Starting the K-1 Process

[rswan 0]

Hey everyone, first off I think it is great to have such a resource so thank you to everyone who helps out!

Today I begin the K-1 Process, I am filling out application now, and I am following the guide for the K-1 for the first leg of the process.

Now i remember reading the the USCIS website, that you cannot get married. Which makes perfect sense to me since the point is to bring your fiance over not your wife/husband.

My fiance's family however want us to have a "ceremony" in a church when i next fly to my fiance's home country. Not a legal registrated wedding just the ceremony. I told them, i do not think it is possible. Is this correct or no? They just want a ceremony in their home country since most of them wont be able to make it here to the U.S . My opinion is dont risk agitating the process by having a church ceremony, but my fiance wants me to find out if it will have a negative affect or if we can in fact do a ceremony.

What do all of you think?

[nessmj77 6]

If you plan to go through a ceremony in your fiance's home country, you could always hold off on applying for the K1 fiance visa and apply for the K3 spousal visa once you get married. I'm not really familiar with all of this ceremony stuff. If it would bind you as husband and wife or "married", then I would say don't do it if you plan to apply for a K1 fiance visa.

[Pitaya 2,577]

Hey everyone, first off I think it is great to have such a resource so thank you to everyone who helps out!

Today I begin the K-1 Process, I am filling out application now, and I am following the guide for the K-1 for the first leg of the process.

Now i remember reading the the USCIS website, that you cannot get married. Which makes perfect sense to me since the point is to bring your fiance over not your wife/husband.

My fiance's family however want us to have a "ceremony" in a church when i next fly to my fiance's home country. Not a legal registrated wedding just the ceremony. I told them, i do not think it is possible. Is this correct or no? They just want a ceremony in their home country since most of them wont be able to make it here to the U.S . My opinion is dont risk agitating the process by having a church ceremony, but my fiance wants me to find out if it will have a negative affect or if we can in fact do a ceremony.

What do all of you think?

Welcome to the forum.

You ask an interesting question, and one that has been asked numerous times before. Be very careful of having such a "marriage ceremony" in another country prior to doing the K-1 Fiance(e) process and getting married in the US. If the USCIS, or the interviewing consulate official have any knowledge of such a "marriage ceremony" it could be construed as a marriage and determine that you are not eligible for a K-1 Fiance(e) visa, and rule that you are trying to commit immigration fraud.

One solution that some folks have done is to do the K-1 process, get married in the US, and then go back to their other country for the other "marriage ceremony" to meet familial commitments.

If you want to do the "marriage ceremony" in the other country, go for the spoual IR-1/CR-1 visa, K-3 is basically obsolete.

Use the forum's Google search function to find other similar-themed threads.

Good luck on your visa journey.

Edited September 11, 2012 by A&B

[Loida and Ed 11]

Careful of this though... In some countries a ceremony or even a dowry constitutes a "marriage". You can search other posts showing this as a problem. If this occurs, the financials you spend will have to be re-dont with a marriage visa instead Food for thought !

and ohhh... Welcome to VJ

Edited September 11, 2012 by Loida and Ed

[afoyoswa 178]

We thought about doing something like this, but decided against it as it is so fraught with potential snags, the biggest of which being that it's virtually impossible to prove that you're NOT married if some part of the U.S. government ends up thinking you are. How about a big "engagement party" with her family, instead? You can have special food, speeches, fancy clothes, etc. and the family can celebrate.

[aws&ndd 103]

I would advise doing a ceremony AFTER you have been legally married here in the US if you are going the K-1 route. As others have stated, a ceremony--regardless of whether it is legally binding or not--can be viewed as being married already. Take care with this. Good luck!

[MyBeloved 0]

Hey everyone, first off I think it is great to have such a resource so thank you to everyone who helps out!

Today I begin the K-1 Process, I am filling out application now, and I am following the guide for the K-1 for the first leg of the process.

Now i remember reading the the USCIS website, that you cannot get married. Which makes perfect sense to me since the point is to bring your fiance over not your wife/husband.

My fiance's family however want us to have a "ceremony" in a church when i next fly to my fiance's home country. Not a legal registrated wedding just the ceremony. I told them, i do not think it is possible. Is this correct or no? They just want a ceremony in their home country since most of them wont be able to make it here to the U.S . My opinion is dont risk agitating the process by having a church ceremony, but my fiance wants me to find out if it will have a negative affect or if we can in fact do a ceremony.

What do all of you think?

that's what you called "Covenant Marriage" yes you can do the ceremony!! just don't tell the consular about it because they will not acknowledge it....and don't show the pictures, that's what we do....in respecting my family and my beliefs, we do the covenant marriage,and hey.....it's not just a ceremony...it is between you,God and your fiance...it won't have negative effect...We did it and I made it here!!

[rswan 0]

Alright, I kind of agree with everything here as well, it is kind of what I was thinking. I will just wait till after we are married legally in the U.S just avoid the whole situation all together.

thanks all! you have all been a great help!!

[C-ma'am 684]

Alright, I kind of agree with everything here as well, it is kind of what I was thinking. I will just wait till after we are married legally in the U.S just avoid the whole situation all together.

thanks all! you have all been a great help!!

As afoyoswa said, it's virtually impossible to prove that you're NOT married. It's better to be safe than sorry.

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

Alright, I kind of agree with everything here as well, it is kind of what I was thinking. I will just wait till after we are married legally in the U.S just avoid the whole situation all together.

thanks all! you have all been a great help!!

An astute decision.

What's the hurry for a celebration anyways when you're going to spend the rest of your life with this person.

Gowon explain the immigration process to my future Mother In Law so that she can see the reason behind my steadfast refusal to engage in any dowry/ceremony nonsense. Once we are married and AOS'd then we will go back home to Nigeria and give the family their feast.