Important question regarding our wedding date before visa approval

[Jess & Ian 0]

I believe they say 40 days for the police cert in the UK. Assuming that he doesnt get the visa before the wedding date make sure he brings lots of evidence of ties back to the UK. You dont want him denied at entry because they think he's going to stay... But lets think positive and home the cert comes tomorrow and you get the interview in a few weeks! Sending positive vibes your way... that's my + vibe face

The bottom line is, if you get legally married before the interview, the K1 will be denied. If you happen to get married and don't tell them, then you will have some explaining to do with it comes to your AOS. They will require a marriage certificate and will see you were married before the Visa was issued. Do you really want to fight that battle? They may see it as you obtained a K1 visa Fraudulantly.

Wait for it.... or get married and file for a K3.

If we don't get the visa, we are not "legally" getting married. We will not sign the marriage license until we are okay to do so. We will just have a ceremony to recognize our marriage.

[msu17 0]

I believe they say 40 days for the police cert in the UK. Assuming that he doesnt get the visa before the wedding date make sure he brings lots of evidence of ties back to the UK. You dont want him denied at entry because they think he's going to stay... But lets think positive and home the cert comes tomorrow and you get the interview in a few weeks! Sending positive vibes your way... that's my + vibe face

The bottom line is, if you get legally married before the interview, the K1 will be denied. If you happen to get married and don't tell them, then you will have some explaining to do with it comes to your AOS. They will require a marriage certificate and will see you were married before the Visa was issued. Do you really want to fight that battle? They may see it as you obtained a K1 visa Fraudulantly.

Wait for it.... or get married and file for a K3.

Ummm, ya... That's why we are all telling them NOT to get legally married. My post was simply saying if he comes for a NON-LEGAL ceremony, bring lots of ties back to the UK.

[Marina + Dave 0]

Yes, that's exactly our situation. We are waiting for him to get the police certificate so he can send in the packet. Does it really take a month to get an interview? If so, he needs to send that packet in tomorrow!! Our wedding is 5 weeks from Saturday. What will happen if they schedule the interview before he gets the police certificate? Will we need to start the whole thing over? I'm also a little nervous that if he doesn't get the interview before he leaves that they will end up scheduling it right around our wedding or honeymoon which would be a disaster!

I agree with you that he should send the checklist in, I'm going to tell him to do that. I just know he's a little hesistant but we have to! Scotland Yard recieved his police forms a few weeks ago so we should be close to getting it.

Thank you so much for your advice, I'm sure you'll make your wedding date. Would you recommend waiting until the very last minute to book our honeymoon just in case? I hate having to go through this, international relationships are so hard!

I will try to fill in my timeline this week, I need to dig all the dates up.

Your question: What happens if he gets the interview scheduled before the police cert comes?

---of course I can't say for sure, but if you look at most peoples timelines it does take about 1-2 months in between sending in the checklist and having your interview. So, the likelihood that he will get the interview before he gets the police cert is very low. But, if he does get the interview before it comes...I don't know really! That's the risk we are taking as well. You can always reschedule your interview -that's not against the rules at all! However, I do not know how long it would take to get a new one. So the answer is, no you wont need to start the whole thing over!!

You are worried about them scheduling it around your wedding or honeymoon..

----yes that sounds like a huge possibility (especially for the honeymoon). I hate to say it, but I really doubt he'll get the interview before the wedding (especially because you said he was leaving for the states in 3 weeks time!). I'd recommend just having your wedding like you really really want to have it, like you have planned. Have him come when he's scheduled to come (unless the embassy goes ahead and schedules you an interivew or something). THEN if the embassy schedules the interview while he is in the states he can just call them and explain that he isn't in the country right now -he's on holiday!- and they will reschedule it. We're going on holiday from April 29-May3 (very likely dates for around our interview time) but if they schedule it then we're just going to have to reschedule it!

You ask if I'd recommend waiting to book the honeymoon?

----YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!! Unless the embassy schedules you an interview and you KNOW he's going to make it, then I would definitely wait. Keep in mind it can take anywhere from 24 hours to 1 week after an APPROVED interview to get the visa in the UK (and they could ask him to turn in more proof of certain things before they even approve him, so it could take even longer). I'm not trying to frighten you and you COULD make it...but I just want you to be aware of all of the issues going on here. Really, I'd recommend putting the honeymoon on a hold until you know FOR SURE when he'll be here. Or, for when you know he'll have the interview. If he has the interview in 3 weeks then I'd put the honeymoon on hold for at least 6....just an example.

Hope this helps and if you want you are welcome to PM me.

Talk to you later!

[*JG* 2]

I believe they say 40 days for the police cert in the UK. Assuming that he doesnt get the visa before the wedding date make sure he brings lots of evidence of ties back to the UK. You dont want him denied at entry because they think he's going to stay... But lets think positive and home the cert comes tomorrow and you get the interview in a few weeks! Sending positive vibes your way... that's my + vibe face

The bottom line is, if you get legally married before the interview, the K1 will be denied. If you happen to get married and don't tell them, then you will have some explaining to do with it comes to your AOS. They will require a marriage certificate and will see you were married before the Visa was issued. Do you really want to fight that battle? They may see it as you obtained a K1 visa Fraudulantly.

