Japan Marriage Philippine Wife

[Mr. happy_ 0]

Question… me and my fiancé are planning to get married. She is a Phillipine citizen with a permanent resident visa in Japan, that is divorced from a Japanese national. She never reported her previous marriage/divorce in the Philippines, however she is officially divorced in Japan. We are wondering if this would be grounds for denial for a US spouse Visa. Once we are married in Japan or US (Online via Courtly) we will apply for her spouse visa at the U.S embassy/consulate in Japan. Since we are applying at a US embassy we are under the assumption that as long as the marriage is valid in the country it took place, it does not matter if previous marriage was ever reported in her home country. 

[top_secret 2,376]

You are fine.  The US will recognize a legal Japanese divorce.  It is not necessary for it to be reported to or recognized by the Philippines.

[top_secret 2,376]

I would also add that "Courtly" is merely acting as an officiant for an ordinary Utah online marriage. They charge $499 plus government fees for the service.  Alternately, The Utah county clerk offers online marriage ceremonies for $35 plus government fees if you go straight to the source rather than dealing with a middle man.

 

https://www.utahcounty.gov/dept/clerk/marriage/ceremony.html

[MMRF 21]

The US gov't knows you can't get divorced in the Philippines. Her Japanese divorce is legal.

[pushbrk 12,814]

6 hours ago, top_secret said:

I would also add that "Courtly" is merely acting as an officiant for an ordinary Utah online marriage. They charge $499 plus government fees for the service.  Alternately, The Utah county clerk offers online marriage ceremonies for $35 plus government fees if you go straight to the source rather than dealing with a middle man.

 

https://www.utahcounty.gov/dept/clerk/marriage/ceremony.html

Second this.  Go to the source.

[pushbrk 12,814]

5 hours ago, MMRF said:

The US gov't knows you can't get divorced in the Philippines. Her Japanese divorce is legal.

And since she lives in Japan, no documents from the Philippines will be needed except birth certificate and police report.  If a CENOMAR is asked for, it will show here having no marriages in the Philippines.  Might be a good idea to get one of those, just in case.  Comes from the same place she gets her birth certificate, the Philippine Statistics Authority.  (Formerly National Statistics Office)