28 Aug Marriage Fraud determination by USCIS
By Atty. Crispin Caday Lozano
On August 23, 2019, in the BIA case Matter of P. SINGH, the board issued a ruling about the evidence required to deny a petition for an alien who was previously charged an INA 204 (c) violation for marriage fraud.
The BIA enumerated the following are the legal standards to follow:
(1) The standard of proof necessary to bar the approval of a visa petition based on marriage fraud under section 204(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1154(c) (2012), is “substantial and probative evidence.”
(2) The degree of proof necessary to constitute “substantial and probative evidence” is more than a preponderance of evidence, but less than clear and convincing evidence; that is, the evidence has to be more than probably true that the marriage is fraudulent.
(3) The nature, quality, quantity, and credibility of the evidence of marriage fraud contained in the record should be considered in its totality in determining if it is “substantial and probative.”
(4) The application of the “substantial and probative evidence” standard requires the examination of all of the relevant evidence and a determination as to whether such evidence, when viewed in its totality, establishes, with sufficient probability, that the marriage is fraudulent.
(5) Both direct and circumstantial evidence may be considered in determining whether there is “substantial and probative evidence” of marriage fraud under section 204(c) of the Act, and circumstantial evidence alone may be sufficient to constitute “substantial and probative evidence.”
In this case the beneficiary married the maternal grandmother of the petitioner. After an investigation by the USCIS Fraud unit they determined that the marriage was made to evade the immigration law.
Section 204(c) of the Act states, in pertinent part: No petition shall be approved if (1) the alien has previously been accorded, or has sought to be accorded, an immediate relative or preference status as the spouse of a citizen of the United States or the spouse of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, by reason of a marriage determined by the Attorney General to have been entered into for the purpose of evading the immigration laws, or (2) the Attorney General has determined that the alien has attempted or conspired to enter into a marriage for the purpose of evading the immigration laws.
The BIA upheld the decision of USCIS determination of marriage fraud.
Note: This is not a legal advice.
SUCCESS STORIES
- For the month of August, 2019, we received approval from Immigration Court for a waiver of misrepresentation for a client who has committed marriage fraud. We also received approval from USCIS of two naturalization applications and two fiancé visa petition.
- For the month of July 2019, we received approvals of two N-400 application for Naturalization, one I-751 Petition to remove condition of residence with interview and two I-90 renewal of green card.
- For June 2019, we received approvals of four adjustment of status, six naturalization applications and two certificate of citizenship applications, and one Removal of condition on resident.
- On May 6, 2019, we received approvals of three adjustment of status applications and two Naturalization applications.
- On April 24, 2019, we received approval from USCIS for three naturalization applications and one adjustment of status.
- On March 29, 2019, we received an approval of adjustment of status for a client whose petitioner and primary beneficiary has died under INA 204(l)
- On March 28, 2019, we received an approval of renewal of green card for a client who was in the Philippines under medical treatment for one and a half years.
- From March 4 to 26, 2019, we received six adjustment of status approvals.
- For the month of February, 2019, we received tow approvals of renewal of green card and one approval of removal of condition on residence.
- On January 16, 2019, we received an approval of naturalization for a client who received a waiver of misrepresentation in Immigration Court.
- On January 28, 2019 we received an approval of adjustment of status for a client who entered on a visa waiver.
If you have immigration problems the Law Offices of Crispin C. Lozano can help you find a solution before your problem gets worse which could lead to deportation and family separation.
Crispin Caday Lozano, Esq. is an active member of the State Bar of California, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and San Francisco Trial Lawyers. He practices immigration law, bankruptcy and personal injury law since June 1999. His contact phone is 1-877-456-9266, email: info@CCLlaw.net