My Immigration Interview (Wow!) RFE's galore!

[John+Lourdelie 28]

Pizza Hut is on speed dial. We don't care where they work. They know where we live.

John + Lourdelie

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

As you stated yourself, you knew that your interview would be difficult, not only because of your connection with Islam, but also because you are considerably older than your foreign husband. It's called a red flag, and it has nothing to do with communism.

Thus, I personally am not surprised that the I.O. tried to establish whether or not your marriage was genuine or entered in order to obtain immigration benefits.

If you ever watched Court TV or movies, you'll have noticed that often the defendant doesn't enter the stand. That's done because if you open that door voluntarily, it can be slammed right into your face. If your Islamic marriage was never a marriage in the U.K. nor in the U.S., why even bringing this up? Had you never brought your Islamic religion in the forefront of this immigration interview, the I.O. had no way of knowing any of this. No knowledge = no questions that could have brought you into the position you are in now.

Since you disclosed to the I.O. that you were married based on Islamic law, I can understand that the I.O. who may not know the first thing about Islam and may not care to know anything about it either will ask you to prove that you are not married to two men right now.

That's your task and hand. I concur with a previous poster to consult an Imam about helping you. If he won't be able to help you, it may be time for a lawyer to formally submit evidence strong enough that it will satisfy the I.O.

Edited October 12, 2011 by Brother Hesekiel

[Myopia 93]

As you stated yourself, you knew that your interview would be difficult, not only because of your connection with Islam, but also because you are considerably older than your foreign husband. It's called a red flag, and it has nothing to do with communism.

Thus, I personally am not surprised that the I.O. tried to establish whether or not your marriage was genuine or entered in order to obtain immigration benefits.

If you ever watched Court TV or movies, you'll have noticed that often the defendant doesn't enter the stand. That's done because if you open that door voluntarily, it can be slammed right into your face. If your Islamic marriage was never a marriage in the U.K. nor in the U.S., why even bringing this up? Had you never brought your Islamic religion in the forefront of this immigration interview, the I.O. had no way of knowing any of this. No knowledge = no questions that could have brought you into the position you are in now.

Since you disclosed to the I.O. that you were married based on Islamic law, I can understand that the I.O. who may not know the first thing about Islam and may not care to know anything about it either will ask you to prove that you are not married to two men right now.

That's your task and hand. I concur with a previous poster to consult an Imam about helping you. If he won't be able to help you, it may be time for a lawyer to formally submit evidence strong enough that it will satisfy the I.O.

I concur. I definitively knew that the interview would be difficult not withstanding my being older than my husband. That doesnt mean that the marriage is not genuine, it does mean that there would be more of an examination than normal in my opinion. I think the fact that I was pregnant and miscarried fairly recently would be a sign that children was in the life plan but then again she did ask him if "it was his" So maybe not. I hate to think of myself as considerably older but I guess it is in the balance of things.

I was married in NY state in an islamic marriage (which is legal in NY law) for nearly 2 years before we actually filed. In those two years we started a business, started a baby, started school and started a life. Had we filed 2 months after meeting I can accept some issues but two years?

I didn't disclose that Islamic marriages because everyone and their mother knows that religious marriages are generally symbolic in most US states and the UK. My husband misunderstood a question and answered that I was married to my kids father. I understand that she wants me to prove that Im not married to two men and that's not a problem because I'm not. I am already on it. That means I have already called/emailed both mosques,(Both of which I have worshiped at and am known at), I have already enlisted the help of someone in the UK to follow up with the masjid on the documents needed and I intend to get certificates to state that there is no record of my being married to anyone in the US or UK.

The funny thing is how does proving I married and divorced Islamically (invalid and null in law) prove anything other than I engaged in a symbolic ceremony to allow me to be with someone under my belief system.

Anyways Im guessing Im the only one with this issue so I guess the sooner I get this stuff together..the better!

I relish challenges

Edited October 12, 2011 by Myopia

[bigdog 376]

I would get a good attorney who is well versed in Islamic law and immigration.

[David79 7]

this ###### sounds racist maybe she doesnt like muslim people i would have raised hell!!!!! Get a lawyer and see how you can maybe have someone else look at your case or interview you again who the #### asks about streets and schools from all these questions it sounded like she was doubting you already...pizza hut adress i dont even eat at pizza hut i wish they would ask me questions like that smh

from reading your timeline everything seems pretty straight forward so why would your case be difficult??

Or maybe she's doing her job as an Immigration Officer. An IO cannot possibly know all the intricacies of every country around the world and who acknowledges what type of religious ceremonies as legally binding marriages. Even in the US it is each state that makes laws regarding marriage which can complicate things even more. It's a priviledge to be able to come to the US, not a right. The IO can't just take people's word that they "weren't legally married", but needs proof. I know it was an honest mistake and I do hope this lady is able to pass the RFE to get her AOS, but they never should have brought up the "m" word (marriage) if she wasn't legally married.

