Forced Marriage In The US With An Immigrant?

Question

a good friend of mines who is a female.. was forced to marry a guy her mom choosed for her.. but the girl didn't even like the guy.. she is so faithful to her parents and she would do anything for them.. so she went and married the guy to make her family happy.. but she tells me that she never kissed, hugged, or anything with the guy.. she really hates his guts..

so she is married to the guy and he is an immigrant.. and they are married legally married...

she wants to get out of the marriage.. its been almost a year.. and she does not know what to do.. she wants to file for divorce but she is afraid she will get locked up and go to jail.. because the law might think that this was a FRAUD MARRIAGE..

please help me out and tell me.. how she can go and divorce from the guy without her family knowing..

GOD BLESS!

Answer 1

US law forbids arranged marriages.  It must be of one's own free will.  Since the parents arranged the marriage and coerced her into it, she has grounds for an annulment.  

The "immigrant" should lose his right to be here.  If any papers were filed for him to obtain immigration, a visa, any sort of immigration benefit, she MUST file for annulment, then contact ICE and revoke her affidavit of support since it was never a valid marriage.

She will NOT get into trouble with the law for filing for annulment and for revoking her affidavit of support.  It is not a valid marriage!  She WILL get into trouble and be subject to up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 if she fails to file for an annulment (or divorce) since she is a party to a fraudulent marriage.  She must not let the fraud continue now that she knows her parents' coercion is against the law.  

Did the "immigrant" pay her parents any money for the marriage?  If so, that is additional grounds for her to be awarded the annulment, and if she does not file for annulment (or divorce), that's grounds for her to go to prison and/or be fined, too.

Answer 2

I am amazed that Americans do not believe that their way is not always the best way.  These people have a system of beliefs that should be respected, and it sounds mean, but it is their way of life just like Jamaicans who are homophobic.  It is in the Bible that homosexuality is wrong and it their way of life and their beliefs that two men should not be having s*x or two women should not be having s*x.  These people should be allowed to live their life and not have your beliefs imposed upon them!  

When the Irish came to the Americas they brought with them their beliefs and customs.  Noone said anything to them.  The British came and their beliefs and customs were thrown out in 1776 but (its funny) how today's Americans have clung to the idea of monarchical rule and British accent and customs are welcomed, but these people just want to live their lives how they know and it is a big problem.  Check Hinduism or Islam in Wikipedia or even on Yahoo Search.  It is something they have been doing for centuries and they know no other way please respect them as you respect you.   They live like that until love flourishes between the couple.

Answer 3

This woman's in no position to file for a divorce or an annulment.  If she were in that position she'd never have married this guy in the first place.

If she's serious then you should pick her up and drive her to a battered women's shelter.  Call first and explain the situation to the person running the shelter so they know what to expect when you get there.  The shelter can provide a full range of services, including legal and psychological, to assist this woman.

She engaged in no fraud.  She's in no legal jeopardy.

Answer 4

"Choosed" IS NOT A WORD.

Arranged marriages have been going on for centuries. As long as your friend is not being physically, mentally, or emotionally abused by the man, she will get through it until she is brave enough to suck it up and see a lawyer. Nobody can help her until she is willing to help herself--that is, stand up to her mother, which she should have done in the first place if she truly did not want to be married.

Answer 5

Yeah, but the husband will still have to sign the divorce papers... Unless she will run from him and stay away for 6 months... As long as they remain separated for 6 months, she can file for divorce without a problem, and will get it really fast since they have no children together...

Answer 6

She should file for an annullment and tell them all the details.  That way she won't be divorced, she will show as never married.  I think.