Why not just get married in their country?

[Stevieboy]

All the talk about the difficulties, cost, and red tape for a K1. Why not just get married there? Ok, let's stick to Colombia.   

[Bob_S]

Why not?  The only real drawback is that few if any of your friends or family will be able to attend.  But if you have no friends and your family hates you, go for it!  (JK!!!)   

[Stevieboy]

Why not?  The only real drawback is that few if any of your friends or family will be able to attend.  But if you have no friends and your family hates you, go for it!  (JK!!!)   

.
I totally fit the bill; no friends and dissowned by the family.    My mother was the one that asked me that question because I mentioned the PL site and the lengthy discussions about the visa process, and she said "why go thru all that trouble when you can just marry her there"? She knows what I'm doing with regards to Colombia and totally agrees with me as to why I'm looking elsewhere for a woman (she's hispanic herself, father mexican). Please let's not get off topic to that info. Anyhow, yes, at my age (42) what do I care if my friends and family show up at my wedding? All that stuff  is what the girl wants anyway. So, If your'e there, and the both of you love each other, why do this BS of traveling back and forth year in and out, when you can just tie the knot there? Am I missing something? Has this been said redundantly on PL already?       

[A_Thomas]

 Marrying her in her country takes longer. K1 is shorter.

[Stevieboy]

Marrying her in her country takes longer. K1 is shorter.

.
That's not what the colombian girls say. A K1 can take up to a year. Your'e saying it's longer than that? Can you ellaborate?
 

[Micky]

It does not take longer than a K1.  The reality is different departmentos and cities may apply different rules.  The notaries here perform civil marriages.  That is also the person who would certify your paperwork anyway.  This is Colombia and probably a good number of notarias can/will make things 'right' for a little 'extra in the envelope.


Micky

[Stevieboy]

It does not take longer than a K1.  The reality is different departmentos and cities may apply different rules.  The notaries here perform civil marriages.  That is also the person who would certify your paperwork anyway.  This is Colombia and probably a good number of notarias can/will make things 'right' for a little 'extra in the envelope.


Micky

.
So, how many pesos and how long does it take?

[A_Thomas]

.
That's not what the colombian girls say. A K1 can take up to a year. Your'e saying it's longer than that? Can you ellaborate?

 Maybe that's because the INS/Dept doens't trust Colombians? Its taking about 260 days from Ukraine and Russia.

[Stevieboy]

Who's talking about the Ukraine? I'm talking about Colombia. If you haven't married there, either , why did you give advice?

[Kiltboy1]

If you are a US Citizen, it makes no difference if you marry in her country or in the USA. ALL visa work has to go through USCIS in the USA , The embassy in Bogota only will get the case after USCIS does their part, so a K1 or CR1 take about the same time actually. My first marriage in 2002 I went to the Embassy in Bogota,presented papers, approved on the spot and the ex wife had her visa en 3 weeks. Not now, you are looking at 6 months to a year in Colombia, just depends on which USCIS service center you have to apply to. Vermont usually has the fastest processing times, others more. Sit back, relax and just say 1 year and if it comes sooner, that is gravy.
 
KB

[fathertime]

All the talk about the difficulties, cost, and red tape for a K1. Why not just get married there? Ok, let's stick to Colombia.

Hey Stevieboy,   


I had no problem with the k1, in about 6 months it was ready to go, no hassles, it was simple. 

.
 hy I'm looking elsewhere for a woman (she's hispanic herself, father mexican). Please let's not get off topic to that info. Anyhow, yes, at my age (42) what do I care if my friends and family show up at my wedding? All that stuff  is what the girl wants anyway. S

This is a very valid point.  In retrospect, I would have gotten married in Colombia, because I was 40 and this was not my first wedding, so I only invited about 12 people.  It was fun and all, but I could have given my wife a giant grand fiesta in colombia and it would have been a better for her.   So if you do find a babe, and you want to go the marriage first route, it does make sense in the respect that you can give your wife the grand wedding that many woman want to have.  I don't know about it saving you any time though.


Fathertime!   

[Stevieboy]

If you are a US Citizen, it makes no difference if you marry in her country or in the USA. ALL visa work has to go through USCIS in the USA , The embassy in Bogota only will get the case after USCIS does their part, so a K1 or CR1 take about the same time actually. My first marriage in 2002 I went to the Embassy in Bogota,presented papers, approved on the spot and the ex wife had her visa en 3 weeks. Not now, you are looking at 6 months to a year in Colombia, just depends on which USCIS service center you have to apply to. Vermont usually has the fastest processing times, others more. Sit back, relax and just say 1 year and if it comes sooner, that is gravy.
 
KB

.
"Sit back relax and just say 1 year"?  No wonder people said I should just marry a Mexican.   

[/t][/t][/t][/t] [/t][/t][/t][/t]

[whitey]

This is a very valid point.  In retrospect, I would have gotten married in Colombia, because I was 40 and this was not my first wedding, so I only invited about 12 people.  It was fun and all, but I could have given my wife a giant grand fiesta in colombia and it would have been a better for her.   So if you do find a babe, and you want to go the marriage first route, it does make sense in the respect that you can give your wife the grand wedding that many woman want to have.  I don't know about it saving you any time though.

Also way cheaper and more fun in Colombia!

[Stevieboy]

Also way cheaper and more fun in Colombia!

