Secret Marriage during I-130 process

[twentysomething gal 0]

It seems that my petition troubles would never end.

As some of my fellow VJers may recall, I was the one who petitioned my fiance even with the lack of tax return, which was, thank God, approved anyway.

This obviously will require for my fiance and me to get married when he arrives here. However, we did not get my family's (based on the Philippines) approval for this marriage to my fiance's and my dismay. They never wanted us to get married without them attending the FIRST wedding.

We will just try to get a civil wedding here in the US and do not intend to inform our relatives back in my fiance's (and mine too) home country. We are both over 25 years old and I dont think this will raise any issue on our wedding here in the US.

However, I am in the process of petitioning for my mother via I-130. Are there any complications this "secret" wedding may raise? Is the consul going to ask my mother about my status (if single or already married) during her interview?

For those who are curious about how we are going to resolve the "secret wedding" issue, we plan to get a real BIG wedding back in the Phils. right after my fiance gets his AOS or anytime he can go back to the Phils. after coming in the US.

[Boiler 45,939]

You need to declare your status on your application and Affadavit of Support, and if somehow it comes up at your mothers interview and she says your single, well it could mess things up short term.

Sounds like you are over complicating things, you are both adults.

And how do you intend to explain away the K1 Visa anyway?

[twentysomething gal 0]

Sounds like you are over complicating things, you are both adults.

And how do you intend to explain away the K1 Visa anyway?

My family is over complicating things... just a little background on it: Philippine families tend to be very conservative and we are raised in this culture. It was arleady a big step for me to petition my fiance since I was the girl in our case. We (my fiance and I) did not want to get out of my family's good graces so the only way was not to inform them about the K1. As soon as we give them what they want first-- A BIG CHURCH WEDDING-- it will be a smoother ride for us in explaining the K1 thing. I get your point Boiler, I just wish everyone (in my case my family) has your practical and open minded point of view.

I am already submitting my mom's I-864 on monday and our wedding date is not due until May 2007. Analyzing your response, if my mom gets her approval and interview date before I get married, I can get away with it?

Thanks for the quick response!!!

Edited December 30, 2006 by twentysomething gal

[Killer_Clown_2009 0]

Do they know he is going to the US to live with you? They'd rather you live together unmarried than married?

Lol....sorry...there just seems to be some conflicts in the value system somewhere.

[kitkat1 5]

Everything else aside, I doubt your Mom will get approved and a visa before May 2007.

[twentysomething gal 0]

Everything else aside, I doubt your Mom will get approved and a visa before May 2007.

good point, kitkat1.

yeah. there is something terribly wrong with my family's point of view. in fairness to them, they are unaware of the whole K1 thing which makes the situation more complicated. had they known about it, they would definitely disagree, that's why my fiance and I kept it a secret.

i am now on the process of submitting the I-864 affidavit of support. her case had been approved here in the USCIS already last month. i was just wondering if it(my status) is one of the questions that will be asked from her during the interview. If i submit the form I-864 affidavit of support today, that indicates my status as still single, isnt it that it would still be technically correct even if I get married sometime after that? Unless the NVC requires me to update them if I change status during the petition process...

Your comments have been very helpful. I know I am taking a risk and I better be informed while doing that.

Edited December 31, 2006 by twentysomething gal

[Boiler 45,939]

You have to be single when she enters on a K1 Visa.

Anything else and you are`heading for a whole heap of trouble.

If you marry before then the K1 becaomes inbalid and you would start again from scratch with a K3.

Usually I -864 is for when you adjust status, not at the K stage.

[twentysomething gal 0]

You have to be single when she enters on a K1 Visa.

Anything else and you are`heading for a whole heap of trouble.

If you marry before then the K1 becaomes inbalid and you would start again from scratch with a K3.

Usually I -864 is for when you adjust status, not at the K stage.

You might've confused the 2 petitions. the K1 petition is for my fiance, who will be cming to the US this May, which I will be marrying.

The I-864 is for my mother whom I already petitioned last 2006.

[willingboro_steve 0]

Sounds like you are over complicating things, you are both adults.

