about to marry a jordanian man...

Are you American and your husband Jordanian?  If you are American your son will have US Citizenship.  But, if you are not legally married in Jordan, your son will not have Jordanian citizenship (assuming your husband has it) if he does not have you listed in his family book.  If your are not an American citizen, and your husband is, and ypur not legally married I am not sure how that would work.  I'm sure he would get citizenship , but probably sonething extra paperwork, or the paper like you said.  This is my understanding of the law, someone correct me if I am wrong.

No, I don't know any laws there but I suggest you get informed for your own safety and your children!

Yes
Your marriage is legal, but I learned that you may have problems with your ability to come back to the USA. In Jordan he can say no and you would have a lot of court issues to deal with.
Also that would make your son a Jordanian and he would be in control of him ever comming to the USA with you

Hello Jamie,
Your mousque certificate is valid but you have to notarize it from two places in Amman. The first is from Supreme Islamic Court (called: qadee al qudah) located in Gardens Street next to Jabree restaurant. Second, Ministry of external affairs in Shmesani behind Eskan Complex. After that you must take it to the Islamic Affairs court in Irbid, located near Alnaseem round-about in Irbid, to equivalant it with a local marriege certificate. Honestly, the court in Irbid may require his presence.

Once the baby is born please ask for a birth evidance from the hospital. You will not be able to get a birth certificate from the Jordanian authorities because ur marriege is not documented in Jordan. The birth evidence can be presented to the US embassy in Amman to issue the baby an American birth certificate and passport.

It will also be a good idea to consult the US embassy to verify the process.

Good luck

Even if the son is Jordanian, the father cant hold custody of him until he is 16 years old. The mother will have the right of custody even if she is not Jordanian... no need to panic.

While the marriege is legal, it must be documented in Jordan for the boy to get the Jordanian citizenship. With a birth evidance from the hospital, the boy will get the US citizenship brfore the Jordanian, trust me.

Are you American if you are then yes that may be true.  You will need to make an appointment with OUR embassy and it has to be done online in Jordan you can not just call like any other country.
Also the immigration process is in fact changing. Go to the Jordanian embassy website and read your rights as well as your husbands. Go to the American embassy and read your rights as well as your sons
Please?

Also do not forget
In order to get that American  passport for your child BOTH parents must be present to sign for it.
You should contact American Embassy fast and get accurate information.
Trust yourself you understand your in a Muslim marriage. You understand your rights as well as your husband.
Now understand our laws and processes for entering the USA.
Please? Contact our embassy before that baby is born. It is in your husbands hands if he comes back to the USA, or like I said long court fight.
Both parents must agree for the passport and that is just the first FACT

Thank you all for the information, I was doing a ton of research, I am American.....I actually got my Mother in law to talk my husband into sending me back to have the Baby in America, she told him it’s better there and we wouldn’t have to worry about doing all the extra paperwork for the baby to be given US Citizenship. I will be returning after he is born with my in laws (they are great; all of my in laws have been amazing to me and my daughter) I just dislike that I can’t go do things on my own, or even smoke Hookah ( if I wanted too....of course not while pregnant) or just go to see my nieces and enjoy lunch with them. It gets so depressing but I am very submissive to my husband and I know things could be a lot worse. So I’ll continue to hold my head high but also make sure I knowledge myself with my rights (as well as my childrens) as an American married to a Jordanian. Thank you all for the help.

I developed a terrible hookah addiction when I lived in Jordan due to boredom, that I haven't been able to shake since being back in the usa. I completely understand the feeling of uselessness I had in Jordan.  I'd encourage you to legalize your marriage in both Jordan and the US while you are together, for your own and your children's benefit. Best of luck.

Jamiinichs wrote:

Thank you all for the information, I was doing a ton of research, I am American.....I actually got my Mother in law to talk my husband into sending me back to have the Baby in America, she told him it’s better there and we wouldn’t have to worry about doing all the extra paperwork for the baby to be given US Citizenship. I will be returning after he is born with my in laws (they are great; all of my in laws have been amazing to me and my daughter) I just dislike that I can’t go do things on my own, or even smoke Hookah ( if I wanted too....of course not while pregnant) or just go to see my nieces and enjoy lunch with them. It gets so depressing but I am very submissive to my husband and I know things could be a lot worse. So I’ll continue to hold my head high but also make sure I knowledge myself with my rights (as well as my childrens) as an American married to a Jordanian. Thank you all for the help.

