Help, need early advice for beginning marriage process

[Ryan A 0]

I'm not sure if this is the correct board to post this in. I am looking for advice for the beginning process of marrying a foreign woman. I am from the US and my girlfriend is from Indonesia. We plan to be married around next May. Where do we start? THANK YOU 

[Boiler 45,557]

I would start by deciding where you want to marry and what the requirements would be to marry, obtain a license, who carries out the wedding, how you then get a marriage certificate, who you want to invite to your wedding and can they get there etc etc.

 

Maybe a Wedding Planner could help?

[jskibo 588]

More info is needed. 

 

If you're getting married overseas then you start after you get married. 

 

If you think you're getting married in the US then May would be sporty given K1 timelines

[Ryan A 0]

On 6/15/2019 at 11:36 AM, jskibo said:

More info is needed. 

 

If you're getting married overseas then you start after you get married. 

 

If you think you're getting married in the US then May would be sporty given K1 timelines

We will get married here, but she wants to be able to visit her family. From what I've read, if we marry here then she can't go back to Indonesia for a certain period of time.

If we get married here in a courthouse. What are my options for a Visa, that would allow her to go back and forth?

 

I also have questions about what do we do prior to going to the courthouse. 

We plan a simple wedding here at the courthouse. But then we will go to Indonesia for the actual event.

[Lemonslice 4,859]

Where is your fiancée currently? In the USA or abroad? Does she have a visa to enter the USA?

[Boiler 45,557]

Sounds like a K1 and then a 6 month or so wait for AP and a trip back for actual event.

[Ryan A 0]

30 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

Where is your fiancée currently? In the USA or abroad? Does she have a visa to enter the USA?

She currently lives in Indonesia. I live in new york. She has been here once to visit me. She has a tourist visa.

[Ryan A 0]

28 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Sounds like a K1 and then a 6 month or so wait for AP and a trip back for actual event.

So are we able to get a k1 Visa by getting married in the courts in the US, then also have a ceremony with a priest in Indonesia? I appreciate your responses by the way.

[Lemonslice 4,859]

6 minutes ago, Ryan A said:

So are we able to get a k1 Visa by getting married in the courts in the US, then also have a ceremony with a priest in Indonesia? I appreciate your responses by the way.

As long as she knows that there is a period where she will not be able to work, or travel outside of the US. 

 

Another option is to get married (in the US during one of her visit, in Indonesia, or wherever you would like), and then to file for a spousal visa.  She would then be a permanent resident as soon as she enters the US, able to work and travel. Other users can provide more details on the cost, but it is also somewhat cheaper (once you figure all the expenses).

[Daphne . 1,870]

55 minutes ago, Ryan A said:

So are we able to get a k1 Visa by getting married in the courts in the US

No not in this order for the K1

 

You have 2 options:

File for a K1, fiancee enters the States on the K1, you get married and then adjust Status. (The last part is the part where she will not be able to work and travel for months)

or

Get married legally (anywhere), your spouse will return or remain in her home country, you file for a CR-1, and then your wife will enter the States on that visa and she will be able to work and travel immediately as she will be a permanent resident upon arrival. 

 

 

Edited June 18, 2019 by Daphne K

[SalishSea 17,842]

On 6/15/2019 at 8:26 AM, Ryan A said:

We plan to be married around next May.

If you are doing a K-1, it is not reasonable to plan for a specific date or month.  There are just too many variables that impact when an applicant receives the visa.

[SalishSea 17,842]

15 hours ago, Ryan A said:

So are we able to get a k1 Visa by getting married in the courts in the US, then also have a ceremony with a priest in Indonesia?

After receiving the K-1 visa in Indonesia, she would fly to the US and have 90 days to marry you.  After that, you would apply for her adjustment of status (green card) and work and travel documents (EAD/AP).  I believe the EAD/AP card is currently taking around 6 months from the filing date.  

 

So, you could definitely return to Indonesia for a religious "wedding," but again it would be difficult to plan since you would not know when she would receive the card and be able to travel.

[Ryan A 0]

On 6/18/2019 at 1:14 AM, Daphne K said:

No not in this order for the K1

 

You have 2 options:

File for a K1, fiancee enters the States on the K1, you get married and then adjust Status. (The last part is the part where she will not be able to work and travel for months)

or

Get married legally (anywhere), your spouse will return or remain in her home country, you file for a CR-1, and then your wife will enter the States on that visa and she will be able to work and travel immediately as she will be a permanent resident upon arrival. 

 

 

So for example. Since she has a tourist Visa. Can we get married in a court when she is here on vacation, then she flys back, then she applies for the cr-1 Visa. After that is approved she can come here to live? Is that an option? Or do we have to be married outside of the USA?

[Just Paul 4,595]

2 minutes ago, Ryan A said:

So for example. Since she has a tourist Visa. Can we get married in a court when she is here on vacation, then she flys back, then she applies for the cr-1 Visa. After that is approved she can come here to live? Is that an option? Or do we have to be married outside of the USA?

You can marry here or anywhere you want.   She can come visit you but she needs a return ticket and proof of ties to her home country.

[Nitas_man 3,100]

On 6/15/2019 at 10:26 AM, Ryan A said:

I'm not sure if this is the correct board to post this in. I am looking for advice for the beginning process of marrying a foreign woman. I am from the US and my girlfriend is from Indonesia. We plan to be married around next May. Where do we start? THANK YOU 

We got married in Indonesia.  Went back, filed the petition, she was in the US 9 months later.