3 Marriages is that a problem?

[Davidor 1]

Hi Everyone

I want to tell a story about my best friend. She was married in 1979 at the age of 16. It was an arranged marriage. Because it was a parents arrangement they were constantly fighting. The husband left for a year leaving no support for his wife or children. He returned and left several times. Finally she went to the minister of the gospel who had married them and told him what was happening. ( the last time together her husband had bit her. ) The minister of the gospel declared that “ MARRIAGE IS SACRED AND ONLY FOR 2 PEOPLE WHO LOVE EACH OTHER” He made the decision to separate them and said they will never be husband and wife again.

After a couple of months she had a relationship with another man. They lived together and had three children when they decided to get married October 2003 because the children were growing up. A year had pasted and the second husband started fooling around with another woman. In 2005 the second husband found a younger woman and took everything ( money, jewelry,and the mortgage to the house where they lived) She and her children were totally abandoned by her husband. As a single mother she worked hard for her children's education . The children will finish their final year in college next year.

Early in 2010 she planned to file an annulment against her husband and she went to the NSO ( National Statistics office ) to get all the documents she needed. In the process she found that her second husband was already married to another woman when they were married. According to the cenomar ( certificate of no marriage ) she also found that her marriage with the first husband is still recorded at that office. She thought it was already terminated because they were legally separated for over 20 years. So she talked to her lawyer and decided to file Presumptive death for her first husband because they have not seen each other since 1987 the time of their separation, and it was granted in 2011. Followed by the second file for annulment for bigamy against her second husband. It was granted 2012.

While the annulment was on process she met a US citizen and fell deeply in love. When she was free to marry they got married. Her husband has sent the petition and she is worrying now about her interview. Will she be denied a visa because of her past marriages even though they were terminated for good reasons? Will she be denied because they think she has a bad reputation because she is on her third marriage?

If anybody wants to share your ideas or comments she would appreciate them.

[NikLR 13,220]

Someone could be married 10 times and still be okay as long as they were free to marry when they got married. Has she been through immigration proceedings before? That would raise more of a red flag than multiple marriages.

[Davidor 1]

Someone could be married 10 times and still be okay as long as they were free to marry when they got married. Has she been through immigration proceedings before? That would raise more of a red flag than multiple marriages.

No this is the first time.

[NikLR 13,220]

She should be fine then Just present lots of evidence! I hope she has a wonderful life with her new husband.

[Darnell 8,478]

her collection of civil docs will be looked at, briefly, at NVC during the NVC doc intake process, but finally adjudicated at Manila IV.

I'm of the opinion that anything sent to NVC gets reviewed before the interview by a Vice-Consul at the IV Unit, so I say it's a great idea for her to write up a letter of attestation about these events and submit it with the DS-230.

Good Luck to her !

[dave01 16]

her collection of civil docs will be looked at, briefly, at NVC during the NVC doc intake process, but finally adjudicated at Manila IV.

I'm of the opinion that anything sent to NVC gets reviewed before the interview by a Vice-Consul at the IV Unit, so I say it's a great idea for her to write up a letter of attestation about these events and submit it with the DS-230.

Good Luck to her !

I'm not so sure I would write anything that would bring attention to the 3 marriages. That in its self could be a red flag. If she was properly annulled they won't care and her paperwork should support that

[mfranc68 31]

I am married 3 times. I sent in my divorce documents to prove I was free to marry. No problems. As long as she was legally free to marry her third husband there shouldn't be any problems. I wish your friend good luck and happiness.

[Davidor 1]

I am married 3 times. I sent in my divorce documents to prove I was free to marry. No problems. As long as she was legally free to marry her third husband there shouldn't be any problems. I wish your friend good luck and happiness.

Thank you so much for the nice comment,she may feel better now

[jaycali 415]

No one has ever been denied a visa because they were married 2 times before. The USCIS and embassy's job is not to determine what a likely outcome of the marriage is, but whether a bona fide marriage exists now. In essence, they care about two things, and two things only: 1. Is the marriage legal according US federal law? And 2. Was the marriage entered into in good faith? If those two are true, visa granted. It does not matter if she was married 48 times in a span of 5 years - if the current marriage is bona fide and legal, no problem.

However, multiple past marriages can make the burden of proving a bona fide marriage tougher, and as far as I know, in the PI make the burden of proving a legal marriage tougher. Make sure she was 100% free to marry when she got married to the USC. There have been countless stories of filipino spouses who thought they were free to marry, but weren't.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Jay Jay