F1 to green card, don’t know when to get married
I’m an F1 student (graduating next spring) engaged to a US citizen. We were planning to do our wedding in our home country some time during this year, then come back to the US and file for adjustment of status but after doing research, many people say this would look like intent to immigrate. I know that the safest option would be to get married and do our wedding in the US, but that is something we really don’t want to do. Would it be risky to go through with the original plan? Is intent to immigrate a real threat to our case? Would getting legally married before the wedding then filing after fix anything?
Can anybody with a good background explain what exactly “intent to immigrate” is? I visit my home country three times a year. If I choose to get married after I get back on any of those times, would that be seen as entering the country on an intent to immigrate? Does it make a difference if we have a wedding (not legal, just the celebration) and then go back and get married? Would they find out about the wedding if it isn’t filed?
Don’t both of those options mean that I am entering the country on an intent to immigrate?
If anybody has any suggestions, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!