BINATIONAL SAME SEX COUPLES !! Show up!

[GF1804 12]

Wow so many heart warming stories.

I can't believe that some of you guys have been separated for many years (that must be so difficult). For us being apart wasn't an option so my husband moved to the UK here and has adapted well.

A little about us my husband and I have lived in exile in the UK for the last 10 years until DOMA finally fell. I'm a UKC and he is USC (although as we were living here we went through the process in 2007 of civil partnership and his immigration for UK citizenship and now my husband is a dual national.

We have always wanted to move and live in the US and finally in Oct 2013 we decided to get married (again) in NY. A couple of days later we filed our paperwork DCF in London who so far have been great. We now have NOA2 approval and packet 3 has been sent my medical is booked for 4 Feb 2014 and then its just a huge matter of the interview and fingers crossed....Summer 2014 we can finally move to the US to be with our extended family.

We are used to the constant stream of paperwork and waiting, just have to sell our UK home now and car and we should be ready should everything go well at our interview (current time estimates put this around late March to Mid April)

Good luck everyone!!!

[ivanalex1980 34]

AFTER you receive your green card you are free to travel outside the US if it's for not more than a year, before that it all depends on your status. My wife had an H1B visa so she could have travel outside the US before receiving the green card

thanks so after i receive green card i can travel outside the US but you also said If its for not more than a year, what do you mean?

[ivanalex1980 34]

I'm in Illinois, and we'll get married in Minnesota.

I have one question: Would it raise a red flag for USCIS if we sent our immigration documents on the day we get married? I do not believe this is a problem, given we've been preparing for these documents for months! I need to have my I-695 completed by a civil surgeon.

If you plan to apply for K1 visa and get married while your aplication is in process , then yes getting married is a huge red flag, it is a direct denial. If you apply spousal visa then its fine

[ivanalex1980 34]

It's just so frustrating that when we ask some lawyers, they say that we might have a hard time cause my fiance lives in a state that doesn't recognize same sex marriage. so now we're getting more anxious.

your lawyer is WRONG. my fiance lives in the state where same sex marriage is not recognized. We just included in the affidavit that we are getting married in new york.

my application got approved by USCIS. I got approved at the interview in the embassy, and now i am in USA with my fiance.

i dont think you have a reason to believe your lawyer and worry about that.

[pinayanne27 8]

your lawyer is WRONG. my fiance lives in the state where same sex marriage is not recognized. We just included in the affidavit that we are getting married in new york.

my application got approved by USCIS. I got approved at the interview in the embassy, and now i am in USA with my fiance.

i dont think you have a reason to believe your lawyer and worry about that.

Your fiance is from what state?

In addition, how much was your total expenses?

[pinayanne27 8]

Has anyone tried to get a name change through marriage?

We just filed for a K-1 a few days ago, and I'd like to take her last name after we get married. Ohio doesn't recognize same-sex marriage, so I'm a bit confused about our options. Social security should take our NY marriage certificate as proof of name change, right? But from what I understand I would have to change my name through a court order for it to be valid in OH. Since I'm the beneficiary, I'm not even sure when I would be able to do this. Before we file? After we get the AOS NOA1? Would I have to wait all the way until I get my green card? There's also the whole cluster of traveling back to a country that doesn't recognize same-sex marriage with passport and green card in different names. Anyone have any experience with this? When I visited her on a B2 I had my visa checked 5 times before I even got to board the plane to the US. I'm afraid some bigot will refuse to let me on. This shouldn't have to be this complicated...

We have the same question as yours.

What will be my status when we live in a state where same sex is not recognized? What are conditions?

[USanCANlove 3]

hey all, just wanted to send a little update! We recevied our NOA-1... Dec. 10. Texas Service Center. Hopefully things start to turn around because we can't live together until we have been approved! Good luck to everyone!

Also I have gone through a lawyer to help file everything and make sure nothing is missing. Hopefully this answers some questions for you all... My lawyer said that as long as you get married in a state that recognizes same sex marriage you will be fine. Federally as long as you received a bona fide marriage is one of those states that's all that matters for immigration purposes. Hope that helps!

[Davesings 30]

Wow so many heart warming stories.

I can't believe that some of you guys have been separated for many years (that must be so difficult). For us being apart wasn't an option so my husband moved to the UK here and has adapted well.

A little about us my husband and I have lived in exile in the UK for the last 10 years until DOMA finally fell. I'm a UKC and he is USC (although as we were living here we went through the process in 2007 of civil partnership and his immigration for UK citizenship and now my husband is a dual national.

We have always wanted to move and live in the US and finally in Oct 2013 we decided to get married (again) in NY. A couple of days later we filed our paperwork DCF in London who so far have been great. We now have NOA2 approval and packet 3 has been sent my medical is booked for 4 Feb 2014 and then its just a huge matter of the interview and fingers crossed....Summer 2014 we can finally move to the US to be with our extended family.

