Annulment? Which visa should she use?

[Seriouslady40 3]

Hello,

I am writing on behalf of a friend - she is seeking visa advice and options.

My friend is a Filipina with three children (21, 18, 16). She was married in the Philippines in 1999 but separated from her husband three years ago - she has been living in Thailand since the separation. She has since moved on and has found love with an American citizen. They plan on starting their life together in the US. Unfortunately they have found that getting an annulment is proving to be a problem. She doesn't have the funds to move forward with an annulment and her ex will not agree to it.

Her questions are:

1. Is there any other way to get the annulment? Since she's been in Thailand, could she petition for a divorce there? And possibly get married there before moving forward with the US visa process?

2. She read that she could get a divorce in Mexico and this is recognised. Is there any truth to this?

3. Do you know of any success stories involving marriage annulments? Is there something she needs to do?

4. My friend also has a sister in America - she lives a few hours from her bf. Would she have better success getting her sister to petition for her? Is there a family visa she could go to the US on?

5. Her sister has been late on paying taxes - she is paying regularly now, but will that affect her petition?

6. Is there anything she should do now to help her out with the visa process later on?

Thank you so much for reading. We look forward to reading your responses xxxx

Annulment will take 2 years some a year . Expensive in other lawyers but in small cities it's cheaper compared to Manila . You can pm me if you want to know .

[Seriouslady40 3]

1. Yes. If she is a resident of Thailand she can look into the requirements for completing a divorce there. The divorce, of course, would not be accepted in the Philippines, BUT it would be accepted everywhere else in the world... and will work just fine for being free to marry in the USA if you pursue a fiancee visa, or free to marry in Thailand and complete a spousal visa to enter the USA.

2. Answered above.

3. Annulment in the Philippines is roughly a two year process, costing upwards of P200,000. I know of a 4-5 Filipinas, ( processing through the embassy in Manila), that had a divorce from a foreign country (where they filed for the divorce) and easily completed the visa process. Even though the divorce was not accepted in the Philippines, thus in the eyes of the government there they were still married, they had no issues with CFO either.

4. The family visa would take upwards of 20 years.

5. see above.

6. Check into the divorce requirements in Thailand.

I agree with the sender . I know someone cost 70k only . 200k is questionable amount .

[Sagot 1,548]

Reality is the OP shouldn't need to do the annulment process if she can complete the divorce process in Thailand