Marrying First Cousin

[athena_ny 1]

I dont think you should let them know that he is your cousin because they will think that your relationship is a fake... My situation is similar to yours, im marrying my second cousin but they have no way to find out. GOOD LUCK

Look who just admitted to misrepresentation on VJ!

[zqt3344 21]

Right, sure, who put you up to posting this? Oh come on this has got to be a joke? Knowingly marrying your cousin, I mean are you drugs?

I am marrying my first cousin, who is from Brazil. Please no rude comments, it really isn't a big deal at all to marry your first cousin. In my state it's perfectly legal to marry your first cousin and my lawyer didn't mention anything as far as denial goes so I was just wondering...do any of you think that us being first cousins will be a reason for us to be denied? I really hope not.

Thank you

[Cassie 8]

Right, sure, who put you up to posting this? Oh come on this has got to be a joke? Knowingly marrying your cousin, I mean are you drugs?

I am marrying my first cousin, who is from Brazil. Please no rude comments, it really isn't a big deal at all to marry your first cousin. In my state it's perfectly legal to marry your first cousin and my lawyer didn't mention anything as far as denial goes so I was just wondering...do any of you think that us being first cousins will be a reason for us to be denied? I really hope not.

Thank you

If you have nothing constructive to offer, hush. It happens.

[pushbrk 12,126]

I dont think you should let them know that he is your cousin because they will think that your relationship is a fake... My situation is similar to yours, im marrying my second cousin but they have no way to find out. GOOD LUCK

Look who just admitted to misrepresentation on VJ!

Question 17 on the I-129F asks if your fiance(e) is related to you and then gives this example of how to answer.

If you are related, state the nature and degree of relationship, e.g., third cousin or maternal uncle, etc.

I would interpret that to mean that if you are aware of any blood relationship, you are to disclose it. Otherwise you've made a material misrepresentation. Very bad. The timeline indicates you are filing tomorrow. I'd redo page two of your I-129F, if I were you. If already mailed, I would withdraw the petition immediately and re-file. Big risk here.

You can demonstrate a bona fide relationship with any relative you can legally marry but you are not going to like getting caught in a material misrepresentation on an official document in the immigration process.

[Hungry For Cheese 0]

If you were to marry your step cousin....your blood uncle married a woman who had a kid already....this would not have to be disclosed right?

[gwenneh 7]

It would; if you are aware of being related to that person you MUST disclose it - getting caught out will complicate things, to say the least!

[*JG* 2]

I am marrying my first cousin, who is from Brazil. Please no rude comments, it really isn't a big deal at all to marry your first cousin. In my state it's perfectly legal to marry your first cousin and my lawyer didn't mention anything as far as denial goes so I was just wondering...do any of you think that us being first cousins will be a reason for us to be denied? I really hope not.

Thank you

I honestly don't think it will fly. I think once it is revealed, it will look suspicious.

[athena_ny 1]

I am marrying my first cousin, who is from Brazil. Please no rude comments, it really isn't a big deal at all to marry your first cousin. In my state it's perfectly legal to marry your first cousin and my lawyer didn't mention anything as far as denial goes so I was just wondering...do any of you think that us being first cousins will be a reason for us to be denied? I really hope not.

Thank you

I honestly don't think it will fly. I think once it is revealed, it will look suspicious.

It will, which is why they need proof of a bonafide romantic relationship. If they have strong evidence of that, I see no reason that "it won't fly."

[mox 298]

I honestly don't think it will fly. I think once it is revealed, it will look suspicious.

If you're addressing the "suspicious" nature of the situation, then it just means that the bona fide evidence will need to be very convincing. If you're addressing the "first cousins" aspect, then to my knowledge there are no federal prohibitions to marrying a first cousin. Either way they should be ok.

[DavidsPrincess 1]

I would think it would be very hard to believe, due to the closeness of the family relationship of first cousins. You'll need some kind of really good, concrete evidence. I'm not even sure what that would be. If I was an immigration officer, I would think you were just trying to get your cousin into the country through any means possible.

[pushbrk 12,126]

If you were to marry your step cousin....your blood uncle married a woman who had a kid already....this would not have to be disclosed right?

Right. You are not related to your uncle's wife's child by another father.

[DavidsPrincess 1]

a lot of countries allow marriage to distant cousins, haven't heard about first cousins due to the gentic issues when it comes to the children, but as said before, be prepared during AOS and such to show that it is a bona fide romantic relationship. They may be a bit harder wtih you thinking your intention is not what it is so be careful and good luck!

"In the general population, the risk that a child will be born with a serious problem like spina bifida or cystic fibrosis is 3 percent to 4 percent; to that background risk, first cousins must add another 1.7 to 2.8 percentage points, the report said."

"He and his colleagues said no one questioned the right of people with genetic disorders to have children, even though some have far higher levels of risk than first cousins. For example, people with Huntington's disease, a severe neurological disorder that comes on in adulthood, have a 50 percent chance of passing the disease to their children."

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...&sec=health

I'm not saying I think it's normal to marry your first cousin (keeping my opinion out of this ), but the research is interesting and the argument that the 2nd quote pointed out is really good.

[athena_ny 1]

I would think it would be very hard to believe, due to the closeness of the family relationship of first cousins. You'll need some kind of really good, concrete evidence. I'm not even sure what that would be. If I was an immigration officer, I would think you were just trying to get your cousin into the country through any means possible.

But you're not an IO, and who's to say first cousins are that close?

I've seen mine twice.

If you're talking about blood, that's all covered in state laws.

[Peggy 1]

I guess I just dont get marrying your first cousin, but good luck.

[mox 298]

My opinion: the OP specifically asked for the discussion to focus on the specifics of the case, and not drift off into personal values or other speculation. I think we should honor that request and take any other discussion to off-topic.