Getting married before or after DV interview

[Annanna]

Hi there,
We have a situation where we don't quite know how to proceed.
Basically, we are a couple of 5 years and last year we both applied for DV lottery and one of us won. We want to go both but have read that getting married at such a late stage can put as both in risk of loosing the chance. But getting married after one of us is given the green card can take up to 5 years, which is a very long time for us.
Is there anyone who has been in similar situation? We would not have problems to prove our relationship is real, just we never thought of getting married yet. Would it mean our marriage will be fraud if its done in such a rush?

 

[Britsimon]

Hi there,
We have a situation where we don't quite know how to proceed.
Basically, we are a couple of 5 years and last year we both applied for DV lottery and one of us won. We want to go both but have read that getting married at such a late stage can put as both in risk of loosing the chance. But getting married after one of us is given the green card can take up to 5 years, which is a very long time for us.
Is there anyone who has been in similar situation? We would not have problems to prove our relationship is real, just we never thought of getting married yet. Would it mean our marriage will be fraud if its done in such a rush?

Technically there is no problem getting married before the interview - life happens. However, you must expect that you will need to prove that the marriage is real - so anything that shows the length of time you have been a couple will be very important. They do take fraud marriages very seriously and you could expect to be prosecuted if you were not being honest.

So - if you are going to marry do it soon so that you can send updates to KCC before your interview.

 

[ZukotheCat]

...and just little bit from me: try getting married as soon as possible. Fix new local documents, such as new passport if there is a change of surname,... Administrative things may take a lot of time, then inform KCC.
The longer you wait the more pressure you will have regarding all documentation

 

[Annanna]

Technically there is no problem getting married before the interview - life happens. However, you must expect that you will need to prove that the marriage is real - so anything that shows the length of time you have been a couple will be very important. They do take fraud marriages very seriously and you could expect to be prosecuted if you were not being honest.

So - if you are going to marry do it soon so that you can send updates to KCC before your interview.

Thanks for the answers,
we are a real couple of 5 years however we were planning to get married only next year, but now given the circumstances we would do it earlier. Do you think it matters to them that our marriage was rushed and mainly for the reason to obtain visas?
cheers

 

[Britsimon]

Thanks for the answers,
we are a real couple of 5 years however we were planning to get married only next year, but now given the circumstances we would do it earlier. Do you think it matters to them that our marriage was rushed and mainly for the reason to obtain visas?
cheers

Not at all. That is a smart decision that a real couple would make...

 

[Twiny41]

Hello Annanna,

FYI, my girlfriend and I are basically in the same situation than yours, we are discussing our options in the thread dedicated to AoS in this same forum (see last page 22).

I'm getting convinced that getting married after the results and prior to sending documents to KCC is very likely to work well, as long as your couple story is honest and you can show it.

Good luck!

 

[Annanna]

Hello Annanna,

FYI, my girlfriend and I are basically in the same situation than yours, we are discussing our options in the thread dedicated to AoS in this same forum (see last page 22).

I'm getting convinced that getting married after the results and prior to sending documents to KCC is very likely to work well, as long as your couple story is honest and you can show it.

Good luck!

Thanks a lot, this is reassuring. We have decided we are getting married now, because if we go to US we will only go both. We don't want to stay apart. I hope they will be understanding. We have all kinds of proof, utility bills, flat contracts and lots of pictures that we have been together. We are prepared to be questioned about it.

Our only worry is what to say if they ask why did we get married exactly now.

All the best for you too!

 

[Britsimon]

Our only worry is what to say if they ask why did we get married exactly now.

Simple answer - tell the truth. You were planning to marry later but being selected in the GC lottery made you get married now so you could move there together. There is nothing suspicious or wrong with that at all.

 

[SusieQQQ]

Simple answer - tell the truth. You were planning to marry later but being selected in the GC lottery made you get married now so you could move there together. There is nothing suspicious or wrong with that at all.

Agree. You have enough evidence to prove that the relationship is genuine.

 

[Annanna]

There is no problem getting married before the interview - life happens. However, you must expect that you will need to prove that the marriage is real - so anything that shows the length of time you have been a couple will be very important. They do take fraud marriages very seriously and you could expect to be prosecuted if you were not being honest.

So - if you are going to marry do it soon so that you can send updates to KCC before your interview.

Looks like the closest date to get married is in 3weeks. We are sending the forms away tomorrow (as for a single person) and hopefully the notice for interview won't come before the big day.

 

[scusyxx]

KCC needs at least 6 weeks to process your forms.

Looks like the closest date to get married is in 3weeks. We are sending the forms away tomorrow (as for a single person) and hopefully the notice for interview won't come before the big day.

 

[Sm1smom]

If you guys send in your forms tomorrow, I hope you realize only the information for the main applicant can be sent, a partner/spouse cannot be alluded to on any of those forms? You will then have to send updated forms, with a copy of your marriage certificate back to KCC after the marriage. You guys might as well wait till after your marriage before you send in your forms.

Anyways, interview for DV 2014 isn't going to start before October. What is your CN? If you have a very low CN which has the possibility of being interviewed in October, it's all the more reason to not send in your forms before you guys get married. If you fall within the category of those getting interviewed in October, your interview could possibly be set and your file sent to the applicable consulate/embassy before you're able to send in updated forms. If you show up for the interview as a married couple without having sent in those updated forms, you risk being denied.

Looks like the closest date to get married is in 3weeks. We are sending the forms away tomorrow (as for a single person) and hopefully the notice for interview won't come before the big day.

