Interim Decision #2549 

MATTER OF WONG 

In Deportation Proceedings 

A-31222365 

Decided by Board January 12, 1977 

(1) Respondent was admitted to the United States as a lawful permanent resident without 

a labor certification under section 203(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as 

the unmarried child of a lawful permanent resident. However, two weeks before she 

entered the United States, she married. The immigration judge found her deportable 

under section 241(a)(1) of the Act as an alien who was excludable at the time of entry. 

Subsequent to this decision, respondent obtained an annulment of this marriage and 

moved to reopen deportation proceedings. 

(2) Notwithstanding the grant of a judgment of nullity by the Superior Court of California 

rendering this marriage void ab initio, the doctrine of relation back which would 

ordinarily apply in a situation such as this will be deemed not to apply here because it 

does not promote the intended purpose. Although the annulment might be given 

-retroactive effect by the California court annulling the marriage ah initin, it will not he 

given retroactive effect for immigration purposes. 

(3) Since the respondent married before leaving Burma, she was in violation of the 

immigration laws at the time of her entry into the United States. The Board is not 

obliged to give retroactive effect to the California decree of annulment to cure a 

violation of the immigration laws and the respondent was deportable as charged. 

CHARGES: 

Order: Act of 1952—Section 241(a)(1) (8 U.S. C. 1251(a)(1)]--Excludable by law existing 

at time of entry (sec. 212(a)(19) of the Act) 

Lodged: Act of 1952—Section 241(a)(1) E8 U.S.C. 1251(a)(1)]—Excludable—no valid 

immigrant visa (sec. 212(a)(20) of the Act) 

ON BEHALF OF RESPONDENT: Thomas N. Saldin, Esquire 

4676 Admiralty Way, #632 

Marina Del Rey, California 90291 

BY: Milhollan, Chairman; Wilson, Torrington, Maniatis, and Appleman, Board Members 

In a decision dated August 28, 1974, the immigration judge found the 

respondent deportable as an alien who was excludable at the time of 

entry under section 241(a)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 

alid granted her voluntary deparlAwe hi lieu of deportation. The respondent had obtained an immigrant visa by representing herself to be the 

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unmarried daughter of a lawful permanent resident. However, she had 

married two weeks before actually entering the United States. Subsequent to the immigration judge's decision, the respondent obtained an 

annulment of her disqualifying marriage and thereupon moved to reopen her deportation proceedings. The motion to reopen was granted by 

the immigration judge and a hearing held_ In a decision dated June 10, 

1976, the immigration judge denied a motion to terminate the deportation proceedings, finding that the annulment should not be given a 

retroactive effect for immigration purposes_ Although the voluntary 

departure was reinstated, the respondent has appealed the decision. 

The appeal will be dismissed. 

The respondent was born on December 25, 1942, and she is a native of 

Burma and a citizen of China. She entered the United States on May 20, 

1973, without a labor certification as the unmarried child of a lawful 

permanent resident. Section 203(a)(2). 

During reopened proceedings, counsel moved to terminate, contending that the respondent is not deportable because her marriage was 

judicially annulled by the Superior Court of California on October 30, 

1975; and that the annulment rendered her marriage void ab initio, as of 

the date of the marriage, May 11, 1973. The record contains a Judgment 

of Nullity in support of her contention. 

The record also contains a notice from the Department of State 

(FS-548) which informed the respondent that she would lose her preference status if she married prior to her application for admission to the 

United States, and that she would also be subject to exclusion. That 

notice was signed by the respondent and dated September 29, 1972. 

Although the testimony is unclear, we find that the respondent entered 

into a marriage prior to her admission into the United States despite the 

fact that she had been previously warned that she would lose her 

preference status if she married. 

Counsel cites Matter of Samedi, 14 1. & N. Dec. 625 (BIA 1974) and 

Matter of V— , 6 I. & N. Dec. 153 (BIA 1954), as requiring that the 

California decree of nullity be given a retroactive effect to void the 

marriage as though it had never existed. Accordingly, the respondent 

'would be the unmarried daughter of a lawful permanent resident at the 

time of entry_ However, the immigration judge cites a more recent 

Board decision, Matter of Castillo, Interim Decision 2427 (BIA 1975), 

xvherein we held that the "relation back" doctrine should not be blindly 

followed where to do so would result in a gross miscarriage of justice. 

That decision was based on a California case, Sefton v. Sefton, 45 Cal. 2d 

872, 291 P.2d 439 (1955), wherein it was held that the "relation back" 

doctrine was a legal fiction designed to fashion substantial justice beftween the parties to a voidable marriage. Thus, in keeping with the 

decision in Castillo, supra, we will not give the California annulment 

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retroactive effect in this case. The "relation back" doctrine must be 

deemed to apply only where it promotes the purposes for which it was 

intended. Matter of T—, 8 I. & N. Dec. 493 (BIA 1959). Even though 

the annulment might be given retroactive effect, by the California 

courts, annulling the marriage ab initio, it should mot be given a retroactive effect for immigration purposes. 

As the respondent married before leaving Burma, she was in violation 

of the immigration laws at the time of her entry into the United States. 

Regardless of what effect the courts might give to a decree of annulment, for immigration purposes, we are not obliged to give retroactive 

effect to it so as to cure a violation of the law respecting entry into the 

United States. 

ORDER: The appeal is dismissed. 

FURTHER ORDER: Pursuant to the immigration judge's order, the 

respondent is permitted to depart from the United States voluntarily 

within such time and under conditions of departure as may be set by the 

District Director; in the event the respondent fails so to depart, the 

respondent shall be deported as provided in the immigration judge's 

order. 

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