Can we do our traditional engagement before fiance travels

[Abbyxo95 1]

29 minutes ago, ThomasNC1988 said:

You say a traditional engagement ceremony? If it is traditional to have an engagement ceremony then you would probably be safe. If this ceremony looks like a traditional wedding in Ghana that is where you might run into trouble. You can rest assured that the immigration officer will be familiar with local traditions when judging your case. To clarify what I am saying a little bit.

 

If it is traditional for the families to come together and bless the union BEFORE a wedding that would be fine. 

 

If it is traditional for the families to come together AT the wedding that is where you would run into trouble.

 

I have no idea how traditions work in Ghana.

there will be no wedding. No exchange of rings or vows. This is an engagement for our families to recognize and bless us before we do our white wedding in the US since they wont be in attendance. There are two types of Ghanaian engagements. Some people choose to exchange rings and vows and never go ahead to do a white wedding. This type of engagement is considered a marriage. Some people only do an engagement where the families are made aware and accept the relationship, THEN either the next day or at a later time, they do a white wedding or court marriage and exchange vows, rings, with reception etc.

We plan on having a court and white wedding in the US where mostly only my side of the family will be in attendance. This will be our marriage. Hence why we thought it might not be an awful idea to get both our families blessing before he travels here IF AND ONLY if he has already been approved for a visa.

but i definitely understand where majority of their fear and risk people are advising me against come from. 

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

Sometimes, the Consulate Officers ask about wedding plans.........Just remember.....It's entirely what the consulate officer thinks that matters.......Good luck in your endeavor.

[dwheels76 5,468]

8 hours ago, Abbyxo95 said:

Hello guys,

I'm in the process of submitting the I129 for my fiance in Ghana. By the looks of it from tracking other people's timelines, if all things go well without delays, we should be able to get an interview by November or December. Since majority of his family live in Ghana, as well as my mother and her side of the family, we were planning to do our traditional engagement in December. Assuming he gets his visa before end of December, are we allowed to do this before he travels to the states? We will have a white wedding and court wedding once he comes. 

Are you talking about the traditional wedding? Or an engagement party. You know traditional wedding means you are married. I sure would not risk.

 

Come back to Ghana and do a traditional at your leisure

[JFH 12,190]

13 hours ago, geowrian said:

For a K-1, for example, there is one member here who recently was told approved but then was denied as they discovered an undisclosed criminal offense by the petitioner during final checks.

Another user had a valid K-1 visa but during POE, the CBP officer asked if they will marry. They responded with maybe they will and maybe they won’t. The officer determined that they were ineligible for the K-1 visa.

Another member was denied when CBP discovered documentation of a marriage abroad, so they were ineligible for the K-1.

And I’ll never forget this story....

 

 

[Besamiot 35]

18 hours ago, Abbyxo95 said:

Hello guys,

I'm in the process of submitting the I129 for my fiance in Ghana. By the looks of it from tracking other people's timelines, if all things go well without delays, we should be able to get an interview by November or December. Since majority of his family live in Ghana, as well as my mother and her side of the family, we were planning to do our traditional engagement in December. Assuming he gets his visa before end of December, are we allowed to do this before he travels to the states? We will have a white wedding and court wedding once he comes. 

You are free to do whatever your tradition demands. Your traditional engagement will prove that you are in a bonafide relationship which is known by both families. 

[African Zealot 1,455]

18 hours ago, Abbyxo95 said:

Hello guys,

I'm in the process of submitting the I129 for my fiance in Ghana. By the looks of it from tracking other people's timelines, if all things go well without delays, we should be able to get an interview by November or December. Since majority of his family live in Ghana, as well as my mother and her side of the family, we were planning to do our traditional engagement in December. Assuming he gets his visa before end of December, are we allowed to do this before he travels to the states? We will have a white wedding and court wedding once he comes. 

The probability it would be detected is low and in any case a traditional ceremony without registration is not accepted as marriage by US immigration law. However you’ve been warned of the ambiguous “too married for K1” designation which any power drunk point of entry immigration officer can invoke.

 

The more important question is why risk it in this age of anti immigrant sentiment? Err on the side of caution. Just yesterday the Supreme Court voted to allow means testing to deny immigration benefit. This is not the time to gamble with anything concerning USA immigration.

 

From Ghanaman to fellow Ghanaman, don’t rock the boat!

[Besamiot 35]

18 hours ago, missileman said:

Not a good idea......You should wait until after you are legally married in the US before having any ceremony in Ghana......otherwise, you are in danger of being too married for a K-1....Numerous people here on VJ have experienced K-1 denials for these ceremonies.

