Marriage Certificate in Nigeria

[lillieg77 0]

I filed the I-130 for my husband and 3 stepkids- I rcvd and RFE requesting the marriage certificate for my husband and his former wife from the early 1990's (which I do not have)---they want verification that they were actually married. She passed away prior to us meeting. I provided USCIS with our marriage certificate, the kids birth certificates and her death certificate; therefore I'm not sure why their marriage certifcate is significant? The local court in Nigeria (where they were married) does not have any records from that time period and the marriage registry in Lagos says that they do not keep marriage records on file and not sure why the Travel.State website says so? I have an affidavit from the Pastor in Nigeria who married them at that time. What do I do?

[dwheels76 5,468]

I filed the I-130 for my husband and 3 stepkids- I rcvd and RFE requesting the marriage certificate for my husband and his former wife from the early 1990's (which I do not have)---they want verification that they were actually married. She passed away prior to us meeting. I provided USCIS with our marriage certificate, the kids birth certificates and her death certificate; therefore I'm not sure why their marriage certifcate is significant? The local court in Nigeria (where they were married) does not have any records from that time period and the marriage registry in Lagos says that they do not keep marriage records on file and not sure why the Travel.State website says so? I have an affidavit from the Pastor in Nigeria who married them at that time. What do I do?

You need to call USCIS and speak to a Tier 2 supervisor and explain what you just told us.

And what do you mean the registry in lagos doesn't keep marriage records? Ummmm we would all be in trouble. That's where most of us get our certified copy from.

[ndu26 114]

You need to call USCIS and speak to a Tier 2 supervisor and explain what you just told us.

And what do you mean the registry in lagos doesn't keep marriage records? Ummmm we would all be in trouble. That's where most of us get our certified copy from.

Exactly Debbie! you took the words right out of my mind. I am here thinking "so say couple of years down the line something happens to our original certificate and we need to get another one or some sort of record, what is going to be our fate"?

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

http://www.onlinenigeria.com/marriages-in-nigeria/Proof-Of-Marriage/

Link saying they are required to keep registered marriage records.




This is what travel.state says :

Marriage Certificates

Available from local government bodies if the couple performed civil marriage at the Marriage Registry. Traditional marriages may also be recorded with the local government and a certificate of marriage issued. Places of worship that are registered with the Nigerian Government may also issue marriage certificates for ceremonies performed there. It is obligatory that every registrar and religious minister furnish such documents to the Lagos Marriage Registry, but some fail to do so. Records are generally available through the local government where the marriage took place. The Marriage Registry in Lagos has marriage records dating back to 1802. They are filed by year and place of marriage and can be obtained by writing to the Marriage Registry, 19 Kingsway Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. Since both parties to the marriage technically must be physically present at the same location with witnesses to sign certain marriage documents, proxy marriages have ceased to be valid but still occur.

It is a bit strange that USCIS sent a RFE for his prior marriage certificate when you submitted the death certificate. Seems they want to verify and compare it to the marriage certificate to see if the death certificate is authentic and contains the same bio data as the marriage certificate.
It is a high fraud embassy and fake death certificates are often produced.

If the prior marriage certificate is impossible to obtain, I would make an infopass or request to talk to tier 2 (and on up if possible, make sure it is not a tire 2 phone operator but an adjudicating immigration officer), take a print of the travel.state page where it says ..........but some fail to do so.

Explain that in your case ....but some fail to do so applies to you. I don't know if you can get away with that but I hope it would work. I have no other ideas for you
except to have a consultation with a top notch immigration lawyer.

Edited May 29, 2013 by Ebunoluwa

[camden 20]

Exactly what i was thinking too