I am an Indian citizen working on H1 in US since last year. I plan to
get married to an Indian citizen, residing in India and bring her
immediately to US after the marriage. Due to my busy schedule I won't
be able to visit India for more than 2 weeks. I need someone to
research on the possible solutions I have thought on how can I bring
her to US immediately after the marriage on a dependent H4 visa and
some new ideas. I have enough time (more than 4 months) to plan for visa
appointment.

I want to reach India 1 week before the marriage. So that leaves just
1 week to get the visa. Getting the marriage photos and the
registeration certificate might take another 2-3 days. So applying for
visa after the marriage doesn't seems to be a possible idea. These are
the ideas have thought about:

1. We go for a civil marriage the day I land in India and based on
this certificate apply for the visa very next day, so we have almost 2
weeks for visa processing but we won't have any marriage photos and
the date on the wedding invitation (we will still go for a normal
marriage 1 week after I land) will be a future date.

2. We get married by Arya Samaj the day I land, get it registered and
apply for visa. We will have the pics of the marriage but again the
date on the wedding invitation will be a future date.

3. Any other options we have?

I need thorough research on how feasible these plans are with some
data (for e.g. it takes 2 days to get an arya samaj marriage
registered), if I am missing some document (like wedding invitation)
how important it is and if there is any substitute. I want a solution
which will work guarantedly leaving the "luck" factor. Any additional
idea you give can lead to a bonus, the amount of which will be decided
on the applicability of the idea on my scenario. The bonus can reach
uptill 50, if it is a perfectly legal,
practical solution that matches my requirements exactly.


This link might be helpful to you
Requirements for H4
http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/wwwhnivdep.html

Hello,
You are planning a very tight schedule.
I would recommend the civil marriage the day you arrive with photos
made.  You can send invitations to a few people to attend or to attend
a small reception afterwards.  Have a couple of people make photos of
the civil ceremony with you and the person officiating, witnesses,
guests. Don't want to risk that being the day the only camera didn't
function.  (You and I may not feel that this is a real wedding, but
for US Immigration it fulfils the requirements.)

You probably understand that the pics are required to document that
the marriage actually took place with both of you present, i.e., that
it wasn't being arranged for a "mail-order bride" just to facilitate a
girl's visa application.
This is something immigration and other authorities are worried about,
since there have been problems about the girls' being mistreated.

If possible, I would also suggest that you plan the dates of your trip
in light of the working days and hours of the US Embassy's immigration
office and  possible holidays, Indian and US(Labor Day, 1st Monday in
Sept., for example), avoiding planning your return flight on Sunday or
Monday and "wasting" a couple of days for the visa application to be
processed.

As you can read below, this is no professional or legal advice, and I
am not a Google Researcher, so one can still post an answer that may
correct what I am suggesting.

Good luck!

Thanx myoarin for the comments. I have two questions regarding your comments:

1. I read on the net, that you have to submit an application for civil
marriage 1 month in advance and both of the partners have to be
present while submitting the application, you know anything regarding
this?

2. As I described in my question I want to reach India one week before
the marriage, so performing a civil ceremony on the day I arrive means
to have a small marriage earlier. In that case are you suggesting me
to have two sets of wedding invitations as well, or you are suggesting
that wedding invitation card is not required for the visa application.

Thanks once again for your comment.

Thank you for your reply.  Remember I am no expert, just been around a
little longer than you probably.

1) I did not know about the one month prior application, but it does
not surprise me.  I would suggest talking with the Indian Embassy or
Consulate to learn if there is any way to handle that.  I certainly
hope so.  Knowing how govt. officials are in most countries, I would
not put the question to them in writing, since they would have to tell
you what the rules say in a written reply, thereby making it even more
difficult to explore ways that might work.  Once such an answer is on
file, no one would want to do anything that was different.  I am not
in the least suggesting that you try anything illegal.

Of course, if your family or the bride's family knows anyone who could
help, it would be better to start such a discussion with that person
in India, maybe through a family lawyer.  It seems this would be more
effective than my first suggestion, since the families would be
dealing directly with someone who could find a way to get around your
having to be present, best would be the person who had to document
that. (If he has your signature on the form ... -  well you must have
been there ...)

2)  Yes, I am suggesting an additional set of invitations to a small
group, just  nearest family and a friend or two, who would all
understand why they are necessary (they all don't have to come).   The
invitations could be very simple, print them with your computer; no
gilt-edged heavy card extravagance.  I know, that sounds pretty cheap,
but this is just to fulfil honestly the requirement that your bride
present the invitation with her visa application, better than having
to try to explain anything.  You want the documentation package with
the application to be perfect so that no one has to go and get higher
approval for an exception, puts it in the out-basket and lets it spend
a day or two maybe in transit.

I hope that makes sense, good luck!