How long for marriage in Morocco?

[EandH0904 1,184]

While we are still waiting for our K1 to get through AP, it expires tomorrow so we are preparing for worse case scenario and talking about what happens next. Our plan if we get denied or if it's April-ish and we still haven't heard, would be for me to go to Morocco and for us to get married. 

 

This is a little more complicated because I have a job that has tight restrictions on time off - I would end up taking unpaid leave, and I would most likely take my boys (ages 17 and 8) to Morocco with me. So seeing as how it's a big financial investment (but worth it in the end of course) I want to be as prepared as possible - so my question is, how long did it take you start-to-finish to get married in Morocco? 

 

We don't have any "connections" with judges, police, administrative officials, doctors, etc. Though are prepared to do the legwork needed from Day 1. I was trying to plan for 21-24 days in country. I know some cases take a lot longer and have extenuating circumstances, or maybe some people weren't trying to get it done as fast as possible - so give me what you feel would be an appropriate time to plan to be in country to get our marriage finished. 

 

If you don't want to post on here please feel free to email me! Thanks so much for your help! 

[DeeCSC 18]

It took us 2 weeks, but we got married in 2013 so I am not sure if its still the same now.

 

[Shoot Em Straight 385]

We made it in 2 weeks. Had everything prepared.

This is where Adil And Jeanne can help you if they see your post.

[Happytobe 164]

I scanned over my Doc that needed translations so that those could get started, which took some time off the wait. It took 10 calendar days for us, but, again my hubby knew a few people. If you are getting married in a bigger city, they tend to be a bit more knowledgeable vs the more rural areas.... yes, it is possible, even reasonable, to get done in 3 weeks, but be sure to have a plan if it's not.... too married for k-1, but not enough for cr-1 if you have to leave before the marriage is final. 

 

As an aside, until you get an approval or denial or info that the case is "completely out of AP" it's still an active case. I've seen several times where the person jumped the gun to get married because they couldn't wait for AP to finish.... and ended up bashing their heads because either a) the k-1 was approved shortly after the marriage, so it was thereby nullified, b) the persons never got the information about why they were denied so they couldn't address that with their cr-1 application and got denied again, thereby wasting much time and money.  

 

In the end, you're going to do what you're going to do... these situations get addressed on here quite a bit. Best of luck!

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

you need to apply and pay fee at Casa embassy for affiidvat of elibility to marry (was $60 in 2010)

take this to Rabat for document

you will have physical exam in morocco (about 100 dh which is now $10)

then to his home town to have interviews with police and judge and wait for decisions

needed:

1. birth certificate

2. passport

3. copies of any previous marriage / divorce/ death certificate

4. income evidence / i used tax return but notice from employer is good

5. birth certificates of any children still at home

6. criminal investigation report ( mine was at county court $15)

all these have to be translated into Arabic (6 copies)

ours took 3 1/2 weeks of legwork to marry

I do have the 2 page instructions if you need them in case i forgot anything 

send me an email and i will send to you

 

[EandH0904 1,184]

19 hours ago, Happytobe said:

. I've seen several times where the person jumped the gun to get married because they couldn't wait for AP to finish.... and ended up bashing their heads because either a) the k-1 was approved shortly after the marriage, so it was thereby nullified, b) the persons never got the information about why they were denied so they couldn't address that with their cr-1 application and got denied again, thereby wasting much time and money.  

YES!!!!  This is one of my biggest concerns!!!  However - if I am going to go to end up doing the CR1 I would need to take my kids with me most likely, and the only time I can do it is over their summer break. I thought maybe over Christmas break (they have two weeks off I might be able to take them one more week but that's iffy).  It's not so much that I'm impatient, though I admit to being impatient, it's more that I don't want to have to wait until Summer 2018 to go and get married. Maybe looking into refundable tickets or something is the best way to go. 

 

Thanks so much for your help!!

[Happytobe 164]

3 minutes ago, EandH0904 said:

YES!!!!  This is one of my biggest concerns!!!  However - if I am going to go to end up doing the CR1 I would need to take my kids with me most likely, and the only time I can do it is over their summer break. I thought maybe over Christmas break (they have two weeks off I might be able to take them one more week but that's iffy).  It's not so much that I'm impatient, though I admit to being impatient, it's more that I don't want to have to wait until Summer 2018 to go and get married. Maybe looking into refundable tickets or something is the best way to go. 

