Marriage Ceremony with a County appointee

[GreenCardNotYet]

Hello,

I am trying to get remarried with the same person. I was a F1 Visa and my ex-wife F-2 when we first came to the US (she returned to my home country after a short 1.5 years)

I am now a US citizen and my ex-wife is now with a travel Visa over-stayed.

We didn't think we needed a full religious ceremony since it is our second marriage so we decided to do in front of a county appointee to save expenses.

My questions are:

1. Will it cause any kind of trouble in the eye of the interviewer?
2. Do I still need pictures with a wedding suits and dress?
3. What should I be prepared in the ceremony to bring to the interviewer with me?

Thank you.

 

[Jackolantern]

I am now a US citizen and my ex-wife is now with a travel Visa over-stayed.

An actual visa, or the visa waiver? If it's a visa, how long ago was it issued? If the visa waiver, how long has she overstayed?

1. Will it cause any kind of trouble in the eye of the interviewer?
2. Do I still need pictures with a wedding suits and dress?
3. What should I be prepared in the ceremony to bring to the interviewer with me?

1. It makes things smoother if you have a big ceremony, but it's not a big problem if you don't.
2. No, but you should have pictures of the 2 of you together at various places, preferably famous landmarks.
3. Make sure to have the divorce decree from the first marriage. Be prepared to explain the story behind what led you to get back together and remarry.

 

[GreenCardNotYet]

Ceremony

An actual visa, or the visa waiver? If it's a visa, how long ago was it issued? If the visa waiver, how long has she overstayed?



1. It makes things smoother if you have a big ceremony, but it's not a big problem if you don't.
2. No, but you should have pictures of the 2 of you together at various places, preferably famous landmarks.
3. Make sure to have the divorce decree from the first marriage. Be prepared to explain the story behind what led you to get back together and remarry.

It is an actual Visa stamped for one month 3 years ago.


Two Questions:

1. We contacted the court appointee and she said that we can do it in any place, even in a small coffee shop.
No pictures or witness or best man will be involved.


2.We also can't find a way to get a divorce decree because it was 17 years ago and many handling of documents in marriage laws have changed in Korea since then.
I am afraid I can get one. But her name will be out of my current family records there.

Will those two cause any problems?

Thanks.

 

[Jackolantern]

1. Regardless of what you do for the marriage ceremony, get pictures of the two of you together visiting somewhere. Fake couples usually don't go to the extent of traveling hundreds of miles on vacations together, so the further away and the more famous the places, the better.

2. For marriage-based green card applications, the divorce decree is a definite requirement for people who have been divorced before. If you didn't already provide it during your green card process or other immigration applications, you will have to get it and it WILL be a major problem if you don't have it. You will also need a certified English translation of it (however that can be done in the US by any of various companies or qualified individuals). If your family or her family doesn't have it, work with your families to get a new one issued from the relevant authorities.

 

[GreenCardNotYet]

1. Regardless of what you do for the marriage ceremony, get pictures of the two of you together visiting somewhere. Fake couples usually don't go to the extent of traveling hundreds of miles on vacations together, so the further away and the more famous the places, the better.

2. For marriage-based green card applications, the divorce decree is a definite requirement for people who have been divorced before. If you didn't already provide it during your green card process or other immigration applications, you will have to get it and it WILL be a major problem if you don't have it. You will also need a certified English translation of it (however that can be done in the US by any of various companies or qualified individuals). If your family or her family doesn't have it, work with your families to get a new one issued from the relevant authorities.

1. Yes, we have traveled to San Fransisco 3 years ago and stayed there for a week taking pictures-we live in Virginia.
And we have various pictures and family videos being together with our son throughout.

2. I will certainly try to get a divorce decree with a help with our family member abroad.

One thing I forgot to ask was I heard we need a joint bank account, lease, utilities, etc.
Since she has had no legal status in the US, we have no joint anything and I do not think it's possible to get one.
How should we go about this?

