or the visa. In there case they filed within a week of marrige. As long as you meet and can prove the requirements, there should be no issue. Japan is not considered a high risk country, so do not create stress worrying.

On the name issue, My wife has her maiden name on Chinese passport and US name her last name as a middle on GC and DL. We have traveled out of US twice no issues and she in the states with her DL which has same name as GC no issues. All Immigration asked me was "is she yours" answer YEP.

[thinkerlove0212 158]

Thanks, thats good to know!! Okay stress towards filing too soon is away, and now stress towards the paperwork!