Former Marriages-- Do They Even Care?

[hoping4happiness 1]

I'm a U.S. citizen. Born and raised in California. I just wanted to ask-- if you are going to file for an over-seas spouse, while you yourself are living here in the USA-- does immigration really obsess over YOUR past? I guess I'm just being overly paranoid, maybe (which is my nature, haha). See, I just tend to like Indian guys, they are simply "my type" you could say. I'm not sure why, that's just how I am. I've dated some Indian guys-- like one in high school, and one in college.

Then several years ago, I got married to an Indian guy. But sadly, there was an issue where he cheated on me! So I quickly got the marriage was annulled, it was very short.

So anyway, right now, there is another Indian guy I have started a relationship with. I put the story down below. I plan to stay in his country for a few months before we get married. Then come back to the USA and file for him.

But... I guess I'm just paranoid it might look bad, or strange, that I was already married to another Indian guy a few years ago... Does immigration even look at the U.S. citizen's past marriages, or ask about them? Do I even have to tell them? Will they find out, and question me about it? I guess what I'm really asking is... How deep can I expect them to dig on ME? lol.

I'm clean of course, I've never been in trouble with the law or anything like that. I just don't want them jumping to conclusions about me, that's all. Like thinking I'm just marrying foreigners for green cards, or something! lol.

[britishspouse 1]

Then several years ago, I got married to an Indian guy. But sadly, there was an issue where he cheated on me! So I quickly got the marriage was annulled, it was very short.

So anyway, right now, there is another Indian guy I have started a relationship with. I put the story down below. I plan to stay in his country for a few months before we get married. Then come back to the USA and file for him.

But... I guess I'm just paranoid it might look bad, or strange, that I was already married to another Indian guy a few years ago... Does immigration even look at the U.S. citizen's past marriages, or ask about them? Do I even have to tell them? Will they find out, and question me about it? I guess what I'm really asking is... How deep can I expect them to dig on ME? lol.

I'm clean of course, I've never been in trouble with the law or anything like that. I just don't want them jumping to conclusions about me, that's all. Like thinking I'm just marrying foreigners for green cards, or something! lol.

Unfortunately yes they do care and you cannot and should not lie or conceal anything about your past if they ask. You will have to submit a copy of your divorce/annulment certificate I think also, however as long as it was a good faith marriage you should have nothing to worry about. We all have 'a type' so to speak so dont be worried about that They wont dig as far back as your high school or college, and certainly wont go calling old boyfriends hehe, but they will need your divorce certificate and your new marriage one if you file a CR1.

If youve only been married once, and it ended in divorce you dont look like a serial green card'er so i wouldnt worry

Edited July 9, 2011 by britishspouse

[Penguin_ie 5,985]

It depends on the type of marriage... if the ex just happens to be of Indian heritage, but was a US citizen, then no problem. But if you filed for a visa for him, then yes, they will look at that closely.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Yes they will and it most likely will come up in the interview, the beneficiary must know what happened with that relationship.

[pushbrk 12,106]

I'm a U.S. citizen. Born and raised in California. I just wanted to ask-- if you are going to file for an over-seas spouse, while you yourself are living here in the USA-- does immigration really obsess over YOUR past? I guess I'm just being overly paranoid, maybe (which is my nature, haha). See, I just tend to like Indian guys, they are simply "my type" you could say. I'm not sure why, that's just how I am. I've dated some Indian guys-- like one in high school, and one in college.

Then several years ago, I got married to an Indian guy. But sadly, there was an issue where he cheated on me! So I quickly got the marriage was annulled, it was very short.

So anyway, right now, there is another Indian guy I have started a relationship with. I put the story down below. I plan to stay in his country for a few months before we get married. Then come back to the USA and file for him.

But... I guess I'm just paranoid it might look bad, or strange, that I was already married to another Indian guy a few years ago... Does immigration even look at the U.S. citizen's past marriages, or ask about them? Do I even have to tell them? Will they find out, and question me about it? I guess what I'm really asking is... How deep can I expect them to dig on ME? lol.

I'm clean of course, I've never been in trouble with the law or anything like that. I just don't want them jumping to conclusions about me, that's all. Like thinking I'm just marrying foreigners for green cards, or something! lol.

You bet they both ask and care. Have you looked at a G325a form? They consider the totality of circumstances and can and will prosecute, fine and jail you for lying on an immigration form. So answer all questions truthfully. Consider the worst case interpretation of those circumstances and be prepared to deal with them.

[talean nawaz 41]

Yes, they do care! I am dealing with the same issue now, My type is also, Indian/Pakistani. My ex was pakistani and so is my current husband and my husband was asked about this at interview. Now, I have to prove some things that if I was not married to a Pakistani before, I wouldnt have to.

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

they wanted all my past. marriage, divorces, death notice of my late husband. Girl, I had to send death notice in of my father. He has been dead over 19 years. they want to know your past, present and future. Y Ou will have to have these documents to marry in India, for USCIS, for NVC, for the interview, and a copy for yourself. I think all in all, so far i have produced 11 original birth certifices for different agencies and the marriage.

