# How easy (or hard) is it to get married?



## chinky_me (Dec 27, 2015)

So I've lurked around the forum for a while and concluded that most of the people here are foreigners married to locals. I'm actually a Chinese girl with Filipino citizenship, dating an American for a year, and moving to Korea with the boyfriend in a few weeks. Yep, confusing. 

I was wondering how easy it is to marry a foreigner (since we are planning to get married in a year or two) in terms of paperwork and stuff. 

Also, is it possible to be denied entry to the US even after we are married? My boyfriend wants me to have American citizenship so we can travel the world easily. As you all know, a Philippine passport is next to useless. I have been denied a US visa multiple times. I'm a nurse and a doctor, so really, I don't know what more "ties" I have to show them. 

I am really worried that our eventual marriage would require us to live in the Philippines since neither one of us likes this country. This would be the case if we start a family and he can't get a job elsewhere after his contract with the US Army expires and I finish my PhD (yes, more studying...). I think it will crush my heart to see him tied to this country because of me.

Just thinking of the future...

Thank you!

P.S. Why is there no South Korea forum? (Or am I just blind?)


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

If you get married here, then he can easily petition or apply with you for a spousal visa. My wife is Filipina and that is exactly what we did, and it took about 10 months to get it, then she was in Seattle first flight over within weeks after actually receiving the paperwork. After 3 yrs there, and even with us moving to work in Okinawa, for DoD, she can now apply for US citizenship because of the marriage to me. Thing that your partner/future hubby needs keep in mind is that if he is operating on any kind of a Security Clearance, especially secret and above, then he has to self-report his relationship with a foreign national, or risk losing it and his job. He needs to do that asap if not already. His SSO with his group/unit/whatever he is working on can assist him. Your Chinese connections may also slow things down on part of the plan, but I can't say for sure. For sure it might impact his clearance, but he'll Lose his clearance (again if Any) if he does not self report to relationship. I did it and I know hundreds others who have. Not to scare you all, but just something that is required and always want be ahead of the game on that part. If you are citizen of the PI, then his app/petition for you will go to U.S. to be processed, then you all will do your interviews, etc at the Embassy wherever you are living I believe....sounds like Korea at some point. The other option will be to apply for the fiance' Visa to U.S. with him, But I'm not sure if that is feasible if he's not living in the U.S. currently, since the idea is that you would move there, once approved, and marry in 90 days or less. It Sounds like the best solution, if marrying, is going to be the spousal visa. Also, once married, he'll need to get you added to whatever orders he has from US Govt/DoD for him to be in Korea. Without that, You wlll not receive SOFA status. Reason I know all that part, is had to do that w/ my Filipina spouse so that she Can come/go in Japan w/ her PI passport and DoD Dependent ID card, as well as she carries a set of my orders with her when traveling because the Japanese still cannot seem to "get it" that her SOFA stamp and ID card are all she needs along with Passport. But hey, why fight the system and in the end, it Is the Japanese immigration officer's call at that airport. Anyway, best of luck. Be interested to see how this goes on y'all's end.


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## chinky_me (Dec 27, 2015)

Thanks for the advice. He actually does have security clearance (forgot what level) since he has worked in several bases around the world as a contractor for the US government. I am of Chinese blood but I lived in the Philippines all my life so I guess it shouldn't be an issue... hopefully. 

One thing that concerns me though... Does he have to report his relationship with me even if we aren't married yet? So that means if he's dating around, he'd have to report every single girl he sees? Haha That seems paranoid.

Off topic, but I'd just like to say that Japan is awesome. I'm actually in Tokyo right now for vacation.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

My now-wife is of Chinese bloodline also, but was born and raised in the Phils. When she came to the US on a K1 Visa so we could be married, there was no question about her Chinese line, only her background. I was living in Arizona in the US at that time and went through the normal proceedings to obtain the K1 Visa. Something to be aware of, my experience was a few years ago and with the recent happenings in the US, I would expect that there may be some changes in the proceedings of Visa investigations.

Fred


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

*No issue*



chinky_me said:


> Thanks for the advice. He actually does have security clearance (forgot what level) since he has worked in several bases around the world as a contractor for the US government. I am of Chinese blood but I lived in the Philippines all my life so I guess it shouldn't be an issue... hopefully.
> 
> One thing that concerns me though... Does he have to report his relationship with me even if we aren't married yet? So that means if he's dating around, he'd have to report every single girl he sees? Haha That seems paranoid.
> 
> Off topic, but I'd just like to say that Japan is awesome. I'm actually in Tokyo right now for vacation.


You are RP citizen and here whole life, so non-issue then. Most Filipinos have Chinese and Spanish blood lines besides original inhabitants, among others. If you have ongoing connections and family ties In China, that will simply be something he'll need to deal with later, but Yes, he Does have to report his relationship with you because he's in an Ongoing intimate relationship with a foreign national. It's easy. I also had to fill out report Every time I came here on personal travel, as should he, and listed all the immediate family I spent time with. The only problems that arise are when one does Not report that. It did not affect my clearance back then one bit. As for non-lasting, 1x relationships, etc, no need. GOOGLE This: 

Reporting ongoing relationship with security clearance


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

fmartin_gila said:


> My now-wife is of Chinese bloodline also, but was born and raised in the Phils. When she came to the US on a K1 Visa so we could be married, there was no question about her Chinese line, only her background. I was living in Arizona in the US at that time and went through the normal proceedings to obtain the K1 Visa. Something to be aware of, my experience was a few years ago and with the recent happenings in the US, I would expect that there may be some changes in the proceedings of Visa investigations.
> 
> 
> it's only important to his Security Clearance and really sound like she's just citing Chinese heritage or bloodlines; so, even then not an issue. However, if he does not report the relationship, That Will be a big issue for clearance and job. Reporting is easy process and non-eventful in 99% of cases


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

AND it's not going matter one bit how you met, where worked, etc. They do not get down in weeds on all of that, unless there were other things attached to it. In general, those questions don't come up since you are Filipina. If you were from a "criteria country" (China, Russia, etc) then the questions would expand more about links to foreign adversaries, etc. In your case, Should be smooth sailing as long as all the background checks and paperwork for you all are good.


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## jackstraw (Dec 28, 2014)

If your looking for speed. You are better of doing a K-1 (fiance) visa. The processing was around six months faster than the spouse visa (K-3?) 

It does sort of matter how you met. If you met online you must be aware of the International Marriage Broker Act. IMBRA for short. Other than that, its basically a game of hurry up and wait. Good luck, congratulations, and since you already live in the Philippines I know you have the patience.


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

jackstraw said:


> If your looking for speed. You are better of doing a K-1 (fiance) visa. The processing was around six months faster than the spouse visa (K-3?)
> 
> It does sort of matter how you met. If you met online you must be aware of the International Marriage Broker Act. IMBRA for short. Other than that, its basically a game of hurry up and wait. Good luck, congratulations, and since you already live in the Philippines I know you have the patience.


I guess my question would be if the K1 is even an option if she's not going to the U.S. at all, but possibly to a U.S. base in foreign country, and may be not even On base, etc. Not sure that applies in their situation. Good point on "how" they met....had not considered that angle. I was thinking of other options when folks meet in person in some unusual circumstances so to speak. Will just leave it at that., as I/we were not asked, but then again were married for 18 mos when applied for visa, and together for 5 years before the application; so, questions on how we met were no existent.


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