Getting Married before K1 is approved?

[PDR247]

Ok what if a US Citizen marries in the US prior to issuance of the K1 visa? What steps will be needed if this occurs or what forms need to be filed?

[nichole]

The USC citizen who filed the petition can write to USCIS and withdraw the fiance petition. If it's already been approved and made it to the embassy, then it's no longer with USCIS, but with the Dept of State. In that case you can write to the embassy. Or you can do nothing and let it die by abandonment.

Then you are back to square one. The USC starts over by filing an I-130 petition for the wife/kids. As long as the children were under 18 when you married, then they qualify as your step-children. You submit evidence again, pay again, and wait again.