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Can international student get married with a US citizen? Can we register the marriage license in Arizona- the state I'm living?
Anonymous4 views3 answers
Hi there,
I am an Vietnamese international student with F-1 Visa status. My boy friend who is legally US citizen want to get married with me in this coming December, 2014. He is living in Sacramento, CA and I'm in Chandler, AZ. I want to ask you that whether he could come to Arizona and register our marriage license with me or not. Which steps should we get prepare? We are still planning to live separately in 2 different states until we finish our colleges. Is it legal to live separately even though we are married?
There are a number of real questions for you here. 1) what is the rush? 2) will you need a new F1 visa stamp at any time - you have "immigrant intent" as soon as you marry your bf 3) are you planning to marry and immediately file for a green card? 4) are you just wanting to marry then get on to complete your studies and then later when you are living together, file with immigration.
Part of your marriage planning should be a visit with an immigration attorney.
Living together is an important requirement of overcoming the red flags that will come up at USCIS when they see two different addresses in 2 separate states. It doesn't sound as if you are ready to commit to a marriage yet. Wait until you are able to live together.
My colleague is right that the decision to get married is a personal one, and you don't have to live together to get married or worry about which state you get married in. You should get married when you and your fiance are ready. If the marriage is genuine and entered into in good faith, you should be able to show it for purposes of immigration. Before apply for your green card, you should meet with an immigration attorney who can help guide you through the process. The process is not simple and there are many pitfalls to avoid. Good luck!
