Religious letter

[Sanda2022 37]

Hi All,

 

I got an RFE and was asked to provide the following -

1. Beneficiary intent to marry - we have provided his letter of intent initially and a packet that outlined our wedding preparations but that did not seem to be enough :(. What else did everyone provide?

2. We couldn’t meet in person due to cultural and religious reasons and they want letter from our local religious authority.l to fulfill our waiver.   Have anyone done this before and can help me with details or example? 
 

thank you!  

[Letspaintcookies 2,238]

1. Sometimes things get lost. Just send a new intent to marry? Did you initially sent one from you and one from him? What did it say? Did you followed the example here on VJ?

 

2. So you don't meet the meeting requirements and tried to get it waived? What did you send initially to request the waiver? What country/ religion/ culture are we talking about? Just asking so others might be able to chime in.

[Boiler 43,872]

I have seen 2 waivers approved, neither was on religious grounds so I have no idea.

 

Presumably you know why you can not and that would lead to how you would evidence it.

[Timona 3,978]

Which country?

[Family 3,587]

2 hours ago, Sanda2022 said:

got an RFE and was asked to provide the following -

1. Beneficiary intent to marry - we have provided his letter of intent initially and a packet that outlined our wedding preparations but that did not seem to be enough :(. What else did everyone provide?

2. We couldn’t meet in person due to cultural and religious reasons and they want letter from our local religious authority.l to fulfill our waiver.   Have anyone done this before and can help me with details or example

Your profile indicates your fiancé is from Ethiopia. 
1. Intent to marry letter was needed from BOTH the petitioner and beneficiary. Sounds like only “ he “ signed and sent one at filing ..

 

2. I am not aware of any group in Ethiopia that forbids (  cultural or religious taboos)  the future spouses from meeting in person to satisfy requirement for I-129 F.  Even the most orthodox of Jewish , Christian or Islamic sects,  at most forbid the couple to spend time together unchaperoned .

What is your religion?  

[Boiler 43,872]

I am seeing Yemen which I thought was 99% + Muslim

[Family 3,587]

7 minutes ago, Boiler said:

I am seeing Yemen which I thought was 99% + Muslim

You are right…I looked at the section that designated the consulate.

 

Hopefully members more intimate knowledge of Islamic sects can shed light on existence of this strict practice. 
 

 

[Boiler 43,872]

5 minutes ago, Family said:

You are right…I looked at the section that designated the consulate.

 

Hopefully members more intimate knowledge of Islamic sects can shed light on existence of this strict practice. 

Actually this has come up a few times and there is no such practice, so must be something else.

[Boiler 43,872]

A quick google mentioned Christians and a few Jews, which surprised me.

 

Now I am intrigued.

[Kanja 201]

I don’t believe being forbidden to meet in person  is religious but more cultural. I’m a Muslim and it’s not really a part of the religion but there are several cultures/ethnic groups/practices that do forbid meeting the spouse, it would likely be strictly an arranged marriage. Again, I don’t think this has to do with religion BUT most of the people that practice this do happen to be Muslim. 

[Kanja 201]

3 hours ago, Sanda2022 said:

Hi All,

 

I got an RFE and was asked to provide the following -

1. Beneficiary intent to marry - we have provided his letter of intent initially and a packet that outlined our wedding preparations but that did not seem to be enough :(. What else did everyone provide?

2. We couldn’t meet in person due to cultural and religious reasons and they want letter from our local religious authority.l to fulfill our waiver.   Have anyone done this before and can help me with details or example? 
 

thank you!  

I don’t know anyone that has done this, but I think just getting a letter from the religious authority outlining why it’s forbidden, specifying what ethnic group/religion/ etc forbids this. Explaining what is done instead (e.g. phone calls), also explaining how meeting would be detrimental/dishonor cultural values. 
 

Might be helpful to get a letter from someone that conducts legal marriages that can attest that they have conducted marriages of this type. 

[Boiler 43,872]

Like I said this has come up before so which culture/ethnic groups?

[Kanja 201]

2 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Like I said this has come up before so which culture/ethnic groups?

Well for example in my ethnic group, some very conservative groups within the ethnic group  do not allow spouses to meet. This is the Fulani ethnic group, this is likely not something you are going to find on google because it is not a widespread practice, not everyone observes this.  Folks that live in rural, less-developed areas are more likely to follow this custom rather than someone like myself who lived with my husband for four years before we were married 😬

Edited December 12, 2022 by Kanja

[Boiler 43,872]

17 minutes ago, Kanja said:

Well for example in my ethnic group, some very conservative groups within the ethnic group  do not allow spouses to meet. This is the Fulani ethnic group, this is likely not something you are going to find on google because it is not a widespread practice, not everyone observes this.  Folks that live in rural, less-developed areas are more likely to follow this custom rather than someone like myself who lived with my husband for four years before we were married 😬

I remember the discussion previously went in the direction of some tribe in Africa, I do not remember the details, all seemed very vague. Anyway this is Arabia.

[Kanja 201]

2 minutes ago, Boiler said:

I remember the discussion previously went in the direction of some tribe in Africa, I do not remember the details, all seemed very vague. Anyway this is Arabia.

Anecdotally I read a book about a woman in Saudi Arabia where she indicated neither she or her sisters were allowed to meet their spouses. They only spoke on the phone.