Steps for a Legal International Marriage

In today's world everything changes rapidly. We went from dating and marrying our high school sweethearts to internet dating. Through the cyber world we get our hopes up of meeting that special someone.

There are many sites and forums out there to cover every angle and interest you may have and match it to your "soul" mates.

Some on-line internet games are there for the same reason. If you are lucky enough to sort through the bad and ugly and find your perfect match a lot of times they are not from the same place you are. The internet is world wide and you can not tell your heart the miles that separate you and your love are too far apart.

The changes in the world also change with how you will finally meet your other half. Airport security is at it's top right now. While the cost of a ticket to fly international is still not as cheap as one would like it. On top of all of that passports are on a back order at this time in the states. It takes a good three months to get one now.

So you get your passport and airline ticket (make sure you get a refundable one) and make your way to the airport for questioning. Most are not real bad for the questions but some others make you feel as if you are doing something wrong and prying to see what that is. They hold your future in the palm of their hand for those few moments. They have the ability to deny your right to fly anywhere. If you make it past that one then you will be greeted in your destination country airport with the same questions. If they refuse to let you in, you get put on a flight right back to where you started from.

Even if it's a country that allows the visitor's visa getting through the airport is always a guessing game.

Once you make it through that and breathe again, you finally meet your loved one. Spend as much time together as you can because travel to see each other after that gets even harder. The airport security will see every time stamp in your passport and theirs and decide if you visit too often and send you back home.

If your visit went great and you decide that you can not live without your perfect match then plan ahead. With international marriage nothing can be spur of the moment.

Skipping one step in the process can screw it all up and make you both miserable.

First, I suggest, getting as much information as you can on International Marriage and what it is required to be married in the United States to a foreigner.
After your days, weeks, months of reading you decide you are ready to take the plunge.

You will want to fill out a K-1 Visa form (which is an I-129f form and a G-325 form).You can get your forms at http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis. Then you wait...and wait some more.

For some this process can go by pretty quickly, roughly 3 months, for others it can take up to 2 years.

There are a lot of things that determine how fast your case goes. USCIS will look at where your fiance is from, backgrounds of both, and which service center you need to file in (some are very much slower than others). With new changes this process is also involved in it. As of July 30th, 2007 the fee's for filing the paperwork are higher. The I- 129F Fianceé Petition is now $455.00. This is just the first step in a long process.

Next, after your fianceé receives the packet from their embassy or consulate, they must have a medical examination. After that is an interview at the embassy or consulate.

The K-1 visa is issued after that.

Then your fianceé comes to the United States to be with you.

When they arrive at the airport they will show the immigration officer their documents and some will issue an EAD (employment authorization document) right then. This will end when the k-1 visa expires (valid for 6 months) and then need to file for a new one when filling out later paperwork of the adjustment of status.

You must marry within 90 days of your fianceé entering into the United States with the k-1 visa.

After you marry file for the social security number.

Also apply for the adjustment of status (AOS) as soon as possible. Remember to file the employment form also at this time.

Before you receive your EAD (employment card) you will need to have a biometrics appointment. This is where they do background check and fingerprints , all those types of goodies.

You then get an appointment for an interview for the adjustment of status.

When approved you will receive an I-551 stamp in your passport indicating you have been approved for AOS (adjustment of status) and will also receive your green card in the mail later.

If your interview occurs within 2 years of your marriage you will be granted a conditional permanent residency for 2 years. If this happens you will have to apply to lift conditions 90 days before it expires. You then will receive a normal 10 year green card.

This whole process seems long and very difficult. You can feel lost in the piles of paperwork or frustrated if you you get RFE (requires further evidence) time and again on your case. It is worth it though. In today's world love is hard enough, adding stress of all of this makes it harder. In the long run it will make your marriage worth more to you if you have to work for it. Not much time goes by that your marriage isn't always a focus in this process so it stays your top priority.

To everyone who has or is going through this, I feel the frustration and pain you do. My husband and I are walking the steps of this right now and I am just very thankful I have him to help me get through it.