Korean Job Discussion Forums

[djwaters22]

This is my first post.
Let me start by saying im excited to be here.
Any ways, i am in the united states army. I went to south korea for one year. Where I met my beautiful fiance. Now i have moved to america, and we have been doign long distance about 6 months . She has visited me and everything,
but my question is how can we get married? We are ready for the next step and we are ready. But i do not know how to get started. I can't find much info on this site other then for British people. Does anybody know exactly all the steps I can take for marrying a korean national? We will get married in Texas (america)
thx!!!!

[jazblanc77]

Do you have a ring? Have you proposed?

[djwaters22]

[CentralCali]

If you are in the US Armed Forces, you should direct all your questions about getting married to a foreign national to your Personnel Support Office as there are military regulations regarding that, regardless of where the marriage is to be performed.

For getting married in Texas, you need to check with your county clerk's office.

[Drew10]

[djwaters22]

Thx for the advice. I will check the USCIS u mentioned out tomorrow. I have heard that once we physically get married, that she must stay in country a minium of 6 months? Our origional plan was get married and her go back to her parents house for a few more months. So she can make some money for when we start our lifes. ( i work also)
I for sure am goign to try to find out all the information possible thx!

[Gorf]

You mean you're not an English teacher? Color me surprised.

[CentralCali]

That was due to lax enforcement of the DOD directives. No matter where the marriage is to occur, the service member is supposed to go through the military's rigamarole regarding it. Some Area Commanders (as appointed by the Secretary of Defense) require all subordinate commanders to enforce the regs, some don't, and some even have sporadic enforcement.

Personally, I think the whole "marriage to a foreign national" regulation is ridiculous. It's about as sensible as making new regulations for E-2 applicants due to the crimes of Koreans. I've seen some ridiculous things during my career in military admin. One thing that stuck out was the new dependent spouse getting arrested in Japan and deported when she went to have her tourist visa canceled so she could be classified under SOFA. She'd served time in a Japanese prison! But since both she and her military husband were American citizens, the military had no qualms about granting her Command Sponsorship.

Worse than being ridiculous, the regulation is patronizing.

Having said all that, the place for the OP to start is still the Personnel Support Office (PSO). One thing that'll come in quite handy for him and his wife will be the Expeditious Naturalization Program (ENP) when he gets transferred overseas again on an "Accompanied Tour." The PSO will be the outfit that provides the certification to BCIS for his wife to get naturalized under that program. The ENP provides for immediate naturalization of a service member's dependents if (a) they've already been granted immigrant status and (b) immediately after naturalization join their sponsor overseas. This naturalization occurs regardless of how long the foreign national dependents have been in the US. The entire waiting time for naturalization is waived.

[djwaters22]

thx for everyones help. Well i asked my sergaent (e-5) on advice how to get started on the whole process. He told me that it unbeliveably difficult and I should not try to do it on my own. He told me i should do what he did, pay a lawyer $1800 and they will do everything for me. I think that is a very dumb chose and I hope to not have to go that way.
The difference is , he is marrying a Philopeno young lady, and I am marrying a korean. I hope that this process will not be so bad that I need a lawyer.
thanks. ill keep you updated

[Drew10]

[djwaters22]

ok thx for the info. I check out the USCIS website. I am seeing I need to start with a K-1 fiance visa? And marry within 90 days. Is this right? And i pay about $350. I am going to start looking into this. But I do not see the next step into getting married legally. Im sure ill need her birth certifcate but can it be a copy? thanks!

[Drew10]

You'll need to translate her family register into english. If she can't do it she can always pay someone to do it. That should be done as part of the visa process. Once she has the visa in hand, it's just like getting married to anyone else in the states. Go file for a marriage license, and have the ceremony. After that's done go back to the USCIS website and check on how to adjust status to permanent resident (green card). That one is a bit more expensive, and time consuming, and where you would REALLY want a lawyer's expertise.

[djwaters22]

Hello! once again i have more concerns/questions.
Ok Since i am in the army, i live in barracks rooms. And my fiance cannot live with me, only visit until 2 am. Moving on, our plan was to get married, finish the k1(fiance visa) and then have he fly back to korea. Then while she is in korea get your greencard approved. But her friend who married an army man like me, tells her that is impossible. And she has to stay here until she gets a greencard? Is this true?
I really cannot afford a hotel for her for 3 months or however long it would take, is it true than she cannot just go back home until everything is sorted out?
Thanks everybody!

[CentralCali]

OP: Are you really in the US Army or are you just having us all on?

[Drew10]

Provided you aren't trolling us (I'm starting to agree with CentralCali), You can check my previous post where I said after you get married in the U.S you ADJUST STATUS meaning she never leaves the U.S.