How To Marry Someone Illegally In USA

[Haltech007 10]

My friend is a US citizen. He wants to marry a woman who originally came here on a tourist VISA, but overstayed. Since I married a foreigner, apparently I am some kind of 'expert' now. Anyhoo, he is a natural-born citizen. She is from Taiwan. They have been living together for a few months and want to get married, but have no idea where to even begin. I thought I'd ask here. Does anyone here have any info or suggestions?

[Boiler 45,466]

Where I am you get a Marriage License from the County Offices, same place that deals with vehicle registration.

 

Presumably with a K1 you married and know the process?

[TBoneTX 45,266]

If you have specific questions about the process, please list them so that we can help or refer you.

[Haltech007 10]

OK, I'll start over:

She is in the country on an expired tourist VISA. They cannot simply go to the Clerk of the Courts for a license since she has no legitimate ID like my wife with the K1

The specific question was where to start. This is not the standard 'marry an immigrant' topic. Are there forms for this situation? She already went thru the process for a VISA twice, so at least that part is done. It's not like she came here hidden in a cargo ship. I tried to Google it, but all I got were lawyer ads. 

[Boiler 45,466]

Presumably she has a Passport?

[TBoneTX 45,266]

Can she try using her passport for ID, independent of whether the visa has expired?

This has worked for K-1 marriages, of course.

The Clerk of Court should have no comment about a Federal issue (immigration status).

[Mike E 11,739]

8 minutes ago, Haltech007 said:

she has no legitimate ID

If she does not have a passport, what state does she live in?

[Haltech007 10]

Yes, she has a passport, but that is all. Will they not ask about her immigration status or any other paperwork? I had to do a ton of paperwork for us to get married. It just seems that there would be much more involved.

[Boiler 45,466]

Just now, Haltech007 said:

Yes, she has a passport, but that is all. Will they not ask about her immigration status or any other paperwork? I had to do a ton of paperwork for us to get married. It just seems that there would be much more involved.

You did not provide any immigration paperwork why would they?

[TBoneTX 45,266]

3 minutes ago, Haltech007 said:

Will they not ask about her immigration status

It's not in their wheelhouse.

If someone asks, a response similar to "That's on the Federal level, but thanks for asking" should suffice.  Repeat it, if necessary.

[Mike E 11,739]

19 minutes ago, Haltech007 said:

Yes, she has a passport, but that is all. Will they not ask about her immigration status or any other paperwork?

Not IME.

 

I know for sure, Cook, Santa Clara, and Utah counties do not care. I doubt Clark (Vegas) county cares either. 
 

21 minutes ago, Haltech007 said:

I had to do a ton of paperwork for us to get married

Could be your county is not an place for people who lack documents  to get married in. Fortunately there are 100s of counties to pick from. I love this country: a veritable supermarket of marriage license choices.

 

 

 

 

[jackiegringa 419]

45 minutes ago, Haltech007 said:

Yes, she has a passport, but that is all. Will they not ask about her immigration status or any other paperwork? I had to do a ton of paperwork for us to get married. It just seems that there would be much more involved.

I was legal and married in the Midwest. Used passport to file for marriage and at no point was asked about it. It shouldn't come up directly.

Edited September 11, 2023 by jackiegringa

[SalishSea 17,818]

2 hours ago, Haltech007 said:

OK, I'll start over:

She is in the country on an expired tourist VISA. They cannot simply go to the Clerk of the Courts for a license since she has no legitimate ID like my wife with the K1

The specific question was where to start. This is not the standard 'marry an immigrant' topic. Are there forms for this situation? She already went thru the process for a VISA twice, so at least that part is done. It's not like she came here hidden in a cargo ship. I tried to Google it, but all I got were lawyer ads. 

We did a K-1.  No one (from the county marriage license office staff to the wedding officiant) asked to see any documentation related to immigration status.  My husband used his unexpired NZ passport as picture ID until he was able to get a Washington state drivers license.

 

 

[nastra30 2,284]

I read the title a little different thinking someone wanted to marry illegally in the US. Haha.

 

Op they can use passport as ID.

[Demise 1,281]

7 hours ago, Haltech007 said:

My friend is a US citizen. He wants to marry a woman who originally came here on a tourist VISA, but overstayed. Since I married a foreigner, apparently I am some kind of 'expert' now. Anyhoo, he is a natural-born citizen. She is from Taiwan. They have been living together for a few months and want to get married, but have no idea where to even begin. I thought I'd ask here. Does anyone here have any info or suggestions?

Same how you'd marry a citizen, you go to city hall, or court or whatever place issues marriage licenses, pay for that, then you have someone (judge, justice of peace, priest, ship's captain) officiate the wedding and file the paperwork with the state.

 

Being a tourist visa overstayer marrying a citizen the process will be simple, marry, file I-130, I-130A, I-485, I-765, I-131, and I-864, also I-693 signed a civil surgeon, attend the interview and she'll get her CR6/IR6 green card.

 

Regarding ID, presumably she has a passport, if not then she'll need to contact the equivalent to an embassy/consulate for Taiwan in US and renew that.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Demise