I have a big problem. My fiancee is here in canada as a live in caregiver and will be applying for PR in the next few weeks. I am a born and raised Canadian
Long story, she just found out that she is "married" in Philippines to someone that she knew there but never agreed to marry. Apparently he paid off some officials in the government so that this marriage is legal, he forged her signature and her mothers as a "witness". He somehow got a copy of her birth certificate and voters card, we dont know how this happened, her mother did not give it to him. For the past 6 years, she left Philippines and has lived and working in Taiwan and in Canada and has never lived with or been romantically involved with this guy. He now has another girlfriend and a child with her.
All of her canadian papers say she is single and nobody ever noticed or cared taht she did not put married (she dd not know she was, so she was not lying at the time).
We now want to get married in Canada but we are worried that if she ever went back there she will get caught for bigamy ect.
She contacted this guy as he still lives in her home town. He admitted to paying the official and forging the signatures but refuses to fix it. He told her to pay for the annulment. She is so upset now that she has to hide from her own country as she can be arrested there if reported.
I need help. What do we do here, will this affect her PR application and can we still get married here? I am so worried and nervous and we don't know what to do.
My fiancee is in big trouble, I need help and legal advice
Two things come to mind:
1 - What date was the 'marriage'?
If she was in Canada at the time, there goes evidence that will be hard to argue with.
2 - If the man is living with another woman in the Philippines, you have a very large hammer to hit him with as he's breaking the law there.
Joey,
Do not worry so much about this.
Fred already gave the right answer if she was not in her country of the time of marriage it is not valued 2nd she had to be present in person since the Philippines law is demanding this.
As Fred also mentioning use the fact that he is the one who already admitted that he was paying some authorities there and was plea already guilty on his actions related to this marriage. And Joey, if you have this marriage certificate check the name of the person who signed this and charge him with fraud. or even give him the chance to remove this marriage from all files.
I had almost the same situation and went to the Major of Makati Mr. Binay and he solved this for me since the marriage is not legal and can be disputed since she was not even there on the moment of marriage.
So please do not worry your wife is in the clear and will not be arrested for bigamy.
Remember you standing way stronger than this guy and have all the evidence so relax handle directly with the authorities to correct this as said earlier Joey
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