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US citizen marry HK

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  1. #11

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    Arizona / Hong Kong
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    So here's the step to my friend:
    1) Gril-friend applies a vacation vista to the US
    2) The guy will offically marry the bride in the state (paper, etc)

    After that does the bride has to return to Hong Kong or she can stay in the state permanently.

    *7 years in order to become US citizen?
    Thanks.
    Donald


  2. #12

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    May 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by dcyuen:
    So here's the step to my friend:
    1) Gril-friend applies a vacation vista to the US
    2) The guy will offically marry the bride in the state (paper, etc)

    After that does the bride has to return to Hong Kong or she can stay in the state permanently.

    *7 years in order to become US citizen?
    Thanks.
    Donald
    Donald - if your friend (thought this was about you in the beginning) is a US citizen, it's up to him to find out the legal requirements of bringing his new bride in to live with him. I was merely pointing out how easy it is to get married in New Mexico and that it may help you (sorry your friend) in bringing a new wife into the US. Again, whether she can stay afterwards I'm not sure as it would require some documentation to be processed. I came back to Hong Kong afterwards and my husband joined me here (very easily obtaining a dependent visa).

  3. #13

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    1,966

    visa

    1) The bride has to return to HK and apply for her spouse visa and wait in the Q. It may take 1-2 year.
    2) she can stay in the USA illegally, until caught.
    3) Hire a lawyer and petition the Immigration Department for the spouse visa and continue renewing her visitor visa.



    Quote Originally Posted by dcyuen:
    So here's the step to my friend:
    1) Gril-friend applies a vacation vista to the US
    2) The guy will offically marry the bride in the state (paper, etc)

    After that does the bride has to return to Hong Kong or she can stay in the state permanently.

    *7 years in order to become US citizen?
    Thanks.
    Donald

  4. #14

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    New York City
    Posts
    51
    Quote Originally Posted by Oldtimer:
    1) The bride has to return to HK and apply for her spouse visa and wait in the Q. It may take 1-2 year.
    2) she can stay in the USA illegally, until caught.
    3) Hire a lawyer and petition the Immigration Department for the spouse visa and continue renewing her visitor visa.
    Agreed. It is easy to marry in HK since the guy is HK born and the girl is HK citizen. It does take a long time before the girl gets the visa and to come to the states and eventually settling here. If she gets a visa to the states, she can't leave the US until both of them get an interview at immigration. Assuming that they pass the interview, she will then have to wait for about a month for a green card and she can go whereever she likes.

  5. #15

    Join Date
    May 2010
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    4,713

    its 5 years for the US, not 7 years for citizenship.
    I would get marry asap anywhere, then apply for us residency.


  6. #16

    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Midlevels / USA (MD) / London
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    2,219
    Quote Originally Posted by carang:
    penguin, do you really think it matters WHERE they got married when it comes to immigration?
    Actually it really does. You see, if they want to go to the US, there are different visas and processes depending on where they get married which take different periods of time to get sorted (and even cost a different amount in fees).

    Here is a good breakdown of the various marriage-based visas for the US.

    Comparison of marriage-based visas : British Expat Wiki

    The processing times and speed to a work permit in the USA differ if you get married in the US and then handle the paperwork vs. getting married overseas and handling the paperwork (or getting a fiancee visa and then entering the US for the purpose of getting married). If they follow that route for example they are are then pretty much forced to stay in the US until the adjustment of status is processed (or go through some hoops for an advanced parole certificate)

    There is an excellent forum here (it deals with British citizens marrying US citizens and then moving to the US, but the information is relevant to citizens of any country).

    Marriage Based Visas : British Expat Discussion Forum

    In addition, if you enter the US on a VWP and then get married and apply for adjustment of status, you have committed fraud as your entry was for non-immigration purposes but you then tried to immigrate. It isn't likely they'll prosecute you but there have been people who have problems.

    US immigration laws are a fricking nightmare of bureaucracy. Take a look at this 'simple' flow chart for bringing in your potential spouse for the purpose of getting married:

    K1 Flowchart Visuals : British Expat Wiki

    So, yes, it does matter where they get married--from an immigration standpoint. As far as 'love'-reasons, like you said, a yoga master is as good as anyone.

    Good luck
    Geoff likes this.

  7. #17

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    Apr 2005
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    Sai Kung
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    my apologies.


  8. #18

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    Oct 2004
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    Midlevels / USA (MD) / London
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    Quote Originally Posted by carang:
    my apologies.
    You don't need to apologize. US immigration law is so fricking complicated you need an advanced degree in chaos theory to sort through it. I only figured it out the hard way by plodding through it, making costly mistakes, and trying again.

  9. #19

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    Feb 2009
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    Gulf Region, ex Mid-Levels
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    It depends if you want to live in the US at all. If your wife to be is a non-US citizen non green card holder, there could be some tax angles.


  10. #20

    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Arizona / Hong Kong
    Posts
    96

    man, don't mean to hate the US but it sure is complicated when comes down to the law crap...

    Well, down the road they want to settle down in the US. So getting marry "after" entering to the state may have some concern but I think this is what most people would normally do, right?

    Thanks for the advice guys, been really helpful.