K-1 Wedding

[Tricia B 0]

My fiance is finally here on a k-1 visa and of course we have to get married within 90 days but we would also like to have a traditional ceremony among family and friends, in particular, his mother and brother, whom are still in jamaica. I am trying to figure out how long it might take them to get a tourist visa to attend the wedding so that I can set the wedding date with ample time for them to go through the process. Any ideas?

[kitkat1 5]

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QUOTE(Tricia B @ Jun 13 2007, 09:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My fiance is finally here on a k-1 visa and of course we have to get married within 90 days but we would also like to have a traditional ceremony among family and friends, in particular, his mother and brother, whom are still in jamaica. I am trying to figure out how long it might take them to get a tourist visa to attend the wedding so that I can set the wedding date with ample time for them to go through the process. Any ideas?

Start by reading the US consulate site for Jamaica.

http://kingston.usembassy.gov/non-immigrant_visas.html

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/tem...p;x=98&y=12

Kingston

Typical Wait Time (Calendar Days*) for a Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Appointment

Visitors Visas: 77 Days

[YuAndDan 153]

Do a civil ceremony to get the legalities out of the way, and then do a religious one for friends and family to attend and you can restate your vows in front of them.

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

Depending on his family's income and assets, visitor's visas can be extremely hard to to get.

If you are concerned about them being able to attend the wedding, I would be very careful about booking anything before they actually get the visa, there is no guarantee they will get it.

Do print invitations at least though, that would be important evidence for their application.

[kitkat1 5]

Depending on his family's income and assets, visitor's visas can be extremely hard to to get.

If you are concerned about them being able to attend the wedding, I would be very careful about booking anything before they actually get the visa, there is no guarantee they will get it.

Do print invitations at least though, that would be important evidence for their application.

Evidence of why you want the tourist visa is not required - no need for an invitation as it doesn't help to establish the non-immigrant intent of the applicant.

Tourist visas DO require evidence of your significant ties to your home country and your intention to return.

As stated, don't plan your wedding around them getting tourist visas - there is no way to know if they will be approved.

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

Evidence of why you want the tourist visa is not required - no need for an invitation as it doesn't help to establish the non-immigrant intent of the applicant.

Tourist visas DO require evidence of your significant ties to your home country and your intention to return.

As stated, don't plan your wedding around them getting tourist visas - there is no way to know if they will be approved.

I do apologise, I didn't realise you were familiar with how the JAMAICAN Embassy works....I must stand corrected

[kitkat1 5]

Evidence of why you want the tourist visa is not required - no need for an invitation as it doesn't help to establish the non-immigrant intent of the applicant.

Tourist visas DO require evidence of your significant ties to your home country and your intention to return.

As stated, don't plan your wedding around them getting tourist visas - there is no way to know if they will be approved.

I do apologise, I didn't realise you were familiar with how the JAMAICAN Embassy works....I must stand corrected

Rules for tourist visas don't differ embassy to embassy - they are the same in the entire world.

http://kingston.usembassy.gov/general_information.html

U.S. immigration law presumes that everyone applying for a visitors’ visa is intending to immigrate to the U.S. The burden of proof is on the applicant to demonstrate to the interviewing officer that he or she has sufficiently strong ties to Jamaica which would compel the individual to return home after a temporary stay in the U.S. Information that demonstrates strong ties to Jamaica includes (but is not limited to):

Letter from employers stating position, date of employment and proof of current salary (e.g., pay slips);

Statements from banks or credit unions indicating current and six-month average checking and savings balances;

Property Titles

Marriage Certificates

[nyseness 0]

Evidence of why you want the tourist visa is not required - no need for an invitation as it doesn't help to establish the non-immigrant intent of the applicant.

Tourist visas DO require evidence of your significant ties to your home country and your intention to return.

As stated, don't plan your wedding around them getting tourist visas - there is no way to know if they will be approved.

I do apologise, I didn't realise you were familiar with how the JAMAICAN Embassy works....I must stand corrected

Rules for tourist visas don't differ embassy to embassy - they are the same in the entire world.

http://kingston.usembassy.gov/general_information.html

U.S. immigration law presumes that everyone applying for a visitors’ visa is intending to immigrate to the U.S. The burden of proof is on the applicant to demonstrate to the interviewing officer that he or she has sufficiently strong ties to Jamaica which would compel the individual to return home after a temporary stay in the U.S. Information that demonstrates strong ties to Jamaica includes (but is not limited to):

Letter from employers stating position, date of employment and proof of current salary (e.g., pay slips);

Statements from banks or credit unions indicating current and six-month average checking and savings balances;

Property Titles

Marriage Certificates

Actually it does I have to agree w/AlienUKGirl. Although the Kingston Embassy states certain criteria WE ALL KNOW that is BS. Kingston will do what they want regardless of the rules. For ppl that have gone thru the immigrant process, whether is is the K or the CR visa, can very much tell you the same thing.

