... in response to Mexican divorce question , posted by locoabogado on Aug 20, 2005The Fuzz brought up a good point. Mexican divorces may be cheaper and faster but they are not always legally recognized in the States. I know of a couple who married in the Philippines, filed all the papers for a spouse petition, and made it all the way to the visa interview where her visa application was denied. He had been previously married and got a quickie divorce in Mexico before he remarried and filed the petition. The visa was denied because the Mexican Divorce was not recognized by the U.S. Government.
They had to start all over again with a legal divorce for him, he had to travel to the Philippines and have a new legal marriage, then re-file all the paperwork and pay all the fees again. His plot to bypass the divorce laws of his state only resulted in a delay of about 2 years in obtaining a visa for his wife and cost him an awful lot of beer money.
It’s best to follow the law and divorce in your state of residence. If money is a big concern, you may be able to do it without retaining an attorney. If you and the wife are at least on speaking terms, can mutually agree on your property division, and there are no minor children involved, you could probably do it through a legal assistance center for a few hundred bucks including document and court fees.
Ray
