I-485 Interview Question

[ssaarraa]

Hello

I am married to a US Citizen. We got married in India but we also had a Court Wedding here in US after coming back from India. Now I have got my interview letter for I-485 AOS.
During our interview, is it safe to mention that we got married first in India and then we had a court wedding here in USA to make it legal here in US?
Or should I don’t even mention about my Indian wedding.

Please help.

Thank you in advance.

[PraetorianXI]

You need to mention it. Your marriage in india is important too.

[knowledgeable]

Did you

... declare to the immigration that the person who came to the US was your spouse?

In other words, did you declare your Indian marriage before or upon entering the US?

I am not sure about your specific case but many try to hide the fact that they were married in India and bring their spouses on visitor visa.

Then they show the US authorities that they met in the US and got married here only.

This technically constitutes fraud if this is what you've done. However, if you hide a fact that too falls on the same grounds.

You do the math.


IMMIGRATION ADVISOR PraetorianXI is absolutely correct. Your marriage in India in very important too and needs to be declared. You cannot and should not hide any such facts as they may result in highly adverse actions from the US government in future if you're found guilty of the same.

[ssaarraa]

Hi Knowledgeable / PraetorianXI

I am here in US on a work visa. I met my husband here in US and we decided to visit India to get married per our customs. But we did not register our marriage in India and when we arrived in US I used my work visa to enter. We did not declare anything at the time of entry. After a month we did our court wedding here in US. We both have been using our US wedding date in all our documentations at work, IRS and for filing AOS.
Now do you think we should still mention about our wedding ceremony in India? I am worried if we do mention that then it may go against us. Please help.
Thank you for replying.

[knowledgeable]

Ethical against legal

You did get married in India, though you didn't register the wedding. As per current Indian laws, you were married, whether it was on paper or per religious ceremony.

[That Indian law is about to be changed where every marriage will have to be registered].

Anyway, in your case, it's a clash between ethical and legal situation.

If you don't mention your Indian wedding, that will be the best for you, but then remember you're lying and need to be aware of the consequences in future.

If you do mention, then there's probably a bigger issue at stake here and may cause other administrative issues with USCIS here as they may ask you why did not not declare the same earlier?

From this just do what you feel is the best for you at this time. Judging from others' experiences it may be best not to.

Good luck to both of you.

[PraetorianXI]

What kind of visa do you hold?

An H1 or L1 type of visa may "Save your neck" because they allow dual intent.