Double Marriage

[Girandola 52]

Hello everyone! Hope someone can offer some assistance on this topic. We are waiting on our K1 visa because it’s the fastest way for us to finally be together. We’ve known each other since December of 2016 and have been engaged since December of 2017. My divorce finalized last month and I filed the petition.

   Now for my question. As everyone knows, we must legally marry in the USA. My fiancé and I are both catholic and wish to have a catholic wedding in the Philippines before she comes to the US. But we’re being told that we must do a legal wedding. Does anyone know if there’s a way around this? Appreciate any advice 

[Boiler 45,481]

Marry in the Philippines and go the CR1 route, it is a much better option anyway.

[SalishSea 17,823]

1 hour ago, Girandola said:

Hello everyone! Hope someone can offer some assistance on this topic. We are waiting on our K1 visa because it’s the fastest way for us to finally be together. We’ve known each other since December of 2016 and have been engaged since December of 2017. My divorce finalized last month and I filed the petition.

   Now for my question. As everyone knows, we must legally marry in the USA. My fiancé and I are both catholic and wish to have a catholic wedding in the Philippines before she comes to the US. But we’re being told that we must do a legal wedding. Does anyone know if there’s a way around this? Appreciate any advice 

If your priority is to marry in the Philippines, K-1 visa was not the one to choose.  As Boiler said, CR-1 is the visa you will need.

Edited February 5, 2020 by Jorgedig

[Just Paul 4,595]

Your fiance must be "free to marry" on entry to the US.

[Hank_ 9,174]

5 hours ago, Girandola said:

Hello everyone! Hope someone can offer some assistance on this topic. We are waiting on our K1 visa because it’s the fastest way for us to finally be together. We’ve known each other since December of 2016 and have been engaged since December of 2017. My divorce finalized last month and I filed the petition.

   Now for my question. As everyone knows, we must legally marry in the USA. My fiancé and I are both catholic and wish to have a catholic wedding in the Philippines before she comes to the US. But we’re being told that we must do a legal wedding. Does anyone know if there’s a way around this? Appreciate any advice 

There is no "work around" with the catholic church ..    

 

As everyone else has stated to satisfy the "wish" you will need to go the CR-1 spouse visa route.

 

Yes the K-1 is faster, by 3 months or so ... but no "wish"        You two have been an "item" for 3 years .. what is 3 more months?

[RT&MB 27]

Why not just have a wedding in both countries?  That's what we're planning to do but for family purposes as opposed to religious. 

 

We're planning to have a small wedding in the US (you could have a Catholic wedding so that in the eyes of the church you're married) and then a very large one in the Philippines later so that her family can attend.  

 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by RT&MB

[payxibka 10,045]

46 minutes ago, RT&MB said:

Why not just have a wedding in both countries?  That's what we're planning to do but for family purposes as opposed to religious. 

 

We're planning to have a small wedding in the US (you could have a Catholic wedding so that in the eyes of the church you're married) and then a very large one in the Philippines later so that her family can attend.  

 

 

The second would not be a wedding but more akin to a renewing of your vows.  Doesn't preclude it from being a gala event 

[RT&MB 27]

Fair point - it's all the same except for the paperwork...

[Hank_ 9,174]

55 minutes ago, RT&MB said:

Why not just have a wedding in both countries?  That's what we're planning to do but for family purposes as opposed to religious. 

 

We're planning to have a small wedding in the US (you could have a Catholic wedding so that in the eyes of the church you're married) and then a very large one in the Philippines later so that her family can attend.  

 

 

 

^^^  We did this later.    One of those venue outfits, I would hate to think what it would cost in the states

[RT&MB 27]

 

6 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

 

^^^  We did this later.    One of those venue outfits, I would hate to think what it would cost in the states

I know right!  We've already priced it out in Tagatay for 350 people - it's 25% of what it would cost in the US.  

[John & Rose 7,239]

On 2/4/2020 at 9:58 PM, Girandola said:

Hello everyone! Hope someone can offer some assistance on this topic. We are waiting on our K1 visa because it’s the fastest way for us to finally be together. We’ve known each other since December of 2016 and have been engaged since December of 2017. My divorce finalized last month and I filed the petition.

   Now for my question. As everyone knows, we must legally marry in the USA. My fiancé and I are both catholic and wish to have a catholic wedding in the Philippines before she comes to the US. But we’re being told that we must do a legal wedding. Does anyone know if there’s a way around this? Appreciate any advice 

CR-1 is the best option and, it is not much slower and many times faster than K-1.  When you take in AOS timelines and the CR is by far faster, cheaper and easier.  Trust me.  I did both.  K-1 was 11 months to interview and CR-1 was 9 months to POE.

 

Marry in the Philippines and renew the vows in the US.  Also, ANY wedding performed and registered by a licensed officiant is a legal wedding.  There is no difference legally between a justice of the peace wedding and a church wedding.  Both are considered legal.  Being married in a church doesn't make it more legal and getting married in a courthouse doesn't mean that God isn't with you.

 

 

Edited February 6, 2020 by John & Rose

[Carpe Vinum 2,327]

On 2/5/2020 at 9:06 AM, RT&MB said:

Why not just have a wedding in both countries?  That's what we're planning to do but for family purposes as opposed to religious. 

 

We're planning to have a small wedding in the US (you could have a Catholic wedding so that in the eyes of the church you're married) and then a very large one in the Philippines later so that her family can attend.  

 

 

We had a courthouse wedding in April 2019 here in the States. The plan is to go back this April and on our anniversary do some kind of Nuptial Party)))

[coa24 69]

On 2/4/2020 at 10:58 PM, Girandola said:

Hello everyone! Hope someone can offer some assistance on this topic. We are waiting on our K1 visa because it’s the fastest way for us to finally be together. We’ve known each other since December of 2016 and have been engaged since December of 2017. My divorce finalized last month and I filed the petition.

   Now for my question. As everyone knows, we must legally marry in the USA. My fiancé and I are both catholic and wish to have a catholic wedding in the Philippines before she comes to the US. But we’re being told that we must do a legal wedding. Does anyone know if there’s a way around this? Appreciate any advice 

 

While you will not be able to legally have a wedding in both places, espeically if you are wanting to do the K-1. CR-1 takes much longer than the K-1. Anyway, what my late wife and I did in 2015 was that we had what we called a pre-wedding. We did everything like a wedding, but did not sign any papers. We had vows, but we did not say the I Do, exchange rings or anything like that. It was a great and worthy experience and for me, was way better than the actual wedding in the USA with the actual signage, etc.

[Boiler 45,481]

1 minute ago, coa24 said:

 

While you will not be able to legally have a wedding in both places, espeically if you are wanting to do the K-1. CR-1 takes much longer than the K-1. Anyway, what my late wife and I did in 2015 was that we had what we called a pre-wedding. We did everything like a wedding, but did not sign any papers. We had vows, but we did not say the I Do, exchange rings or anything like that. It was a great and worthy experience and for me, was way better than the actual wedding in the USA with the actual signage, etc.

Sounds like you were lucky, many are not.

[coa24 69]

7 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Sounds like you were lucky, many are not.

 

Too be honest it was quite cheap (American Standards). We only spent around 30k+ PHP with about 70 guest. We had a nice meal selection at a events location. Back in the states, the cost of the wedding was abou the same because we had church family that really helped us.