It will make your fianc? happy. Her friends and relatives can come to the wedding. Her father and mother can be there. It will even be a lot cheaper than paying for a wedding and reception in America.
Fair enough.
But before you get the idea that it is better to get married in Russia and bring your wife over to America on a K-3 Spousal Visa rather than a K-1 Fianc? Visa, consider the following:
First, a K-3 Spousal Visa is as complicated to file as a K-1 Fianc? Visa. There is no shortcut as far as paperwork or waiting time is concerned.
Secondly, the CIS countries require almost as much paperwork for an American to get married in their country as the US requires for a Russian woman to get married here.
As you already know by now, CIS countries love paperwork.
Documentation Required For CIS Marriage:
As an American, you would have to provide documentation of your ability to marry. You would need to have certified copies and certified translations of those documents from English to Russian for your birth, divorce, or other types of papers.
You would need to provide certified copies of your passport and certified translations of those certified copies.
You would need to apply for a marriage license. In CIS countries, church weddings do not have any official status. You must get married in a civil ceremony for it to be official.
Once you get the green light, you may get married in Russia, but most likely you are going to need to make a return trip to Russia in order to get married.
You probably won't have all the necessary documents required to apply for a wedding license in Russia with you during your first trip to Russia.
So you fly home. You send off all the required documents from America to your fianc? (two to three weeks for the mail). The documents need to get translated into Russian for certified copies (one week).
Local Marriage License:
Next you must apply for the marriage license (you need to fly back to be present at the application for the marriage license.)
You wait around for the marriage license to be issued (one to two weeks). Once it's issued, the civil service takes place.
But your wife wants a church wedding too. You need to provide documents to the priest that you are Orthodox. Oh, I forgot you're not Orthodox.
Well, did you bring your baptismal records or church documents that prove that you are at least a Christian? Oh, you didn't?
You're not Christian? Well, no church wedding for the two of you!
Well, you could probably lie and say you're Orthodox and come up with enough money that you could find a priest to marry you without providing documentation.
Of course, your new mother-in-law already has a sour taste in her mouth after all of this ? fudging church records, humph.
Wedding invitations are sent out. One to two weeks later, the wedding takes place. It's a fun two to three day event.
But of course, you aren't used to drinking quarts of vodka days on end, so you need a few days at your mother-in-law's home made spin dry clinic to pull your liver out of a tail spin.
The Honeymoon:
You take a week off for a honeymoon to Cyprus. You return to Russia. Your relatives welcome you back. Now it's time to file the Form I-130 Spousal Visa.
It's two months later than it was when you first decided to get married. You spent the better part of the last month away from America, waiting for the marriage license, the civil ceremony, the church ceremony, and the honeymoon.
And now you get to start the process to file her K-3 Spousal Visa. With a K-3 Visa, it's going to take you just as long to get her to America as it would have if you had filed a K-1 Fianc? Visa in the first place.
But now it's two months later. If you want to return for your wife's interview at the embassy, you will then be making another trip to Russia. You have taken nearly a month to a month and a half away from work and your responsibilities at home.
Maybe you're retired? Maybe it's time you can afford to take off? Maybe it's not?
By the time you pay for the extra trip to Russia, you still are a little ahead financially than you would be if you had a full wedding and reception in America because of the difference in the cost.
But now it's two months later. If you want to return for your wife's interview at the embassy, you will then be making another trip to Russia. You have taken nearly a month to a month and a half away from work and your responsibilities at home.
Maybe you're retired? Maybe it's time you can afford to take off? Maybe it's not?
By the time you pay for the extra trip to Russia, you still are a little ahead financially than you would be if you had a full wedding and reception in America because of the difference in the cost.
Maybe You Aren't Planning A Big Wedding:
But maybe you weren't planning on having a big church wedding and reception in America. Well then, you really aren't ahead financially, are you? Maybe you are about even from a financial standpoint.
You've waited two more months than you would have to get your wife to America if you had applied for the K-1 Fianc? Visa originally as you planned.
You've spent at least an extra month away from home. How did that affect your business or other parts of your life?
So from a time standpoint, you are way behind than if you applied for a K-1 Visa.
The wedding was a lot of fun, but you can't drink like you could during your fraternity days, so your health is a little further behind than it would be if you had applied for the Fianc? Visa.
But maybe you made your wife and your mother in law happy, and that was worth whatever extra time, money, pain, and suffering you had to endure getting married in Russia rather than bringing her home as a fianc?.
Maybe it was worth it all. Maybe it wasn't. You decide. I tried to paint the picture as accurately as I can from my vantage point.
K 1 Badr Hari
Let us imagine that after long search you have found the woman of your dream, you visited her few times in her native city and you think that you and your Ukraine bride are created for each other. Instincts tell you that you must get married as soon as possible, but your common sense warn you to know this woman better. So what should you do?
USA K-1 visa was created exactly for this. It lets your foreign bride to come and live in you country for up to 3 months and at this period of time you both must make a decision whether you match and to get married or to split up and than she will go back home. Make a note that your Russian bride can't marry anyone else except the person who was submitting an application for her visa. It eliminates odds of fake marriage from her side.
Here is a happy love story. Ukrainian girl Olga met Frank by the use of Internet marriage agency, they corresponded for two months, he came to Ukraine several times. And they fell in love and understood that they can not live without each other. Larisa's parents were a little bit afraid about quick changes in her life and about her choice to leave with Frank. The fact that K-1 visa assure absolute protection from the side of USA government calmed down Olga's close relatives. It took five month for beloved to arrive to Frank's place. They got married soon and it is now two years as they live happily together. Because of a K-1 visa Olga and Frank were able to know each other better, to spend more time together before marriage, to become absolutely sure in each other. Of course, they sent thank you letter to the marriage agency which helped them to meet each other.
Both John Kunkle & Olga Bulyga are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
John Kunkle has sinced written about articles on various topics from Family, Wedding Bells and Green Card. John has been to Russia and CIS countries many times. He has been successfully married to his Belarussian wife for over five years. He will show you how to meet her, how to bring her home, and how to successfully survive marriage to a Russian woman.. John Kunkle's top article generates over 27100 views. Bookmark John Kunkle to your Favourites.
Olga Bulyga has sinced written about articles on various topics from Marriage, Vacation and Family. CharmingBrides.com http://www.charmingbrides.com international dating site assists foreign man and Russian single girls from Kharkov and Poltava (Ukraine) in their search of each other. Here you may find correspondence and translations, English lessons, i. Olga Bulyga's top article generates over 14800 views. Bookmark Olga Bulyga to your Favourites.
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