Visa Interview: Registered marriage date & Marriage ceremony date are different

[vkchetty]

Hi,

I am a Naturalized US Citizen (born Indian) and my wife is an Indian. Our I-130 got approved and now we are in the Visa Interview stage.

This is an arranged marriage and I went to India in May 2012 and got married to her in a small wedding ceremony and got it legally registered so that I can get the paper work processed. I was there only for 10 days and came back to US 2 days after the registration. I started the application process as soon as I got back in June 2012. I went back to India in October 2012 for the formal full wedding ceremony with reception and all.

When i applied for the I-130, I sent the photos of the small wedding ceremony in the temple as proof of the wedding (only had 10-15 photos taken then). Now for the Oct wedding, we had professional photographers with full fledged wedding ceremonies etc.

When my wife goes for her Interview, which photos can she show? The new photos for Oct wedding are drastically different (since there are a lot more people and much professionally done) than the simple ceremony we had in May (taken with my camera). How can we explain the 2 dates for wedding ceremonies?

Please help!

Thanks.

[mtouch]

Hi,

I am a Naturalized US Citizen (born Indian) and my wife is an Indian. Our I-130 got approved and now we are in the Visa Interview stage.

This is an arranged marriage and I went to India in May 2012 and got married to her in a small wedding ceremony and got it legally registered so that I can get the paper work processed. I was there only for 10 days and came back to US 2 days after the registration. I started the application process as soon as I got back in June 2012. I went back to India in October 2012 for the formal full wedding ceremony with reception and all.

When i applied for the I-130, I sent the photos of the small wedding ceremony in the temple as proof of the wedding (only had 10-15 photos taken then). Now for the Oct wedding, we had professional photographers with full fledged wedding ceremonies etc.

When my wife goes for her Interview, which photos can she show? The new photos for Oct wedding are drastically different (since there are a lot more people and much professionally done) than the simple ceremony we had in May (taken with my camera). How can we explain the 2 dates for wedding ceremonies?

Please help!

Thanks.

Show both photos and both marriage certificate. Let your wife explain to the CO the Indian marriage tradition. Good luck.

[zodiak]

Hi,

I am a Naturalized US Citizen (born Indian) and my wife is an Indian. Our I-130 got approved and now we are in the Visa Interview stage.

This is an arranged marriage and I went to India in May 2012 and got married to her in a small wedding ceremony and got it legally registered so that I can get the paper work processed. I was there only for 10 days and came back to US 2 days after the registration. I started the application process as soon as I got back in June 2012. I went back to India in October 2012 for the formal full wedding ceremony with reception and all.

When i applied for the I-130, I sent the photos of the small wedding ceremony in the temple as proof of the wedding (only had 10-15 photos taken then). Now for the Oct wedding, we had professional photographers with full fledged wedding ceremonies etc.

When my wife goes for her Interview, which photos can she show? The new photos for Oct wedding are drastically different (since there are a lot more people and much professionally done) than the simple ceremony we had in May (taken with my camera). How can we explain the 2 dates for wedding ceremonies?

Please help!

Thanks.

Please be careful with these kind of situation. My cuzin sister had a same problem and she was stuck in india for 2 years. You can not tell them about 2 marriages, it does not make sense at all in their eyes. Do not confuse them, again please do not confuse them. Do not show 2 different weddings, if you do, I assure you that she will get stuck there forever and it will be hard for you to fight the case.

What date you have on your marriage certificate??? First time marriage date or Second time??
What kind of pictures did you send them?

[mtouch]

Please be careful with these kind of situation. My cuzin sister had a same problem and she was stuck in india for 2 years. You can not tell them about 2 marriages, it does not make sense at all in their eyes. Do not confuse them, again please do not confuse them. Do not show 2 different weddings, if you do, I assure you that she will get stuck there forever and it will be hard for you to fight the case.

What date you have on your marriage certificate??? First time marriage date or Second time??
What kind of pictures did you send them?

If you're able to explain, as I said, the tradition in your country, you have nothing to worry about. The US Embassy have a way of finding out those things anyway. If you don't mention it they might be more suspicious that you're hiding something. The COs are not stupid to not understand traditions. In my country it is very common for couples to have a civil wedding, i.e. officiated by a public official, because they don't have enough money for a church wedding. Then later (even many years later) they will have a second wedding ceremony in church. But it's up to the OP to do what he wants. Your decision.

[dhira_98]

I agree with Mtouch, So Instead of calling 2 Wedding which could be very confusing, You can call first marriage "Civil/Temple Wedding", and call the second marriage function "Marriage Celebration Party". Provide all the photos to CO and if CO has questions, explain that the first set of pictures are from Civil/Temple wedding and second set of picture are from Marriage Celebration party.

[rajSaha]

Query on Marriage date and registration date----Please help

Hi All,

Due to shortage of time my social marriage ceremony was held on 20th Feb and it was registered on 5th March under Hindu Marriage Act. Which date will be my official marriage date and which date should I enter in DS-160 form?

[dhira_98]

Use actual date of Marriage ie 20th Feburary on every piece of document. On most marriage certificates, the actual date of marriage is listed along with date of registration.

[np4790]

Visa Interview: Registered marriage date & Marriage ceremony date are different

Hi,

I am a Naturalized US Citizen (born Indian) and my wife is an Indian. Our I-130 got approved and now we are in the Visa Interview stage.

This is an arranged marriage and I went to India in May 2012 and got married to her in a small wedding ceremony and got it legally registered so that I can get the paper work processed. I was there only for 10 days and came back to US 2 days after the registration. I started the application process as soon as I got back in June 2012. I went back to India in October 2012 for the formal full wedding ceremony with reception and all.

When i applied for the I-130, I sent the photos of the small wedding ceremony in the temple as proof of the wedding (only had 10-15 photos taken then). Now for the Oct wedding, we had professional photographers with full fledged wedding ceremonies etc.

When my wife goes for her Interview, which photos can she show? The new photos for Oct wedding are drastically different (since there are a lot more people and much professionally done) than the simple ceremony we had in May (taken with my camera). How can we explain the 2 dates for wedding ceremonies?

Please help!

Thanks.

Hi VKchetty,

I would like to know about this situation because I am having similar situation and my wife's interview coming up on Oct 5th. what happened during interview? how she explained situation? which photos did she showed to immigration officer? Please reply me when you can. it would be appreciate it.

thanks.

[Jay Shah]

Hi VKchetty,

I would like to know about this situation because I am having similar situation and my wife's interview coming up on Oct 5th. what happened during interview? how she explained situation? which photos did she showed to immigration officer? Please reply me when you can. it would be appreciate it.

thanks.

Hello - looking to hear your experience - i have the similar issue and have a pending i130 with USCIS.