Opinion ID: 782806
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Birth certificate(s) of child(ren) born to the petitioner and beneficiary;

Text: 22 (5) Affidavits of third parties having knowledge of the bona fides of the marital relationship ... Each affidavit must contain the full name and address, date and place of birth of the person making the affidavit and his or her relationship to the spouses, if any. The affidavit must contain complete information and details explaining how the person acquired his or her knowledge of the marriage. Affidavits should be supported, if possible, by one or more types of documentary evidence listed in this paragraph...; or 23 (6) Any other documentation which is relevant to establish that the marriage was not entered into in order to evade the immigration laws of the United States. 24 8 C.F.R. § 204.2(a)(1)(iii)(B)(1)-(6) (emphasis added). 25 Although this is a non-exhaustive list, it is clear that, in order to qualify for the bona fide marriage exemption, an applicant must offer evidence that is probative of the motivation for marriage, not just the bare fact of getting married. To qualify, a marriage must be based on an actual and legitimate relationship rather than a subjective desire to adjust status based on marriage, and the applicant's evidence must reflect this. Id.; accord Velarde Pacheco, 23 I. & N. Dec. at 256; Matter of Phillis, 15 I. & N. Dec. 385, 386 (BIA 1975). 26 Here, Malhi presented: (1) a divorce decree from his first marriage; (2) four photographs of the second wedding; (3) a marriage certificate; (4) his wife's U.S. birth certificate; and (5) a receipt showing an I 130 filing. None of this evidence demonstrated that the marriage was bona fide and none of it fit into any of the suggested categories (or the catchall residual) under 8 C.F.R. § 204.2(a)(1)(iii)(B). Malhi failed to make out a prima facie case of a bona fide marriage, and we therefore affirm the denial of his motion to remand. 3 Compare Phillis, 15 I. & N. Dec. at 386 (petitioner failed to adduce any of the relevant kinds of evidence), with Velarde, 23 I. & N. Dec. at 256 (petitioner established a prima facie case by adducing, in addition to evidence showing the bare fact of marriage, a birth certificate for his and his wife's son and evidence showing that he knew his wife for four years). 27 PETITION DENIED.