Marriage concerns for sponsorship - All Senior Member, please help

[Kishie]

All Senior Members. Need your valuable help

I am PR holder and want to sponsor my husband. I am a Roman Catholic (from India) and my husband is Hindu (Indian) hence our marriage is a interfaith marriage (love cum arranged marriage).

We got married by civil or court marriage before the Marriage officer/registrar of the district under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 in India, thereafter we did Hindu traditional marriage and Church marriage (to respect both the faiths) and a common reception in Catholic style. The court marriage, Hindu marriage, Church marriage and the reception, all happened on the same day.

1. In Question 15 of Form 5490 (Sponsered Person Questionaire), they have asked to specify the rite (religion) in which the marriage took place. What should I fill in there? Should I mention civil, Hindu and Catholic Church wedding.

2. Will it create a problem if I show both traditional marriage (Hindu and Catholic) along with the Civil marriage in my application. I have photos of all the ceremonies.

3. Will the Visa Officer raise a concern that we got married in Church (as church does not allow other religious marriage) and we even did tradition Hindu marriage without me nor my husband getting converted.

4. Or is it true that the New Delhi Visa Officer is not concerned as to which marriage tradition you have followed to get married until you have provided them with our Marriage Certificate issued by the Registrar of Marriage under Special Marriage Act,1954 and other supporting documents to prove our marriage is genuine ?

Please help with your suggestions as I am really worried about it and want to start my sponsorship application soon

 

[waitingsince2004]

There is not an issue if you had two marriage ceremonies. The only issue ( I may be wrong) that can be raised how could four marriage ceremonies done in a single day in India???? As you said that civil, Hindu, Catholic and even reception done in same day?

Good Luck.

 

[Steph C]

India must have a special rule, because I was under the impression that non-baptized catholic can not be married in a Catholic church, even if one party is Catholic.

 

[tavora]

India must have a special rule, because I was under the impression that non-baptized catholic can not be married in a Catholic church, even if one party is Catholic.

I imagine it's the same everywhere -- you can get married in a Catholic church if only one person is a practising Catholic. It's just less likely that the priest would perform a full Catholic mass if only one party was Catholic.

 

[canadianwoman]

I'd include evidence of everything: the church, Hindu, and court weddings. New Delhi is picky about these things. Best to explain everything in the application.

 

[Kishie]

I'd include evidence of everything: the church, Hindu, and court weddings. New Delhi is picky about these things. Best to explain everything in the application.

Thanks for the revert.

I happen to find the information regarding Hindu, Church and Civil Marriage and this is what an Indian lawyer had to say

"The Christian Marriage between a Christian and a Hindu is valid under the Indian Christian Marriage Act,1872 but there are technical issues such as the Christian Priest/Bishop may insist for formal conversion of the Hindu to Christian religion, the person who is not Christian may reconvert to his/her original religion after the marriage which gives a ground for dissolution of marriage to the Christian partner.

A Hindu Marriage between a Hindu and a Christian is void under the Hindu Marriage Act,1955, for a valid Hindu religious marriage both parties should be Hindu by religion. A non-Hindu gets converted to Hindu religion may reconvert to Original Christian religion, thus giving a ground for divorce to the Hindu partner.

A Civil Marriage between a Hindu & a Christian is absolutely valid under the Special Marriage Act,1954.No conversion or reconversion of either of the parties required in such civil marriage. The best thing in such civil marriage is that it is registered and parties issued valid marriage certificate by the Registrar of Marriages at the time of their marriage and its registration on same day/time so no such afterward registration of marriage required after the solemnization of the marriage.

After the civil marriage under the Special Marriage Act,1954 you can go ahead for religious marriages both according to Christian form as well Hindu form but those will have no relevance as what will count as valid marriage between both will be this civil marriage and both Christian & Hindu marriages will have significance for religious fanatics of her side or your side and social drama for you to feed wedding feast to hungry relatives & friends nothing more.

What I stated is absolute correct legal position as far Indian law & legal system is concerned"

So per the above explanation from a lawyer, I hope I should not worry that the New Delhi visa officer will raise any red flags related to the genuineness of our marriage or issues related to inter-faith marriage and submit all photos of wedding ceremonies (Civil, Hindu, Church) for the spouse sponsorship.

I would appreciate if you can share your response which may be helpful for others in mere future.

Thanks

Kishie

 

[canadianwoman]

Yes, the civil marriage will be the legal marriage as far as CIC is concerned, and the other two ceremonies are more just ceremonies to celebrate the marriage and include both sides of the family.
I would include descriptions of all three, and photos of all three.

 

[Kishie]

Yes, the civil marriage will be the legal marriage as far as CIC is concerned, and the other two ceremonies are more just ceremonies to celebrate the marriage and include both sides of the family.
I would include descriptions of all three, and photos of all three.

Thanks for the reply.

Just few more questions, this is in regards with SPONSORSHIP SPOUSE QUESTIONNAIRE form (IMM 5490) which my husband will fill

In question 17, it ask you Was the marriage arranged. Yes/ NO

Our marriage was love cum arranged marriage, then what should be my answer.

In question 24, it ask you Has your sponsor visited during the period of your relationship Yes/ NO

After I landed in Canada and become PR holder (I am the sponsor), I went India to get married and returned back to Canada so what will be the answer for the question 24

Please pardon me for such silly questions as I want to be sure when we fill the form.

Thanks in advance

Kishie

 

[canadianwoman]

In question 17, it ask you Was the marriage arranged. Yes/ NO

Our marriage was love cum arranged marriage, then what should be my answer.

Whenever your answer is not quite captured by the choices given on the form, you should attach a separate sheet of paper explaining the situation. So you could answer 'yes' here, then explain how it was both an arranged marriage and a love marriage.
How was your marriage arranged? They mean basically that the parents of a woman and the parents of a man get together and decide their children should marry, usually without the two having met. The parents will discuss whether the marriage is appropriate, based on age/religion/ethnicity/etc.

I

n question 24, it ask you Has your sponsor visited during the period of your relationship Yes/ NO

After I landed in Canada and become PR holder (I am the sponsor), I went India to get married and returned back to Canada so what will be the answer for the question 24

Yes. Is that the only time you have visited him?

 

[Kishie]

Whenever your answer is not quite captured by the choices given on the form, you should attach a separate sheet of paper explaining the situation. So you could answer 'yes' here, then explain how it was both an arranged marriage and a love marriage.
How was your marriage arranged? They mean basically that the parents of a woman and the parents of a man get together and decide their children should marry, usually without the two having met. The parents will discuss whether the marriage is appropriate, based on age/religion/ethnicity/etc.

IYes. Is that the only time you have visited him?

Thanks a lot for clearing my doubts. God bless you