 

[SusieQQQ]

Looks like the closest date to get married is in 3weeks. We are sending the forms away tomorrow (as for a single person) and hopefully the notice for interview won't come before the big day.

I second waiting till the marriage to send in the forms. Someone may correct me on this, but from what I understand (eg from people who have discovered late that they are winners) that they don't process for interview until the forms are received. So even if your CN is low and you make an early cut off, all that will happen if your forms aren't received by the earliest date you can be processed, is that you will be processed and a date set once they have your forms. I see no benefit to sending in the forms as a single person just to do it earlier given you have over a year from now till the end of DV2014....

 

[Sm1smom]

Absolutely right! Only selectees who send on forms get processed. If this couple have a low CN and they send in their forms now as single, there's a high possibility of being processed before they have the chance to send in updated forms with supporting documents.

 

[SusieQQQ]

I didn't phrase that previous post very well I think so glad it got understood

What I wanted to emphasize really was that they won't "miss" their chance for an interview by sending in the forms a bit later even if they have a low CN. And as you've said it will make the whole process smoother if the initial forms are sent in for a married couple.

 

[Annanna]

If you guys send in your forms tomorrow, I hope you realize only the information for the main applicant can be sent, a partner/spouse cannot be alluded to on any of those forms? You will then have to send updated forms, with a copy of your marriage certificate back to KCC after the marriage. You guys might as well wait till after your marriage before you send in your forms.

Anyways, interview for DV 2014 isn't going to start before October. What is your CN? If you have a very low CN which has the possibility of being interviewed in October, it's all the more reason to not send in your forms before you guys get married. If you fall within the category of those getting interviewed in October, your interview could possibly be set and your file sent to the applicable consulate/embassy before you're able to send in updated forms. If you show up for the interview as a married couple without having sent in those updated forms, you risk being denied.

Yes, the idea is to send forms just from a eDV lottery winner, still as a single person, not including spouse in the form.
CN is 201422XXXXXXXXXX (the rest of them are just letters, I don't know how to read it as other people have lots of zeros). Lots of people are suggesting to wait for the marriage and then send the forms. Would it not be too late as deadline is 30/09/14? We were gonna send update forms from spouse as soon as we get married.

 

[Britsimon]

Yes, the idea is to send forms just from a eDV lottery winner, still as a single person, not including spouse in the form.
CN is 201422XXXXXXXXXX (the rest of them are just letters, I don't know how to read it as other people have lots of zeros). Lots of people are suggesting to wait for the marriage and then send the forms. Would it not be too late as deadline is 30/09/14? We were gonna send update forms from spouse as soon as we get married.

That CN doesn't sound right - it should be something like 2014EU00022XXX or 2014EU000022XX - i.e. eithe 22000 range or 2200 range. The lower number will get scheduled for an interview in October, the higher number will get scheduled around Feb/Mar.

Either way, the best plan is to marry first and then send in your forms - there is plenty of time so you will not lose anything by waiting a few weeks or even a couple of months.

 

[Annanna]

That CN doesn't sound right - it should be something like 2014EU00022XXX or 2014EU000022XX - i.e. eithe 22000 range or 2200 range. The lower number will get scheduled for an interview in October, the higher number will get scheduled around Feb/Mar.

Either way, the best plan is to marry first and then send in your forms - there is plenty of time so you will not lose anything by waiting a few weeks or even a couple of months.

But thit is the number I have won with 201422RUXXXXXX4X.
There is another 2 I have shown that but no other numbers like 0s. My partners number was 201422RUXXXXXXX2 but he was not lucky.
Maybe it is to do that I live in UK but was born Latvian? I don't know either way they are both in EU.
My worry is if it wont be too late if we send forms if the earliest we can get married is 19/08. As they say send forms away ASAP as once visas are gone, they will stop receiving forms. We are already quite late.

 

[SusieQQQ]

But thit is the number I have won with 201422RUXXXXXX4X.
There is another 2 I have shown that but no other numbers like 0s. My partners number was 201422RUXXXXXXX2 but he was not lucky.
Maybe it is to do that I live in UK but was born Latvian? I don't know either way they are both in EU.
My worry is if it wont be too late if we send forms if the earliest we can get married is 19/08. As they say send forms away ASAP as once visas are gone, they will stop receiving forms. We are already quite late.

You are giving us your entry number I think? What is the number it gives you on the letter that says "you have been selected for further processing"? Your partner will not have a number if he is not successful ....

But DON'T PANIC about the forms being late. You have plenty of time, really you do. If you send the forms in late August, they will be probably make it through the KCC process by sometime in October. In all likelihood you will still get an interview in your 'normal' month, and if you happen to be one of the few with an October interview it will just get pushed to the first available date thereafter.

 

[Britsimon]

But thit is the number I have won with 201422RUXXXXXX4X.
There is another 2 I have shown that but no other numbers like 0s. My partners number was 201422RUXXXXXXX2 but he was not lucky.
Maybe it is to do that I live in UK but was born Latvian? I don't know either way they are both in EU.
My worry is if it wont be too late if we send forms if the earliest we can get married is 19/08. As they say send forms away ASAP as once visas are gone, they will stop receiving forms. We are already quite late.

First. YOU ARE NOT LATE!!!! DV2014 hasn't even started yet (it starts processing from 1st Oct). Don't worry about being late. There is a chance that visa will be exhausted but that cannot happen for MONTHS yet! Not another word about that!

The numbers you are quoting are probably the entry numbers that you put in to the system to see if you were selected or not. If you were selected you see a letter and on that letter is a number in the format I have described. That is your case number and the cases are processed in case number order.