[Myopia 93]

I agree with you but once my husband mentioned marriage there was nothing I could do. I dont know why he mentioned it, he was confused and nervous with a desire to be 100% honest about issues that had no bearing on the situation. I have a friend who was asked about her previous (non valid) religious marriage by her IO and she was asked whether she had been divorced islamically too. Her IO accepted her word at face value because she understood that the Islamic marriage was NOT VALID so Im not going to get bent out of shape for something that other IO's understand are cultural and symbolic in nature.

Im seeing an attorney today and spoke to one yesterday. Apparently this is a common RFE.

Edited October 12, 2011 by Myopia

[scotty2009 13]

Wow. My husband and I have been living in our apt for almost 2 years now, but

yeah I know the major intersection, when my husband can't drive, I take the bus, but street names? umm

I dunno. LOLs. Pizza Hut? My husband orders online!! I know it costs anywhere between $12-13.50 every time we order!

My friend told me that they were asked for their car's plate number. Because of this, I felt like I HAD to memorize our plate number and I did. But that was a few months ago. Ask me now? I dunno. I guess we'll fail if we get interviewed.

[Boiler 43,736]

I was married religiously in the UK, it does count.

I was married religiously in the UK, it does count.

[Myopia 93]

I was married religiously in the UK, it does count.

I was married religiously in the UK, it does count.

It doesnt count if you dont have a license. I know the law when it comes to these things. No offence. When you got married you must have had gone to the registrars office. I didnt. I wasnt even in the same room as my ex when the nikkah was done. In fact I was by myself in a room daydreaming about the clouds when my marriage was done. A religious marriage in the UK only counts with a license and I am waiting for a letter from the UK department of ID and passport to confirm that there is no record of any marriages to me in the UK from 1989 to 2009. I know that this thread probably seems scary but its probably a good example of what NOT to say in the AOS interview because it just created a burden for us that really didnt need to be there.

Thanks though Boiler.

[Boiler 43,736]

I guess more people get married nowadays in a Registry Office, less common then.

In fact I can not remember going to any Registry Office weddings, which is odd.

[Boiler 43,736]

I guess more people get married nowadays in a Registry Office, less common then.

In fact I can not remember going to any Registry Office weddings, which is odd.

I guess more people get married nowadays in a Registry Office, less common then.

In fact I can not remember going to any Registry Office weddings, which is odd.

[Myopia 93]

So I finally for the RFE today and opened it with great trepidation and it was better than I thought.

It states, : Please submit documentation of legal termination of all prior marriages of the beneficiary, MY NAME. If no record exists, please submit documentation from the appropriate civil authority in the United Kingdom and Illinois that no record of marriage exists from the date she was of legal age to marry.

I have till December 2nd 2011.

I knew that the IO could not ask me to get proof of my islamic marriages and divorces because they arent valid in any law, either in the UK or Illinois. I already have applied for the no marriage found records from the UK (takes 3 weeks to process) and Illinois (I have already faxed a notarized permission for my friend to get the no marriage found record from Illinois. I also took the preemptive move of getting the same from Florida (where I first lived) so there will be a solid timeline that will prove that I have never been legally married.

I have to mail this in but Im pretty sure Im going to hand it in myself at Federal Plaza. I have to say I am more than a little relieved.

I love my husband to pieces and he feels pretty bad as it is. Its all good.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

So I finally for the RFE today and opened it with great trepidation and it was better than I thought.

It states, : Please submit documentation of legal termination of all prior marriages of the beneficiary, MY NAME. If no record exists, please submit documentation from the appropriate civil authority in the United Kingdom and Illinois that no record of marriage exists from the date she was of legal age to marry.

I have till December 2nd 2011.

I knew that the IO could not ask me to get proof of my islamic marriages and divorces because they arent valid in any law, either in the UK or Illinois. I already have applied for the no marriage found records from the UK (takes 3 weeks to process) and Illinois (I have already faxed a notarized permission for my friend to get the no marriage found record from Illinois. I also took the preemptive move of getting the same from Florida (where I first lived) so there will be a solid timeline that will prove that I have never been legally married.

I have to mail this in but Im pretty sure Im going to hand it in myself at Federal Plaza. I have to say I am more than a little relieved.

I love my husband to pieces and he feels pretty bad as it is. Its all good.

Good news!

[I_like_rhomboids 0]

It doesnt count if you dont have a license. I know the law when it comes to these things. No offence. When you got married you must have had gone to the registrars office.

I think there is an exception to this, that is that as the established church, Church of England marriages are legally recognised and they can also issue marriage certificates. It doesn't really seem right to me in modern day, multicultural Britain that a certain religious group has special privileges, but I don't expect it change any time soon.

[Myopia 93]

I think there is an exception to this, that is that as the established church, Church of England marriages are legally recognised and they can also issue marriage certificates. It doesn't really seem right to me in modern day, multicultural Britain that a certain religious group has special privileges, but I don't expect it change any time soon.

Me either.