And how do you intend to explain away the K1 Visa anyway?

My family is over complicating things... just a little background on it: Philippine families tend to be very conservative and we are raised in this culture. It was arleady a big step for me to petition my fiance since I was the girl in our case. We (my fiance and I) did not want to get out of my family's good graces so the only way was not to inform them about the K1. As soon as we give them what they want first-- A BIG CHURCH WEDDING-- it will be a smoother ride for us in explaining the K1 thing. I get your point Boiler, I just wish everyone (in my case my family) has your practical and open minded point of view.

I am already submitting my mom's I-864 on monday and our wedding date is not due until May 2007. Analyzing your response, if my mom gets her approval and interview date before I get married, I can get away with it?

Thanks for the quick response!!!

If you are so concerned with what both of your families think. Both of you could have gotten married in the Phillipines first and then followed another process.

Steve

[diadromous mermaid 36]

Everything else aside, I doubt your Mom will get approved and a visa before May 2007.

good point, kitkat1.

yeah. there is something terribly wrong with my family's point of view. in fairness to them, they are unaware of the whole K1 thing which makes the situation more complicated. had they known about it, they would definitely disagree, that's why my fiance and I kept it a secret.

i am now on the process of submitting the I-864 affidavit of support. her case had been approved here in the USCIS already last month. i was just wondering if it(my status) is one of the questions that will be asked from her during the interview. If i submit the form I-864 affidavit of support today, that indicates my status as still single, isnt it that it would still be technically correct even if I get married sometime after that? Unless the NVC requires me to update them if I change status during the petition process...

Your comments have been very helpful. I know I am taking a risk and I better be informed while doing that.

Filing the I-864 currently, you declare that you are single. In the event that your mother has no visa issued prior to the expiry of the validity period afforded I-864s in that process, another may be requested in which case your marital status may become known at THAT time only. As an aside, you are a USC and your mother's immigrant petition is by virtue of your sponsorship as an adult. I would suggest that should she need to be informed of the change in your marital status you remind her of that .

[mychelle 1]

Everything else aside, I doubt your Mom will get approved and a visa before May 2007.

good point, kitkat1.

yeah. there is something terribly wrong with my family's point of view. in fairness to them, they are unaware of the whole K1 thing which makes the situation more complicated. had they known about it, they would definitely disagree, that's why my fiance and I kept it a secret.

Your comments have been very helpful. I know I am taking a risk and I better be informed while doing that.

you may be required to submit an updated I-864 so the best thing to do is be upfront about your situation with your family. i have to say though that you should have told them before you started the petition. if you tell them now, i'm guessing they'll be more furious than if you let them know ahead of time...but hey, you gotta face the music. trust me...it would be smoother for everyone in the long run.

i can somewhat relate to your situation since i'm the petitioner. we first had to decide where we're going to live to be together and him moving to the US was the best situation for us. he was going to opt for a working visa or a tourist visa to come here (mostly to avoid any talks about me petitioning him and him getting a GC because he's going to marry me) but the expenses and complications that came with those decisions were too much. since the only reason he's leaving his life in the philippines was to move here and marry me, the fiance or spouse visa was more apt for our situation.

i had to be an adult and talked to my mom about it way before we decide to file our 129-F petition. she did not take it too well at first...but once i made her understand she warmed up to the idea (eventually). now that we're married, we didn't have to adjust to each other's family because they knew about our visa journey (hehe...VJ) from the get go.

all i can tell you is that...tell your family and brace for the consequences. it wasn't as bad as i expected...we even had my mom and my aunt as our witnesses for our civil wedding. we look forward to have a church wedding too...in a year or so.

Edited January 2, 2007 by mychelle

[twentysomething gal 0]

great advises, thanks you guys!

Now you got me thinking otherwise!

a cliche, but the truth really does set you free.

[alix 20]

There is one thing I don't understand....are you married or not? How can you bring your husband on a K1? Or are you considering getting married as soon as he gets here on his K1? And how are you intending to go back to the Phillipines before your AOS?