Tourist visa to marry but not stay?

[Smfr212 0]

Hi,

my fiancé and I are planning the exact same thing and I was just curious what happened. Did you have trouble at the port of entry, or did everything go fine? Did you bring any supporting documents (e.g. evidence that you will leave)?

I have a Tourist visa and i'm going to marry my girl friend while i'm in the US but i wont stay and i will go back to my home country ..is that illegal ? and will i face any problem when i try to visit her in the summer as I'm not ready to move to the US yet so being married wont affect my current visa ?

Everyone: What kind of documents would be recommended to show the immigration officer that you will not file for AOS.

[Penguin_ie 5,996]

**** topic split from 2+ year old topic, as OP of that topic has not logged on in over a year and policies can change *****

First of all, being from Germany you will not need a tourist visa, and your entry to the US should be easier.

In terms of documentation- it is as much about what you bring (letter from employer when you are expected back, enrollment to uni or such ties), as what you do not bring- if you come with four suitcases packed full of documents, photo albums and nick-nacks, they will be suspicious you want to stay.

[B & G 200]

Since you are from Germany, I am assuming you will be using VWP to travel to the US. There is nothing illegal about marrying in the US as long as you don't stay to AOS.

My husband and I got married in April 2013. I entered on a VW. At POE this was my conversation with the officer:

Me: Good evening Sir.

Officer: Good evening, are you bringing any fruit with you into the US.

Me: No Sir, Im not bringing any edible items with me.

Officer: ok. (stamps my passport) place you right hand...etc

That was it.

I know I am probably the exception to the usual line of questioning. But as others have adviced on VJ, be truthful in your answers but don't volunteer more information.

So if asked the purpose of your visit, answer vacation, which techinically it is. And so on and so forth.

I do suggest you bring ties to your country such as letter from employer, house/apartment lease, bank account info anything that shows your address in Germany.

Travel insurance for your time in the US is also a good idea.

And limit the amount of days you are staying. Most problems at POE and second interviews usually occur when frequent and lengthy stays are made to the US. eg. stay for 90 days, leave for 90 days, come back and want to stay another 90 days.

[przyjaciel 5]

Marriage tourism is big business in the United States, with thousands of couples that are foreign nationals, American citizens or permanent residents and combinations of the two getting married each year in Las Vegas alone.

If you do not plan to immigrate, then coming into the United States on a tourist visa and getting married is not a problem.

As previous posters have said, don't volunteer information you don't have to and just be honest. Return ticket, booked hotel rooms, car rentals and travel insurance can be shown as proof of the short-term and tourist nature of your trip, if needed.

An issue would arise if your partner decided to stay and adjust status, since then they would be breaking the law by misrepresenting the purpose of their visit on entry and be committing fraud. People have done this, but then it is up to the filer to prove their intent on entry was not immigration.

[Smfr212 0]

My husband and I got married in April 2013. I entered on a VW. At POE this was my conversation with the officer:

Me: Good evening Sir.

Officer: Good evening, are you bringing any fruit with you into the US.

Me: No Sir, Im not bringing any edible items with me.

Officer: ok. (stamps my passport) place you right hand...etc

love it! haha...

What kind of supporting documents did you bring, just in case?

[JayJayH 546]

love it! haha...

What kind of supporting documents did you bring, just in case?

German citizens don't usually need a tourist visa to travel to the US for tourism (including marriage) and/or short business trips.

To find out if you're eligible to travel on the Visa Waiver Program, complete ESTA online here https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ it costs $14. If it comes back as "travel authorized" all you need is a plane ticket.

Who is eligible?

You're generally eligible if you:

1. Are a citizen of one of the countries listed here http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/visit/visa-waiver-program.html

2. Plan to visit the US for less than 90 days, and your trip is for tourism and/or a short business trip.

Who is not eligible?

You're not eligible if you:

1. Have a convicition for a crime involving moral turpitude (http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/what-s-crime-moral-turpitude-according-us-immigration-law.html)

2. Have previously violated a visa, or overstayed a visa to the US.

3. Have recently been denied a visa to the US.

4. Plan to stay longer than 90 days.

5. At the end of your stay, you're visiting Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean.

6. Plan to work, study or move to the US.

Edited April 23, 2014 by Yang-Ja

[JayJayH 546]

As far as documents to bring. The strongest evidence of ties to Germany you could show in your situation I believe would be evidence of a steady income/job in Germany that you do not plan on leaving. A couple of pay stubs and an employer letter should help. If you own property in Germany, house, car, land etc., bring evidence of that too. If your fiance(e) plans to move to Germany with you, anything showing those plans will be a great asset.

[Eric-Pris 1,607]

It depends on the CBP officer that you get.

You may be asked:

-what is the purpose of your trip?

-do you know anybody in the US/who are you visiting?

-where are you staying?

It's always good to tell the truth but if you volunteer that you have aboyfriend/fiancee, you may be turned away. It's a crapshoot.