Advice Needed Please

[yassmine2878 1]

Ahmed and I have a photograph of us wearing our wedding rings and we are debating as to whether or not we should include it with the photos he is taking to the interview. Would this be interpreted as a sign of us already being married, and thereby jeopardizing the K-1? Or would it be considered as proof that we intend to get married, and thereby strengthen our case? I have read similar discussions about couples including photos of their engagement ceremony and how it could cause problems, but this photo didnt quite seem to fall in the same category. Has anyone else wrestled with this sort of thing? Any advice or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

Gabi and Ahmed

[mybackpages 0]

Ahmed and I have a photograph of us wearing our wedding rings and we are debating as to whether or not we should include it with the photos he is taking to the interview. Would this be interpreted as a sign of us already being married, and thereby jeopardizing the K-1? Or would it be considered as proof that we intend to get married, and thereby strengthen our case? I have read similar discussions about couples including photos of their engagement ceremony and how it could cause problems, but this photo didnt quite seem to fall in the same category. Has anyone else wrestled with this sort of thing? Any advice or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

Gabi and Ahmed

My opinion is not to include it. I think I understand why you might want to send it. You probably want to show pictures of you as a committed real couple and this shows that. BUT I think the consulate officers care more about catching any whiff of fraud- whether it is real or not. I wouldn't want to raise any doubt as to the eligibility of obtaining a fiance visa.

Good luck with whatever you decide

[kitkat1 5]

Yikes. I would NOT include it - you do not want to do anything that will make the CO think you are already married and jeopardize the visa!

[raymaga 25]

I agree with the previous poster. You in no way want it to look like you were married prior to your K-1 interview. It just isn't worth it.

Good luck at the interview.

[E&K 0]

I would say definitely a no no

[Hicham_Gina 0]

My fiance had interview on sept 21, 2006 and he had his ring on for the interview. We also submitted pictures with both of us wearing rings. He recieved his visa on october 4, 2006 without any problems.

[TucsonBill 0]

When I sent in my answer regarding my RFE, (copies of my bank statement and credit card statement from the month of my most recent trip to Bangkok), I itemized the purchases including one at the "Wedding Plaza" where we had wedding photos taken, as it is customary to display these the at the cerimony. I explained the situation and told USCIS that we planned to have a cerimony only in Thailand and have the legal wedding here in the US. I cannot imagine that being a problem, or that such an arrangement is out of the ordinary, but we'll see soon I suppose.

Bill

Edited October 17, 2006 by TucsonBill

[gtigiant 0]

I would NOT do that as they could consider if you already married. Why cause extra questions to be asked?

[Ecalos 0]

I said it before, I'll say it again.

With the USCIS you're guilty until proven innocent

[yassmine2878 1]

I said it before, I'll say it again.

With the USCIS you're guilty until proven innocent

LOL, so true.

Thanks all for the help, we really appreciate your insight.

[sunandmoon 450]

i included pics from our engagement PARTY, no problem. you wouldn't want to include photos that would look like they were taken at a wedding ceromony. call them engagement rings , not wedding rings.

[TucsonBill 0]

I am curious,

Has anyone here on VJ ever actually had an appliation 'declined' when the had professional wedding photos taken before they were married, (this is not uncommon), or because they had an unnoffical ceremony before the legal wedding in the USA, or is this all just 'speculation' ?

I was honest and I flat out told them in my RFE reply that we had wedding photos made in advance of the wedding as is customary, and tha we planned on having a ceremony in Thailand before the legal marriage in the USA.

Bill

Edited October 17, 2006 by TucsonBill

[sunandmoon 450]

this is from the Fiance Chat Session on the Manila Embassy website. I realize it doesn't differentiate between a wedding ceromony and having a marriage license. guess it's just up to the individual what they feel comfortable with. for me, i wouldn't since it could cause unnecessary risks of denial or AR.

User Asked: Philip - Does the marriage have to be held in the United States after approval? Can the petitioner come to the Philippines to get married and will that marriage be valid in the U.S. and satisfy the K-1 question of marriage? Or will there still have to be another marriage once they come into the United States?

CONSUL: Philip

If you have been issued a K-1 visa DO NOT get married before leaving for the U.S. You must get married within 90 days of arriving in the U.S. but if you marry before you leave then you are entering the U.S. as a spouse of an American Citizen. You have been issued a visa stating that you are a fiancée of an American Citizen. If you are the spouse, then you are entering the U.S. illegally

[TucsonBill 0]

Here is a quote from a webpage on marriage in Thailand, (there are several that all say the same thing):

---QUOTE---

Registration of marriage in Thailand can only be done at a District Office (\"amphur\"), which is similar to a town hall back home. Please note that a marriage ceremony performed in a church, or in a temple, or a ceremony at home with monks attending the wedding is not legally binding in Thailand, - and therefore not legally binding in your country either.

In order for a foreign citizen to register marriage in Thailand, the Thai authorities request that your Embassy issue a certificate in English and in Thai, which confirms your name, nationality, passport number, issuing passport authority, address in home country, employer, position, and salary. Furthermore, names and age of children from previous relationships, if any. And finally, names and addresses of 2 contact persons (references) in your country, who are not family members.

---END QUOTE---

Having a ceremony in Thailand does not constitute a legal marriage. I will be very surprised if I have any problems at all with what I am planning to do. But again, We'll see - they have my RFE, so we'll see what they do with it.

I have read other peoples posts on this forum that did exactly what I plan to do and had no problems at all, and I don't expect any. I have not felt any need to lie to USCIS, and I certainly don't want to deny my fiance's family the privelage of attending a ceremony for my fiance.

Bill

Edited October 17, 2006 by TucsonBill

[Yodrak 7]

Bill,

The consular officers in Thailand are quite familiar with the laws and customs there. They know very well what constitutes a 'legal' (state recognized) marriage in Thailand, and they know further that many Thai couples are not in fact married - it is quite common to have a wedding ceremony but never register a marriage.

CBP and CIS officers, on the other hand, are not likely to know the marriage laws and customs of Thailand.

Keep the different levels of knowledge in mind when dealing with the people of the different organizations. Explanation may not be sufficient, proof may be asked for.

Yodrak

I am curious,

Has anyone here on VJ ever actually had an appliation 'declined' when the had professional wedding photos taken before they were married, (this is not uncommon), or because they had an unnoffical ceremony before the legal wedding in the USA, or is this all just 'speculation' ?

I was honest and I flat out told them in my RFE reply that we had wedding photos made in advance of the wedding as is customary, and tha we planned on having a ceremony in Thailand before the legal marriage in the USA.

Bill

Edited October 17, 2006 by Yodrak