Help...Bad Packet

[C and Lore 3]

My fiancee prepared and sent our packet to the consulate. Unfortunately in her haste she forgot my mantra of 'its the quality not the quantity.' She sent literally almost everything she could find. Some she proofread some she didn't. Now after going back and reading the emails she included, she found that one of the emails she sent references our wedding ceremony we had planned for mid-June. Basically it says:

'If you dont remember my (insert item here), its ok. You can bring it when you come for the wedding.'

We also sent MSN chat sessions and about 40 some odd pics not including the 12-15 pics (all pics show us travelling around both countries, seeing family, etc. no party or wedding pics) I sent in the initial packet. I personally proofread the MSN chat sessions so I know nothing was in those even mentioning it. She's gone over the other things now and there's no mention in anything else she read.

My question is where to go from here? I dont plan to bring it up in the interview and she's going to get documents from her place of residence in Tucuman and where she's from Jujuy to show that the province considers her legal marital status to be single, however will the consulate be likely to consider this enough proof?

One more piece of information in case it helps. We did have a ceremony at the cathedral in Jujuy. We did not register or apply for a marriage license and worked out a deal to file all necessary licenses once arriving back in Miami. Also I did not take or apply to take any required blood or medical tests which are required by Argentine law for legal marriage.

She is in Argentina and her interview will be in Buenos Aires. I will be there at the interview to help guide the interview, but I want to make sure she's prepared. She has a tendency to ramble do to her trusting nature. Also should we enlist the help of a lawyer? If so does anyone know of a good lawyer. I tend to distrust them because its hard to find if they really know what they are talking about.

Any thoughts would be useful.

[Que Saudade 284]

This is very questionable. First of all, when you say you had a ceremony at a cathedral and you worked out a deal to file all the paperwork once you arrive in Miami.... It appears that you are claiming this as the official wedding. You can not do that. You have to obtain a marriage license once here in the states and have a legal wedding here in the states. Either you are married or you are not. A lawyer can not help you at this point. You should have thought about this prior to having a "ceremony". Do not attempt to fool anyone in this process. There can be very serious consequences.

Do you know for sure that you can go into the interview with your fiancee at the interview? Some countries do not allow the US Petitioner to be in the interview. Ours was in Brazil and I was allowed in the interview, but I can assure you with the utmost confidence, if you are allowed into the interview, you most definitely will not be allowed to "guide" the interview. You can go over things with her prior to that and help build her confidence for the interview. But they are not interviewing you, they are interviewing her. If they suspect that the applicant does not know enough about their respective partner, they will question the validity as to why. All in all, if the relation is real, the applicant will have more than enough knowledge to be approved.

Good luck and I hope a more "senior" member gives you some more specific feedback.

[C and Lore 3]

I assure you she knows more than enough about me. I do not mean guide the interview as in control the questions that are asked and answered. Regarding being able to enter for the interview, unless the embassy in BA has changed their procedures, after reading several reviews on this site from others whom interviewed their it seems that not only do they admit the USC petitioner, but that they would prefer to see them there as it feels more like a real relationship.

There is no one trying to fool the embassy. I simply dont want them coming to the conclusion that we are married when we are not. Her family is not rich and neither am I, it was simply a ceremony for her family. There is not an intention to fool anyone. However should they bring up this ceremony, I want to be able to prepared to frame it as best as possible so they can see it for what it was not for what they want to make it out to be.

Regarding the deal, normally you cannot hold any ceremony in the catholic church without first obtaining a marriage license. At least this is what we were told was true in Argentina by her priest. They do not like having people whom have become married in the church however are legally single and free to marry. They like to keep it black and white, either a or b. She made an agreement with her priest that once we returned we would legally marry immediately and they made an exception for us only because of the circumstances of us needing to legally free to marry once entering the US.

I only want to be prepared as best as possible to present the best case as possible. Have we followed immigration law? Yes. Law says she has to be single and free to marry which she is. To the best of both of our knowledge's Argentine law does not recognize religious ceremonies as marriage unless it is accompanied by registration, application, medical tests, and blood tests, none of which were filed for or requested. Her DNI if she were to have it reissued today would state single. I ask only because I know some consulates in an effort keep more people out do not strictly adhere to US immigration law that if you are legally single by US and that country's law then you are single and qualify. I know some consulates look for the smallest reason to deny, even if its a stretch. I want to be prepared to make that stretch that much harder if possible. I'm not looking for anyone to give me a lie to use, or help make up any stories. I only want to know if the documentation I noted we have or could get would be helpful to prove that we are not legally married in the eyes of Argentine or American law.

If I wanted to prepare a lie or to fool anyone, I certainly wouldnt be asking on an uncontrolled website, perfectly open to the full purview of the US government and anyone else whom could or could not report the supposed lie. I thank you for your time, however your admonishment was unnecessary, and not helpful.

[Dan and Judy 614]

NOTE: The Government of Argentina recognizes only those marriages performed by the Civil Registry. A religious ceremony alone does not constitute a legal marriage in Argentina. Consequently, a marriage certificate issued by a religious body does not constitute proof of a valid marriage

http://www.k1-fiancee-visa-law.com/international-marriage-requirements/argentina-international-marriage-requirements/

You are not married so dont sweat it. I get the impression you had religious ceremony to please her and her family.

AT this point I think the only mistake you could make would be to try to cover it up. If the subject comes up tell them exactly what you did. I would work it into the conversation if I were you to show

you are not trying to hide something.

You still need to get married here in the states after she arrives. When you say you worked out a "deal", I'm guessing the church didnt want to do the ceremony unless you told them you were going to

follow up on the paperwork. Don't bother following up on that paperwork.

I'd take the pictures of the wedding to the interview and when they ask about wedding plans, just say we had a religious ceremony already so we will just have a simple civil marriage in the States or whatever it is you plan to do in the States.

The people in the consulate know a religious ceremony by itself is not a legal marriage. Tell the truth. Also bring the emails that talk about the wedding plans

[TBoneTX 45,863]

I perceived no admonishment in the first respondent's reply, but rather a recommendation of prudence.

[love100 0]

NOTE: The Government of Argentina recognizes only those marriages performed by the Civil Registry. A religious ceremony alone does not constitute a legal marriage in Argentina. Consequently, a marriage certificate issued by a religious body does not constitute proof of a valid marriage

What Dan and Judy says is right, here in argentina a religious ceremony or a wedding party is nothing if you are not legally married.

If in the embassy they ask you about it, you can tell them that since you dont know when you will be coming to Argentina again, you and your fiancee wanted to make a religious ceremony here.

Do not worry about it!! and Good luck!!!