Choosing a K-1 Fiance or CR-1 Spouse Visa in 2021

[Caboose29 173]

7 minutes ago, Chauncey said:

Are you sure about that? I've looked at the marriage requirements for turkey before for two foreigners and they aren't very simple... 

Me and @Strawberrymermaid have both tried looking into marriage already several times and we still could find nothing simple during this time, which is why we've stuck with k1

I will admit that my assumption was based off of a couple of Turkish law firm websites/FAQs, and a cursory look at the Turkish government's website.  I could easily have missed some pertinent info.  

[Chauncey 138]

Just now, Caboose29 said:

I will admit that my assumption was based off of a couple of Turkish law firm websites/FAQs, and a cursory look at the Turkish government's website.  I could easily have missed some pertinent info.  

I would dig a bit deeper before you decide. Look at requirements by each government, countries you both can visit, testing requirements, quarantine requirements, see if offices are open, look at flights to the countries as well, especially transit flights where she may need a transit visa, etc. A lot more goes into marriage abroad than you would think, especially during this time.

Good luck!

[Caboose29 173]

Ok, so maybe it would require more work than I recall, but still seems reasonably feasible, no?

 

Foreigners wanting to marry in Turkey

[Chauncey 138]

2 minutes ago, Caboose29 said:

Ok, so maybe it would require more work than I recall, but still seems reasonably feasible, no?

 

Foreigners wanting to marry in Turkey

You should ask the person who posted before me about being married in turkey. It seems they did it and would know more. 

@HKS

Edited January 5, 2021 by Chauncey

[millefleur 5,046]

CR-1 is obviously the better choice, but getting married in Russia requires trips to/from Moscow, acquiring paperwork and then a waiting period. This was complicated prior to Covid, and most likely it's even slower now. There wasn't any particular visa requirement prior to Covid to getting married in Russia, the hassle was always the trips to Moscow to collect documents (an appointment at the US Embassy for the American to get an affidavit and then a 1-2 week wait for some Russian bureaucratic agency in Moscow to authenticate/approve it - this had to be done in person, no mail in option) and the month long waiting period ZAGS requires.

 

I wish I had more answers about a good third country for Russians and Americans to marry in. The whole Covid travel restrictions have certainly made it much harder. Turkey seems like it could be an option - just makes sure that whatever the US Embassy requires is also feasible:

https://tr.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/child-family-matters/marriage/

 

 

[zolotinka 47]

8 minutes ago, millefleur said:

CR-1 is obviously the better choice, but getting married in Russia requires trips to/from Moscow, acquiring paperwork and then a waiting period. This was complicated prior to Covid, and most likely it's even slower now. There wasn't any particular visa requirement prior to Covid to getting married in Russia, the hassle was always the trips to Moscow to collect documents (an appointment at the US Embassy for the American to get an affidavit and then a 1-2 week wait for some Russian bureaucratic agency in Moscow to authenticate/approve it - this had to be done in person, no mail in option) and the month long waiting period ZAGS requires.

The main problem is entering Russia for a fiancé now... Also if the embassy in Moscow makes the appointments for getting an affidavit.

@Caboose29 in some discussions about a place to marry I remember mentioning Mexico. Also maybe Serbia.

[Chauncey 138]

3 minutes ago, zolotinka said:

The main problem is entering Russia for a fiancé now... Also if the embassy in Moscow makes the appointments for getting an affidavit.

@Caboose29 in some discussions about a place to marry I remember mentioning Mexico. Also maybe Serbia.

Mexico does require a blood test and a few other things.

Serbia? I'd like to look into that one. Thanks!

[millefleur 5,046]

2 minutes ago, zolotinka said:

The main problem is entering Russia for a fiancé now... Also if the embassy in Moscow makes the appointments for getting an affidavit.

@Caboose29 in some discussions about a place to marry I remember mentioning Mexico. Also maybe Serbia.

1 minute ago, Chauncey said:

Mexico does require a blood test and a few other things.

Serbia? I'd like to look into that one. Thanks!

