USCIS adopted decision · Family immigration
Matter of Manjoukis
13 I&N Dec. 705 (BIA 1971)
A 14-year-old U.S. citizen filed a K-1 fiance visa petition for her 24-year-old Greek beneficiary, but under Michigan law a marriage by a female under age 16 is void. The District Director denied the petition, holding that the petitioner must be able to enter into a valid marriage with the beneficiary within 90 days after entry.
Rule cited
A K-1 petitioner must establish the ability to contract a valid marriage with the beneficiary within 90 days after entry; if the marriage would be void under the law of the petitioner's state of residence, the petition must be denied.
Scope of application
Applies only to determining whether a K-1 fiance petitioner can contract a valid marriage; marriage validity is governed by the law of the petitioner's state of residence, here Michigan. The decision was issued by a District Director, not an appellate administrative precedent.
Official citation and verification records
Checked：2026-11-04 · Official decision source
- 第6章 - 配偶
[^ 21] See Matter of Manjoukis (PDF) , 13 I&N Dec. 705 (BIA 1971).
The records identify official use of the cited rule. A partial reversal, statutory amendment or controlling court ruling may affect its scope.
Complete reference translation, organized by original page and paragraph. Headings, citations and footnotes are retained. The English document is the official text.
Original page 1
Interim Decision #2084
临时决定第2084号
MATTER OF MANJOUKIS
MANJOUKIS案
In Visa Petition Proceedings
在签证申请程序中
A-19758454
A-19758454
Decided by District Director February 18, 1971
由地区主任于1971年2月18日决定
A visa petition to accord beneficiary nonimmigrant classification as the fiance of the United States citizen petitioner under section 101 (a) (15) (K) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, is denied on the ground that petitioner, who is 14 years of age, is statutorily unable to enter into a valid marriage since under section 551.51 of the Compiled Laws of the State of Michigan, where she resides, the marriage of a fe- male under age 16 is void.
根据经修正的《移民与国籍法》第101(a)(15)(K)条，为受益人授予美国公民申请人未婚夫（妻）的非移民分类的签证申请被拒绝，理由是申请人年仅14岁，依法无法缔结有效婚姻，因为根据其居住地密歇根州《汇编法律》第551.51条，未满16岁女性的婚姻无效。
Petitioner is a citizen of the United States through birth at De- troit, Michigan, on March 29, 1956. In accordance with Title 8, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 214.2 (k), a petition was filed in behalf of the alien beneficiary, a 24 year old native and citizen of Greece. The petition evidences that neither the petitioner nor the beneficiary has ever been married; that the petitioner desires and intends to marry the beneficiary within ninety days after his arrival in the United States and that the petitioner is in fact a citizen of the United States. The Immigration and Nationality Act was amended by Public Law 91-225 on April 7, 1970 and provided, inter alia, for a new nonimmigrant classification under section 101(a) (15) as follows :
申请人因1956年3月29日出生于密歇根州底特律而成为美国公民。根据《联邦法规汇编》第8编第214.2(k)部分，为外籍受益人提交了申请，该受益人为24岁的希腊本土公民。申请证明申请人和受益人均从未结婚；申请人希望并打算在受益人抵达美国后九十天内与其结婚，且申请人确为美国公民。 《移民与国籍法》于1970年4月7日由第91-225号公法修正，除其他事项外，规定了第101(a)(15)条下的新非移民分类如下：
(K) an alien who is the fiancee or fiance of a citizen of the United States and who seeks to enter the United States solely to conclude a valid marriage with the petitioner within ninety days after entry, and the minor children of such fiancee or fiance accompanying him or following to join him. Petitioner, supported by her parents, represents that she spent one year in Greece during 1969 and 1970. During her stay in that country she met, dated and became enamored with the benefici- ary. It is her intention to marry the alien, complete her education, and in general, assume the duties of a wife. Petitioner's parents are in complete agreement with the proposed action. It would seem then that the petitioner does in fact intend to enter into a
(K) 身为美国公民的未婚妻或未婚夫，且寻求仅为了在入境后九十天内与申请人缔结有效婚姻而进入美国的外国人，以及随同其或随后与其团聚的该未婚妻或未婚夫的未成年子女。 申请人由其父母支持，陈述称她于1969年和1970年期间在希腊度过了一年。在该国停留期间，她遇见、约会并爱上了受益人。她打算与该外国人结婚、完成学业，并在总体上承担妻子的职责。申请人的父母完全同意拟议的行动。因此，看来申请人确实打算在
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Original page 2
Interim Decision #2084
临时决定第2084号
marriage with the beneficiary upon his arrival in this country. The beneficiary has not been examined, however, it appears that he is similarly disposed. Having established both the petitioner's and beneficiary's inten- tions toward marriage and finding no cause to determine that ei- ther party has been previously married, the principal portion of the statute has been satisfied. The remaining question is whether the petitioner and the beneficiary may enter into a valid marrige. Since the petitioner is a resident of the State of Michigan, sec- tions 551.1 and 551.51 of the Compiled Laws of the State of Mich- igan have been examined, and provide, inter alia, that:
受益人抵达美国后与其结婚。然而，受益人尚未接受审查，但看来他也有同样的意愿。 在确定了申请人和受益人的结婚意图，且未发现有任何理由认定任何一方此前曾结婚后，该法规的主要部分已得到满足。剩下的问题是申请人和受益人是否可以缔结有效婚姻。由于申请人是密歇根州居民，已审查密歇根州《汇编法律》第551.1条和第551.51条，除其他事项外，规定如下：
Section 551.1—the age of consent for the purpose of marriage shall be 18 years for males and 16 years for females. Section 551.51—the marriage by a female under age 16 is void. The petitioner being fourteen years of age is not, by statute, able to enter into a valid marriage with the petitioner since the proposed marriage would be void, not voidable, and without rec- ognition under the laws of the State wherein the petitioner resides and intends to continue in residence. In the absence of a finding that the petitioner is able to enter into a valid marriage with the alien beneficiary within the requi- site ninety days after his arrival in the United States, the petition must be denied. It is ordered that the petition seeking to classify the alien bene- ficiary as the fiance of a United States citizen under section 101 (a) (15) (K) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as mended, be and is hereby denied.
第551.1条——婚姻同意的年龄为男性18岁，女性16岁。 第551.51条——未满16岁女性的婚姻无效。 申请人年仅14岁，依法无法与申请人缔结有效婚姻，因为拟议的婚姻将是无效的，而非可撤销的，且在申请人居住并打算继续居住的州的法律下不予承认。 在未认定申请人能够在受益人抵达美国后规定的九十天内与其缔结有效婚姻的情况下，申请必须被拒绝。 兹命令，寻求根据经修正的《移民与国籍法》第101(a)(15)(K)条将外籍受益人分类为美国公民未婚夫（妻）的申请，特此拒绝。
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