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Getting Married in USA - Legal Requirements?

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  • 27-07-2010 12:44pm
    #1
    intothewest
    Registered Users Posts: 102 ✭✭


    Hi All. We just got engaged and mulling over our options. I am 20 weeks pregnant, and my fiancee is keen to be married before the baby is born. I've learned that it is not quite straightforward to do so in Ireland (need to give 3 mths notice to HSE, not to mention the pre marriage courses etc) and at that stage I will be quite pregnant. We're also not looking to do the traditional route either, so something to get the deed done is all we are after (having a reception in May).

    My fiancee is a US citizen - was born over there and moved back here with his family. He then moved back there when he was 18 and was there for another 11 years before moving back here 5 years ago. We have a holiday planned to the US at end of Aug, and are dabbling with the idea of getting married over there. Just have a few queries:

    1. I assume I can marry him on my normal holiday visa?
    2. What paperwork do we both need for getting married over there (Illionois)?
    3. I would apply for American passport at some stage after we are married, but we have no plans for moving/living over there. Is that an issue or not straightforward? Or any point in bothering if we don't plan to live there?

    Thanks for any help..


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    #2
    silja
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭silja


    1. Yes, you don't even need a visa, you can travel on the visa waiver program (assuming you are an irish citizen).
    2. Not sure about Illinois, it could even be different per county. This should help: http://marriage.about.com/cs/marriagelicenses/p/illinois.htm
    3. You can't just get an American passport, you need to live with your husband in the USA for three years to become a US citizen, and to move to the USA with him, you will need a spousal visa (you can continue to visit on the visa waiver program). As you will both be living in Ireland, once you decide to move to the USA, you can apply for the spousal visa directly with the embassy in Dublin, it will take about 6 weeks to get it.


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    #3
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    What about Las Vegas? You can be done in an hour with the minimum of fuss.


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    #4
    decskelligs
    Registered Users Posts: 108 ✭✭decskelligs


    InTheTrees wrote: »
    What about Las Vegas? You can be done in an hour with the minimum of fuss.
    I was advised by my solicitor that marriages from Nevada are not recognised here in Ireland. I got married in New York in January. All you have to do is register in City Hall 24Hrs before you plan on getting married. All you need is your passport and birth certificates and i think it was about 50 dollars total if i remember rightly.


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    #5
    Tubbs4
    Registered Users Posts: 1,269 ✭✭✭Tubbs4


    Las Vegas weddings are recognized in Ireland.
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055824316 or link
    You only need to get the marraige cert 24hours before your weddings and pay extra for them to post the cert to Ireland.
    Good luck with the wedding.


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    #6
    funkyfish2010
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭funkyfish2010


    decskelligs wrote: »
    I was advised by my solicitor that marriages from Nevada are not recognised here in Ireland. I got married in New York in January. All you have to do is register in City Hall 24Hrs before you plan on getting married. All you need is your passport and birth certificates and i think it was about 50 dollars total if i remember rightly.

    I'm sorry, but your solicitor needs to do a little more research (or maybe it's time for a new one!!;)) I got married in Nevada 8 years ago (not Las Vegas, another area) and it was fully recognised in Ireland. I was able to have my passport renewed with my new married name, all the different tax and banking issues were adjusted without any questions, all I needed to do was provide a copy of my Nevada marriage cert.
    A few family members and friends did come out with the same BS as your solicitor, "but you're not really married in Ireland are you?" It's funny that in this day and age people will believe that one 1st world country marriage is not recognised in another! Its the US, not Outer Mongolia!!:D (no offense to any outer mongolians who might read this!!:D

    Good Luck with your wedding!!


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    #7
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    funkyfish2010 wrote: »
    I'm sorry, but your solicitor needs to do a little more research (or maybe it's time for a new one!!

    Agreed. He should be disbarred.


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