Please PLEASE take your time while in the US post-natal; I hate to say it, but he'll only become more controlling after you've had the child.

Thanks for sharing your view. I have a relation with a Jordanien, actually Palestinian, man from Amman. You have definitely made me re-thinking about his wish to sign a contact. Even though this will really not make me married according to Sweden law, he and his family and friends will regarding us as wife and husband. I have already, after 5 month aquintance,  3x1week visiting, been aware of the V-neck and public beaches and swim suit, not to mention bikini.
I love all that you wrote.
I have made up my mind.
Shukran!

Please be careful.
When a woman is alone in the country they seem to take more advantage of her without her noticing it or realizing it, we sometimes become blind due to our unfortunate love and affection for our so called ' husband '

Enjoy your day.

I am so happy for you, that is definitely the best thing. I am proud of you for learning and knowing your rights. I did not know mine, I did not tell you... but I am also a truck driver.
I could have checked on your husband for you, but you needed to understand your place. My husband is Jordanian and Muslim. I thought I wanted to be, I love respect admire and stand beside Islam 100%
I fight for what is right and good in the world❤️ My situation was much different than yours obviously, but I am so proud of you!!!!
And your husband
I hope you have a long beautiful and amazing life and marriage together ❤️

Is it your choice to stay in Jordan while your husband works in America?  I don't understand why someone would choose to be separated and stay in Jordan if you have the ability to live with him in the US and you are married, as it sounds like he has the ability to live and work in the US.  I know it's none of my business.  I am American and my husband is Jordanian so I understand culture etc., and when my husband had to travel for work for long periods the the US he brought me with him or I went with my family in the US if it was a situation I couldn't stay with him.  Coupled with the fact that he doesn't seem to want to legalize your marriage in either country seems strange.  It's not hard to legalize a marriage.  Please for your own sake, just make sure there is nothing going on that you don't know about, such as he has another marriage or whatever.  I don't mean any offense or to judge your situation, as everyone has different things that works for them. I wish you all the best.

Kip's information is accurate. My marriage in the US to my Jordanian-American husband had to be certified in Jordan before I was put in the family book, but our US born children qualified immediately for Jordanian citizenship and went directly on the family book (I'm pretty sure the birth certificates had to be translated, then certified, but the process was very short).

I do want to add, so you can consider, I traveled in and out of Jordan alone with the kids on our American passport without issue. As soon as we obtained the Jordanian passport, I was held at the border and had to wait for my husband to give written authorization for us to leave. Again, just something to consider. I lived in Jordan, so it was easier for us to have the HKJ passport than renewing visas all the time.

Not sure if I helped, but I know how difficult it is to get the information you need there.

Hello everyone,

I am new and I stayed up most of the night reading your postings and I see much wisdom in one of the moderators comments.  His name is James.

I went to Amman and married.  I loved the old sites there and the people were nice.  The food was good.  Yes they do smoke quite a bit.  I went with the intention of staying, I had closed up my apartment and made arrangements for friends to pick up my belongings in the US.

I know there are good and bad people everywhere so I will not bash the country of Jordan.  I could have lived there and yes I knew it did not in the east part have the same utilities as the US, such as bathrooms.  But that did not matter to me.

I loved my Jordanian so living there would have been no problem for me. However I began to see that the family was more important than I was to my husband.

We had to move to the office he worked at in West Amman.  More like the US.  His boss was accomodating and nice to me.  And they did have modern plumbing like the US.  I did not mind sleeping on a mattress on the floor of the office.  Nothing mattered but being with my husband.

The thing is, I was not informed that the rules of this country are quite different from the US and I am an outgoing friendly social person.  I was allowed to go to the mall and other shops alone but I found out I was being watched.  I was only able to stay a month.

After we took a honeymoon where we went to some holy sites, dead sea and petra....somehow the mood changed.

