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My friend married to help a guy studying in Canada, to stay here long enough to finish his
studies, and she sponsored him to get landed immigrant. she thought he was a very good
friend and wanted to help him. Now the situation is unbearable and she wants annulment or
divorce, but he doesn't want. Can she get in any legal trouble for having married him only
for purposes of his immigration?

Also, is there any possibility of "annulment" of the marriage? They resided together only
for about 2 months after marriage and then she asked him to leave. Then (3 months living
separate) he ran out of money and she felt she was responsible and had to support him
until he could get a work visa and finish school, so she took him in to her home again (4
weeks now). She is considering one of those quick global divorces, because he is not
cooperative and puts great pressure on her. He is opening all her mail, listening to all
her phone calls, and trying to control her and make her stay with him. She is miserable
and somewhat afraid of him. he even threatened to kill her once or kill himself, then
later said it was a joke.

She is desperate. What advice can you give?

char_lotte

First she needs to worry about her own personal safety. She should take steps to protect
herself from a potentially very dangerous situation. Changing the locks, getting a
restraining order, whatever it takes. THREATS OF VIOLENCE SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN LIGHTLY,
no matter what the relationship situation is.

Secondly, your friend signed legal documents stating that she promised to support her
husband for the next ten years. This stands even if they become divorced, or the marriage
is annulled. If he ever collects social assistance, then she will be on the hook for it.
She could also face not being able to ever sponsor anyone ever again, if she is in default
of the sponsorship agreement.

Your friend is in a very precarious situation in that she also was a willing party to
immigration fraud, which is a very serious offence. She should be the poster child for
"Why Not to Cheat CIC". Has she retained a lawyer yet? Because she should.

She could come clean, and there will be an investigation, and her husband could be
deported. But the process is not swift, nor conclusive.

Good luck

In article <[email protected]>,

> My friend married to help a guy studying in Canada, to stay here long
enough
> to finish his studies, and she sponsored him to get landed
immigrant. she
> thought he was a very good friend and wanted to help him. Now the
situation
> is unbearable and she wants annulment or divorce, but he doesn't
want. Can
> she get in any legal trouble for having married him only for purposes
of his
> immigration?
>
> Also, is there any possibility of "annulment" of the marriage? They
resided
> together only for about 2 months after marriage and then she asked
him to
> leave. Then (3 months living separate) he ran out of money and she
felt she
> was responsible and had to support him until he could get a work visa
and
> finish school, so she took him in to her home again (4 weeks now).
She is
> considering one of those quick global divorces, because he is not cooperative and puts
> great pressure on her. He is opening all her
mail,
> listening to all her phone calls, and trying to control her and make
her
> stay with him. She is miserable and somewhat afraid of him. he even threatened to kill
> her once or kill himself, then later said it was a
joke.
>
> She is desperate. What advice can you give?