HELP NEEDED (URGENT!!!!!) thanks in advance

[lily124]

Hey, you guys,
I'm a graduate student in a university in North Carolina on F-1 visa. My fiance and I plan to get married. I'm from China and he's an American. We planned to get married in Carribean island this coming January so our family could go with us. We booked hotel & hired a wedding planner. However, we just learned that I may have trouble coming back with F-1 visa because my marrying to an American demonstrates immigration intention which jeorperdize my student visa. My visa will be still valid with multiple entries.
One suggestion we got was to get married in NC and get advanced parole to travel but we don't know how long it may actually take to get advanced parole. If we learn we won't be able to get advanced parole before January, we won't have a chance to cancel hotel and air tickets. We can't afford that.
lawyers may not understand our feelings but we think it will be so romantic and special for us if we could go to the beatiful island.
I'm wondering if we should stick to the plan, take the risk, and get married outside the country or get married in NC.
Your kind suggestions would be highly appreciated. Thank you very much in advance!

 

[cdnchris]

If you leave, get married, and come back there is a chance they could deny you entry. I'm not sure how big a chance it is though. I was allowed into the States multiple times being married to an American for years, and even got a TN. Other people on F1s might be better off answering. But it would definitely be an issue if you start the paperwork, leave, and then try to re-enter.

As well, I don't think you can get an Advance Parole until you start your paperwork. And anyways, if you did leave and used an AP to re-enter, it would invalidate your F1.

 

[garrulito]

I was an F-1

Read the other thread regarding an F-1 situation like yours, I posted what I did there. Personally, I don't think it's that big of a deal as long as you keep behaving like an F-1 student, that means, when you enter the US you go to your line, yous husband goes to his line. People in the forum has disagreed with this, but hey! you deserve the right to decide what is best for you. I took the chance three times flying between Mexico and the US AFTER being married, my wife going to the US citizen line, me going to the visitor's line(they way ot is supposed to be anyway), answerd the questions they asked me and that was it!, like I said in the other posting, there is no way for them to find out you just got married. Gosh! it is a life event! congratulations on your wedding!

 

[lily124]

more confused

I called USCIS and was told it's ok to do so. It seems I'm getting mixed suggestions. Thank you for your kind replies.
Any other thought?

 

[candyattitude]

its a chance. that's all it is. you could totally go there, and then get back. but if they think you have intent to immigrate then they might deny you re-entry. that's the honest truth. you could do lots of things that ppl have suggested such as not showing your wedding ring, not stating that your married, not walking in with your husband. you could even say you went for spring break to the caribbean. i don't think its ethical, but it might get you re-entry. the thing is it depends on the officer at the POE, the kind of questions he/she is going to ask you. they might ask you really normal questions about your school or they might ask you abt your marital status. they might even let you enter after knowing abt your marital status. its up to them.

also half the ppl on the USCIS line don't really know what they are talking abt.
also don't go to the citizens/PR line even if you do have AP (unless you're with your hubby and have AP, in which case you can go in that line as i've read some ppl have done).

check the AP timeline. you could start everything this week itself (have a civil ceremony) and put in the papers and wait for the AP, and then go to the caribbean.
well decide for yourself and best of luck.