[WSBAPT] Refugee from 1973, told to produce marriage certificate

Thu Sep 26 12:22:19 PDT 2019

Brent, the State Department, for immigration purposes, provides info on how to obtain legal documents in every country.  If a certain document is not available in a country, it provides information on substitute documents.  Below is what I found on the State Department’s website about Laos so if all fails, maybe she can ask relatives back home to get a marriage certificate for her.  When I was practicing immigration law, we ran into issues like this all the time (for immigration reason and not SS benefits); please feel free to call me if you want to have a chat about it.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/LaoPeoplesDemocraticRepublic.html:

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Marriage, Divorce Certificates<javascript:void(0);>

Lao citizen couples are issued a document of marriage in the district where the marriage took place. The Lao government recognizes marriages between Lao citizens that are not registered but that are reflected in the Household Registration Book that shows a couple to be husband and wife. A divorce decree must be issued by the court in the district where the couple is resident for a divorce to be final. A divorce certificate issued by a village or district official that is not a member of the court is not sufficient. Marriage and divorce documents can be obtained from the district government in which they were originally issued.

Regards,

Doris Eslinger
Attorney at Law
Eslinger Law Office, PLLC
2200 112th Ave NE | Suite 200 | Bellevue, WA 98004 | Phone: (425) 451-3237 |
Fax: (425) 633-2468 | doris at eslingerlawoffice.com<mailto:doris at eslingerlawoffice.com> | eslingerlawoffice.com<http://www.eslingerlawoffice.com/>

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From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> On Behalf Of Jane Bitz
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2019 5:03 PM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Refugee from 1973, told to produce marriage certificate

Brent:

I had a client who was trying to establish her marriage that took place over 60 years before in Boston. Her husband was on his way to serve in WWII. There were a series of events (churches closed, records burned, etc.) that resulted in her inability to obtain a certified copy of their marriage certificate. We were able to show their wedding album, a newspaper clipping with the date & info about the wedding, documentation of their 50th wedding anniversary party with cards & letters (one of which was from their best man with a written recollection of the day of the wedding, he had since passed away) and her wedding band (the date of their wedding and their initials were inscribed inside). All of this evidence was used to show she had been married for over 60 years to her now deceased husband. It worked.

I know that your client’s circumstances are quite different, but if they have anniversary cards or if they celebrated and have photos of an Anniversary party (better if it was listed in a newspaper or church bulletin), any deed showing them as husband and wife, estate planning documents where he stated his name and said “I am married to [client name]”; their children’s birth certificates, even tax return copies “married, filing jointly” etc. All of this would help to substantiate that they were actually married, even if they don’t have the “official paperwork”.

Hope this helps.
Jane.

Jane G. Bitz
Of Counsel
Wolff, Hislop & Crockett, PLLC
12209 E. Mission Ave, Suite 5
Spokane Vallley, WA 99206-4824
(509) 927-9700 x126
FAX: (509) 777-1800

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From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>> On Behalf Of Brent Williams-Ruth
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2019 3:03 PM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <WSBAPT at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:WSBAPT at lists.wsbarppt.com>>
Subject: [WSBAPT] Refugee from 1973, told to produce marriage certificate

Good Afternoon List -

I have a client who came to the United States as a refugee on October 31, 1973.  They were a married couple from Laos.  Husband recently passed and so surviving spouse went to social security for her survivors benefits.  They want her to produce a marriage certificate proving they were married.

Sadly, all she has is a photo of the two of them showing 1/2 and 2/2 with the same entry number (which apparently is how the United Nations established marital couples back then).

Any advice on how I can assist with this?

Thank you,

Brent Williams-Ruth
Attorney-At-Law

Law Offices of Brent Williams-Ruth, a division of BWR Consulting, PLLC

Office/Scheduling Phone: (425) 830-5134

Direct Mobile: (206) 889-7919

e-mail<mailto:Brent at Williams-RuthLaw.com> / website<http://www.Williams-RuthLaw.com/> / facebook<http://www.facebook.com/bwrconsults> /

As of July 1, 2019 - I began operating as the Law Offices of Brent Williams-Ruth a division of BWR Consulting, PLLC. Please note the new points of contact Brent at Williams-RuthLaw.com<mailto:Brent at Williams-RuthLaw.com> and www.Williams-RuthLaw.com<http://www.Williams-RuthLaw.com>
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