AWWAL

Citations

• 19 I. & N. Dec. 617

Syllabus

AWWAL, 19 I&N Dec. 617 (BIA 1988) ID 3056 (PDF) (1) A steprelationship under section 101(a)(1)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1101(b)(1)(B) (1982), must be based on a marriage that was at some point a valid one. (2) A sham marriage is invalid from its inception and cannot under any circumstances be the basis of a steprelationship under section 101(b)(1)(B) of the Act. (3) Even where there is an ongoing actual family relationship between a stepparent and a stepchild, that relationship cannot be recognized under section 101(b)(1)(B) of the Act where the marriage creating the steprelationship was a sham. Matter of Teng, 15 I&N Dec. 516 (BIA 1975), clarified.