LTSVP: Letter from US Embassy

[fullcount]

Quick follow-up on LTSVP:

Does anyone have any suggestions for specific information/language that must be in the notarized declaration that my fiancée and I must sign? Must it talk about specific legal definitions of common law marriage? And has anyone received a common law confirmation from the U.S. Embassy or know of anyone who has done so? I want to make sure that we provide my employer with enough information so that the US Embassy will support the application.

Kind Regards,
Buck

[Jeppo]

Have you contacted the US Embassy in Singapore? My guess is that they probably have a set letter for this purpose and would be able to tell you what documents/information they need to issue the letter.

[fullcount]

Thanks for the response. I am checking with the State Dept. here in DC (where I am currently), but contacting the US Embassy directly is a good idea. Much appreciated.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hey fullcount,

Where are you from? DC or MD/VA suburbs? I'm an Eastern Shoreman and still have a farm in Dorchester County on the Shore. Worked in DC from 70-76. Looking to retire back to the farm in a couple more (been here 25 already).

[ksl]

Quick follow-up on LTSVP:

Does anyone have any suggestions for specific information/language that must be in the notarized declaration that my fiancée and I must sign? Must it talk about specific legal definitions of common law marriage? And has anyone received a common law confirmation from the U.S. Embassy or know of anyone who has done so? I want to make sure that we provide my employer with enough information so that the US Embassy will support the application.

Kind Regards,
Buck

Personally I would say an affidavit made in front of any lawyer, solicitor stateing you have been living together as man and wife, is good enough, Bills are not always in both names but do of course help....although giving a sworn statement on oath is more to the point. Embassies are not legalised noteries, to my knowledge, so a lawyers stamped official affidavit carries much more weight.

Although I'm no expert on the matter, I do know an affidavit would hold water, as a legal document of a true statements of the facts under oath....I don't have to remind you, of the seriousness of telling tales under oath, especially if its to deceive Singaporean law!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_law

[sundaymorningstaple]

The following taken from MOM's website:

Documents Required for LTSVP for Common Law Spouses

Seems pretty clear to me.

Home > Work Pass > Others > Long-Term Social Visit Pass >

The following documents are required for LTSVP applications for an Employment Pass (EP) holder's:

For Common-law Spouse

* LTSVP application form;

- The applicant must be sponsored by a well-established Singapore-registered company,
normally the employer of the EP holder.

- The form must be endorsed with the company's stamp/seal and signed by both the applicant
and an authorised officer from the sponsoring company.

* A copy of the EP holder's Statutory Declaration on his/her relationship with the applicant;

* A letter from the EP holder's embassy confirming the status of his/her common-law marriage to the applicant in their country;

* A copy of the personal particulars page of the applicant's travel document; and

* A passport size photograph of the applicant (taken within the last three months).

For non-English certificates or documents, a copy of the original certificates/documents and the official English translation certified by the respective embassy, must be submitted.

[ksl]

That's clear!

[fullcount]

Thanks for the help.

Sundaymorningstaple, I'm in Chevy Chase, MD. Grew up in Bethesda. DC must have changed a lot since you last lived here!

KSL, thanks for the advice. Understood on all counts. Part of my concern is that I just want to lay out in a clear, consise way what the facts of the realtionship are (we have lived together for x years, paid bills together for y years, have joint accounts for z years) rather than attest to whether our realtionship qualifies under US law as a common law marriage.

Reagrdless, the feedback is much appreciated!

[jpatokal]

Based on the experience of a friend, common law confirmations are not provided by the U.S. embassy, but by the state you lived together in, and their policies for granting them vary wildly. In my friend's case, the state in question was Texas, and getting it proved so difficult that they just gave up and got separate employment passes instead...

[fullcount]

jpatokal, thanks much. I had wondered about the common law aspect given how varied the laws are here in the States. And I did not want to do anything to misrepresent our situation in any way.

Cheers.