I was so happy for I had to work and hide my plans from everyone to get to this man.  No one in the US knew I was leaving.  So I cannot even tell you how happy I was when we married.

I am not materialistic, I am an honest Godly woman who believes in the holiness of marriage.  I was raised in a strict home.  I don't believe that material possessions mean you are rich.  And I felt so rich knowing that I had finally been united with the man that I believed I was equally yoked with.  Only to find out that I was being used for a visa.

After we came back from our rushed 2 day honeymoon.  Something was off.  I could feel it.  I had danced down the street to Toni Braxton with my headphones and was yelled at and stared at by all the men on the street.  God knows I was never told about the laws there.  I am American and that is all I know.  I always dressed modestly in long dresses so my dress was not a problem.

He lied to me.  He told me if I would come back and do this, he would serve me the rest of my life.  I did not marry him for him to be my servant.  But I had violated the laws there...not knowing it.  And still everyone came before me.

I came back to US believing what he told me and that was that he would be with me in 2 months.  I knew nothing of immigration laws.  I signed a contract with an immigration attorney to pay monthly for this service.  2 years and much money spent....I was still waiting.  It had put me in the hospital because of the stress.  When I got out of the hospital, I found him cheating on me online again.

What the moderator James said touched me deeply.  Last night as I read through these things....I cried.   It has been since 2014 that I have been back.  I only had 18 days of marriage.  I arrived in Amman on June 29, 2014.  He claimed to be a Christian but he was tribal and rushed me into marriage.  They put me in a dress and a veil and made up my face.  I am blond and blue eyed so the makeup made me look like Michael Jackson.  It was too dark for me.

It is true that some will use you for a visa.  He almost made it here to the US.  But I pulled my affidavits of support before the interview.  I could not go on with someone I could not trust.  It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. 

James is right about the damage one can do to another by using them.  It has shattered my trust for almost everyone and has taken a toll on my health.

Arab men are jealous and it feels good at first but America is different.  We don't want a man just because we work with them or are friendly.  Men and women here can have a friendship without any other motives than simply that.

I did not want to leave Amman.  It broke my heart.  I guess I got a bad one.  But I believed I was going to be by his side til death do us part.  I don't mind the money I spent on immigration....but 2 years of my life is gone and that time can never be respent.  It is gone.

For those who are asking about paperwork for marriage.  You will need your birth certificate and a letter from your pastor or an authority stating that you are a free woman and can be married.  Also if you have been divorced, you will need to bring divorce papers.  I also had to get a certificate showing I had been baptised.  Of course you will need a passport which will be stamped by the employees at Queen Alia Airport.

Fly Royal Jordanian.  Best airline I have ever been on.  So very impressed by their professionalism.  Top notch.

I wish all of you who love a Jordanian the best.  The country is lovely.  I could have spent my life there for I loved him so very much, but I saw that he could not stand up to the family and put me first.

Also since I was Christian,  his brother, who was in the military and sadly was killed at the Iraq border last year by a suicide bomber paid 500 to a priest to get us approved for marriage.  He was not a member of that church but the Roman Catholic was where we had to do it because it has strong ties to the Jordanian Government.  Or so I was told.  Lying is not frowned upon in that country so I don't really know what was going on.

But Jordan ...  yes.  It was a beautiful old and new mixed together and I had no problem with that. 

To James.....thank you for putting into words something that is very difficult for a woman or even a man to experience.  To be used and betrayed is a horrible experience and it will effect you for years.

Thank you for this group.  Blessings and good luck to all.  I am hoping that you will get a good one.  Thank you for sharing your stories.  I hope my information helped as far as the paperwork goes.  But honestly, I think because his brother had government connections...he was able to pull the marriage off for us.   I am sad for the loss of his brother.  And I forgive all but as James put it....it is very damaging to be used and I am sure that Arab men are not the only ones who do that sort of thing.

Good luck.

hi sulafi

Hi, anywhere we live, there will be positive and negative aspects. The benefits of living in Jordan are, no taxes, free health insurance, low crime rate camparing to America. The negative aspects are, cultural difference, language barrier, and laws are in your favor when you know someone high above in the authoraterian government. If you don't care about hanging out at bars and want to raise kids away from gangster..then, Jordan is a great place to raise family and just relax.. they don't work long hours there and family times and ties are the norm.