Wait for it.... or get married and file for a K3.

I completely agree with this.

While I was originally thinking WTH were you thinking, I get it now. I too looked long and hard for a site just like this before figuring it all out on my own via trial and error and finding this after. So, I do know what you went/are going through.

I wish you luck. My advice is to now sweat it at all. There are enough things to sweat in this whole process and your wedding should not be one of them NOW. If you have to use the whole thing you booked already, do it without making it legal. Then, when he gets here, go to the courthouse and make it legal. I would not switch to a K3 now. It's too far along in the process.

If you end up making it through beforehand, it's all good then.

Either way, this is pretty much the celebration of this long, rough process. Celebrate it either way and just go with the flow.

[JenT 0]

David's UK police certificate took 41 days from the date he filed..... I've seen few exceptions to this 40-day rule, but some seem to have been posted here as I scanned the responses.

You are also assuming he passes his interview.... being from the UK, it's likely that he will, but what if he doesn't?

If he does not get his visa in time and if he enters the US on the VWP (assuming he's allowed entry), you can marry as scheduled but he will have to return to the UK and you will have to file for him as a K3. That will take another 6-12 months from the time you file.

Your only other choice, it seems, if he does not get his visa, is for you to postpone the wedding.

Jen

[TracyTN 237]

Your question: What happens if he gets the interview scheduled before the police cert comes?

---of course I can't say for sure, but if you look at most peoples timelines it does take about 1-2 months in between sending in the checklist and having your interview. So, the likelihood that he will get the interview before he gets the police cert is very low. But, if he does get the interview before it comes...I don't know really! That's the risk we are taking as well. You can always reschedule your interview -that's not against the rules at all! However, I do not know how long it would take to get a new one. So the answer is, no you wont need to start the whole thing over!!

They would tell him that the visa is approved, pending their receipt of the police certificate.

[Duke 0]

I'm in the same boat as you. And, yes, our "wedding" date was set BEFORE I discovered this site, so I cannot go back and change history. However, I'm not stressed, as I consider the church ceremony the "real" wedding. In my mind, a marriage license doesn't make me married. It simply allows us to share last names, file joint tax returns, share in insurance benefits, own community property, etc.

Think of it this way: Suppose you have your big church wedding and mail your marriage license to the County. Then, several years later, you discover that the license was never received and/or registered by the County. In other words, LEGALLY you would not have been married all those years. However, would you FEEL unmarried? I know I wouldn't. I would simply file a new marriage license, and go on with life. It's the vows before God that matter to me, not a piece of paper filed with the courthouse.

In other words, I'm perfectly fine with my "legal" wedding occuring months after my "church" wedding. I just have to train my fiance to continue to use the terms "fiance" and "engaged" when she enters the States on the VWP, and when she goes in for her interview.

[JamalNTam 1]

I received my police cert today after 28 days from filing it.

[Dan&Tiffany 0]

We are facing the exact same situation. We planned our wedding long before finding this website (or knowing any better). The wedding is planned for August 11 with invitations printed and money already going into the ceremony and reception. I know it's still 4 months away, but we've only gotten the NOA1 so far. It would be so disappointing not to be able to have "the real thing" on our wedding day. I know it shouldn't really matter, but after all that we've been through - I can't stand the thought of him having to go back to the UK again after the wedding. I'm not in panic mode yet, but...May...YIKES! Best of luck to you guys!

[Jess & Ian 0]

We are facing the exact same situation. We planned our wedding long before finding this website (or knowing any better). The wedding is planned for August 11 with invitations printed and money already going into the ceremony and reception. I know it's still 4 months away, but we've only gotten the NOA1 so far. It would be so disappointing not to be able to have "the real thing" on our wedding day. I know it shouldn't really matter, but after all that we've been through - I can't stand the thought of him having to go back to the UK again after the wedding. I'm not in panic mode yet, but...May...YIKES! Best of luck to you guys!

You guys should be fine with an August wedding date. Our NOA2 came really fast. The whole process on my side was amazing quick. my thoughts to you is to make sure your fiance starts the whole process of getting his police certificate now. We had no idea we even needed that until Ian saw it in the packet. It has been the only thing delaying us.

I am a little sad about possibly not being able to "legally" be marrying him on May 12th but I'm also really positive about everything and I realize that eventually we will finally be together. It is such a process to get there though. After 3 long years I am ready!

Goodluck to you guys, you will be fine as long as you don't delay in any of the steps.

[Marina + Dave 0]

We are facing the exact same situation. We planned our wedding long before finding this website (or knowing any better). The wedding is planned for August 11 with invitations printed and money already going into the ceremony and reception. I know it's still 4 months away, but we've only gotten the NOA1 so far. It would be so disappointing not to be able to have "the real thing" on our wedding day. I know it shouldn't really matter, but after all that we've been through - I can't stand the thought of him having to go back to the UK again after the wedding. I'm not in panic mode yet, but...May...YIKES! Best of luck to you guys!

