Me

Hello jland912,




On behalf of the entire Expat-blog Team, welcome on board. Hope your marriage plans go well, it's a rather time consuming and complex process.

I'm sure you will find the blog both enjoyable and informative and that you will make lots of new friends here.

  Cheers, 
  William James Woodward – Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team

Actually we are going to get married in the USA because of all the red tape hear. We know there is still alot to do after but not as much so I have heard.

Ok, just don't forget your future wife can't get married in the US on a Tourist Visa, it has to be a K3 Visa or she'll wind up getting banned from the US for 5 years since it is an immigrations offense to marry in the USA only on a Tourist Visa, which will put a real crimp in your style if you want to go back to visit.

Once you get married there you will then have to take the Marriage Certificate to the Consulado-Geral do Brasil responsible for the state where you get married and register the US marriage. The Consulate will issue another Marriage Certificate through the Consular Cartório, which is the document that will be your legal Marriage Certificate here in Brazil.

The bureaucracy in the US isn't that much different than here... trust me.

  Cheers, 
  William James Woodward – Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team

Wow James.. glad to see you relay my expertise... CBP #216345

jland912 - if you intend to marry in the United States with a foreign national you will require your fiance to obtain a K1 visa. It is a mere formality. After the approval you have 90 days to complete the marriage. The process is extremely easy thank you to the paperwork reduction act. Pay the fee, she interviews (without you), she gets a visa. DO NOT MARRY ON A TOURIST VISA UNLESS YOU HAVE A GREAT LAWYER. If she has ever violated United States Immigration law the process could be delayed or altogether impossible depending on circumstances. Once she arrives go to the local court house with her passport and birth certificate (no translation needed) after which report to USCIS to finalize a K3 visa which will grant her permanent residency in the United States. Keep in mind you can not live in two places at once. A "green card" is only warranted when she resides in the United States with no more than 30 days absence in one year. This is strictly enforced. The entry and exit stamps from Brazil or other countries will prove this. I just petitioned revocation of a Philippine national green card today as a result of this. Any questions, PM. I am a CBP officer (soon to be former).

Cheers and welcome.

Hi Matt,

Don't be surprised! I always rely on the EXPERTS when I source my information, you're one of them - dude! Thanks so much for adding your valuable comments to the information that I gave, certainly has much more authority coming from somebody who works for the Feds.

  Cheers, 
  William James Woodward – Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team