Actually, Jordan has a very high sales tax rate, which is a regressive tax that disproportionately hurts those who make less.  True, 95% of people don't pay income taxes per se, which don't  kick in until you make over 1,000 JD a month, which just means 95% of people make very little money!  The average being less than 500 a month, which compared to what housing and transportation  costs,  doesn't go far at all. Healthcare is also not free.  It is very inexpensive compared to the US, but not free.  Education can be very expensive.  Jordan isn't a bad place, but it is very expensive to live there on a normal salary.   The people are nice, some beautiful scenery, and the weather is amazing.  The economic conditions and some of the socio-cultural  limitations can make it difficult.

Sheikah 2017 wrote:

Hi, anywhere we live, there will be positive and negative aspects. The benefits of living in Jordan are, no taxes, free health insurance, low crime rate camparing to America. The negative aspects are, cultural difference, language barrier, and laws are in your favor when you know someone high above in the authoraterian government. If you don't care about hanging out at bars and want to raise kids away from gangster..then, Jordan is a great place to raise family and just relax.. they don't work long hours there and family times and ties are the norm.

Well , I think you watch to many americans action movies

marta1001 wrote:

Sheikah 2017 wrote:

Hi, anywhere we live, there will be positive and negative aspects. The benefits of living in Jordan are, no taxes, free health insurance, low crime rate camparing to America. The negative aspects are, cultural difference, language barrier, and laws are in your favor when you know someone high above in the authoraterian government. If you don't care about hanging out at bars and want to raise kids away from gangster..then, Jordan is a great place to raise family and just relax.. they don't work long hours there and family times and ties are the norm.

Well , I think you watch to many americans action movies

LOL, I agree.

I need to write clearly because some readers misunderstood what I was trying to say. Taxes in Jordan are not similar to taxes in the US. For example, when you buy a house in Jordan you don't pay thousnads of dollars at the end of each year.. property taxes is outrageous in the US. I used to own a house and the property taxes jumped from $6300.00 a year to $9800.00 the next year... therefore, this senerio does not apply to the property taxes in Jordan. And , if you know someone high and above in the property taxes department you most likely pay a lot less and sometimes you don't even pay. I'll give you an example, there are fees for water usage in Jordan.. supposedly, the bigger your house and household and if you have a swimming pool in your yard you pay more...that is not inforced at all in Jordan because those home owners are wealthy and have connections to get away with paying less than the low income housing. Lastly, I have lived in Arabic countries for the first 22 years of my life and been living in the US for the 33 years...and I'm not dissing the US at all or belittling Jordan in any way...all I'm saying is you can live poor in Jordan and money is sacures but at least you don't have shootings at schools and rape rate is extremely low comparing to here..

Sheikah 2017 wrote:

I need to write clearly because some readers misunderstood what I was trying to say. Taxes in Jordan are not similar to taxes in the US. For example, when you buy a house in Jordan you don't pay thousnads of dollars at the end of each year.. property taxes is outrageous in the US. I used to own a house and the property taxes jumped from $6300.00 a year to $9800.00 the next year... therefore, this senerio does not apply to the property taxes in Jordan. And , if you know someone high and above in the property taxes department you most likely pay a lot less and sometimes you don't even pay. I'll give you an example, there are fees for water usage in Jordan.. supposedly, the bigger your house and household and if you have a swimming pool in your yard you pay more...that is not inforced at all in Jordan because those home owners are wealthy and have connections to get away with paying less than the low income housing. Lastly, I have lived in Arabic countries for the first 22 years of my life and been living in the US for the 33 years...and I'm not dissing the US at all or belittling Jordan in any way...all I'm saying is you can live poor in Jordan and money is sacures but at least you don't have shootings at schools and rape rate is extremely low comparing to here..