 

Thanks so much for your help!!

 

You're welcome... I know every case is different and there's really no way to estimate one's time in AP, but have you checked other people's timelines from Morocco that have been given AP over the past year?  My reasoning is, if you would beat yourself up less if you did receive approval for the k-1 after you married, but had seen that AP in Morocco is 6 months average (just a whimsical number, btw) and went in August, let's say... sure it will be terribly hot, but would that be circumstances that you could live with? Vs going in April, and possibly receiving notification in June that he was approved? Another thing to consider, as well, is with the "administration " of the US having changed, there could be further unforeseen delays. I'm not trying to talk you in or out of anything, but these are things that I thought out prior to my hubby's interview years ago. He hated all of the "what-if's" but for myself it was better to have a plan, vs being where you're at right now and trying to work them out. I, personally, given all of the circumstances, if we were in your shoes, I would hang tight and wait it out .  Plan for your trip later in the summer, and maybe he will be coming home with you. 

 

We all understand the decision that that you are up against, but, having been on this site a while, as times change in our country, so do processing times and requirements that must be "met - i.e. 'possible extreme vetting'". Hang in there and think with your head not your heart right now. OK... I'm babbling ??? pm me if you want to through some thoughts back & forth. 

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

Check price of tickets every day / try cheapoair and lilligo 

In November i found roundtrip from atlanta to casa Air France for $463 and grabbed it for this spring

offer was only for 2 days and price is back up to 1200 (some days 898)

i have even bought 2 seperate tickets ( like one to JFK and another to casa) to cut the cost at times this can be better way to do it

I am going in april for a month to be with husbands family / i think that is the cheapest i ever found for a ticket 

i do have the 2 page instructions from morocco that will tell you exactly what to do and even give you phone number of Office of foreign minister in rabat

do not go in Ramadan to marry / too many places are closed / ramadan starts in May this spring

[EandH0904 1,184]

1 hour ago, adil-rafa said:

 

i do have the 2 page instructions from morocco that will tell you exactly what to do and even give you phone number of Office of foreign minister in rabat

do not go in Ramadan to marry / too many places are closed / ramadan starts in May this spring

Thanks for the airline suggestions! I will definitely start keeping an eye out. 

 

I had thought the same thing about Ramadan. 

[Mostafa+Tracey 2]

we got married in morocco in 2015 and it took about 2.5 weeks to complete. the reason why we went that route is because an immigration attorney convinced me that the Visa Center takes marriages more seriously than engagements. we did get married then applied for the K1, it only got denied because I didn't check a box on the form I sent which slowed down the process. when the I-130 is sent it automatically starts processing for a spouse visa. because i slowed down the K1 with my error, the 1-130 voided out the K1. It is possible to marry and start the paperwork for the K1. Just make sure you check it very thoroughly before you send out. If you make any mistake....it will cost you 6 months of time or longer to be away from your loved one..i went back to him to celebrate our wedding anniversary.  our long wait on NVC was also delayed because of the holiday season. november and december are slow months at NVC for getting work done at a reasonable time.

[Shoot Em Straight 385]

On 2/27/2017 at 6:06 PM, Mostafa+Tracey said:

we got married in morocco in 2015 and it took about 2.5 weeks to complete. the reason why we went that route is because an immigration attorney convinced me that the Visa Center takes marriages more seriously than engagements. we did get married then applied for the K1, it only got denied because I didn't check a box on the form I sent which slowed down the process. when the I-130 is sent it automatically starts processing for a spouse visa. because i slowed down the K1 with my error, the 1-130 voided out the K1. It is possible to marry and start the paperwork for the K1. Just make sure you check it very thoroughly before you send out. If you make any mistake....it will cost you 6 months of time or longer to be away from your loved one..i went back to him to celebrate our wedding anniversary.  our long wait on NVC was also delayed because of the holiday season. november and december are slow months at NVC for getting work done at a reasonable time.

