Is Utah online marriage valid if you never met before getting married?

[roughlyworried 5]

Hi. I had a very specific question regarding the Utah marriage. A friend of mine brought it to my attention that USCIS and especially the consulate might not like how it was done.

 

My wife and I met online. 3 months later we got married online through Utah. Before we got married, we never once met each other in person. About 8 months after getting married we met in a third country and have been together for a total of just over 1 year. We have evidence of living together, including pictures, stamps and all the typical requirements. My only concern is that they will question the validity of a marriage based on never meeting once in person before marriage and getting married so soon.
 

I also, sadly, don’t have much chats from before we married since we both have since changed our phones and lost that data. I do have some screenshots of us on video calls around the time when first met, but they aren’t dated.
 

Thanks

Edited September 20, 2022 by roughlyworried

[powerpuff 6,699]

I doubt it will be an issue for Taiwan consulate. I’ll let @Crazy Cat chime in since that was their consulate as well.

 

Regarding the validity, it is valid as the requirement is meeting after the ceremony, not that you have to have met in person before doing the Utah Zoom marriage.

 

36 minutes ago, roughlyworried said:

I also, sadly, don’t have much chats from before we married since we both have since changed our phones and lost that data. I do have some screenshots of us on video calls around the time when first met, but they aren’t dated.
 

Thanks

Best evidence of a genuine relationship is time spent together in person as opposed to chats and calls.

[Crazy Cat 41,857]

47 minutes ago, roughlyworried said:

My only concern is that they will question the validity of a marriage based on never meeting once in person before marriage and getting married so soon.

Months of living together as a married couple should help overcome any doubts.  Just show quality evidence of time actually living in the same place.

[roughlyworried 5]

30 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

I doubt it will be an issue for Taiwan consulate. I’ll let @Crazy Cat chime in since that was their consulate as well.

 

Regarding the validity, it is valid as the requirement is meeting after the ceremony, not that you have to have met in person before doing the Utah Zoom marriage.

 

Best evidence of a genuine relationship is time spent together in person as opposed to chats and calls.

Correct. That’s what I understood too about the requirements for the marriage to be consummated. Perhaps it’s just my worries because of the uniqueness of it all. Not seeing each other in person before getting married along with getting married so soon. I have to admit we were pretty crazy. I just hope they won’t mistake our crazy in love youthfulness with fraud/not being in a bona fide marriage

 

20 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Months of living together as a married couple should help overcome any doubts.  Just show quality evidence of time actually living in the same place.

What I have available to show is a lease agreement for 10 months we have (but I never changed my address from the United States on record since I planned on being here less then a year), pictures of me and wife going for trips, pictures of us having a pet rabbit, pictures with Friends we made here, and lastly I’ll have the passport stamps and plane tickets of us leaving and entering the country. I would hope that’s enough. 

[Crazy Cat 41,857]

8 minutes ago, roughlyworried said:

What I have available to show is a lease agreement for 10 months we have (but I never changed my address from the United States on record since I planned on being here less then a year), pictures of me and wife going for trips, pictures of us having a pet rabbit, pictures with Friends we made here, and lastly I’ll have the passport stamps and plane tickets of us leaving and entering the country. I would hope that’s enough. 

There was no requirement to change your address of record if you were visiting.  The lease, along with the other evidence, seems good to me.  Are you living in Taiwan?  My wife and I lived in Taipei for 7 months after we married there.

Edited September 20, 2022 by Crazy Cat

[roughlyworried 5]

1 minute ago, Crazy Cat said:

There was no requirement to change your address of record if you were visiting.  The lease, along with the other evidence, seems good to me.  Are you living in Taiwan?

Well, I do have a permit to stay here as a student, but I’m returning back to america soon, and ive always paid all my bills in america including utilities and car insurance. I’ve been here for like 10 months. I attempted multiple times to go home since June but had to stay here. The lease agreement was originally from January to June, but we kept extending month by month, so the last month before we leave I’m thinking of the landlord making a agreement or document for the entire time we stayed here. 
 

also, I’m in Thailand.