Congratulations! So… when can I expect my invitation? 
Yay you guys!
What is happening? We guys need to get together to talk Max out of it…
Awww, Doper love is the best kind.
Congratulations to you both.
Congratulations!
Have you set a date?
It seems to be under control, as she has a renewable employment visa right now, and a marriage visa seems to be one of the few that’s pretty simple and automatic to get.
No wedding plans have been made yet. That’s actually a good question for other couples resulting from international romance… if you get married in one country and one of you is from another country, aren’t you pretty much guaranteed to have 100 guests on the bride’s side and 5 on the groom’s side, or vice versa? How did you deal with that?
Congratulations to both of you!!
Oh, on the wedding guest thing: simple. Have a destination wedding in, say, Fiji (I don’t have a map handy - basically pick something that’s nice, but equally inconvenient for both families!). That way you each only have 5 guests
Congratulations! I also met my sweetie here on the SDMB. Been together for just about 8 years now, and married for 5 and a half.
We weren’t an international couple, but we were on opposite ends of the country. When we decided to get married we went the destination route and headed to Las Vegas. Since his family and friends were mostly on the west coast, almost all in California, and mine were mostly east coast/New Jersey, I expected to have more groom guests than bride. But that’s not really how it turned out.
We had about 50 guests total - 15 of my family members, 2 of his. 10 of my friends, 2 of his. And about 20 mutual friends, most of them also members of the SDMB that had just become great friends.
Still, I think the destination wedding is the way to go.
From one part of a Doper couple to another, Mazel Tov!
HA! Having been through the process ourselves, Spiny Norman and I could disabuse you of that silly notion. I don’t know the process for changing her visa type from employment to fiancée, or how it works if she’s already in the U.S. vs living outside the U.S. (Spiny was living in Germany at the time), but I might be able to offer some assistance if you want to try to do this yourselves as opposed to using an Immigration Attorney. We did it all ourselves, and by the time our file got to the U.S. and we had our initial interview, they assigned us a trainee because our documentation was so thorough and complete. Let either of us know if you need anything!
We intended to have a very small wedding anyway, but yes, we had a hard time getting any of the Denmark folks to be able to come. However, most of them had specific circumstances that prevented it, as opposed to unwillingness to travel or affordability per se (one was pregnant and couldn’t fly, one had just lost their job and found out they were pregnant, etc.).
But we had the same problem with some of my friends from this side of the pond, too (one friend’s step-son died the day before the wedding, one friend’s daughter was getting married the following weekend, etc.). So either way, your guest list will probably be smaller than anticipated anyway.
Just have a GREAT time with those who can be there, that’s all that matters!
I am not an immigration lawyer.
However, you have several options for visas, depending on whether Araminty applies as your fiancee or your spouse.
As spouse:
- IR1 or CR1
- K3.
As fiancee:
- K1
I’ve heard K1 is the fastest. You file the I-129F petition with your local USCIS office. They issue Araminty a K1. She arrives in the US and you must be married within 90 days.
Alternatively, she could apply for the US Diversity Visa lottery and receive a visa independent of marriage to you. Australians were eligible for the most recent lottery and may be eligible for the next.
Wishing you both congratulations and good luck.
We did a K1 visa, and while it wasn’t easy, it wasn’t too bad. Lots of paperwork, but nothing too horrifying. It does take several months, though.
Congrats to both of you! We’re not a Doper couple, but we are an IRC Callahans couple, so it’s close. It’s cool when it clicks. 
– fist bump –
Whooo hooo! ::flicks lighter::
Congratulations, Max and Araminty. I hope the whole process of settling in goes smoothly. I’m sending hassle-free vibes your way.
Congratulations! I remember reading one of araminty’s early threads and am happy to hear it’s worked out so well.
GT
congratulations indeed!
Congratulations you two.
I’m sending good vibes your way.
Aww, threads like this make me all warm and fuzzy inside. Congrats to you both.