seeking advice

[angel07]

Hello to all,

Just found this website and hoping that I can get advise from you guys. I am just married with brit man,I met in Singapore .Before we got married we lived together abroad(Singapore) for 2 years. We were both working in Singapore.When he finished his contract we moved to Philippines to get married and apply for setlement visa. My problem is, when I was 18 years old I worked in Taiwan. Ph government not allowed 18 years old to work abroad, the agency I was applying said to me they have way to change my age. I agreed because my family really need money that time and I had no choice. I got the passport with the help of the agency. They made me 24 years old in my passport. I used that passport from then until last Nov 2007. It was also the reason why It took us 2 years before we got married .I cannot get married using my birth certificate because I know that I will have problem when I apply for the settlement visa. Until I asked help from the congressman in our district. And he helped me to get new passport in my real year of birth. I have correct passport now. And already used when we traveled in Hongkong for our honeymoon. What I am worried about now is when I apply for settlement visa this month. Our evidence of relationship is in my old passport, all the stamps we travel together.Stamps of our travel together to PH, 6 times in that 2 years. Do I need to show to the embassy my old passport? They will see there that the year of birth is not the same..

Please I really need advise I dont want to make mistake when I apply the visa.

[KeithD]

I've dealt with this before.

YOU MUST change EVERYTHING to what your REAL name & DOB is BEFORE marrying or applying for anything, and start with a clean slate. IE. You have NEVER left the country.

This happens more often than I am happy with, and it is the agencies taking advantage of desperate people, although you have to accept 50% responsibility for not thinking it through.

Hopefully you are married under your LEGAL documents and not any ILLEGAL ones, otherwise YOU ARE NOT MARRIED.

[joebloggs]

so right scouser keith..


people should think about the long term consequences of fraud, what ever your reasons for it, there is an old saying "tell a lie, wave the visa goodbye"... so like keith says make sure everything is right b4 you apply for a visa, or your past might catch up with you


as for your old passport, i'm sure the embassy would wonder why you have 2 passports and your first one has not expired, maybe they wouldn't notice your age on your first, that a big risk thou, you must have other evidence of you being togther for the 2 years ? plane tickets, bills etc ??? can your congressman not write a letter stating a mistake was made about your age on your orginal one , i don't know if that would help.

good luck thou

[angel07]

HI WIN2WIN and JOe,

thanks for the reply. I used my original birth certificate on our marriage. Im 32 now. JUst the year of birth is not tally on my 2 passports. I used the old passport for 13 years working abroad. THe old one is the false birth year and the new one is my real birth year. As I said we met abroad. I am thinking not to show my old passport and just say I lost it. We have tickets and emails and text messages I can show to them. Is it good idea to just show my new passport.

[joebloggs]

i'm sure the embassy will photocopy/scan each page of your passports with your photo and details on, will they notice the different birth year, i don't know your guess is as good as mine, but if they do, i'm sure they will wonder why, and is this fraud ? and unless you've got a good answer why, then maybe they will refuse your visa..

like i said who knows if they will they notice, no one can tell you what to do in this situation, you have to decide that yourself, but to get rid of the risk, maybe don't mention your old passport, or tell them it was stolen.. thats up to you to decide.. if you have other evidence to support your visa app ...

[KeithD]

As I said. The passport with the stamps DOES NOT EXIST in the real world. So you can't use it.

As far as you, the embassy, and everyone else is concerned you have never left the Phil an met hubby via the Internet, who then came to visit you, and you married. Simple as that.

Anything to do with your life abroad does not legally exist. The embassy only needs LEGAL documents. IE Those with your correct information on.

Give them anything else, you are likely to be refused.

Ignoring the past discrepancies is not in anyway illegal, as you have no criminal record for fraud, so never mention it. Burn your old passport, and anything to do with you leaving the country, you never have.

[Mrs.JMajor]

yes,i been dealt w/ that situation angel ....boss and joe said it right.. dont use the old one ..use w/ the present one and thats the real one though,i bet you using the original one wont make u nervous everytime using it through some govt pi agencies

and having 2 passport so yeah forgot all about the fake one..concentrate w/ the real one

that will put u on peace of mind