US Embassy Islamabad - Marriage between Christian and Muslim

[Mr Geminian 691]

5 minutes ago, bilal467 said:

Well, I have seen only 2 posts where they quesioned legality of marriage between Pakistani muslim and American christian. This is why I made this topic so I want to know if they issued visa to any such couple from Islamabad Embassy. 

Well...lets wait and see other VJ members putting in their experiences  Am sure you will find more people with more answers  

[bilal467 1]

I hope so too. 

[amylotus 1]

6 hours ago, Aviinashh said:

I read that post. Again it goes by case by case and they put AP on mostly all cases. For few applicants it can take days, weeks and months and very rarely years. I am from India and I was put on AP too. 

I am also afraid that they are going to deny our visa. My fiance was put on AP few days ago after his K1 visa interview. The US embassy is questioning our relationship since my fiance is a Pakistani muslim and i am a non muslim U.S citizen. How long were you on AP until you got approved?

[Mr Geminian 691]

1 hour ago, amylotus said:

I am also afraid that they are going to deny our visa. My fiance was put on AP few days ago after his K1 visa interview. The US embassy is questioning our relationship since my fiance is a Pakistani muslim and i am a non muslim U.S citizen. How long were you on AP until you got approved?

I was on AP for a week and then the status changed to Issued.

 

As long as your relationship is genuine and strong (that's what they want to know) then you don't have to worry and also it depends upon a lot of evidence since the embassy scrutinizes its applicants. Also in some cases AP after interview can be for last moment background checks before issuing the visa. Do update us about your status. Good luck

[Nitas_man 3,100]

The American embassy neither asks nor cares what your religion is in regards to marriage.  If you have a legal marriage document then you are good to go.

[carolynhotstuff 252]

3 minutes ago, Nitas_man said:

The American embassy neither asks nor cares what your religion is in regards to marriage.  If you have a legal marriage document then you are good to go.

In Pakistan they are always looking for reasons to deny a visa so yes they do care about age, kids ,past marriages and religion. I know because I had a 4 year battle with them over all these issues before they finally issued my husband's visa.

 

As long as a Pakistani Muslim man marries a foreign Christian woman under Shariah law and it is filed at the Union Counsel the embassy has to accept the marriage as being legal. I had to pay a USA lawyer good money to research my marriage and educate the American embassy in Pakistan.

 

 

[Perfect two 💑 1,147]

12 hours ago, bilal467 said:

Yeah I know that put everyone on AP too. But what I don’t understand is that why they will question the legality of marriage papers wen it is legal according to Pakistan’s law and legally registered. 

Ofcourse, it must be backed by proofs of ongoing relationship. 

If your marriage is legal according to Pakistan's law, it will be legal for them too. However, having legal marriage paper will not guarantee an approval. They will see whether your relationship is genuine or not. That is what they focus more, to investigate whether the relationship is bona fide or fraud. Even you provide lots of ongoing relationship, it doesn't mean that they will believe your relationship is real. Kindly note that, they will not judge you based on your religion, however, they will scrutinize you more if let say you and your partner have different religion. They are not judgemental, but that is how it work. Religion = What you belief, how can two person in different belief can be together. That is why different in religion can raise huge red flags. You know your relationship is real, but, they will not know that since they are not knowing you in daily basis. They will only based on the petition you submit, all supporting documents and interview that they will have with you. 

[Love To Teach 161]

3 hours ago, MalaysiaUS said:

They are not judgemental, but that is how it work.

I have to respectfully disagree with that statement. Yes, they are judgemental. We have a relationship of almost 7 years now, just made my 8th trip, been married two years this week. They evidently made a judgement that I am a bad person because I have been divorced 4 times. We are waiting to see what reason they give, as we sent in the CR1 papers almost two years ago now. The CO said to my husband in urdu (the interview was in English), "A US visa is not that great." Obviously, he was trying to mess with him. My husband answered him in back in English. They already had their minds made up when he got there. 

[Nitas_man 3,100]

7 hours ago, carolynhotstuff said:

In Pakistan they are always looking for reasons to deny a visa so yes they do care about age, kids ,past marriages and religion. I know because I had a 4 year battle with them over all these issues before they finally issued my husband's visa.

 

As long as a Pakistani Muslim man marries a foreign Christian woman under Shariah law and it is filed at the Union Counsel the embassy has to accept the marriage as being legal. I had to pay a USA lawyer good money to research my marriage and educate the American embassy in Pakistan.

 

 

If the OP has a legally valid marriage and legally valid marriage certificate and the OP's husband does not have any other legally valid marriages (LOL) then the US embassy will recognize it regardless of religion.  IF the OP married a Pakistani (legally) who also (legally) has 3 other (legal, sharia compliant) marriages OR has any sharia compliant, finalized, but not properly registered divorces then 100 attorneys and all the money on the planet won't get that sharia compliant legally valid marriage or marriage certificate recognized.

 

Same applies for intended immigrants - depending on what state you reside in you can be legally free to marry in Pakistan but no you actually cannot petition Uncle Mo or Aunt Biba's son or daughter to be your husband or wife and reside in any number of states so this is another area where you can be 100% sharia compliant and no number of attorneys or amount of money will get your sharia compliant intentions recognized.

 

As to past marriages even though it is sharia compliant to pronounce taliq and move on to remarry - failure to follow up and register these "text message divorces" is rampant in Pakistan and so yes sharia compliant divorces are not recognized either unless they are properly followed up and registered with the authorities.  It's much easier to fail to mention the previous marriage and divorce in the first place than to do all of that paperwork right?  I'm guessing that this is a common if not the number one finding over there in Pakistan.