Tricia B, I recommend you sending a wedding invitation, along w/a letter, and employment letter. I sent my grandmother these things (except for the wedding invite) and the visa was granted. Although she has ties to the country it WASN'T that strong!! Just my two cents.

Edited June 14, 2007 by nyseness

[pambrown 0]

Do a civil ceremony to get the legalities out of the way, and then do a religious one for friends and family to attend and you can restate your vows in front of them.

I agree --- it seems darn near impossible to be granted a tourist visa if you're a Jamaican between the ages of 6 and 80! My fiance and I plan to have a civil ceremony here, and we have a whole big wedding planned for December in Jamaica so that all of his friends and family can attend. And the added benefit --- your family and friends get to go to Jamaica! (Mine were all for that!) Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

Rules for tourist visas don't differ embassy to embassy - they are the same in the entire world.

I suggest with all due respect, that you have no idea what you're talking about.

We all know what is SUPPOSED to happen, what ACTUALLY takes place is a different matter.

[kitkat1 5]

Rules for tourist visas don't differ embassy to embassy - they are the same in the entire world.

I suggest with all due respect, that you have no idea what you're talking about.

We all know what is SUPPOSED to happen, what ACTUALLY takes place is a different matter.

No idea what I'm talking about? wow. I was referring to the official rules i.e. that the burden of proof is on the applicant to show that he does not have immigrant intent - this is the basis of a tourist visa in all the world. Try checking a few dozen consulate websites in regard to tourist visas and you will see the same requirements in each country.

Obviously every consulate is different when you get down to the details and it's up to the applicant to be smart enough to understand these intricacies. For example while Mexico makes it 100% clear that a letter of invitation or invitation to an event is worthless and applicants are told NOT to bring them, other consulates may operate differently.

[*JG* 2]

I have to agree with what most have said on here. We looked into it when Andre came here last year and found it near impossible. Add to that the cost.......His mom has 8 kids living with her, the extended family, his adopted mom and her family, all his friends.........who do we pick and choose to be vital in attending? Who isn't going to be hurt at being left out? Then, who helps pay for the costs associated with the visas, places to stay, transportation, etc. And, would they be able to apply for a tourist visa and be approved in time? In the end, it is so much more trouble then it was worth.

We married in the US surrounded by a few family and friends and had (have) every intention of going back to Jamaican and renewing for his family and friends. Unfortunately, a year later, real life took over and we haven't been able to do that yet.

[SupportOAFJF 0]

I have to agree with what most have said on here. We looked into it when Andre came here last year and found it near impossible. Add to that the cost.......His mom has 8 kids living with her, the extended family, his adopted mom and her family, all his friends.........who do we pick and choose to be vital in attending? Who isn't going to be hurt at being left out? Then, who helps pay for the costs associated with the visas, places to stay, transportation, etc. And, would they be able to apply for a tourist visa and be approved in time? In the end, it is so much more trouble then it was worth.

We married in the US surrounded by a few family and friends and had (have) every intention of going back to Jamaican and renewing for his family and friends. Unfortunately, a year later, real life took over and we haven't been able to do that yet.

Yeah I agree with Jomo's girl, u never know when they're gonna get approved. They have to have good evidence and ties to the country. And I think the most important thing right now is to get married within the alotted time., then you can do a bigger ceremony and stuff later. I had only about 45 ppl at our wedding in Jamaica. And I a great time everyone saw the video, pics and so forth. We will do a vow renewal for our 5yr anniversary..Just deal with the task at hand, try not to make it anymore complicated

[Jengles 0]

Jomo girl - I hear you, I had a very nice wedding last year in JA with a few friends and close friends from here and planned to get married again up here. But now I'm preganant and we need a bigger house and I already have my ring. I'm fine with things just the way they are.

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

No idea what I'm talking about? wow. I was referring to the official rules i.e. that the burden of proof is on the applicant to show that he does not have immigrant intent - this is the basis of a tourist visa in all the world. Try checking a few dozen consulate websites in regard to tourist visas and you will see the same requirements in each country.

Obviously every consulate is different when you get down to the details and it's up to the applicant to be smart enough to understand these intricacies. For example while Mexico makes it 100% clear that a letter of invitation or invitation to an event is worthless and applicants are told NOT to bring them, other consulates may operate differently.

That's precisely why you should NOT be telling people who have PERSONAL experience with a SPECIFIC consulate what is NOT needed....You DON'T know how the JAMAICAN consulate works, so all you're doing is detracting.