Is this common

[AllieG 0]

Last March I went to see an immigration lawyer in America with my then fiance to see how I went about moving to America on a Fiancee Visa. I was told that because my dad was ill with Cancer I could get married while I was there and invite my Fiance's friends to prove we were married but not tell Immigration. I decided not to go that route as I felt it wasn't right for me.

I came back to England and my dad deteriorated and sadly died last September. I was too caught up in my Dad dying and didn't think to tell the lawyer. Anyway I thought he was going through with the immigration papers and thought he would contact me since he had my email address.

In October my fiance told me he was having his internet and phone disconnected and that is the last I heard from him.

A few weeks ago I received an email from the lawyer saying he had been in contact with my fiance and got the impression I didn't want to move to America. I replied to it saying that my dad had died and because of that and not hearing from my fiance since October I couldn't move. I still haven't got a reply to that and now think I never will.

I just wondered if it was common for a lawyer not to contact you for a year after filing immigration papers with them and for them to contact one person but not the other one. Also is it common for people to get married but not tell immigration.

[Justine+David 218]

People are allowed to get married in the U.S.; the tricky situation is that if you intended to do it prior to entering the U.S., you're not supposed to adjust status to get your green card. But if it was completely spontaneous, you are.

I think you need to get ahold of your fiance and figure out what's going on...if I hadn't heard from my fiance in 6 months, frankly I'd think the relationship was done for, although I would have made more efforts to get ahold of him prior to this. That is a long time to not talk to your fiance.

Good luck in solving this...

p.s. if you guys do go through immigration and have uncomplicated cases (neither party has broken the law or overstayed visits in the U.S., etc) you probably don't need a lawyer and can use VJ and the guides...

Edited March 28, 2010 by Justine+David

[AllieG 0]

Thanks for the reply. I decided a while ago the relationship was dead. It would have been nice if he had told me though. I had to find through his Facebook page that he was single. To be honest I am glad because I know if I contacted him now it would mean threats and abuse and I can't handle any more from him. I am happier now without all of that and am getting on with my life and he would only make me depressed and take me to a place I don't want to go.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Last March I went to see an immigration lawyer in America with my then fiance to see how I went about moving to America on a Fiancee Visa. I was told that because my dad was ill with Cancer I could get married while I was there and invite my Fiance's friends to prove we were married but not tell Immigration. I decided not to go that route as I felt it wasn't right for me.

This all sounds weird. Not tell immigration? For what reason? Inviting friends to say you are married? A marriage certificate would show that. If any papers were filed, it would have been the US citizen filing for a foreign fiance, but your fiance would have needed a few things from you. Perhaps the lawyer was just doing a follow up on the intital visit to see if your fiance intended to file or not. Maybe business is slow, so he was digging up old consultations.

It doesn't sound like any kind of immigration work was officially started or filed. You are wise to drop the relationship. And I'm so sorry about your dad. It's very difficult to watch a strong and vibrant loved one succumb to cancer.