Hi I'm new

[shannon65 2]

as I'm doing this on my own, no lawyer....I hope it goes smoothly. One thing I'm worried about - my fiance is a widower and I needed to provide a death certificate for his wife. In Korea they do not have separate birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates as we do in the US, but they put everything on a family register - which is OK, except his family register (which I had translated into English) reports his wife's death date as February 2005 - which is not the real date - it was 8/4/2003 (I personally saw it on her gravestone). Apparently this is some sort of symbolic or ceremonial date which was given by her mother-in-law when she reported the death to the registry office - in fact a lot of dates on Korean family registers seem to reflect some date of recording rather than the actual event - such as the marriage date on there, is not the day he actually walked down the aisle. I explained this in a separate note to the INS, but I am worried they are going to question it - although they may not care what date she died, as long as the document proves she is deceased and he's legally free to marry.

Also, I am a disabled person - I am worried when he goes for his interview, and if he shows the pictures of he and I, which they may ask him to do, they will be suspicious that this is going to be a sham marriage - even many people in everyday life would wonder at someone wanting to marry a disabled person. But this really is not a problem for him. On the good side, I have a stable job and income that goes far beyond the poverty guidelines, so they won't worry about him being a public charge, I hope.

I don't think he's worried - he thinks this process is more simple than it really is.

Nerves!

[j&js 0]

I would think that the most important part about the death cert/family register would be that the wife is in fact dead, making him legally able to marry. Sounds like you did the right thing with the note of explanation. I would maybe even bring a picture of the gravestone, or other type of documentation of the death to the interview in case they questions anything further, but I wouldn't go too crazy over this. I would hope that they would not be discriminatory against someone with a disability wanting to get married!

Good luck with everything and welcome to VJ!

[shannon65 2]

I would think that the most important part about the death cert/family register would be that the wife is in fact dead, making him legally able to marry. Sounds like you did the right thing with the note of explanation. I would maybe even bring a picture of the gravestone, or other type of documentation of the death to the interview in case they questions anything further, but I wouldn't go too crazy over this. I would hope that they would not be discriminatory against someone with a disability wanting to get married!

Good luck with everything and welcome to VJ!

Thanks!

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Welcome to VJ! I can't say anything specific in regards to your concerns, but just that most of us here are going through the process without a lawyer and are doing just fine It's a long, frustrating, nerve racking process, but in the end, it usually turns out all right

I hope you and your SO are together soon.

[Meriem_DZ 37]

Hi Shannon, Welcome to VJ!!

I sent you a private message.

Look in your message box.

Meriem

[snz1802 0]

Hi Shannon,

welcome to VJ, does your fiance live in South Korea? Just wondering, that is where mine lives as well....Good Luck on the process!!!!

[Miranda&James 8]

I wouldn't worry about them saying it's a sham marriage. You can easily refute this by providing evidence of a relationship (like cards, letters, emails, pics, etc) at the interview and if they ask for it then you've got it

[latitudes 0]

I'm disabled as well (cerebral palsy), and I understand your feelings - but I really don't think they desciminate against such things.

I've had well-meaning family members ask if Ollie (my fiance) was pushing for a green card - my justification, beyond just the obvious NO, is that if he wanted me for the green card, he would have taken a more active role in the paperwork process (as it is/was, he's a typical sloth-like male - he has no clue how much work went into the packet).

My neighbor, by coincidence, just completed this entire process. She is clinically diagnosed as morbidly obese, and her UK-born husband did ALL the paperwork and provided all the financial support for the process. Their application whizzed through, 5.5 months from I-129f filing to interview! If they had no problems, then people like us certainly won't. (for the record they are gag-me-with-a-spoon disgustingly in love. they can't so much as get out of the car without kissing first, and take daily walks hand-in-hand. it's super cute.)

[shannon65 2]

Hi Shannon,

welcome to VJ, does your fiance live in South Korea? Just wondering, that is where mine lives as well....Good Luck on the process!!!!

yes, he lives in South Korea.... we met online.

I'm disabled as well (cerebral palsy), and I understand your feelings - but I really don't think they desciminate against such things.

I've had well-meaning family members ask if Ollie (my fiance) was pushing for a green card - my justification, beyond just the obvious NO, is that if he wanted me for the green card, he would have taken a more active role in the paperwork process (as it is/was, he's a typical sloth-like male - he has no clue how much work went into the packet).

My neighbor, by coincidence, just completed this entire process. She is clinically diagnosed as morbidly obese, and her UK-born husband did ALL the paperwork and provided all the financial support for the process. Their application whizzed through, 5.5 months from I-129f filing to interview! If they had no problems, then people like us certainly won't. (for the record they are gag-me-with-a-spoon disgustingly in love. they can't so much as get out of the car without kissing first, and take daily walks hand-in-hand. it's super cute.)

I know what you mean about the paperwork....I'm doing it all (he has no idea) though I did need his help to fill out the biographical form and to get hold of a copy of his family census (luckily he has a friend who works in the city office) and he got his picture taken. I sent him copies of the whole packet though so he'll get the picture. It's more difficult because his English isn't great. I'm going to send him some sample interview questions translated into Korean which won't be perfect but good enough.

[KJandSH 0]

Haha! I did all the paperwork too.

I know what you mean abotu the family register having 'creative' information on it. My husband's estranged dad has screwed his totally up by disowning kids and erasing them off the register. Hopefully people know the culture of Korea and can understand that the dates are not always accurate and that as long as the wife is deceased the specific date isn't particularly important.

Kristi

[shannon65 2]

Haha! I did all the paperwork too.

I know what you mean abotu the family register having 'creative' information on it. My husband's estranged dad has screwed his totally up by disowning kids and erasing them off the register. Hopefully people know the culture of Korea and can understand that the dates are not always accurate and that as long as the wife is deceased the specific date isn't particularly important.

Kristi

Guess the date wasn't important - they did approve my 129-F already! Love your photos.

[j&js 0]

Congratulations!