.
Yeah, that's what I think too. Not to mention from what I understand, (just in case) the divorce is cheaper and quicker too without the she takes half of everyithing part. 

[V_Man]

I have just been though all this. See my earlier postings on this topic.

1. She is giving up everything to come and live with me. In our case she will not be able to visit Colombia much at all. In practice the family are loosing a member. For this and other reasons I insisted that we should be married in Colombia with all her friends and family.

2. We can have a little vow renewal ceremony with my friends and family sometime in the future.

3. The legal requirements for even a civil wedding in Colombia are onerous in my view. This does depend on your personal circumstances. I'll give an example below but for now you should be aware that the whole process takes months.

4. I saw no value in that process at all and I did not have months to spare. Hence we had a big wedding in Bogota with a priest giving a special marriage blessing. This little ceremony was as elborate and meaningful than most legal weddings I have been to. For the legal wedding we sort of eloped to the Bahamas where it was cheap, very easy and very efficient. Although you can arrange any sort of marriage you like in the Bahamas if you wanted something elaborate. Plus the marriage certificate is in English and is easily recognised as legal in my country.

5. Now we are preparing the application to bring her in as my wife. Note that in my country it is not normally sufficient to be married. You need to be able to show that you have a genuine and stable relationship.

OK so to give you an example of why it can take months. Firstly in Bogota you need to book 2 or 3 months in advance to get a civil ceremony. In addition it can take over 3  months to get the required paperwork depending on your particular personal circumstances.

[fathertime]

well Whitey, since i didn't invite hardly anybody my wedding was real inexpensive here! jajaja


But yeah, had we done a wedding in colombia it probably would have been inexpensive...but man, when we put on that 1st b-day for our son in colombia, we wound up paying many 1000's to do it...but we really spared no expense and had large turnout, all the bells and whistles too. 




Fathertime! 

[Kiltboy1]

.
Yeah, that's what I think too. Not to mention from what I understand, (just in case) the divorce is cheaper and quicker too without the she takes half of everything part.

Think Again
If she lives with you in the USA, you have to separate and live apart the required time here. Trust me, she will not divorce in Colombia as she will be coached here in the USA by many that will make sure she gets the rights given to her by the Visa you signed, NOW, hopefully it will not come to that. My ex took off and I never had to pay a dime, but I have other friends who got taken to the cleaners by Colombianas. I am married to a Latina from a different country now and that is just not her style. If you got Cash, Pre nup is a must Not trying to put a damper on the Romance , but we got to protect our [snip] you know 

[Stevieboy]

Man, it all just sounds almost too much BS for what it's worth. You guys didnt burst my bubble, you told me what's reality and important.

[V_Man]

Man, it all just sounds almost too much BS for what it's worth.

What exactly?
Marriage in general?

[Bob_S]

Has this been said redundantly on PL already?       

Actually, it has.  We've had plenty of guys who've gone through this, some doing it one way, some the other.  Lots of stories in the archives.  But basically, Kiltboy is right.  It makes no significant time difference as far as visa applications go.
IMHO, if you don't have a big family waiting and hoping to see you married here, don't.  Years from now, looking back, you won't regret marrying her in her country.  It'll be an amazing experience for both of you to remember when you're both wrinkled and gray.

[htown]

Man, it all just sounds almost too much BS for what it's worth. You guys didnt burst my bubble, you told me what's reality and important.

Bro!  That's why I've been telling you all along, get you one that's already here.  I've already figured you out man.  You want everything the easy way.  You just want to point and click and just magically have a beautiful young wife at your side.  You're getting on those dating websites and you got chicks that want to marry you already after a few days of talking on the phone and skyping.  Stop and think, you don't see anything funny about that? 


I promise you there are THOUSANDS if not more colombianas and other latinas right in your own backyard who you can get to marry you.  All it takes is a little socializing and networking.

[htown]

This would be a great event for a guy like you to go to.  Gonna be some SERIOUS hotties at this festival.  It will be just like being in colombia, only a 2 hour drive away instead of a 10 hour flight.


http://www.facebook.com/events/157220014436305/?fref=ts

[Stevieboy]

.
 I've already figured you out man.  You want everything the easy way.  You just want to point and click and just magically have a beautiful young wife at your side.  You're getting on those dating websites and you got chicks that want to marry you already after a few days of talking on the phone and skyping.  Stop and think, you don't see anything funny about that? 

.
No, you don't, and I've tried countless times trying to explain to you. So you think I want it easy and then send me a link to a colombian festival in the USA and insist on me meeting a woman in the USA just because I'm hispanic. I think one of us is on the wrong website. If I'm correct this site is for men talking about looking for love outside the USA. There's another site for guys just looking for a good time.  Also, who said anything about a woman wanting to marry me from talking on skype? That's probably why so many members don't ever post questions, they know somone will always assume something else and take the OP out of context. Only a few ever give real answers to an OP.   
 

[Micky]

SB -

I agree with your post.  I have viewed all of your posts,  more less,  as you 'thinking out loud'.  You receive replies (some)  that help with the direction of your thinking and planning.  That is the point of being here and posting.
VM was very diligent in his preparation and planning before going in.  The ONE thing that he did not think or ask about was the marriage timeline requirements in Colombia.  VM had to make some last minute adjustments in order to get it done.  He did some creative and  outside the box thinking and was successful. Continue with your direction,  you just have to ignore the superfluous BS.


Micky

[V_Man]

SB -
It is a long road but what a ride!!