What to do?

[johnvan 0]

Hi,

I just found this site, and there is so much information to take in. I hope someone can help me. I have been trying to decide which visa me and my fiancee can apply for. After visiting my fiancee the first time, we fell deeply in love. I proposed to her before I left, and after returning home we began talking about marriage. During our emails and chats we started calling each other husband and wife, but we were not married. We then began the process of filling out papers for us to get married in her country which is Vietnam. We planned everthing for our wedding, but then decided to not file the papers, and file for the Fiancee Visa. Having a wedding was very important to her family, so we decided to have the ceremony and reception as planned, but never filed the necessary papers. Can we petition for the fiancee Visa? If so can we include evidence from the wedding such as pictures and receipts, and explain that we had a wedding ceremony which was important to her family, but never filed the necessary papers? Also can we include the emails and chats, even though most of them are ended with Love, your husband or wife. It was not true, but in our hearts it was?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[iceyspots 0]

Since you're filing a fiance visa, you don't want to show ANY indication that you are married!

[dalegg 143]

Hello Johnvan,

Your situation is perfect for the K1 visa. To file the I-129F you must show proof that you two have met in person, so just stick to generic photos and E-mails of you two trollopsing around Vietnam.

When it comes down to the day of your fiance's interview, the consulate in Vietnam will actually WANT to see pictures of your engagement party as that is a normal custom in Vietnam. In fact they will probably ask you whether or not you had one. It is a gooood thing.

Make sure it is actually an engagement ceremony and not the wedding ceremony.

Edited April 1, 2006 by dalegg

[scy 0]

Hello Johnvan,

Your situation is perfect for the K1 visa. To file the I-129F you must show proof that you two have met in person, so just stick to generic photos and E-mails of you two trollopsing around Vietnam.

When it comes down to the day of your fiance's interview, the consulate in Vietnam will actually WANT to see pictures of your engagement party as that is a normal custom in Vietnam. In fact they will probably ask you whether or not you had one. It is a gooood thing.

Make sure it is actually an engagement ceremony and not the wedding ceremony.

I don't think he had an engagement party. I think he might have had a wedding.

"Having a wedding was very important to her family, so we decided to have the ceremony and reception as planned, but never filed the necessary papers. Can we petition for the fiancee Visa? If so can we include evidence from the wedding such as pictures and receipts"

The original poster is in a bind. Legally he is not married, but if he shows any evidence of the wedding ceremony at the interview, the consulate is going to become very suspicious. The consulate is going to wonder if the petitioner and beneficiary was legally married but choose to lie on their petition and application.

I think the original poster should consult an attorney.

[dalegg 143]

I don't think he had an engagement party. I think he might have had a wedding.

"Having a wedding was very important to her family, so we decided to have the ceremony and reception as planned, but never filed the necessary papers. Can we petition for the fiancee Visa? If so can we include evidence from the wedding such as pictures and receipts"

The original poster is in a bind. Legally he is not married, but if he shows any evidence of the wedding ceremony at the interview, the consulate is going to become very suspicious. The consulate is going to wonder if the petitioner and beneficiary was legally married but choose to lie on their petition and application.

I think the original poster should consult an attorney.

As long as he doesn't tell them, how will they know whether it was a marriage or an engament? I'm actually ignorant as to what the wedding ceremony looks like. I thought our engagement ceremony felt a lot like a marriage and indeed my wife called me chong from the day we got engaged until now, and often she refers to it as our marriage. I'll bet he can produce pictures that look like an engagement party. He just needs to leave home anything that looks like a marriage-whatever that is.

...Back from talk with wife...

Well, after more than 2 years of blissful ignorance, I have just discovered that the reason my engagement ceremony felt so much like a wedding to me was because in actuality, we DID have the wedding ceremony.

I guess the key is just not to tell the husband.

Edited April 1, 2006 by dalegg

[TooBig 0]

K-1 if you are not legally married and a K-3 if you are legally married ......I would assume if you did get married there,there will be some sort of documatation which will not go good with the K-1.

The easy way (if there is such a thing) and quickest is the K-1

You don't want to get all the paper work sent in filled out than find out you filed the wrong one and have to start over.

