The Abu Sayaff want to marry my fiance and put her in a Harem, any ideas on expediting this?

[mojorayjones 2]

Hi. I'm looking to send the I-129F package off today. I found VJ very helpful after getting some bad advice that I paid for.

My fiance is from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the Island and Province of Tawi-Tawi to be exact, in the Philippines. Currently she is residing in Manila in a boarding house while we wait for the embassy to notify her.

The laws in ARMM allow men, to marry any woman they want, if they present a dowry. The family could reject the "proposal" by matching the amount of the dowry, which is virtually impossible for most families. Furthermore, polygamy is allowed in ARMM. That's right, good old Polygamy! It's Legal! Therefore, a woman, can find herself married to a strange man they do not love, who has several wives.

My fiance is 22 years old, a Licensed Midwife, and both of her parents are deceased. Several men were pursuing her as a bride; men she did not like at all. She is Catholic, and they were Muslims. She has many Muslim friends, in fact her best friend is a Mulsim woman, and she worked in a hospital with Muslims too; but did not want to marry these men. All of her sisters are legally and happily married, so they are not eligible. She has no brothers, her parents are dead.

Furthermore, the ARMM, and the Sulu Sea area, is well known as home of the terrorist group, Abu Sayaff. When I was there in January 2009, three Red Cross Workers were kidnapped on Basilan Island. The region is no stranger to terror and war.

After we got engaged in July 2007, she remained on Bohol Island, with her cousins. Bohol is not part of ARMM, therefore she was not subject to the strict marriage laws. She moved to Manila recently to be close to the embassy, but she also wants to continue her career as a Midwife, just to stay industrious and of course generate income. She has not found a position in Manila yet. I am supporting her, like I have been since I met her.

Is there anybody with experience in getting the process expedited? I think my fiance is in a different situation than most. I actually have to support her financially to keep her away from ARMM, where her she once had a job in hospital and a house she still owns (she inherited from her Mother).

Do the State Department or Embassy take any of these things into consideration while reviewing the Applicant? My fiance is fearful to return to Tawi-Tawi due to the laws there and the extremist rebels.

[Richard-Joanna 1]

I seem to remember seeing on the USCIS page or travel.state.gov page that there are conditions for expedited processing. As I recall one of these was a humanitarian clause.. which one could argue this could fall under.

good luck

[Nik+Heather 121]

Do you know that you've posted two nearly identical threads??

Is there a specific problem or just a potential problem?

And, as I asked in the other thread -- how many of these potential problems go away if you marry her and go the spousal visa route?

[mox 298]

Your situation may seem very different to you, but the chances of you getting an expedite are slim and none. The only cases USCIS will expedite is if the USC has orders to be deployed, or possibly in the case of extreme humanitarian hardship. You and your fiancee have managed to remove the hardship she was facing, so it doesn't really seem like you have anything expedite-worthy. Just hang in there and best of luck to you.

[Minya's wife 24]

have you filed your fiancee visa petition? You don't have a timeline, so I'm not sure where you are in the process. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be much reasoable justification for an expedite, but you hey you can try if you wish.

-P

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hi. I'm looking to send the I-129F package off today. I found VJ very helpful after getting some bad advice that I paid for.

My fiance is from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the Island and Province of Tawi-Tawi to be exact, in the Philippines. Currently she is residing in Manila in a boarding house while we wait for the embassy to notify her.

The laws in ARMM allow men, to marry any woman they want, if they present a dowry. The family could reject the "proposal" by matching the amount of the dowry, which is virtually impossible for most families. Furthermore, polygamy is allowed in ARMM. That's right, good old Polygamy! It's Legal! Therefore, a woman, can find herself married to a strange man they do not love, who has several wives.

My fiance is 22 years old, a Licensed Midwife, and both of her parents are deceased. Several men were pursuing her as a bride; men she did not like at all. She is Catholic, and they were Muslims. She has many Muslim friends, in fact her best friend is a Mulsim woman, and she worked in a hospital with Muslims too; but did not want to marry these men. All of her sisters are legally and happily married, so they are not eligible. She has no brothers, her parents are dead.

Furthermore, the ARMM, and the Sulu Sea area, is well known as home of the terrorist group, Abu Sayaff. When I was there in January 2009, three Red Cross Workers were kidnapped on Basilan Island. The region is no stranger to terror and war.

After we got engaged in July 2007, she remained on Bohol Island, with her cousins. Bohol is not part of ARMM, therefore she was not subject to the strict marriage laws. She moved to Manila recently to be close to the embassy, but she also wants to continue her career as a Midwife, just to stay industrious and of course generate income. She has not found a position in Manila yet. I am supporting her, like I have been since I met her.

Is there anybody with experience in getting the process expedited? I think my fiance is in a different situation than most. I actually have to support her financially to keep her away from ARMM, where her she once had a job in hospital and a house she still owns (she inherited from her Mother).

Do the State Department or Embassy take any of these things into consideration while reviewing the Applicant? My fiance is fearful to return to Tawi-Tawi due to the laws there and the extremist rebels.

Then your fiancee should stay where she is while your case gets processed. In the very few, extremely few, cases of expedited processing for a finacee visa I have looked at, it was usually a matter of severe risk or likelihood of imminent death, that qualified, for either party. Wanting to continue a career won't cut it. I think you two came up with a good solution. In order to expedite your case, make sure you get everything corret in your filing and document presentation, you can cut weeks off the process by being prepared, complete and accurate

[Bobby+Umit 161]

If she is staying in Manila, and your supporting her since she is not working, she should just stay where she is, as Gary points out.

I doubt, since she is in Manila, for this be considered a "hardship" case, since she is no longer in danger. You can always try though.