Factors that May Raise Suspicion Regarding Your Marriage-Based Immigration Application

If you are an American citizen engaged or married to a foreign national, you may want to sponsor them to enter the country so you can be reunited. Lawful permanent residents can also sponsor spouses, but they are not eligible to sponsor a fiancé. Although family-based immigration is one of the most common ways foreign nationals enter the United States, these applications are also highly scrutinized by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

If you are sponsoring your spouse or fiancé, immigration officials will want to confirm that the relationship is legitimate and not arranged solely for immigration purposes. There are certain factors that may raise the suspicions of USCIS officials. Below, our Atlanta family immigration lawyer outlines what these are.

Significant Age Differences

Large age differences between the engaged couple will trigger increased scrutiny, particularly if the foreign national is much younger than the American citizen. An age gap alone does not automatically mean that your relationship is not legitimate, but it is important to prepare for questioning that is more intense. Prepare to talk about how you met and why you and your partner are compatible regardless of the difference in ages.

Fast Marriages

If you and your spouse married after just a few months of meeting each other, this will also raise the suspicions of immigration officials. Religious beliefs, cultural reasons, and situations such as military deployment are all reasonable explanations for quick marriages. It is important that you clearly articulate your reasons and be prepared to fully explain them.

Previous Marriages 

A previous marriage will not automatically disqualify you or your partner from applying for a visa or green card. However, if either of you has been married multiple times, immigration officials will ask detailed questions about these previous relationships. This is particularly true if the spouses were foreign nationals at the time.

Language Barriers 

If there is a language barrier between you and your spouse or fiancé, you will also have to explain this to immigration officials. They will ask how you are able to communicate with each other and how you can make major life decisions without speaking each other’s language fluently. Translation apps, a common third language between you, or starting to learn each other’s languages can all explain how you will overcome language barriers.

Inconsistencies 

If you and your partner have inconsistent stories, this will create large suspicion for immigration officials. While you should not memorize a script, it is important that you and your partner remember significant events similarly. If differing details are minor, such as where you went to dinner on your third date, it likely will not raise suspicion. On the other hand, if you are inconsistent with major details, such as when you got engaged, this will be problematic.

Our Family Immigration Lawyer in Atlanta Can Help You Prepare

Raising suspicion with immigration officials can make it very difficult to reunite with your loved one. Our Atlanta family immigration lawyer can ensure you are prepared so the process is as easy as possible. For a consultation to discuss your needs and case, please call Shirazi Immigration Law, Inc. today at 404-523-3611. We are proud to serve clients in Atlanta, Moultrie, and Dalton, GA and Chattanooga, TN.

Source:

travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/family-immigration/immigrant-visa-for-a-spouse-or-fiance-of-a-us-citizen.html