Unregistered wedding while pending K1(split)

[mille-feuille 2]

Hi, I'm new here. I guess I made an account and jumped straight to the forum so I feel less lonely in the frustration, lol. Submitted in early March, got the confirmation they've received it, but no more updates ever since. Tried to visit the US on tourist visa in September but got denied and told to do the K1 instead. I told the officer we've submitted it already but still haven't heard back (hence I wanted to visit in the meantime), then he checked on his computer and said they didn't have any record of it and simply told me to reapply (#######).

 

Oh well. I guess the documents simply haven't reached this embassy. 

 

I actually got married to my fiance in my home country during this crazy long wait, BUT it's not legal. We had a symbolic ceremony and a reception. We didn't actually register it because we don't want to have to cancel this application and start a new one (read: more cost and even longer wait). I wonder should I mention it when I have my interview one day (whenever will that be)?

 

How long do you all had to wait?

[rich rich 10]

39 minutes ago, loonymoony said:

Hi, I'm new here. I guess I made an account and jumped straight to the forum so I feel less lonely in the frustration, lol. Submitted in early March, got the confirmation they've received it, but no more updates ever since. Tried to visit the US on tourist visa in September but got denied and told to do the K1 instead. I told the officer we've submitted it already but still haven't heard back (hence I wanted to visit in the meantime), then he checked on his computer and said they didn't have any record of it and simply told me to reapply (#######).

 

Oh well. I guess the documents simply haven't reached this embassy. 

 

I actually got married to my fiance in my home country during this crazy long wait, BUT it's not legal. We had a symbolic ceremony and a reception. We didn't actually register it because we don't want to have to cancel this application and start a new one (read: more cost and even longer wait). I wonder should I mention it when I have my interview one day (whenever will that be)?

 

How long do you all had to wait?

If there was no record of you applying for K-1 why were you denied a tourist visa?  So you never received the NOA1?

 

 

[mille-feuille 2]

2 minutes ago, rich rich said:

If there was no record of you applying for K-1 why were you denied a tourist visa?  So you never received the NOA1?

 

 

Oh we received the confirmation after we applied in March, just haven't heard anything again ever since. No record at the embassy here yet, but I was denied because I admitted I have a fiance in the US (thought I shouldn't lie because after all we have submitted K1 application before and I was planning to stay with him while in the US). I think the officer thought I was gonna misuse the tourist visa to stay there and get married. 

[powerpuff 6,747]

55 minutes ago, loonymoony said:

I actually got married to my fiance in my home country during this crazy long wait, BUT it's not legal. We had a symbolic ceremony and a reception. We didn't actually register it because we don't want to have to cancel this application and start a new one (read: more cost and even longer wait). I wonder should I mention it when I have my interview one day (whenever will that be)?

That would be grounds for denial. It doesn’t need to be officially registered to be denied, there are several examples here on VJ where that happened. 

[mille-feuille 2]

1 minute ago, powerpuff said:

That would be grounds for denial. It doesn’t need to be officially registered to be denied, there are several examples here on VJ where that happened. 

Wow really? I didn't know about it, I thought it'd only matter to them if it's legal. Thanks for letting me know.

[Ecofolux2427 11]

15 minutes ago, loonymoony said:

Oh we received the confirmation after we applied in March, just haven't heard anything again ever since. No record at the embassy here yet, but I was denied because I admitted I have a fiance in the US (thought I shouldn't lie because after all we have submitted K1 application before and I was planning to stay with him while in the US). I think the officer thought I was gonna misuse the tourist visa to stay there and get married. 

Wait....so you were in the process of getting approved for a K1 Visa, got tired of waiting and tried to enter the US on a Tourist visa but was denied?

 

Did you have to buy a ticket immediately and fly back home? 

[mille-feuille 2]

6 minutes ago, Ecofolux2427 said:

Wait....so you were in the process of getting approved for a K1 Visa, got tired of waiting and tried to enter the US on a Tourist visa but was denied?

 

Did you have to buy a ticket immediately and fly back home? 

Well, long wait. No NOA2 yet. My husband could visit me here, but I wanted to see where he lives too and meet his family, so we tried the tourism visa. Official reason for denial is no strong ties to home country. Really though the officer didn't ask that much about myself, mainly about our relationship.

 

No tickets bought yet.

Edited November 9, 2022 by loonymoony

[Family 4,138]

42 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

1 hour ago, loonymoony said:

I actually got married to my fiance in my home country during this crazy long wait, BUT it's not legal. We had a symbolic ceremony and a reception. We didn't actually register it because we don't want to have to cancel this application and start a new one (read: more cost and even longer wait). I wonder should I mention it when I have my interview one day (whenever will that be)?

That would be grounds for denial. It doesn’t need to be officially registered to be denied, there are several examples here on VJ where that happened. 

Since now you know.. that your marriage is very much “legal “ and deemed a marriage…what will you do? 

[mille-feuille 2]

Just now, Family said:

Since now you know.. that your marriage is very much “legal “ and deemed a marriage…what will you do? 

Seriously, can I just not mention it during the interview? It isn't on the civil registry here and we don't even have a church certificate. 

[Crazy Cat 42,037]

58 minutes ago, loonymoony said:

My husband could visit me here,

"Husband"?  Husbands are not qualified for a K- visa. You are headed for possible big trouble. 

 I have asked the friendly Mods to split your comment out into a new thread. 

Edited November 9, 2022 by Crazy Cat

[Ontarkie 14,378]

~~Hijack post in unrelated thread split off along with related replies.~~

[mille-feuille 2]

29 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

"Husband"?  Husbands are not qualified for a K- visa. You are headed for possible big trouble. 

 I have asked the friendly Mods to split your comment out into a new thread. 

Ok I'm very much new here and I never heard of other couple's stories. But really why would I head for a possible big trouble when I'm not legally married?

 

Long story short, we never intended to violate anything. We applied for K1 2 months after getting engaged, decided to have a wedding during the long wait after because we wanted to celebrate and also for convenience's sake (I live in a more conservative country). We never submitted wedding pics and during previous embassy interview I said fiance. 

Edited November 9, 2022 by loonymoony
typo

[Dashinka 24,717]

30 minutes ago, moonymoony said:

Ok I'm very much new here and I never heard of other couple's stories. But really why would I head for a possible big trouble when I'm not legally married?

 

Long story short, we never intended to violate anything. We applied for K1 2 months after getting engaged, decided to have a wedding during the long wait after because we wanted to celebrate and also for convenience's sake (I live in a more conservative country). We never submitted wedding pics and during previous embassy interview I said fiance. 

When you eventually go to the interview for a K1 visa, the CO may determine you are too married for a fiancé visa.  There are stories of denials of couples that had religious ceremonies, etc. that were denied for the K1.  Since you refer to your partner as your husband, or spouse, if I were the CO, I would deny the K1 and advise your spouse to file the I130 for an eventual spousal visa.

 

Good Luck!

[Chancy 6,243]

19 minutes ago, moonymoony said:

But really why would I head for a possible big trouble when I'm not legally married?

 

It is possible that you may get lucky and the consulate never finds out about the wedding.  But the fact that you had a wedding ceremony prior to K1 visa issuance could haunt you throughout your immigration journey.  Just the suspicion that you were not qualified for the visa because you were secretly married, is enough for the immigration officer to question you, even at your AOS, ROC, or citizenship interviews in the US, like what happened to this VJ member --

 

 

Some examples of K1 cases denied due to reasons related to an unregistered wedding (or even just an engagement) ceremony --

 

 

[powerpuff 6,747]

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