Well i am living in Australia , about what house taxes you talking about ? ( maybe Au is diferent becouse  here i dont pay any taxes for my house exept yearly share for rubish disposal and maintnance local area)  , the shooting can be anywhere ! In Jordan everyone have gun at home

Hey there,
I am married to a Jordianian

Thank you for telling your story. It was very interesting. I live in the US and just married a man from Jordan who is here on a Visa.  I definitely don't plan on ever living in Jordan but, would like to visit one day. Have a blessed day!

hi.My husband abandoned me and my daughter.He is Jordanian citizen and I am from Nepal.We met in South Korea and married there.I trust him alot and he send me to my country.After he tell me to go Jordan to visit his family.But the situation is going worst.He said his family didnot like me.My husband again tell me to back to my country.And he didn't pick up call and not supporting me and my daughter.he tell me he will send divorce paper after 5 or 6 months.I really dont want daughter lose all the rights.He must be supporting my daughter.How to deal with this? Will he give us money how much I ask from him for my daughter?

U mean to say u want to leave the lady ur married now and marry the American lady with whom ur in love, thats fine but did you told your wife about this?

Your right, Jordan is not fan

Just take your child my dear, and find Job start to work for her living others God will provide, and in my opinion don't leave your daughter behind because you may regret, whether her father give you support or not take your child

Hello Peace love light.
I have just read you reply to a woman asking about marring a Jordanian man in 2011.
I was wondering how things have gone for you? Did you end up moving back to the USA. I read that your husband wanted to mave back to USA, but you wanted to give it more time. I was once married to a Jordanian man and could identify with all that you wrote. Would really like to hear how you are doing now.

Oh god please no. Please please stay in America. You wanna be crazy and marry an Arab man? Go for it. But do not move to his turf you’re making a huge mistake. Arab men are all nice and dandy when they’re outside their country, but when they go back home it’s like they’ve been possessed. Please be careful. You would not enjoy the lifestyle here either. If you’re willing to live a poor life with many restrictions and a bunch of two faced people, then go ahead, otherwise stay in America.

I am about to marry a Jordanian man I was wondering if  middle eastern men do marry single moms or is a family requirement to marry someone with no kids someone please help me

Hello , your post is very emotional and raw. Please do not wait (waste) another year -Leave .Now.
Peace

Hi I would like an advice about what to do . My man is Jordanian and loves me as I love him as well. The family pressure him to marry another girl from village he doesn’t want . We cry 😢 every day and the situation has become sick . We want to be abs marry together but he is afraid to confront his parents and still don’t know about me please any advice how we can’t handle this situation?

@Sulamif  hello  I am planning to retire and  moving to Jordan.  Can you explain in more depth what was so terrible about  Jordan . I heard or I should say read the people there are genuinely good  friendly people  April

@peacelovelight. Wow I planned on moving to Jordan after I retired.  But probably nobody would want me an American divorced . I just thought in this dat in Time  I just mind  my business and Don't get into there politics I would be fine  I keep what you wrote in mind.

@Sulamif  hello  I am planning to retire and  moving to Jordan.  Can you explain in more depth what was so terrible about  Jordan . I heard or I should say read the people there are genuinely good  friendly people  April

- @april espinoza

@Sulamif  Hello! My name is Ashlen, I have some questions if you’re available to answer them… my email address is [link moderated], if you would want to contact me! Tyia

@Sulamif hi what happen in your marriage thanks

@peacelovelight wow. Well said. I've been married twice. First Arab then European. Main difference was Arab obeyed his ridiculous family and their ridiculous sexism yet "you should work and provide for your husband and family while he does nothing and chills with his friend (which are definetly above you in his eyes." Cook (learnt later for me not him), clean (pick up ur own damn mess), reproduce (beautiful daughter as crazy as me ), cover up (never did). Obey (nah). Together 13 years and married 4. His family literally got in the way immediatly after moving back to Oman. I say MARRIAGE CONTRACT WITH YOUR RULES not his. He says he loves you and your wrong for doubting him then he can prove his love and sign a piece of paper with your rules for marriage and rules for divorce if it comes to that .

Just remember, in the states, you are married to him, in the Arab world, you are married to his family too. Good luck and I really do hope you picked a diamond of a man. also, Petra is beautiful. 😀