Traveling on ESTA to USA to marry US citizen

SugarandSnowForYo · Post by **SugarandSnowForYo** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 1:34 am

Yo,

Any advice for me travelling to USA to marry a US citizen? We plan to reside in the UK (I hold ILR there) and will be marrying in Las Vegas in a few months.

I've been to USA several times over the past two years, as follows:

May 2017 to August 2017 - J1 program (also where I met fiancee)
October 2018 for 10 days - to attend a wedding with fiancee
December 2018 - 4 weeks to visit fiancee
May 2019 - 7 days to visit fiancee
July 2019 - 2 1/2 weeks to visit fiancee
March 2020 (hopefully) - to marry fiancee

I always get stopped at the border for maybe 15-20 minutes and taken to secondary inspection so hoping this won't happen but that's a pipe dream. I take with me bank statement showing funds available, proof of annual leave approved, job contract etc.

I'm nervous because this time I will marry a US citizen! My life is in the UK and I wouldn't live in the USA if they paid me, but they really seem to dislike me. Any advice on what documents to take? I'm flying through Dublin this time because I don't want a 10hr+ flight only to be refused.

Help! Thanks <3

EDIT: When I go to America in a few months I'm only going for 7 days. (to marry then gtfo of there)

Post by **Zerubbabel** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 11:23 am

Hello

I don't believe you

When it comes to dealing with authorities, there are 2 things:

1 - What you claim
2 - What the situation/appearance/available evidence suggests

Cops universally give high value to point 2 and low value to point 1.

While you say you just want to marry asap in Vegas then gtfo, it doesn't sound believable. This might be really your plan, but doesn't sound credible at all.

You can search this forum using "las vegas" and typically people who marry there are after a quick and cheap way to get a marriage certificate for immigration purpose. Nobody flies 10 hours, just to quickly marry someone he doesn't intend to live with, then leaves the country immediately.

It might be genuinely your plan, but it doesn't sound believable. From the balance of the probabilities, any ECO would think you are in the US to marry and use that to stay.

As they have you in their radar already, I recommend you apply for K-3 visa to avoid disapointment.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel ... tizen.html

Other option, is to get married in any third country that doesn't make a fuss about visitors marrying. There are countries, such as Denmark, where it's super easy for visitors to get married. You can both of you travel there, get married, then leave with your certificate in hand.

SugarandSnowForYo · Post by **SugarandSnowForYo** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 1:02 pm

Zerubbabel wrote: ↑
Wed Jan 22, 2020 11:23 am
Hello

I don't believe you

When it comes to dealing with authorities, there are 2 things:

1 - What you claim
2 - What the situation/appearance/available evidence suggests

Cops universally give high value to point 2 and low value to point 1.

While you say you just want to marry asap in Vegas then gtfo, it doesn't sound believable. This might be really your plan, but doesn't sound credible at all.

You can search this forum using "las vegas" and typically people who marry there are after a quick and cheap way to get a marriage certificate for immigration purpose. Nobody flies 10 hours, just to quickly marry someone he doesn't intend to live with, then leaves the country immediately.

It might be genuinely your plan, but it doesn't sound believable. From the balance of the probabilities, any ECO would think you are in the US to marry and use that to stay.

As they have you in their radar already, I recommend you apply for K-3 visa to avoid disapointment.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel ... tizen.html

Other option, is to get married in any third country that doesn't make a fuss about visitors marrying. There are countries, such as Denmark, where it's super easy for visitors to get married. You can both of you travel there, get married, then leave with your certificate in hand.

Ok thanks. I mean, I'll be spending a week there since I can't afford to take much time off and I have return flights booked from Vegas and hotels booked just for one week.

I looked at a K3 visa but it seemed to suggest it was a visa to get in the meantime while waiting for some sort of immigrant visa, but I only want to travel there to get married then return home. I do intend to live with my fiancee - just not in the USA? I'm not actually going to use the phrase to CBP "I want to marry then gtfo" lol - I am flying on the Sunday, marrying on the Tuesday, then flying back to UK on the following Sunday in order to apply for our spouse visa which we have been working towards.

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Traveling on ESTA to USA to marry US citizen

Traveling on ESTA to USA to marry US citizen

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Re: Traveling on ESTA to USA to marry US citizen