Marriage in Nigeria

[Socialwork4god 11]

hello everyone. I'm planning a trip to Nigeria in October and may end up getting married while I'm there. Does anyone have a good and credible website that I can go to in order to see EVERYTHING that is necessary to file for CR-1? Thank you

[waitingstill21 44]

The guides on here are great

http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

[Russ&Caro 1,548]

hello everyone. I'm planning a trip to Nigeria in October and may end up getting married while I'm there. Does anyone have a good and credible website that I can go to in order to see EVERYTHING that is necessary to file for CR-1? Thank you

Seems like you already found such a website, but I'll let other more experienced members weigh in on that. The CR-1 guide on this site looks pretty comprehensive to me.

As for my own advice, arrived at by experience, the thing I focused on before marrying in Colombia was to make sure I had everything I needed to make the marriage legal by Colombia laws. That included an apostille, an international version of a notarization of a document, asserting my status as single (not married). Since the US has no centralized marriage/divorce registry, many countries require an affadavit asserting marital status. I believe I also had to take a recent and certified copy of my birth certificate. It's probably going to vary with Nigeria laws.

Good luck!

[p1nkmamba 18]

I would ask about the requirements for marriage in Nigeria and how the CR-1 process works in the Africa forum: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/89-africa-sub-saharan/

[MrsBonsu 138]

I married in Ghana and my husband did everything before I came, I had to bring my birth certificate, but he went to the court house and asked what he needed for us to marry and they told him, he brought the application home and I answered the questions for me, and my hubby filled them in, look through the guide here and send your fiancée to inquire also, you really should start preparing now! Lol time flies October will be here before you know it?

[belinda63 2,981]

Of course the definitive answer to this is to read the instructions for the I-130. No better answer than from the horse's mouth.

You might want to check on the requirements to get married in Nigeria. From what I have read it requires a waiting period of at least 21 days.

[Moustafa/Crystal 65]

I would start getting the initial petition package together. First filling out the I-130 and both you and your future husband's G-325A. You will need his signature on his G-325A.

Other things that you will need....

$420 check made out to US Department of Homeland Security

G-1145 e-Notification

I-130 Petition for Alien Relative (mentioned above)

Proof of your citizenship....copy of birth certificate or passport

Your G-325A and passport style photo of you (mentioned above)

Spouse's G-325A and passport style photo of spouse (mentioned above)

Certificate/Statement of Translator if needed

Copy of Marriage Certificate and Translation if needed

Other proof of bona fide relationship...Western Union money transfers, common credit card, affidavits of third parties having personal knowledge of bona fide relationship, holiday cards, flight itineraries, passport stamps, hotel receipts, receipts/pics of gifts, pictures of you and your spouse together and with each others' families, brief summary of relationship and ongoing relationship.

Two hole punch the package at the top. Then use an ACCO binder to put the whole package together. I included a cover sheet explaining everything that was in the package as well as the number of pages.

[waitingstill21 44]

There is a 21 day waiting period for a civil union and you must be in Nigeria to start the process. Google search requirements for a US Citizen to get married in Nigeria.

[Moustafa/Crystal 65]

I would get a large file folder started or three ring binder to keep everything together. I would be sure to make 3-5 copies of everything to save time later. Keep two file folders one for you and one for your spouse to take to the interview. Put the originals in your spouses file folder as they will need them for the interview.

Also have on hand plenty of passport type photos. You only need a couple but your spouse will need up to 20 depending on what they want for police certificates and the medical.

Get several copies of your spouse's passport and birth certificate as well as your own. Make sure you get high quality copies of everything.

Never send originals. Certified copies are not needed either...just regular copies. I did do a lot of colored copies.

For pictures, I put them onto a power point...three pics per slide with caption...then two slides per page.

Look into getting an ITIN for your spouse as soon as you get back so you can file your taxes as married filing jointly as opposed to filing married filing separately.

If you are not making at least $21,200 this year, you need to start looking for a joint sponsor.

The better organized you are the easier it is...if you have any questions feel free to PM me.

[Moustafa/Crystal 65]

For you AOS/IV package....you will need your tax transcripts for the 2014 and 2015 as well as next year 2016. You could order those from the IRS now and get them in a file folder. Very easy to do..just go to the IRS website. You will need a letter from your employer and copies of your pay stubs...I would start collecting pay stubs now, but the letter from the employer is only good for 3 or 6 months...I cannot remember...so wait with that until you get to the NVC.

You will need $120 for the AOS fee and $325 for the IV fee. There is a green card production fee of $165 after you receive you visa. Also there will be fees associated with the medical. Have your spouse find his immunization records if possible.

If either of you or your spouse were previously married, be sure you have copies of the original marriage certificate and divorce decree.

Your spouse will need to get police certificates from any country he has lived in since age 18??? not sure what the exact age is, but police certificates are only good for six months...so wait to do this.

Also...I forgot to mention....your spouse needs to a list of every place he has lived (there is a specific direction like after age 16 for more than 6 months, but I am not sure.) Also, he needs to get a list of jobs including name of employer, immediate supervisor, phone number, address, and dates employed. He will also need information on his education...name and address of his high school, dates attended..and the same information for college/technical schools.

I think that is pretty much everything. I might have missed something, but if you do all these things, you will be way ahead of the game. Good luck.

[MrsBonsu 138]

There are 3 types of marriages recognized in Nigeria Google and see which one works for you and him

[General Buhari 46]

There is a 21 day waiting period for a civil union and you must be in Nigeria to start the process. Google search requirements for a US Citizen to get married in Nigeria.

Not totally sure about having to be there for the 21 days.

As far as I recollect they do have to post a notice for 21 days but all they should need is a passport photo.

I would never ever suggest to any one to grease any palm to make things go smoothly as that is just improper and uncouth ?

[LionessDeon 2,060]

http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k3k4visa-I130petition.html

I suggest using a laptop or desktop if you're not already so that you can use the full version of this site to see the help tabs at the top. I also suggest reading all you can the FAQs, example forms, Nigeria portal....everything.

Please take your time, don't feel you have to rush into marrying him on your first visit. I've visited my fiancé 5x and still learn new things about him, his lifestyle, and culture every time I go.

Best of Luck!!

Edited July 28, 2015 by LionessDeon

[AmyWrites 593]

Aside from the guides, check out the regional forum as well.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

There is a requirement to post a ban at the registry 21 days before you marry, both parties do NOT have to be there. It can all be done by one party. http://www.nigeria-law.org/Marriage%20Act.htm read this to know exactly what is required. Be aware that a traditional marriage only can fall into the not married enough for a CR1 too married for a K1 in the silly ways of the Lagos consulate.