 

Following up on these issues takes time, and that is why the embassy in Pakistan takes so long and it is so difficult to get a case adjudicated in a timely manner.  I highly doubt that your attorney taught them anything new.  If you had a 4-year battle then it was definitely not something as simple as two different religions.

 

 

 

[bilal467 1]

8 minutes ago, Nitas_man said:

If the OP has a legally valid marriage and legally valid marriage certificate and the OP's husband does not have any other legally valid marriages (LOL) then the US embassy will recognize it regardless of religion.  IF the OP married a Pakistani (legally) who also (legally) has 3 other (legal, sharia compliant) marriages OR has any sharia compliant, finalized, but not properly registered divorces then 100 attorneys and all the money on the planet won't get that sharia compliant legally valid marriage or marriage certificate recognized.

 

Same applies for intended immigrants - depending on what state you reside in you can be legally free to marry in Pakistan but no you actually cannot petition Uncle Mo or Aunt Biba's son or daughter to be your husband or wife and reside in any number of states so this is another area where you can be 100% sharia compliant and no number of attorneys or amount of money will get your sharia compliant intentions recognized.

 

As to past marriages even though it is sharia compliant to pronounce taliq and move on to remarry - failure to follow up and register these "text message divorces" is rampant in Pakistan and so yes sharia compliant divorces are not recognized either unless they are properly followed up and registered with the authorities.  It's much easier to fail to mention the previous marriage and divorce in the first place than to do all of that paperwork right?  I'm guessing that this is a common if not the number one finding over there in Pakistan.

 

Following up on these issues takes time, and that is why the embassy in Pakistan takes so long and it is so difficult to get a case adjudicated in a timely manner.  I highly doubt that your attorney taught them anything new.  If you had a 4-year battle then it was definitely not something as simple as two different religions.

 

 

 

Well, I’m legally married with my American christian wife under sharia law amd marriage is registered with relevant authorities as well. And have our legal wedding papers and marriage certificate attested by foreign office of Pakistan as well. 

The mixed religion is my only Red Flag. Apart from that none. No age differences. No previous marriage or child. Didnt marry on first trip. Stayed almost 6 months tigether. And now planning more as well. I hope all goes well. 

[Nitas_man 3,100]

Just now, bilal467 said:

Well, I’m legally married with my American christian wife under sharia law amd marriage is registered with relevant authorities as well. And have our legal wedding papers and marriage certificate attested by foreign office of Pakistan as well. 

The mixed religion is my only Red Flag. Apart from that none. No age differences. No previous marriage or child. Didnt marry on first trip. Stayed almost 6 months tigether. And now planning more as well. I hope all goes well. 

I believe that you will be OK - the embassy has to wade through all of the above issues which adds to the processing time.  They're just doing their job and do not care about religion one way or another except in the above areas where the religion legally allows some practices that the US government and some state governments do not. 

 

Good luck to both of you!

[bilal467 1]

2 minutes ago, Nitas_man said:

I believe that you will be OK - the embassy has to wade through all of the above issues which adds to the processing time.  They're just doing their job and do not care about religion one way or another except in the above areas where the religion legally allows some practices that the US government and some state governments do not. 

 

Good luck to both of you!

Yeah totally agree with you on divorces and marrying cousins. 

[carolynhotstuff 252]

15 minutes ago, Nitas_man said:

I believe that you will be OK - the embassy has to wade through all of the above issues which adds to the processing time.  They're just doing their job and do not care about religion one way or another except in the above areas where the religion legally allows some practices that the US government and some state governments do not. 

 

Good luck to both of you!

You have as your country as Saudi . Have you ever had dealings with the ignorant workers at the embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan? Pakistani men have been told by the person interviewing them that the embassy will have them hung and killed if caught in a lie. 

 

How can you sitting at your computer screen tell a person that experienced them first hand what that embassy will and will not do? I still have the NOIR they sent me and my friend Emily telling us that it is against the law in Pakistan for a Foreign Christian to marry with a Pakistani Muslim. Didn't matter if it was Sharia law or not. My lawyer did teach them that they were wrong and that is why they finally issued visas to my husband and to Emily's husband. 

 

I answered the original question from personal experience with  the embassy in Islamabad. Other embassy's work differently and do not keep people in AP for years then deny the visa like they do in Pakistan. 

[Nitas_man 3,100]

12 minutes ago, carolynhotstuff said:

You have as your country as Saudi . Have you ever had dealings with the ignorant workers at the embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan? Pakistani men have been told by the person interviewing them that the embassy will have them hung and killed if caught in a lie. 

 

How can you sitting at your computer screen tell a person that experienced them first hand what that embassy will and will not do? I still have the NOIR they sent me and my friend Emily telling us that it is against the law in Pakistan for a Foreign Christian to marry with a Pakistani Muslim. Didn't matter if it was Sharia law or not. My lawyer did teach them that they were wrong and that is why they finally issued visas to my husband and to Emily's husband. 

 

I answered the original question from personal experience with  the embassy in Islamabad. Other embassy's work differently and do not keep people in AP for years then deny the visa like they do in Pakistan. 

Sounds like you and your friend Emily were on top of things over there.  Thank you for your service to our country.

 

 

 

[Will_and_Tu 46]

17 minutes ago, carolynhotstuff said:

Pakistani men have been told by the person interviewing them that the embassy will have them hung and killed if caught in a lie.

Has that been reported somewhere in a news outlet? I find it hard to believe that would be public knowledge and not have sparked some media outrage.

Edited October 20, 2017 by Will_and_Tu