Thanks for your prompt reply.

 

[Jackolantern]

1. Yes, we have traveled to San Fransisco 3 years ago and stayed there for a week taking pictures-we live in Virginia.
And we have various pictures and family videos being together with our son throughout.

You have a son together? Was he born during the first marriage, or after you divorced and got back together?

One thing I forgot to ask was I heard we need a joint bank account, lease, utilities, etc.
Since she has had no legal status in the US, we have no joint anything and I do not think it's possible to get one.

She can be added to your health and life insurance.

 

[GreenCardNotYet]

You have a son together? Was he born during the first marriage, or after you divorced and got back together?


She can be added to your health and life insurance.

Yes, we have a son born during our first marriage. She brought our son along with her 3 years ago.
He is now a 19-years-old US citizen who had been raised by my wife abroad until 4 years ago.
We have been living together for a little more than 3 years now.

I do not have any health insurance.
So we basically have no joint anything to show off.

 

[Jackolantern]

It is an actual Visa stamped for one month 3 years ago.

Are you sure about that? They rarely give tourist visas that are valid for as short as one month unless it's to attend a specific event, and South Korea is part of the visa waiver program, so if she's a SK citizen she wouldn't need a visa to visit. Did she interview for the visa at a US consulate and have it stamped in her passport before arrival in the US? Don't confuse the visa stamp with the arrival stamp given at the port of entry.

Visa waiver vs. actual visa makes a big difference with regards to green card eligibility.

Yes, we have a son born during our first marriage. She brought our son along with her 3 years ago.

You would have had a much more compelling case if he was born in recent years (i.e. after you got back together). However if the three of you are now living in the same place that helps a lot. The problem is that you need some kind of proof that she's living there with you. Does she have anything whatsoever in her name and your address? Even a cellphone bill?

How far is he from turning 21? If he petitions for her it would be more straightforward (and with much less document requirements) than a marriage-based application, but he has to be 21 to petition a parent. In addition, if she got the green card through her son it would be a 10-year green card instead of the 2-year conditional one she'd get from the new marriage.

I do not have any health insurance.

Then get some. A High-deductible/catastrophic insurance plan is not that expensive.

 

[GreenCardNotYet]

f3EFFW

Are you sure about that? They rarely give tourist visas that are valid for as short as one month unless it's to attend a specific event, and South Korea is part of the visa waiver program, so if she's a SK citizen she wouldn't need a visa to visit. Did she interview for the visa at a US consulate and have it stamped in her passport before arrival in the US? Don't confuse the visa stamp with the arrival stamp given at the port of entry.

Visa waiver vs. actual visa makes a big difference with regards to green card eligibility.


You would have had a much more compelling case if he was born in recent years (i.e. after you got back together). However if the three of you are now living in the same place that helps a lot. The problem is that you need some kind of proof that she's living there with you. Does she have anything whatsoever in her name and your address? Even a cellphone bill?

How far is he from turning 21? If he petitions for her it would be more straightforward (and with much less document requirements) than a marriage-based application, but he has to be 21 to petition a parent. In addition, if she got the green card through her son it would be a 10-year green card instead of the 2-year conditional one she'd get from the new marriage.


Then get some. A High-deductible/catastrophic insurance plan is not that expensive.

Thanks for your kind and detailed reply.

Yes, she got an actual visa stamped for one month "in the US airport" because she said she was coming for a biz matter then and she had been traveling the US back and forth for a few times before it. Her Visa is still valid but only I-94 has passed.

She actually have a bank account here under the same address as we are living at.
She made it when she came to the US and started living with me 3 years ago.

I will try to get a health insurance, a cheap one, for your advice.
I also have a life insurance for my son and I think my wife cannot be on it because she has no SS#, I believe.

We thought about getting her greencard thru our son but he merely turned 19 this year and we still have to wait for another 2 years for her to get eligible for a greencard.