Marriage outside the U.S. on a K-1 visa

[Jason-Sasha 1]

Geez! The AOS portion of this journey seems to be even tougher than this stage. Hopefully it will be faster. I noticed that some people wait years to have their petitions approved. Unbelievable.

[Carlawarla 1]

It's a stamp given at JFK, they are one of the few if any anymore that give it. It's only good for 90 days. With the delays of AOS, EAD, and AP, it will be doubtful if you'll get ED before the 90 days have expired. However, I suppose it's a possibility! Anyway, if it's not obtained before the 90 days are up, she'd have to stop working, because she wouldn't be authorized at that time to work. I don't know how many people have obtained the stamp upon entry, got work, then got their EAD before the 90 days are up. I doubt many.

Personally, I think it's best to be prepared to look at not working upon entry to the US, and hope that things are speedily approved after.

I should mention that you have to be married before you can apply for your AOS, ED, and AP, so after arriving at JFK, you'd get the stamp, then have to get married quickly, then send in all your paperwork, and still expect you would get work authorization before the 90 days are up.

Carla

[Krikit 1,165]

Hi Jason. The Employment Authorization stamp is only valid with the EAD to continue working beyond the 3 month I-94 expiry, so it's pretty much useless. In other words, yes a K-1'er is authorized to work, however, until they have the EAD to prove to the employer that they're legal, it's unlikely they'll be hired. A Catch 22 situation.

WRT your concerns re the civil marriage vs the romantic wedding ceremony..... we married civilly the week after I entered the US. We felt the same way that you do about it, but we also didn't feel it was right to be living together without benefit of marriage. It would also have been stressful to plan the wedding with the 90 day clock ticking and not much notice for guests. Anyway, we found that the ceremony which we most remember is the one which our family and friends attended because that was a celebration of two lives coming together. Having said that, if you have the time and the ability, I would choose the romantic wedding you are considering over the civil wedding. There are some really lovely places in the US. Besides.... a few extra weeks to file your wife's AOS is not going to have much impact either way unless it's a financial concern.

Another thing to consider when deciding to marry straight away or not is regarding health insurance. Some policies require you to be married to add your wife to your coverage, while others will cover the fiancé(e) immediately upon entry, based upon the K-1 visa.

Let us know if you need wedding locale suggestions!!! lol

Edited October 31, 2007 by Krikit

[Fandango 1,440]

Edit: the whole 'welcome to VJ thing' for an 05 member has been covered.

Did you make fun of me Lisa? It was late ok!?!! LOL

naw, Laura...I just mentioned that he was here since 05 is all....

[LaL 418]

I realize this is even in my own thread but....can you answer this for me. I have read in several threads in the past about obtaining an Employment Authorization from some POEs. Sasha has worked in the U.S. a few times in the past from other visas. She will be coming in through JFK in NY. She has a SSN but only valid with work authorization. Is it possible that she can get instant authorization for work when she lands at JFK?? Any chances? I'm currently searching for answers to this as I post this, so please forgive me if I seem ignorant or lazy. I'm really not. Thanks everyone! You've given me more info than I ever hoped to receive. Usually any thread i start gets buried at the bottom of the list for lack of interest or something...so i dont start many.

It's only valid for 90 days though, and only available at JFK.

Not an absolute. Members have reported obtaining the stamp at Houston, and recently another member noted obtaining it at another POE. Always beneficial to ask. So while Jason may be covered by going through JFK, it is not the only place to receive it.

Edited October 31, 2007 by LaL

[Mags 112]

I realize this is even in my own thread but....can you answer this for me. I have read in several threads in the past about obtaining an Employment Authorization from some POEs. Sasha has worked in the U.S. a few times in the past from other visas. She will be coming in through JFK in NY. She has a SSN but only valid with work authorization. Is it possible that she can get instant authorization for work when she lands at JFK?? Any chances? I'm currently searching for answers to this as I post this, so please forgive me if I seem ignorant or lazy. I'm really not. Thanks everyone! You've given me more info than I ever hoped to receive. Usually any thread i start gets buried at the bottom of the list for lack of interest or something...so i dont start many.

It's only valid for 90 days though, and only available at JFK.

Not an absolute. Members have reported obtaining the stamp at Houston, and recently another member noted obtaining it at another POE. Always beneficial to ask. So while Jason may be covered by going through JFK, it is not the only place to receive it.

There are definitely some land based POEs that it is available in too, if I remember correctly.

[*JG* 2]

Jamaica is absolutely beautiful. Maybe for a post-poned honeymoon.

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

Edit: the whole 'welcome to VJ thing' for an 05 member has been covered.

Did you make fun of me Lisa? It was late ok!?!! LOL

naw, Laura...I just mentioned that he was here since 05 is all....

I know..lol I was just kidding.

Happy Halloween!!!

[petefromoz 0]

Congratulations to both of you

will be a magnificent life..i have the good vibe, as for me and my american sweetheart, we fell in love 7 years ago..and i am finally moving to usa, (sometime this december) after quarterly travel beween usa and australia for 7 yrs.

Angel and I are getting married on the beach in ohua hawaii in february and honeymooning on a neighbouring island..from my research, wedding has to be in a usa state...so caribbean is dodgy..may be that can be the anniversary?/

good luck

Pete

My darling Sasha and I hope to be together by spring 2008. We want to get married soon after her arrival in an attempt to adjust her status sooner than later. We have also decided to celebrate the occasion with a very small, private wedding away from our home in Virginia. Rather than spending loads of money for a large formal wedding that will only satisfy relatives and friends, we've opted to spend very little on the actual wedding and enjoy a nice long romantic honeymoon. If we spend thousands and thousands on a wedding, we will not be able to take a nice honeymoon together. We would like to take off for somewhere tropical, marry there, vacation for a week, then come home. I'm not sure if she will be able to travel to the Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Barbados, or other Carribean Islands. Is it possible?? Or perhaps we will be limited to somewhere within the U.S. We would settle for Florida or Hawaii, but would prefer to go to the Carribean. I'm sure if I researched enough online I would find the answers, but I'm medicated right now for a severe migraine and I'm feeling quite lazy. So, thanks for anyone who can answer this for me definitively.

Also, does it matter if we get married in any place other than our home state? Thanks again...

[Goldylocks 0]

My darling Sasha and I hope to be together by spring 2008. We want to get married soon after her arrival in an attempt to adjust her status sooner than later. We have also decided to celebrate the occasion with a very small, private wedding away from our home in Virginia. Rather than spending loads of money for a large formal wedding that will only satisfy relatives and friends, we've opted to spend very little on the actual wedding and enjoy a nice long romantic honeymoon. If we spend thousands and thousands on a wedding, we will not be able to take a nice honeymoon together. We would like to take off for somewhere tropical, marry there, vacation for a week, then come home. I'm not sure if she will be able to travel to the Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Barbados, or other Carribean Islands. Is it possible?? Or perhaps we will be limited to somewhere within the U.S. We would settle for Florida or Hawaii, but would prefer to go to the Carribean. I'm sure if I researched enough online I would find the answers, but I'm medicated right now for a severe migraine and I'm feeling quite lazy. So, thanks for anyone who can answer this for me definitively.

Also, does it matter if we get married in any place other than our home state? Thanks again...

My fiance and I are planning on having the "legal" marriage perfomed in the US and then having a small wedding with our families in Mexico after I get my papers to travel.