As you can see by time lines ............some are very long but stay with it and you will succeed and this place is for you not matter what route you chose.

GOOD LUCK

Edited April 1, 2006 by TooBig

[Ladylethal 12]

If you didn´t sign anything, you´re not married, thus being apt to file a K1, just make sure you read the guides and provide the necessary forms, evidence, documents.

[Jasman0717 9]

If the ceremony was not officially documented then you can file the K-1 but if there is a record if it you will have to file the K-3

[aussiewench 9]

I'm actually ignorant as to what the wedding ceremony looks like. I thought our engagement ceremony felt a lot like a marriage and indeed my wife called me chong from the day we got engaged until now, and often she refers to it as our marriage. I'll bet he can produce pictures that look like an engagement party. He just needs to leave home anything that looks like a marriage-whatever that is.

...Back from talk with wife...

Well, after more than 2 years of blissful ignorance, I have just discovered that the reason my engagement ceremony felt so much like a wedding to me was because in actuality, we DID have the wedding ceremony.

I guess the key is just not to tell the husband.

you wally hahahahahaha too funny

[Ladylethal 12]

That was hilarious indeed!

Are you married?

No.

Yes you are dear!

I am?

[Fishergirl 1]

That was hilarious indeed!

Are you married?

No.

Yes you are dear!

I am?

[scy 0]

I don't think he had an engagement party. I think he might have had a wedding.

"Having a wedding was very important to her family, so we decided to have the ceremony and reception as planned, but never filed the necessary papers. Can we petition for the fiancee Visa? If so can we include evidence from the wedding such as pictures and receipts"

The original poster is in a bind. Legally he is not married, but if he shows any evidence of the wedding ceremony at the interview, the consulate is going to become very suspicious. The consulate is going to wonder if the petitioner and beneficiary was legally married but choose to lie on their petition and application.

I think the original poster should consult an attorney.

As long as he doesn't tell them, how will they know whether it was a marriage or an engament? I'm actually ignorant as to what the wedding ceremony looks like. I thought our engagement ceremony felt a lot like a marriage and indeed my wife called me chong from the day we got engaged until now, and often she refers to it as our marriage. I'll bet he can produce pictures that look like an engagement party. He just needs to leave home anything that looks like a marriage-whatever that is.

But if he selectively withheld information, he is getting onto the slippery slope of material misrepresentation.

A wedding is quite different than an engagement ceremony in Vietnam. An engagement ceremony is mainly a get together where the two families meet and are introduced to the future husband and wife. There is no praying at the family altar or attending a religious ceremony.

A wedding on the otherhand means certain protocols are demanded and the couple pray at the family altar. And if they follow a particular religion, the couple will attend a religious ceremony to solemnize their marriage.

The consular officer is trained to know the difference between a wedding and an engagement ceremony. It would be hard to fool him. Plus he has Vietnamese staff that he can ask. If I was the original poster, I wouldn't even mention any ceremony and would not present any pictures of said ceremony.

[motu 6]

Well, after more than 2 years of blissful ignorance, I have just discovered that the reason my engagement ceremony felt so much like a wedding to me was because in actuality, we DID have the wedding ceremony.

I guess the key is just not to tell the husband.

So you are a two-timer then? Even though you twotimed with the same woman! Maybe a new religion is about to start. Ja Ja JA

[dalegg 143]

Well, I guess I'm living proof that you can pull off. I do recall that we had the same concerns so we did not send in pictures that looked like a marriage, just pictures of the party afterwards with me and her family.

Yes, that sounds exactly like what we did- with the praying at the altar and the insence and all. Well, ignorance is bliss I guess.

Okay, one MORE change to my story. In talking to my wife she tells me that in fact she DID show pictures of our wedding ceremony as well and they raised no issue about it. I guess as long as you don't obtain a marriage license, it's not a legal marriage

Edited April 1, 2006 by dalegg

[silverbutterfly228 0]

like the others i don't think this will be a problem as long as u are not married actually. i think the consulate would understand you having a 'wedding' there so family and friends can join to celebrate before having an actual wedding in the USA where those faimly members wouldn't be able to attend. i thought i read something posted on this site about someone having a pretend wedding in foreign country first. and they had no problem.