Get married on a B1

[jkay]

Hello,

I have a B1 visa for 10 years. It has been already 3 years that i'm travelling back and forth between france and US. My employer is French and they are sendding me to a US client for UAT,train the business user get requirements... It is a big project.
Last time the immigration stopped me for 2hours asking me why i was coming that often that they suspected that i was working illegually. I explained them that i'm paid by my french company, that i have a french contract. they let me in but told me that i should go to the US ambassy and check for another kind of visa. i called the ambassy but the guy that answer told me that my client should petition for a visa for me. My company decided to let me in france for a while before i go back.
It has been 10 months now and i'm going back next week.
In those 5 years i met a US citizen and we want to get married in january while i will be in the US on my B1 visa.

Can i do this? should i wait for sometime (90 days) and then get married and start my change of status knowing i might not be granted 6 month when i enter to the US?

We don't want to do a k1 or K3 visa. it will take too long and meanwhile i won't be able to go to the US.

Anyone was in the same situation and got married on a B1?

Thanks a lot

[idrismca]

Hello,

I have a B1 visa for 10 years. It has been already 3 years that i'm travelling back and forth between france and US. My employer is French and they are sendding me to a US client for UAT,train the business user get requirements... It is a big project.
Last time the immigration stopped me for 2hours asking me why i was coming that often that they suspected that i was working illegually. I explained them that i'm paid by my french company, that i have a french contract. they let me in but told me that i should go to the US ambassy and check for another kind of visa. i called the ambassy but the guy that answer told me that my client should petition for a visa for me. My company decided to let me in france for a while before i go back.
It has been 10 months now and i'm going back next week.
In those 5 years i met a US citizen and we want to get married in january while i will be in the US on my B1 visa.

Can i do this? should i wait for sometime (90 days) and then get married and start my change of status knowing i might not be granted 6 month when i enter to the US?

We don't want to do a k1 or K3 visa. it will take too long and meanwhile i won't be able to go to the US.

Anyone was in the same situation and got married on a B1?

Thanks a lot

As far as i know, it would be much better if you wait for 90 days for your option(your spouse being a US citizen). I did something similar and had to go through a lot of troubles. I married my spouse (H1 holder) when I had come here on B1(business visit). We had dated for last 3 years while I was on H1. We had hired a Lawyer then who advised me that there's 30-60-90 day rule. If you change your status before 30 days then they consider this a case of fraud (entering the country on non-immigrant visa but with intentions of staying as immigrant). under 60 days they still scrutinize you but not a direct case, under 90 days you are still under suspicion. After 90 days you might be out of suspicion. You could do what I had done, get married in US and go back to your country and reenter on a spouse visa but your case is a little different because you are marrying a citizen. So best option would be to wait in the country for 3 months. All the best.
NOTE: Even when you marry in US and go back and apply as a spouse visa they might still look you with suspicion. They called me at the consulate 4 times. Checked every possible angle and in my last interview grilled me for 3 hours. All this took 4 long months in my home country before they finally granted me a visa.

[jkay]

Thank you for sharing your experience.

I soon as i go to the US we will see an immigration lawyer and see what would be his suggestion. I really hope we can do the 90 days solution we have already been separated for 8 months.
4 months to get the spouse visa is not so bad, i read that most of the people wait 6 to 8 months. I bet they gave you hard time with the questions. Good luck

Is there anyone that married a US citizen while being on a B1?

Thanks a lot