Getting Married and Fiancée Visas

Getting married in Costa Rica is really quite simple. All you have to do is complete the required paperwork and have the appropriate documents like a passport, divorce papers (if you were previously married), birth certificate and any other pertinent information. We suggest consulting your lawyer if you are marrying in Costa Rica to find out exactly what documents are needed and what procedures to follow.

By the way, lawyers can marry people in Costa Rica much like a justice of the peace in the States. This type of marriage is called por civil and is usually quicker than a traditional church wedding or por la iglesia. In Costa Rica people get married either way.

If you do choose to have a lawyer marry you, you will need to have two witnesses for the ceremony. Your lawyer will be able to round up a couple of people if you can’t find anyone. For additional information about getting married in Costa Rica go to: www.costarica.com/embassy/marriage.

If your interested in obtaining a finacee visa you should be aware of the following process. Marrying a foreign national is a completely different experience than marrying a resident of the United States. In this country, you go down to the license bureau, apply for a marriage license, and then tie the knot. When joining your life with an alien spouse, marriage alone does not necessarily allow the married couple to be together in the country. The United States government must be petitioned to permit your spouse to live with you in the United States.

When a foreign marriage occurs the American spouse must file a Petition for Alien Relative and endure many months or even years of separation from his new spouse while the petition is approved and finally processed at the foreign consulate abroad.

A citizen of the United States has an additional option available to him: the fiancée visa. The US citizen can petition for a visa for his alien fiancée to allow her admission the United States for a period of ninety days to allow for them to prepare for their marriage and life together. The fiancée process can be completed in a much shorter time period than a spousal petition.

Upon entry into the United States, the fiancée is only permitted to remain for a period of ninety days. There are no extensions allowed. During the admission to the United States, the fiancée will receive employment authorization from the INS.

The petitioner and beneficiary must marry with the ninety-day window or the beneficiary must leave the United States. If marriage to the petitioner occurs, the married couple will then apply for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident at the INS district office in their area. If the marriage does not occur and the fiancée returns to her home country within the ninety-day period, then the gentleman retains his eligibility to pursue his options with other potential spouses in the future.

This is intended to provide general information on the visa process. There are many other factors it this complex and ever changing area of the law.

For information concerning alien fiancées, alien relatives, adjustment of status, or any other immigration problem, you may consult our staff. We can answer your questions and assist you in your immigration