We are used to the constant stream of paperwork and waiting, just have to sell our UK home now and car and we should be ready should everything go well at our interview (current time estimates put this around late March to Mid April)

Good luck everyone!!!

HI guys, good luck on your journey. It's nice to "meet" another gay binational London-New York couple. Although I realized you've both been living in the UK. We are getting married on our 11th anniversary. I am the NY based USC and my fiance is moving here from London. Interview on 23 Jan!

Edited January 14, 2014 by Davesings

[GF1804 12]

HI guys, good luck on your journey. It's nice to "meet" another gay binational London-New York couple. Although I realized you've both been living in the UK. We are getting married on our 11th anniversary. I am the NY based USC and my fiance is moving here from London. Interview on 23 Jan!

Best of luck Davesings!

We actually got married in Northport on LI. I'm sure your fiance will rock the interview. We are going through final stages of CR-1 visa. My medical is 4th Feb.

11 years - same as us and you both still live apart that's incredible and proves it's meant to be. If you can make trans-atlantic work you can make anything work.

Good luck at the interview - hope it goes well!!! Let me know how it goes?

GF

[sharky-rex 76]

I'm in Illinois, and we'll get married in Minnesota.

I have one question: Would it raise a red flag for USCIS if we sent our immigration documents on the day we get married? I do not believe this is a problem, given we've been preparing for these documents for months! I need to have my I-695 completed by a civil surgeon.

I don't think it'll raise any flags if you file for AOS the same day you get married. Are you sure you'll be able to get your marriage certificate the same day, though?

[Ayumi_Hamasaki 4]

I don't think it'll raise any flags if you file for AOS the same day you get married. Are you sure you'll be able to get your marriage certificate the same day, though?

Good question. I don't know how long it takes for us to get a marriage certificate. A quick search gave me this.

What the officiant will do after the ceremony

• Print or type the names of the witnesses along with your name (the officiant) and credentials on the appropriate lines.
• The applicants, witnesses, and officiant must sign the license.
• Complete souvenir copies of the marriage license and give to the party(s).
• Make sure the license is complete and return it in the pre-addressed envelope within FIVE (5) DAYS of the ceremony to the:

So I'm thinking that we'll be able to get "souvenir copies" after the ceremony...? I'll find this out soon.

[sharky-rex 76]

So I'm thinking that we'll be able to get "souvenir copies" after the ceremony...? I'll find this out soon.

Let us know how it goes. Good luck!

[Sukie 1,450]

Good question. I don't know how long it takes for us to get a marriage certificate. A quick search gave me this.

What the officiant will do after the ceremony

• Print or type the names of the witnesses along with your name (the officiant) and credentials on the appropriate lines.
• The applicants, witnesses, and officiant must sign the license.
• Complete souvenir copies of the marriage license and give to the party(s).
• Make sure the license is complete and return it in the pre-addressed envelope within FIVE (5) DAYS of the ceremony to the:

So I'm thinking that we'll be able to get "souvenir copies" after the ceremony...? I'll find this out soon.

Not sure what state you are in - so cannot answer with total certainty....

You need to make sure your marriage is REGISTERED in your state. Your souvenir copies might be nice and pretty, but until your state actually "registers" your marriage in their books, you should probably wait to file.

There was another person in a forum who received an RFE because the adjudicator didn't understand the "registration" information at the top of her wedding certificate.

Not sure if it would stop you from applying at all - but you might get an RFE later for a "registered" copy.

Check and see what that "within FIVE (5) DAYS of the ceremony" is all about.

I know (in New York State) we had to wait until our officiant gave the signed licence to the Town Clerk, and she "registered" it on the New York State database. He knew we were in a hurry - so we got "real" copies of our license in 3 days.

Sukie

[susysteele 9]

Interview today....and APPROVED! We couldn't be happier. They asked some rather odd questions, considering I was married previously (to a man)...as in they asked how did my fiancee know that I wouldn't go back to men. I would have been offended, but my fiancee just laughed it off and said "trust me, she's gay!" Anyways....very happy to have it over with. Now we just have to get the visa and get her to the U.S. A month from now she'll be home and I can't wait!!!!

[Blaga-Tina 15]

Interview today....and APPROVED! We couldn't be happier. They asked some rather odd questions, considering I was married previously (to a man)...as in they asked how did my fiancee know that I wouldn't go back to men. I would have been offended, but my fiancee just laughed it off and said "trust me, she's gay!" Anyways....very happy to have it over with. Now we just have to get the visa and get her to the U.S. A month from now she'll be home and I can't wait!!!!

Congratulations! That is really an odd question they asked you... I wonder what other questions they had for you. Will you be able to submit a review about how the interview went?