Hi Mostofa & Tracey

It seems like it still is a steady 2 1sh weeks to get married in Morocco, if all goes smoothly....which is how it was back when we did it.....BUT

For New Members to VJ your post might be more confusing than helpful....

You married then applied for k1?

Where is this Visa Center that takes marriages more seriously? The Consulate? CASA?

BTW profile states you filed for the K3.

Just making things little clear for Newer members seeking correct info.

 

 

 

[Mostafa+Tracey 2]

1 hour ago, Inluv said:

Hi Mostofa & Tracey

It seems like it still is a steady 2 1sh weeks to get married in Morocco, if all goes smoothly....which is how it was back when we did it.....BUT

For New Members to VJ your post might be more confusing than helpful....

You married then applied for k1?

Where is this Visa Center that takes marriages more seriously? The Consulate? CASA?

BTW profile states you filed for the K3.

Just making things little clear for Newer members seeking correct info.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Inluv said:

Hi Mostofa & Tracey

It seems like it still is a steady 2 1sh weeks to get married in Morocco, if all goes smoothly....which is how it was back when we did it.....BUT

For New Members to VJ your post might be more confusing than helpful....

You married then applied for k1?

Where is this Visa Center that takes marriages more seriously? The Consulate? CASA?

BTW profile states you filed for the K3.

Just making things little clear for Newer members seeking correct info.

 

 

 

hi Inluv,

 

Well Morocco is a very big place...it can vary im sure depending on where in Morocco a couple wishes to marry..things were not that smooth for us and it took 2.5 weeks...as we were told by our Inman it would be done in 1 day after I arrived and I had to reschedule all of my travel plans inorder for us to marry....so 2.5 was in chaos and also not being organized and not knowing where we had to go....the people in cassablanca are not helpful and seem to dislike foreigners even if one speaks arabic and is from morocco...yes, we married then applied for the k3....the fiancee visa because i discovered it was a quicker process...i made one mistake on the forms by not checking a box and this mistake caused that paper work to slow down....and the I-130 that was submitted had begun to process as a spouse visa...voiding out the k3....it became a CR1 by NVC...i did type in the correct information on this site when i joined the page...as i didnt have the k3 denied at that time...i just recently tried to change the K3 to a CR1 but i see by your comment it failed to update...not many know of the K3 option...i came across it by mistake one day when i was inquiring of marry by proxy here in the states...it was typed in very small letters on the bottom of the attorneys website that offered this service....he used that information to make this option more appealing - to marry by proxy and then bring your spouse to you within 6 months...it can happen...i just made a careless mistake to ruin it..but we choice to marry in morocco (as they really do not consider marry by proxy as a real marriage) and then file for the k3.. hoping our chances would be even better to be together sooner....i came on here and discussed it in the early days and didnt find any support because of lack of knowledge. i will try to come on and put in my dates as soon as i gather all my paper work together...peace.

[Shoot Em Straight 385]

though I cant recall the people anywhere in Morocco being unfriendly towards me as a visitor...I can say I found Casablanca a little dirty as a city. But it might be an unfair comparison to my husbands hometown.

 

One incident was very unpleasant that could be termed "unfriendly" was at the police station and had to do with the mans EGO more than anything else.

Morocco has very nice and welcoming people.

Its their process that is "expectedly" different from ours.... that was the slow down for us.

 

 

 

[Mostafa+Tracey 2]

the areas we stayed in and where my husband lives is very pleasant, which is 4 hours drive from cassablanca.... the people in his city are very nice and welcoming for the most part....we drove around in rabat and cassablanca trying to find both the embassy and the police station and when my husband would ask people for directions in arabic from the car window: the people of cassablanca would keep walking and ignore us as if we didnt exist....in rabat everyone gave us directions that did not lead to our destination...we were feeling that we were not welcome in those places....

 

cassablanca as you know is very large and we are lucky we found it in such a way....we went without a map...nor any gps system....we just took a random exit and kept driving around...it was chaotic as i said the whole process...we both can laugh now about it but nothing was funny about it then at the time.

 

and no offense to morocco but compared to the streets in america...even the beaches...america is cleaner due to the fact we have lots of government jobs to mandate that. i do appreciate seeing and experiencing another culture..there is lots to love and dislike about all cultures..