warning for international couples

[sunstarsmoon]

Well thats added stress you do not need right now. I am so sorry. My daughter married an American. They had meet on a cruise ship (both working) and she followed him to Las Vegas on a student visa. Anyways they got married in Vegas and I do remember her not being able to come home to Canada for a while after they were married. I hope everything works out for you.

[KJT1985]

Thanks ladies.. It's IS very stressful when you don't understand the in's and out's of immigration AND why a resort can't offer something symbolic! I think i'm gonna have my fiance make some immigration calls while I call Jamaica today. I'm really hoping there was miscommunication and that we can get married here legally first, show the resort our license to do "vow renewal" and then apply for the green card when we get back.

 

Because if this were the case no international couples could ever go on honeymoons right? And i'm pretty sure I know ones who did and then got green cards. To be honest, i'm REALLY thinking my fiance is wrong on this but like I said - he's so stubborn that I can't very well call him out on it, gotta work it gently. Haha.

[misstrae76]

Urrgghhhhhh , so I just got off the phone with US citizen and immigration services customer care and boy that was no help. She basically read me EVERYTHING the website said! How irritating!! So a talking website live!

 

I emailed the wedding coordinator from our resort to see if she has had experience in the past. I just want to be able to get a legit wedding license and still be able to come into the country on the exact same visa.

 

I guess I may have to search for an immigration lawer...arggghhhh

[KJT1985]

Quote:

Originally Posted by misstrae76 Urrgghhhhhh , so I just got off the phone with US citizen and immigration services customer care and boy that was no help. She basically read me EVERYTHING the website said! How irritating!! So a talking website live! I emailed the wedding coordinator from our resort to see if she has had experience in the past. I just want to be able to get a legit wedding license and still be able to come into the country on the exact same visa. I guess I may have to search for an immigration lawer...arggghhhh

That's annoying. Maybe the visa part doesn't matter. But my fiance was told by the immigration lawyer he called and the person who handles his visa for the company that after getting a marriage license you can't leave the states for 3 months (seems regardless of the green card part). You might not be able to legally get in married in another country...Just means you get married when you come back or do it 3+ months before!

[CHAKLIT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tifany I think that's an odd thing he was told by the immigration lawyer. I think an organized affair with friends and family, despite the location, would make it appear a bona fide ceremony. Also, I think the policy is once you apply for the green card (NOT the marriage license) you are unable to leave the states unless special permission is granted. My fiance isn't from the US, but we have been through this with many of his friends. How will the resort know if it is a legal ceremony or not? Don't they just hand you a certificate there? I swear friends of ours were married in another country and just kept the certificate they were given.

It depends...if they file his immigration paperwork prior too the JA ceremony -- he won't be able to travel b/c you can only hold one visa and once you apply for adjustment of status(work visa --> green card) you have no visa to be allowed back in the country. Therefore under only special circumstances that are pre-approved prior to travelling, will he be safe.

Our same reason for doing the JP here...adjusting my fiance's visitors visa, then doing our symbolic ceremony next year with fam & friends.

[CHAKLIT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJT1985 I don't know, my fiance said the immigration lawyer said he couldn't cross the border after applying for a marriage license but the applying for a green card part makes much more sense to me. Logicaly progression of things would be for us to legally get married here, go there with our marriage license, "renew vows" (honeymoon as far as the US government is concerned), return home and apply for the green card. But I didn't talk to the lawyer so all I know is heresay. And the resort won't let you have a ceremony unless they apply for the license for you (at which time the country files it with the US on your behalf) or you prove you're already married and renew your vows. My fiance suggested we act like we'll go through with the legal part and just not sign the license (he thought it'd be funny to draw a house). But the resort draws all that up for you and they'd already have our ss numbers and birth certificates....

PM me...I know a great non-profit agency in NY who can assist with your questions.

[KJT1985]

Yeah and they also told him he couldn't leave the country for 3 months after we get the marriage license (regardless of the green card status or application).

 

Anyway, I talked to Keisha and she said we could pay an officer of the civil register $100 to perform the vows without any necessary paperwork. Thank god! That's one thing that bothers me about Keisha (and has been a problem with other issues). If I tell her "our situation is this, this is what we want, can we do option A?" she explains how option A won't work but doesn't go on to give me options B, and C which might actually do the trick! Anyway, I'm still slightly worried that some other little technicality will come up but at least it seems like we'll be ok and paper free!

[Tifany]

I had emailed the WC at Beaches about this last week and am awaiting a response. I think that if within a few weeks I don't hear back, I can just follow-up with the option given above and that might help things along.

[kerrij]

oh my goodness what a stress!! i better double check too!

[KJT1985]

Yeah, now she's checking with the civil official to make sure he's ok pronouncing us "man and wife" if it's not legal. Arg! I don't really care about many of the traditional wording but since this is our only ceremony I really want this part! Oh well, i'm sure it'll be ok.