Self-Officiated Marriage and AOS

[IntoTheLight 5]

Hey Everyone,

My fiance and I were just approved for our K1 visa and are getting ready for POE and the wedding. We plan to get married in Pennsylvania, where his family lives, then fly home to where he lives and works in Arizona, where we would be filing for AOS.

We would like to use the Self-Officiated marriage option that PA allows, but I'm concerned it could cause problems with the AOS because we will be living in a state that does not have a self-officiating option. Will it be okay? I assume the license would be valid anywhere in the US, but do you think it will cause us any problems compared to a normal one?

Our ceremony will just be a tiny one at his aunt's house, with only immediate family there, but we will have the actual wedding dress and cake and such, so there will be photos showing that it was a "real" wedding. Just no officiant (pastor, judge, etc).

Any advice?

Thanks.

[ricnally 258]

I have no advice, but just wanted to say that's so interesting that it's allowed there--probably because of the Quaker origins in that state. And common sense suggests that it should be no problem with re: to AOS.

[Hypnos 6,576]

Provided your marriage was legal under the laws of the state in which you married then it shouldn't be an issue. People marry in one state and live in another all the time. Just make sure there is no residency requirement that you need to meet, or if there is, that you do meet it.

From cursory Google searching it seems that not all counties in PA will issue a self-uniting marriage licence, so you should check with the clerk of the county in which you wish to marry that this is something they offer.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Hypnos

[IntoTheLight 5]

I have no advice, but just wanted to say that's so interesting that it's allowed there--probably because of the Quaker origins in that state. And common sense suggests that it should be no problem with re: to AOS.

Yes, it's because of the Quaker origins. I think it's a pretty cool option.

Provided your marriage was legal under the laws of the state in which you married then it shouldn't be an issue. People marry in one state and live in another all the time. Just make sure there is no residency requirement that you need to meet, or if there is, that you do meet it.

From cursory Google searching it seems that not all counties in PA will issue a self-uniting marriage licence, so you should check with the clerk of the county in which you wish to marry that this is something they offer.

Cool, thanks. I'll look further into it. I've never even been to PA, so have very little knowledge of the laws and had no idea it wasn't state-wide. Worst case, we'll just get it done at the court house or wherever, if not.