I thought about Mexico as well. I'm not familiar with the whole marriage process there but I believe Russians can visit.

 

From the US Embassy about marriage in Serbia:

https://rs.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/marriage/

 

The iffy part now is getting that appointment at the US Embassy to get the affidavit that you are free to marry. Oh and the birth certificate requires an Apostille? Ugh, bureaucracy...and translations into Serbian, this doesn't seem easy.

 

[Chauncey 138]

6 minutes ago, millefleur said:

I thought about Mexico as well. I'm not familiar with the whole marriage process there but I believe Russians can visit.

 

From the US Embassy about marriage in Serbia:

https://rs.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/marriage/

 

The iffy part now is getting that appointment at the US Embassy to get the affidavit that you are free to marry. Oh and the birth certificate requires an Apostille? Ugh, bureaucracy...and translations into Serbian, this doesn't seem easy.

 

You beat me to this! Haha I was about to post that same link for serbia marriage-still pretty complicated. 

I'd prefer getting married still in Russia or US 

[zolotinka 47]

2 minutes ago, millefleur said:

I thought about Mexico as well. I'm not familiar with the whole marriage process there but I believe Russians can visit.

 

From the US Embassy about marriage in Serbia:

https://rs.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/marriage/

 

The iffy part now is getting that appointment at the US Embassy to get the affidavit that you are free to marry. Oh and the birth certificate requires an Apostille? Ugh, bureaucracy...and translations into Serbian, this doesn't seem easy.

 

No easy ways now :(. 

Russians need an e-visa for entering Mexico. Also we can enter it with Schengen visa.

[Caboose29 173]

43 minutes ago, millefleur said:

CR-1 is obviously the better choice, but getting married in Russia requires trips to/from Moscow, acquiring paperwork and then a waiting period. This was complicated prior to Covid, and most likely it's even slower now. There wasn't any particular visa requirement prior to Covid to getting married in Russia, the hassle was always the trips to Moscow to collect documents (an appointment at the US Embassy for the American to get an affidavit and then a 1-2 week wait for some Russian bureaucratic agency in Moscow to authenticate/approve it - this had to be done in person, no mail in option) and the month long waiting period ZAGS requires.

 

I wish I had more answers about a good third country for Russians and Americans to marry in. The whole Covid travel restrictions have certainly made it much harder. Turkey seems like it could be an option - just makes sure that whatever the US Embassy requires is also feasible:

https://tr.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/child-family-matters/marriage/

 

43 minutes ago, millefleur said:

 

 

Apparently with conditions now as they are, it is not feasible at all....

 

 

 

[Chauncey 138]

1 minute ago, Caboose29 said:

 

Apparently with conditions now as they are, it is not feasible at all....

 

 

 

Good thing about K1 is you could get it started now instead of waiting until conditions improve to try to figure out how to marry and then start the process. That's why I did K1. And now I'm only a couple months from possibly being approved

[Caboose29 173]

21 minutes ago, Chauncey said:

Mexico does require a blood test and a few other things.

Serbia? I'd like to look into that one. Thanks!

Apparently Russians can travel to Serbia, visa free based on this website!!  Looks like I'll be looking into Serbia as well.

1 minute ago, Chauncey said:

Good thing about K1 is you could get it started now instead of waiting until conditions improve to try to figure out how to marry and then start the process. That's why I did K1. And now I'm only a couple months from possibly being approved

This is the biggest reason why I'm still considering a K1.

[millefleur 5,046]

1 minute ago, Caboose29 said:

Apparently Russians can travel to Serbia, visa free based on this website!!  Looks like I'll be looking into Serbia as well.

I'm wonder if all those requirements only apply to Serbians marrying Americans in Serbia? What if it's an American marrying a foreigner in Serbia? Would be interesting to know.

[Chauncey 138]

3 minutes ago, Caboose29 said:

Apparently Russians can travel to Serbia, visa free based on this website!!  Looks like I'll be looking into Serbia as well.

This is the biggest reason why I'm still considering a K1.

https://rs.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/marriage/