It depends on how elaborate the ceremony is. If you make it look like a wedding,  then it is misinterpreted. An African traditional engagement where I come from is simple. Just for the 2 families to know their children are intending to get married. They split colanuts, share a meal and drink together. It's like asking for the women's hand. If its going to complicate your case, then, please,  use discernment and don't do it. I also know that the embassy always wants to know if you have met your fiance's family and friends. A small ceremony with key family members ( mom, dad, brother, sisters and one or 2 best friends) captured in pictures is good proof.  Another thing ( African men like calling their fiance my wife). Please dont do it I  your chats. If you do, it the officer will think you are married. 

[Abbyxo95 1]

5 hours ago, JFH said:

And I’ll never forget this story....

 

 

Omg that is so sad and hearbreaking and downright cruel! WOW.

[Abbyxo95 1]

2 hours ago, Ray.Bonaquist said:

The probability it would be detected is low and in any case a traditional ceremony without registration is not accepted as marriage by US immigration law. However you’ve been warned of the ambiguous “too married for K1” designation which any power drunk point of entry immigration officer can invoke.

 

The more important question is why risk it in this age of anti immigrant sentiment? Err on the side of caution. Just yesterday the Supreme Court voted to allow means testing to deny immigration benefit. This is not the time to gamble with anything concerning USA immigration.

 

From Ghanaman to fellow Ghanaman, don’t rock the boat!

Thank you my fellow Ghana Man! I wont take the chance as others have advised. We will travel back and do it for our families once he gets settled and adjust his status.

[Abbyxo95 1]

2 hours ago, Besamiot said:

It depends on how elaborate the ceremony is. If you make it look like a wedding,  then it is misinterpreted. An African traditional engagement where I come from is simple. Just for the 2 families to know their children are intending to get married. They split colanuts, share a meal and drink together. It's like asking for the women's hand. If its going to complicate your case, then, please,  use discernment and don't do it. I also know that the embassy always wants to know if you have met your fiance's family and friends. A small ceremony with key family members ( mom, dad, brother, sisters and one or 2 best friends) captured in pictures is good proof.  Another thing ( African men like calling their fiance my wife). Please dont do it I  your chats. If you do, it the officer will think you are married. 

wow i never even thought of that. African men do like to call their girlfriends my wife!, I will need to read through the chat logs again to make sure i avoided such mistake. Thank you.

[Abbyxo95 1]

2 hours ago, Besamiot said:

You are free to do whatever your tradition demands. Your traditional engagement will prove that you are in a bonafide relationship which is known by both families. 

yes this is it. This is the whole point of it. In my culture, Your family has to meet and accept the man you are dating, that way if any potential suitors showed show interest in marrying you, then can disagree because you've already presented someone to them. 

[Besamiot 35]

2 hours ago, Abbyxo95 said:

wow i never even thought of that. African men do like to call their girlfriends my wife!, I will need to read through the chat logs again to make sure i avoided such mistake. Thank you.

Please do. I had to re-read my chats and edit before I sent them. We have chatted again many months. I will still need to edit again because he just doesn't get it. He still does it. 

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

5 hours ago, Besamiot said:

You are free to do whatever your tradition demands. Your traditional engagement will prove that you are in a bonafide relationship which is known by both families. 

Bona fide, continuing relationship evidence isn't needed until the interview.  Pictures of this ceremony could cause the CO to question if iit was a marriage.  It has happened before.  Just pointing out what has happened in the past.......

Edited January 28, 2020 by missileman

[ThomasNC1988 762]

8 hours ago, JFH said:

And I’ll never forget this story....

 

 

I see the biggest mistake they made here being the Tourist visa application where he was listed as a "friend" then later he filed a fiance visa. This was an attempt at fraud to get into the US by any means necessary plain as day and not lost on the CBP officer I am assuming. Clear example as to why it is never a good idea to try to game the system.

[Abbyxo95 1]

2 hours ago, missileman said:

Bona fide, continuing relationship evidence isn't needed until the interview.  Pictures of this ceremony could cause the CO to question if iit was a marriage.  It has happened before.  Just pointing out what has happened in the past.......

Totally understand. The ceremony we want to have isnt so we can proof to CO that we are in a bonafide relationship. We will have a lot of proof of ongoing relationships from the time I send it until he goes to an interview. Text messages, pictures for when we go on vacation to dubai in july etc . Any kind of party we have for our families would have been after he is approved and gets visa.