Wednesday, August 18, 2010

How do I legally get married in a different country?

My fiance and I are from different countries. We are considering the option of getting married oversees (outside of the US where I live) and then I will get a spouse visa for him to come here. Is that legal? And what do you have to do to get a marriage license to get married in a country that is not your own?How do I legally get married in a different country?
I think that when you get married overseas you apply to the local agency that provides marriage liscences such as a town hall, or local council. They will issue you a liscence and preform the ceremony, but you will probably be subject to the laws of the country you are in. Some countries have a waiting period of several months before you can recieve the liscence, so check that out before hand or you could have a nasty shock when you arrive.


I dont think that the spouse of a US citizen gets an automatic green card and I think there can be a long waiting period before they give permission to remain in the US. I would check the situation out with your local marriage registration office as well as the immigration office. There is usually alot of paperwork involved.How do I legally get married in a different country?
dognhorsemom you are really great and thanks for your service
You can get married in any country, as long as you follow the laws of that country in doing so. If you don't know what those laws are, ask the US embassy or consulate...preferably before you leave to go there, since you might need to bring something along, like a birth certificate.





After marriage, you file a petition with DHS requesting an immigrant visa for your husband. If the petition is approved, it goes to the US embassy or consulate nearest where he lives, where he then applies for an immigrant visa. If that is issued, he takes it to the US and enters as an immigrant. If he is admitted as an immigrant, his green card will come in the mail.

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