I'm a U.S. citizen. Born and raised in California. I just wanted to ask-- if you are going to file for an over-seas spouse, while you yourself are living here in the USA-- does immigration really obsess over YOUR past? I guess I'm just being overly paranoid, maybe (which is my nature, haha). See, I just tend to like Indian guys, they are simply "my type" you could say. I'm not sure why, that's just how I am. I've dated some Indian guys-- like one in high school, and one in college.

Then several years ago, I got married to an Indian guy. But sadly, there was an issue where he cheated on me! So I quickly got the marriage was annulled, it was very short.

So anyway, right now, there is another Indian guy I have started a relationship with. I put the story down below. I plan to stay in his country for a few months before we get married. Then come back to the USA and file for him.

But... I guess I'm just paranoid it might look bad, or strange, that I was already married to another Indian guy a few years ago... Does immigration even look at the U.S. citizen's past marriages, or ask about them? Do I even have to tell them? Will they find out, and question me about it? I guess what I'm really asking is... How deep can I expect them to dig on ME? lol.

I'm clean of course, I've never been in trouble with the law or anything like that. I just don't want them jumping to conclusions about me, that's all. Like thinking I'm just marrying foreigners for green cards, or something! lol.

[Casprd 167]

You have to look at it from this side and you will see why they care. One of the classic immigration frauds is for the US Citizen to divorce their current spouse, then marry and petition a foreigner. Once the foreigner arrives and adjusts status, they divorce and the USC remarries their original spouse. Generally this would be a money scam but if the original spouse was also a foreigner then it could be a case of bringing friends or family to the US. Likewise, the reverse where the foreign spouse will divorce their foreign wife/husband and marry a USC then after getting conditions removed, get divorced and petition their original spouse. Another case is being a "visa factory" so to speak where there is a pattern of sponsoring foreign spouses for very short marriages. This is one reason the K-1 visa is limited to 2 for a petitioner.

Bottom line is they will look at how long go the divorce happened, if there is any tie from the previous spouse to the new one, if there is a "history" of sponsoring people from one country or region.

Having said all that it is just a red flag that needs to be addressed and if you do so adequately then it won't be an issue. Lots of people do this.

[jkminney 30]

I think it depends on a multitude of things. My ex husband is English. He was living in the U.S. on a work visa. When we got married we AOS through the marriage. The marriage fell apart. I went on vacation and met John. We dated, filed for a K1 were approved without 1 question in regards to my ex who I had petititioned. We are now going through the CR1 process and I don't have any concern about there being an issue due to my ex. If you entered a marriage for the right reasons then you have nothing to worry about. All you can do is be honest.

[KarenG 1]

Yes, they do care. You need to have both divorce decrees. I just sent mine in. I really don't understand their thinking. You just have to do what they say and hope for the best.

Good luck.

[Natureza 0]

VERY IMPORTANT - make sure you and your fiancee are fully aware of your past and what happened and make sure you have all the paperwork to support it including divorce decrees and perhaps even a notarized letter from a close family member confirming your word. We are stuck in AP because of this... I couldn't prove that I have had no contact with my ex in months nor do I know where he is currently living at the time. Its better to have way more than you can ever need than to go in there and be completely shocked at how much they do care about your past as the sponsor. Good luck!

I'm a U.S. citizen. Born and raised in California. I just wanted to ask-- if you are going to file for an over-seas spouse, while you yourself are living here in the USA-- does immigration really obsess over YOUR past? I guess I'm just being overly paranoid, maybe (which is my nature, haha). See, I just tend to like Indian guys, they are simply "my type" you could say. I'm not sure why, that's just how I am. I've dated some Indian guys-- like one in high school, and one in college.

Then several years ago, I got married to an Indian guy. But sadly, there was an issue where he cheated on me! So I quickly got the marriage was annulled, it was very short.

So anyway, right now, there is another Indian guy I have started a relationship with. I put the story down below. I plan to stay in his country for a few months before we get married. Then come back to the USA and file for him.

But... I guess I'm just paranoid it might look bad, or strange, that I was already married to another Indian guy a few years ago... Does immigration even look at the U.S. citizen's past marriages, or ask about them? Do I even have to tell them? Will they find out, and question me about it? I guess what I'm really asking is... How deep can I expect them to dig on ME? lol.

I'm clean of course, I've never been in trouble with the law or anything like that. I just don't want them jumping to conclusions about me, that's all. Like thinking I'm just marrying foreigners for green cards, or something! lol.

[Mochamich 7]

Unfortunately the USCIS will be looking into your past marriage history. The reason for this is there are many people out there who participate in what we call fraud marriages. In fraud marriages a US citizen may make it a habit of marrying foreigners to make money and help get people citizenship with no intention of getting married etc... The foreigner becomes a citizen and the US citizen gets paid. I understand that many times this is not the case but there are people out there who do this.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

The US Government's immigration folks really don't like it when US citizens function as personal immigration portals. We live in a multicultural country of currently 311,733,026 people, many of whom are of Indian descent, so it's not "normal" to seek a spouse from a place many thousands of miles away. Uncle Sam realizes that it happens, though, and plays along, but when it happens a second time, they will grab a magnifying glass bigger as your apartment and will look at your entire history so closely that you will feel naked. If they find anything they don't like, they'll let you know and make you wish you had searched for a suitable spouse a bit closer to home.