When To Get Married?

[PfcsBaby 0]

Hey y'all,

I'm thinking way ahead again, but I like to know what I'm doing before I go do it. Only 2 more weeks till my interview and granted I get approved, I plan on moving to the US on or before November 15th. I want to be there before Thanksgiving Me and my fiancee were planning on waiting until the 1st week of January to get married, then send for my AOS immediately after that. With Christmas coming soon, then his birthday in February, we figured, something inbetween would be best, but I have doubts now. Not with the marriage, but with the date. I know I'll have to wait at least 2 weeks to apply for a SS# after I arrive there, but should we get married right after that, or just wait till the date we have set now? I'm worried about the visa expiring (90 day period) before my AOS is approved. Does that even matter? I just don't know how it all works with the AOS. I always thought that it had to be approved before the 90 days, but after reading some posts, I see that it can take months to get approved for your AOS. Any help would be appreciated.

Mary

[bradcanuck 1]

Honestly I would just do it immediately. With all of the mess in the system I'd rather just get it done and over with. Do a civil ceremony at the court house and do a real marriage later? That's what I did.

[Jasman0717 9]

You need to marry before the I-94 expires. You don't have to file AOS in that same period even though many do because of the advantages of getting the GC.

[Melyssa 0]

You need to marry before the I-94 expires. You don't have to file AOS in that same period even though many do because of the advantages of getting the GC.

When is the soonest practical date to file AOS for someone with a K1? I think that's what I want to do when the time comes.

[Reba 2]

The soonest practical date would be the day you receive your marriage certificate really. The sooner the better. However, the only legal stipulation for a K1 is that you are married within the 90 day validity of the K1 visa, there is no specific time frame that says when you *have* to file AOS.

Thing is however, that after your K1 expires (90 days after entry) then your are legally sort of in limbo. You're in the country legally, but if you leave, they're not going to let you back in. You need to apply for AOS so that you can apply for AP and EAD. If you don't apply for AOS then all of the derivative stuff is just going to take that much longer.

[Blues Fairy 0]

I have exactly the same interview date as yours, I also plan the move to the US in November and wedding the 1st week of January. I plan to file for AOS on the next day and hopefully receive my EAD before the 90 days expire.

As for AOS, with the current pace of USCIS, there's little chance of your GC arriving before your I-94 expires anyway. So why worry. You might try for EAD though, it may be a bit faster.

[Carlawarla 1]

Take a look at my timeline. We had our NOA2 in September of last year, but requested a November interview date with the consulate, so that we could have a spring wedding. My visa was approved the 17th of November, and I didn't move here until the 22 of January. Then we waited until the 7th of April to marry. I had my SSN prior to my wedding, BUT when I went to get my named changed on it, because it expired May 17 2006, I couldn't get a new one issued with the name change because it was less than 76 days from expiry. Not that it really mattered? I just got another one after my GC.

When you and your SO are talking about marriage dates, and you're fairly confident that you'll get your visa on the interview date, heck, pick when you want to get married.

Can you wait for your AOS? That would be a big deciding factor for some people. I'm not working, nor had any intention of working right away, so I wasn't in a hurry to get the paperwork so I could start work.

Carla

[PfcsBaby 0]

Well we were planning for the January wedding date solely because Christmas is coming up and with these new fees for the AOS, we'll be paying $1610. Thats for me and my son. I don't want to have next to nothing for Christmas. We'll be getting married at the court house, then go back to his parents house for a small get together. Later in the future we'll have the traditional ceremony when we have more money to do that. I'll talk to him tonight and let him know what all I found out about this. Thanks again everyone for your info. It really does help.

Mary

[Cassie 8]

I entered the US on Nov 1, got married Nov 7, applied for my SSN three weeks after that.....and then waited to apply for AOS/EAD/AP until about 3 weeks before my I-94. Not intentionally, but that's how it worked out.

Just make sure you are married within the 90 day timeframe!

[lynamon 0]

As long as you get married within 90 days your fine ... you can still get your SSN within two weeks of arrival. You may want to keep in mind though that you most likely will not be able to get a drivers license until you receive a receipt notice stating that you filed for adjustment of status (although you will be able to drive on a Canadian drivers license for I believe 6 months ... you would have to check with your state and that may become a problem with being insured ... my insurance company only covered me 60 days from point of entry which was State Farm Insurance) .. and you will not be able to apply for AP and EAD until you file for adjustment of status .. if you file before AOS for EAD it will expire along with your I94 (90 days from point of entry).

As I came across with my son .. the most urgency for me was Advance Parole.

[PfcsBaby 0]

Thats a whole other thing that I wanted to get into, but figured that it could wait. I never did get my drivers license. I said for years that I would, but never did. I always had public transportation to use and no car, so I just put it off for all these years. Well now that I'm moving to Georgia, I need a drivers license. Where my fiancee lives, you need a car to get around. The closest gas station is about a 30 minute walk away and I just can't do that all the time. Am I going to have to wait until my AOS is approved before I can even get my license? I tried looking on the DMV website several times and all it says it something about needing proof of immigration, or something along those lines. I'm guessing that means my AOS huh?

[lynamon 0]

Thats a whole other thing that I wanted to get into, but figured that it could wait. I never did get my drivers license. I said for years that I would, but never did. I always had public transportation to use and no car, so I just put it off for all these years. Well now that I'm moving to Georgia, I need a drivers license. Where my fiancee lives, you need a car to get around. The closest gas station is about a 30 minute walk away and I just can't do that all the time. Am I going to have to wait until my AOS is approved before I can even get my license? I tried looking on the DMV website several times and all it says it something about needing proof of immigration, or something along those lines. I'm guessing that means my AOS huh?

I'm not sure about your state but here in Ohio you have to prove that you have filed for adjustment of status which is the NOA that you receive once filed.

[piosenka 0]

Pfcs - I have the same interview date as you in Montreal! Maybe I will see you there.

My plan is to be married on April 5th. My fiance will move here in February and spend some time with me prior to getting married.

6 months to enter the US and then 3 months (90 days) to get married once you are in, right?

[PfcsBaby 0]

Hey piosenka. Let me know who to look for and I'll see you there!! Not sure what I'm wearing, but I can get back to you about that one lol. As far as I know we have 6 months to move down there once we're approved, then 3 months to get married, but thats not something I'm willing to do. I've spent too much time away from my fiancee and I want to get there asap lol.

[PfcsBaby 0]

OPPS. Clicked twice by accident lol

Hey piosenka. Let me know who to look for and I'll see you there!! Not sure what I'm wearing, but I can get back to you about that one lol. As far as I know we have 6 months to move down there once we're approved, then 3 months to get married, but thats not something I'm willing to do. I've spent too much time away from my fiancee and I want to get there asap lol.

Edited October 10, 2007 by PfcsBaby