How Polygamy Affects US Immigration?
In the US, if one romantic couple has one more than one spouses already, the US Immigration Services may disqualify the person from seeking immigration and citizenship. On the basis of polygamy, the county can deny a person- male or female- naturalization.
US Immigration Services:
When a person has applied for immigration through naturalization, there is an evaluation process that the person has to undergo. The agency discovers all the information about the person through a background check. It discovers all the matters such as violation of legal matters, broken rules or the records that re not available and sealed as juvenile issues.
Among these matters, polygamy or bigamy is also discovered. But if the person is living in another location where polygamy is legal, this may not be a matter of concern. However, to gain US citizenship, the person cannot have more than one legal spouse.
Polygamy Defined:
Polygamy refers to the situation when a person marries more than twice at a timeless than twice refers to bigamy. Having multiple or any number of spouses is illegal throughout the country. Although a person can have multiple spouses in another country where it is considered as legal, but cannot immigrate to the US still having multiple spouses. US immigration laws prohibit this practice and if the person violates this law, he or she may be deported and face criminal charges.
Many people do not understand fully the distinction between polygamy and bigamy. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services has stopped using the term ‘polygamy’ that has further confused the people regarding what such situations involve. The Naturalization form asks the person if he or she has been married to more than one person, at the same time. This refers to the illegal act of having more than one spouse within the country.
The Explanation of the Question on the Immigration Form:
Some applicants mark the yes on the form in answer to the multiple marriage question. The explanation may give more information to the agency that may increase the chances of naturalization. Depending on the explanation the person may acquire citizenship in the US.
Usually, the information about the second (or more) marriage is from accidental causes, for instance, divorce, death of a spouse, or ay similar incident. The matter gets settled quickly and the new marriage gains the status of legal marriage. Whereas others answer with ‘no’ and still hold the label of being a polygamist. As divorce law varies in each state, the person should hire a lawyer to know how it impacts immigration.
US Immigration Law and Polygamy:
Although, a foreign national can defend against unintentional bigamy or polygamy as this is not something that the person has a defense for. Being married to more than two persons, the individual has to begin a new relationship without completing or finishing the previous one. In case the marriages are intentional, this is considered as a crime in the US. Moreover, if a person applies with lies on the application, later he or she can face deportation.
A person may try to hide multiple spouses, but it is not possible given extensive background checks. In case the immigration department gives visa initially, it can be later revoked because the visa was based on lies. Moreover, polygamy is a crime that holds a person from having a good moral character that is required for naturalization. However, the immigrant has to be married to only one person and polygamy- intentional or unintentional- will prevent the person from acquiring US citizenship.
Legal Assistance:
The person applying for US citizenship may need the services of an immigration lawyer or divorce lawyer to remove multiple marriages at the time of application. It is crucial to resolve these legal relationships for naturalization.
