Marrying a non-immigrant in their home country as a US citizen

[GoldenApple 0]

I'm dating currently and my boyfriend is a U.S citizen, we've discussed the possibility of marriage and have begun researching the necessary steps needed. Since I'm the non-immigrant, we wanted to apply for a K-1, have me go to the US, get married so I can have the certificate but we wanted a wedding ceremony in my home country after.

Is this possible? Or should we just marry in my home country and apply for the K-3 Visa for me to move to the US?

Thanks in advance.

We decided that we would do a small wedding in the US after the K-1 Visa is approved. It sounds the most stress-free way and my parents would be able to come as well as long as they had their tourist visas approved by that time.

I just need to know if I have everything listed below in order and that I haven't missed any steps when the time comes for us to start getting everything ready.

1) Make cover letter about our case and show what's in the package, sign and date.

2) File for Form I-129F and pay.

3) Each of us shows an explanation of how we met and sign and date our respective copies.

4) Letters of intent from us both of plans to marry within 90 days, sign and date.

5) Show proof of having met within the last two years, ticket passes, hotel receipts, emails, conversations etc

6) G-325A filled out by each of us.

7) He needs my passport picture to bag and label.

8) He needs a copy of his birth certificate to send in.

9) We've both never been married, changed name or had trouble with the law so don't think we need proof of other things hopefully.

10) I apply for DS-160 to take to the interview after fiance gets letter from NVC, take passport, medical examination documents, two photographs etc.

[NickD 203]

Since I was the US citizen boyfriend and my wife to be was the immigrant and we were getting married in the US, its was she needed to bring that was more important. All of my records are here, she was like 4,000 miles away, also previously married and had a 13 year old daughter to come here, we can leave all this out in your case.

Breaking my brain, a birth certificate, all of her medical records, a police report showing she did not have a crime record, of course she had her passport, her citizen ID, and driver's license, all of her education and employment records, and about three trunks of her personal items. I think this is it, maybe someone else can add to this.

We were never questioned about our relationship, could be because I had a new stepdaughter. The most difficult part for us was that I-693 medical form, trying to find a USCIS approved doctor that would not rob us to death.

[GoldenApple 0]

Well I hope when the time comes, it'll go smoothly, I have my birth certificate and I can get medical records easily enough as I've ever hardly been sick and getting a police certificate isn't difficult to do here but the medical is what worries me because I'm hoping it won't be ridiculously expensive.

The cover letter and letters of intent don't need to be long right?

[NickD 203]

First call was to my health insurance company, not covered, but kind of figured this, they don't cover FAA medical exams either. Learned many of the required vaccinations can be done by our country nurse as well as other communicable diseases like HIV. Just take a blood sample and send it down to the University of Wisconsin Medical school. Charge was 25 bucks per person with a certificate given.

Doctors do exactly the same thing, but can charge as much as 500 bucks for the same thing. We received certificates for all the tests, TB was another.

Then calling USCIS approved doctors, first was $5,000.00 per person, another was $2,500 per person, told them I had all the certificates, wanted to do their own. Did find a country doctor that agreed to accept these at $350.00 per person. To make life easy for him, I downloaded the I-693 forms, filled in all the top information correctly with Acrobat and printed out five copies of each. Ever try to read a doctors hand writing?

My wife also translated key information into English that the I-693 required. Also in dealing with a country doctor, we got an appointment in three days, but was a 400 mile drive for us. Not bad, three hours in the morning, another three in the afternoon. But for some reason would not FedEx the results, so I had to drive back, this time alone to pick them up. I-693's were in seal envelopes but was nice enough to give me copies of what was inside. Paid the $700.00 and said, thank you very much. Could have been as much as $10,000.00 by jumping at the first doctor I contacted. Was not afraid to ask for quotes first and in writing.

Best news, but I-693's were approved by the USCIS. This doctor told me, this was the easiest I-693 he ever filled out, everything was organized for him. Thought he was going to give me a break on that $700.00, but no such luck, didn't ask for one, just paid it.

[GoldenApple 0]

Damn, I was going to ask if health insurance would cover it. I guess it won't hurt to ask the company here about it. I wonder if I can have it all done at the clinic to help with cost.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[GoldenApple 0]

Before I met my boyfriend, months ago I had gone to a Canadian job fair and left my information, they have gotten back to me and want to interview me in the coming week, if I do get that job and go to Canada on a two year work visa, how complicated will this make the K-1process if my boyfriend and I wished to get married before those two years are up?

[GoldenApple 0]

Should I just skip this interview?

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

People on work visas in countries not their citizenship nation get k-1 and spousal visas all the time. I *think* it might mean you do your interview in Montreal or Vancouver instead of in Barbados, but I might be wrong on that. Go to the interview! You never know how long the visa process will take, don't focus your whole life on it.

[GoldenApple 0]

Alright, I'll do the interview then, I just wasn't sure if it'd be like an added complication with me potentially being in Canada for two years if I had to get this job. On one hand, my bf and I would be a bit closer which is cool and why I'm pretty eager to see my chances of a successful interview happening so if I can do the paperwork in Canada without an issue then awesome. I just wasn't sure but you set my mind at ease.

Thank you

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

Keep in mind that if you can't get out of your contract before the two years is up, well, you DO have to activate your K-1 within 6 months of getting it and you won't be able to get Advanced Parole for probably three months, so you're stuck within the US until AP and/or your greencard. So look at that, too. But do the interview and see what all the details are, I think.

[GoldenApple 0]

Alright, thanks for that added info. Will definitely have to see how it all goes, since there's no guarantee I'll get that job but I like knowing our options.