dilemma

[janedoe]

What is the name of your state? MO
A couple of years ago i was in a traditional union ( we call it "come we stay"in my country which is basically just 2 people living together like man and wife and only the traditional rites are undertaken that is payment of bride price ). We never legalised the union but when i was applying for my visa to come to the US to study i indicated that i was married though there are no documents to show the marriage. We later drifted apart and separated . Traditionally my parents returned the bride price to show we are no longer "married" .
I am currently married to a US citizen and i'm in the process of filing for a green card . In most of the forms they require info on former spouses.I don't know how to answer this questions since it was just a traditional arrangement and I know traditional marriages are not recognised in the US.I have no documents to show i was married or separated .
How do i handle this?

[ImmigAttyLana]

What was the visa that you entered the US on? Was it a dependent visa? You would have had to show proof of marriage in order to obtain such a visa. If you did not come on a dependent visa and you were never, in fact, married, then you can indicate that on the forms. Please clarify what status you currently hold and how you entered the US, on what type of visa.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or how I can be of further assistance to you in this matter.

[janedoe]

I came in on a F1 visa.

[janedoe]

i came in on a F1 visa .The visa is still valid till 2008 but i'm currently out of status since i stopped going to school.

[ImmigAttyLana]

Then that should not be a problem since the F-1 is not a dependent visa. YOu don't need to worry about disclosing a prior relationship since it was not a legally binding relationship like marriage that would have had to have been terminated prior to being able to enter into a different relationship.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or how I can be of further assistance to you in this matter.

[janedoe]

thanks ImmigAttyLana.

[janedoe]

I sent all the AOS documents on July 2. My husband received the receipt notice for Form I-130 on July 18 . i haven't received the receipt notice for the other documents. Is there a reason why they would send only one notice and not the rest?

[evcalyptos]

I sent all the AOS documents on July 2. My husband received the receipt notice for Form I-130 on July 18 . i haven't received the receipt notice for the other documents. Is there a reason why they would send only one notice and not the rest?

There has been a lengthy delay in some of the receipt generation. Just watch to see if/when your checks are cashed. You can get the receipt number from the back.

I hope you will let us know what happens with the marriage thing, where you said on one application that you are married but now say you were not.