Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Madailein Abbott | 170810-N-WJ640-001 SINGAPORE (Aug. 10, 2017) For more information on a U.S. citizen...... read more read more
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It’s happened, you’ve met “the one” and everything is coming together. Well, almost. Popping the question is one thing, but actually getting married is another. Especially if you’re a U.S. citizen stationed overseas and “the one” happens to be a foreign national.
For Singapore Area Coordinator (SAC) residents, the process is no different. There’s paperwork and rules, but there’s also assistance available to help those trying to tie the knot and start the next chapter of their lives.
The first step for service members is to obtain permission before their intended wedding. Marriage to foreign nationals in overseas areas such as Singapore fall under the jurisdiction of Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Marianas (COMNAVMarianas) as well as the Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand and India. If the service member marries without this form, they will be violating Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), violation of or failure to obey a lawful general order or regulation.
“The requirements from COMNAVMARIANAS in order for them to go ahead and approve the request to marry are explained in instruction 1752.1H,” said Lt. Cmdr. Darren Myers, Commander, Logistics Western Pacific (COMLOG WESTPAC) Legal Officer. “The policies they have in the instruction are basically making sure there’s been a medical examination done, that the couple has gone through marriage counseling, that they’ve provided records and evidence that the U.S. citizen can support that spouse financially as well as a background check on the intended spouse. These are the basic requirements from COMNAVMARIANAS in order for them to go ahead and approve the request to marry.”
According to U.S. law, someone who marries a U.S. citizen and are not a U.S. citizen themselves must apply for a green card (U.S. permanent residence). This is a process involving many forms and documents. The person can be refused entry if he or she is found inadmissible, has certain medical conditions, a criminal history, past immigration violations, or the U.S. immigration authorities' belief that the marriage is fraud. After successfully obtaining a green card, the spouse can, after three years as a permanent resident, apply for U.S. citizenship.
“The instruction lays everything out in detail and also has the required forms attached for couples in this situation trying to get married,” said Myers. “If they would like to go over the instruction in its entirety then I or Lt. Ingrid Paige, our other legal representative, would be happy to explain it and provide assistance.”
Not every country has the same laws, so depending on which country you plan to get married in there may be a separate list of requirements needed before the marriage can take place. When Yeoman Second Class Thomas Reyes, attached to Naval Criminal Investigative Service Singapore Field Office, was preparing to marry his wife there were more than just a few bumps in the road.
“When we were going through the process I made the mistake of only looking at the U.S. laws and completely forgetting to look at the Singapore ones,” said Reyes. “We thought we were ready to get married but then we found out that you have to tell the Registry of Marriage in Singapore that you’re going to get married 21 days in advance. We had to actually push our marriage date because of this. I’d advise people to remember to check out both sets of laws.”
United States civilian personnel serving with, employed by, or accompanying the Armed Forces outside the U.S. under Department of Defense (DoD) sponsorship are excluded from the provisions of the directive. However, these personnel are urged to take advantage of the consultative services provided by the command concerning the legal, procedural, moral and intercultural problems which can occur in overseas marriages.
“The process isn’t designed to discourage marriage, but it does highlight the difficulty in going through the process,” said Myers. “Couples should be prepared for a slight expense as well such as visa applications or medical screenings as well as the amount of time it takes to complete all the requirements.”
It’s important to remember that marriage to a U.S. citizen does not guarantee issuance of a U.S. immigration visa to the spouse. Final jurisdiction for a visa is held with the Department of State and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and is governed by the laws of the U.S.
“Going through the marriage process here was difficult but I think it’s necessary when you look at it from a different viewpoint,” said Reyes. “In the end it was absolutely worth all the paperwork and appointments.”
For more information and obtaining required forms, please refer to COMNAVMARIANAS Instruction 1752.1H.
| Date Taken: | 08.09.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 08.09.2017 22:48 |
| Story ID: | 244373 |
| Location: | SG |
| Web Views: | 2,576 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, What to Do When Marrying a Foreign National Overseas, by PO3 Madailein Abbott, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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