You guys should be fine with an August wedding date. Our NOA2 came really fast. The whole process on my side was amazing quick. my thoughts to you is to make sure your fiance starts the whole process of getting his police certificate now. We had no idea we even needed that until Ian saw it in the packet. It has been the only thing delaying us.

I am a little sad about possibly not being able to "legally" be marrying him on May 12th but I'm also really positive about everything and I realize that eventually we will finally be together. It is such a process to get there though. After 3 long years I am ready!

Goodluck to you guys, you will be fine as long as you don't delay in any of the steps.

Man I hate continuing to be the one with the bad news but...your process went so quick because you went through Vermont. The rest of us have to wait 2+ months before we get our NOA2s cause we go through California/Texas.

Vermont is known for going really fast. Some Vermonters get their NOA2s in 2 weeks whereas we wait 2 whole months! If they just got their NOA1 they probably have about 1.5 or more months to wait until their NOA2 (so mid May-ish?), then (if it goes by normalish standards) about a month to get Packet 3 (Junish) and about 1.5 months for Packet 4 and interview (July/August-ish). So yeah, they may make it. I just want everyone to be realistic here...I'm not trying to be the bad guy I swear!!!

I just know that if I was planning my wedding with the possibility of it not being the 'real thing' on the 'big day' (which I am!!) that I'd want to know as soon as possible if there was a big chance I wasn't going to make it. You know? Maybe that's just me, but I think I'd want to have enough time as possible to come to grips with that and understand it.

Look at the timelines and you should be okay!

Good Luck!

[Duke 0]

I just know that if I was planning my wedding with the possibility of it not being the 'real thing' on the 'big day' (which I am!!) that I'd want to know as soon as possible if there was a big chance I wasn't going to make it. You know? Maybe that's just me, but I think I'd want to have enough time as possible to come to grips with that and understand it.

It depends on what you consider the 'real thing'.

[TracyTN 237]

We are facing the exact same situation. We planned our wedding long before finding this website (or knowing any better). The wedding is planned for August 11 with invitations printed and money already going into the ceremony and reception. I know it's still 4 months away, but we've only gotten the NOA1 so far. It would be so disappointing not to be able to have "the real thing" on our wedding day. I know it shouldn't really matter, but after all that we've been through - I can't stand the thought of him having to go back to the UK again after the wedding. I'm not in panic mode yet, but...May...YIKES! Best of luck to you guys!

You guys should be fine with an August wedding date. Our NOA2 came really fast. The whole process on my side was amazing quick. my thoughts to you is to make sure your fiance starts the whole process of getting his police certificate now. We had no idea we even needed that until Ian saw it in the packet. It has been the only thing delaying us.

I am a little sad about possibly not being able to "legally" be marrying him on May 12th but I'm also really positive about everything and I realize that eventually we will finally be together. It is such a process to get there though. After 3 long years I am ready!

Goodluck to you guys, you will be fine as long as you don't delay in any of the steps.

Man I hate continuing to be the one with the bad news but...your process went so quick because you went through Vermont. The rest of us have to wait 2+ months before we get our NOA2s cause we go through California/Texas.

Vermont is known for going really fast. Some Vermonters get their NOA2s in 2 weeks whereas we wait 2 whole months! If they just got their NOA1 they probably have about 1.5 or more months to wait until their NOA2 (so mid May-ish?), then (if it goes by normalish standards) about a month to get Packet 3 (Junish) and about 1.5 months for Packet 4 and interview (July/August-ish). So yeah, they may make it. I just want everyone to be realistic here...I'm not trying to be the bad guy I swear!!!

It'll be *quite* tight to make it with visa in hand/travel to US by August 11th if you're an unfortunate TSC/CSC filer. If you don't make it, have your fiance be careful when coming into the country for the 'ceremony'. They'll know there is a fiance visa petition filed, so it could be tricky to find a way to state the true intent of the visit without raising a little suspicion.

Edited April 6, 2007 by TracyTN

[Jess & Ian 0]

Just to update everyone on our status.............Ian recieved an interview date of May 23, our wedding is on May 12th. I contacted my congressman's office and wrote them a letter. They contacted the embassy for us and got his interview date moved up to April 27th, tomorrow!!! I am so excited. I just wanted to let everyone know in case anyone else needs advice of what to do in these situations. Contacting your congressman really does help and they were able to expedite our case. They are calling back on Tuesday to make sure his visa is processed ASAP. We're so happy .

[no name 1]

Just to update everyone on our status.............Ian recieved an interview date of May 23, our wedding is on May 12th. I contacted my congressman's office and wrote them a letter. They contacted the embassy for us and got his interview date moved up to April 27th, tomorrow!!! I am so excited. I just wanted to let everyone know in case anyone else needs advice of what to do in these situations. Contacting your congressman really does help and they were able to expedite our case. They are calling back on Tuesday to make sure his visa is processed ASAP. We're so happy .

Congrats. But know you were very very lucky. I hope he receives his visa quickly as well, it can take a few weeks to get back....