home visits

[Aymerlu 3]

I also think home visits are a way of checking that your husband/fiance does not have another wife and kids... especially its not formal marriage between them

Interesting point. I never thought of that one. I mean what if he did have another wife, or even three other wives? It's accepted in Egypt and legal but what would they do, even if the petitioner knew about it and was ok with it? (totally NOT my situation btw. lol. )

If the marriage is recognized in the U.S., then the beneficiary would be ineligible for a visa as polygyny is unlawful in the U.S.

Even if the first marriage (or second or third) wasn't in the US? I know I'm getting technical but this has always made me wonder...if the Egyptian had not married the previous wives at the Ministry of Justice then the marriage(s) are not recognized by the US, which would mean the polygamy factor wouldn't be a factor right? Maybe this is too legal for this board but it fascinates me. The way people who practice polygamy in the US get around it is by not registring the marriage and instead only having a mosque thing instead.

If the marriage isn't recognized in the U.S., then I don't see how having multiple wives (Islamically only) would make one ineligible for a visa. In fact, I'm sure it happens all the time - many times probably without the USC wife's knowledge.

That's why they require the certificate of celibacy or soemthing like that (can't remember the exact name) before the interview. It must state that they are not married to be eligible for the visa. The only way around it would be if he was married Islamically but not legally. From what I understand it is frowned upon to do it this way as it usually hurts the woman in the long run (there are islamic reasons too, but I can't quote them now or look them us since I'm at work) It does happen though.

That certificate of celibacy makes me laugh though. How can anyone really prove that? Yeah they can prove they are single, but that they are celibate?

[~~~water~~~ 0]

I also think home visits are a way of checking that your husband/fiance does not have another wife and kids... especially its not formal marriage between them

Interesting point. I never thought of that one. I mean what if he did have another wife, or even three other wives? It's accepted in Egypt and legal but what would they do, even if the petitioner knew about it and was ok with it? (totally NOT my situation btw. lol. )

If the marriage is recognized in the U.S., then the beneficiary would be ineligible for a visa as polygyny is unlawful in the U.S.

Even if the first marriage (or second or third) wasn't in the US? I know I'm getting technical but this has always made me wonder...if the Egyptian had not married the previous wives at the Ministry of Justice then the marriage(s) are not recognized by the US, which would mean the polygamy factor wouldn't be a factor right? Maybe this is too legal for this board but it fascinates me. The way people who practice polygamy in the US get around it is by not registring the marriage and instead only having a mosque thing instead.

I don't think they are looking for it because it is legal or not, buu t to see if his intentions to USC are true ie. if they have another wife or woman living there not good

[Aymerlu 3]

I also think home visits are a way of checking that your husband/fiance does not have another wife and kids... especially its not formal marriage between them

Interesting point. I never thought of that one. I mean what if he did have another wife, or even three other wives? It's accepted in Egypt and legal but what would they do, even if the petitioner knew about it and was ok with it? (totally NOT my situation btw. lol. )

If the marriage is recognized in the U.S., then the beneficiary would be ineligible for a visa as polygyny is unlawful in the U.S.

Even if the first marriage (or second or third) wasn't in the US? I know I'm getting technical but this has always made me wonder...if the Egyptian had not married the previous wives at the Ministry of Justice then the marriage(s) are not recognized by the US, which would mean the polygamy factor wouldn't be a factor right? Maybe this is too legal for this board but it fascinates me. The way people who practice polygamy in the US get around it is by not registring the marriage and instead only having a mosque thing instead.

Wasn't there someone with a fiance from Pakistan a year or so ago that found out her fiance was married after the embassy did some checking? How horrible!

[tenderheartusa79 14]

about why just they make home visit in Egypt or why just Egyptian people you have to know that the American Citizen section at the USA embassy is kinda like a clean version of hell even to American people so they don't like Egyptian so much especially Egyptian guys they think all of Egyptian guys just want to use American women to move to the USA

and about they make that home visit to find out if he did have another wife, or even three other wives ... i think they can find out by many ways not just asking his neighbors

don't forget he will give all of his papers to the USA embassy so they can find out if he is married to another woman or not

[Jenn! 918]

What kind of records are kept for Islamic marriages?

[Nagishkaw 510]

about why just they make home visit in Egypt or why just Egyptian people you have to know that the American Citizen section at the USA embassy is kinda like a clean version of hell even to American people so they don't like Egyptian so much especially Egyptian guys they think all of Egyptian guys just want to use American women to move to the USA

and about they make that home visit to find out if he did have another wife, or even three other wives ... i think they can find out by many ways not just asking his neighbors

don't forget he will give all of his papers to the USA embassy so they can find out if he is married to another woman or not

Good one!

[brnidokiegurl 0]

My understanding is they are doing the home visits (some) thru Morocco now also

[sarahaziz 0]

I know we've gone over this before but I'm lost as to what the purpose of the home visits are? Seems like it's a normal step these days in cases from Egypt who are in long Administrative Processing cycles. What exactly do these visits prove? Anyone?

My husband had his home visit a few weeks ago. The man asked the surrounding neighbors if they knew he was married "from a foreign one" and if he really lived there.

What does that prove in terms of our marriage? My next door neighbors know nothing of my life, why should his?

And for the ones that actually have their families interviewed normally the question is, how do you feel about the marriage. . . . What does that have to do with anything? So if the family dislikes the new bride the visa is a no-go?

Someone please explain this part of our journey to us because it is making NO sense whatsoever to me. Seems like a flippin' waste of time in terms of what they discover to prove the relationship.

Oh and while I'm at it...what about cases like cheryl who already had a home visit and had ANOTHER one a long time after? What did THAT prove?

Well marrying in egypt or any other foreign country you just have to respect how they do things. In arab customs the immediate family has to approve of the bride usually because of family respect. They want to make sure she will keep respect to the family name thats what our "happy family" motto is. They dont want to accept americans marrying with egyptians they just dont like it same as americans marrying with indians. They like their own culture matched up with another person with same heritage and beliefs. It's not my personal opinion, im just stating the mentality behind it all. Neighbors usually are long line relatives if you are from the village or small city.

[sarahaziz 0]

I dont think they really care if the male egyptian citizen is married to 4 women. They dont care about americans british, etc.. It's horrible they just want to check for any complications egypt might get from USA because of the American citizen.

[polarbear 0]

I'm just thinking it's a good thing they didn't do a home visit for our visa bc we would have been denied

His father still doesn't know and I'm not really sure about his mother (she's out of it bc of stress and the complications with the father). The rest of the family knows but not all of them have met me, only 5 or 6 (I was only there 4 days with very little warning). All of his friends knew he talked to a sweetheart everyday, and knew I wasn't Egyptian, but were very confused about where I came from (we talked in French and sometimes English or Arabic, so they thought I was in Europe but weren't sure where). He wasn't very upfront about it bc he was worried he wouldn't get it and dodged around the questions alot, which is very hard to do in that culture . They all knew he had applied for a visa, they all knew he was going to leave eventually, but that is about all the information his neighbors would have been able to give. A few, but a very few, knew about him recieving things from the US consulate, but not that it was for a fiance visa. Aparently there was a rumor going around that he was married and that's why he always answered my calls, but he just didn't respond to those types of questions. *shrug* I think the home visit is a pretty sh!tty way of making a decission like that.

[ya falaha! 0]

Ummm you may want to delete some of that. ^^^^^^^^^^^ JMO but that's not something you should discuss openly like that. It doesn't sound real good and you know ppl around here gossip amongst themselves. You really don't want to be fodder.

Edited February 5, 2008 by moody

[Nagishkaw 510]

Ummm you may want to delete some of that. ^^^^^^^^^^^ JMO but that's not something you should discuss openly like that. It doesn't sound real good and you know ppl around here gossip amongst themselves. You really don't want to be fodder.

Sound advice, Moody. After I read that post, those thoughts crossed my mind.

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

Ummm you may want to delete some of that. ^^^^^^^^^^^ JMO but that's not something you should discuss openly like that. It doesn't sound real good and you know ppl around here gossip amongst themselves. You really don't want to be fodder.

which post?

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

I'm just thinking it's a good thing they didn't do a home visit for our visa bc we would have been denied

His father still doesn't know and I'm not really sure about his mother (she's out of it bc of stress and the complications with the father). The rest of the family knows but not all of them have met me, only 5 or 6 (I was only there 4 days with very little warning). All of his friends knew he talked to a sweetheart everyday, and knew I wasn't Egyptian, but were very confused about where I came from (we talked in French and sometimes English or Arabic, so they thought I was in Europe but weren't sure where). He wasn't very upfront about it bc he was worried he wouldn't get it and dodged around the questions alot, which is very hard to do in that culture . They all knew he had applied for a visa, they all knew he was going to leave eventually, but that is about all the information his neighbors would have been able to give. A few, but a very few, knew about him recieving things from the US consulate, but not that it was for a fiance visa. Aparently there was a rumor going around that he was married and that's why he always answered my calls, but he just didn't respond to those types of questions. *shrug* I think the home visit is a pretty sh!tty way of making a decission like that.

How exactly did you get a visa with no ap when his parents do not even know about you and there are people here on ap who s whole family including the parents knows about the wife. This did not even set off alarm bells in your head at all? Egypt makes no sense to me. They give people who know the family ap and you , who have no relationship with his mom and dad sail through. tamara loves adam...the same age...and a real love story languised months and months...i just dont understand this stupid consular system and i could not remotely dream of having to deal with egypt ... It just seems weird to me.. Oh well...i guess they have their reasons. They probably figured since you met him in france that it was more of a legitamate relationship because you met him outside of egypt

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

I know we've gone over this before but I'm lost as to what the purpose of the home visits are? Seems like it's a normal step these days in cases from Egypt who are in long Administrative Processing cycles. What exactly do these visits prove? Anyone?

My husband had his home visit a few weeks ago. The man asked the surrounding neighbors if they knew he was married "from a foreign one" and if he really lived there.

What does that prove in terms of our marriage? My next door neighbors know nothing of my life, why should his?

And for the ones that actually have their families interviewed normally the question is, how do you feel about the marriage. . . . What does that have to do with anything? So if the family dislikes the new bride the visa is a no-go?

Someone please explain this part of our journey to us because it is making NO sense whatsoever to me. Seems like a flippin' waste of time in terms of what they discover to prove the relationship.

Oh and while I'm at it...what about cases like cheryl who already had a home visit and had ANOTHER one a long time after? What did THAT prove?

Well marrying in egypt or any other foreign country you just have to respect how they do things. In arab customs the immediate family has to approve of the bride usually because of family respect. They want to make sure she will keep respect to the family name thats what our "happy family" motto is. They dont want to accept americans marrying with egyptians they just dont like it same as americans marrying with indians. They like their own culture matched up with another person with same heritage and beliefs. It's not my personal opinion, im just stating the mentality behind it all. Neighbors usually are long line relatives if you are from the village or small city.

Are you sure Sarah? because that s not exactly what i saw. The mom and dad have to. If they dont, drama insues until A they calm down or B the couple breaks up. I do not know exactly where all these villiagers are that you are talking about. Most Algerians I saw were not too upset if their child married outside of the culture. the conflict came into play when it was perhaps determined that this was a real marriage and not getting papers to improve their life... What the heck did they all say about you being christian? How are you christian anyway? Is your mom european or american?