How quickly can I get the marriage certificate after the wedding?

[marchelove 0]

Hi, I just joined VisaJourney and so this will be my first posting..

It probably is different in every state and city, but is it true that you can get your marriage certificate right there and then when you go request it in person?

It's hard to believe that it's possible for Los Angeles which is where I'll be going..

Or if that is going to be crazy I may get the marriage license from Santa Barbary county office and get the certificate from there.

how fast can you really get the marriage certificate after your wedding?

Do you just bring your license (after getting married) to the county office and they process your license and certificate right there?

I called the LA county office today but they were NOT helpful and didn't know what they were talking about...

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

Welcome to VJ

It would be very helpful if you would fill in your timeline and give us some more information.

What did you file for, a K1, K3, etc???

Usually what happens is you get married and the officiant who married you will mail off your marriage license that you both signed a long with your witnesses (if they were needed at the ceremony) and then a few weeks later, your certificate is mailed to you. Our officiant told us it would be about 2 to 6 weeks for the marriage license to be mailed to us. I'm hoping it's sooner and I'm sure all States vary.

It's possible that some allow you to pick it up. I would call again and ask or perhaps call another local office. I think you would get your fastest and most correct answer by doing that. Have you tried google? You can probably get your answer right there, most offices have a website that gives this type of information out.

Best of Luck.

[debbylyn 0]

In Ohio...marriage license is issued to the couple upon application...signed by the official after the wedding...one portion returned to the court and the actual marriage certificate given to the couple immediately after the ceremony...I was also given one "official" certified copy of the marriage application to use for name changes on the date of the license issue.

[StoryAngel 4]

We took our marriage license/certificate (same thing here in TX, just signed after the ceremony) to the courthouse ourselves after the honeymoon, so we could get copies made straight away for AOS etc. Of course, it helped that my father-in-law was the minister, kinda made it easy for us...

[Moto-zutto 0]

Hi, I just joined VisaJourney and so this will be my first posting..

It probably is different in every state and city, but is it true that you can get your marriage certificate right there and then when you go request it in person?

It's hard to believe that it's possible for Los Angeles which is where I'll be going..

Or if that is going to be crazy I may get the marriage license from Santa Barbary county office and get the certificate from there.

how fast can you really get the marriage certificate after your wedding?

Do you just bring your license (after getting married) to the county office and they process your license and certificate right there?

I called the LA county office today but they were NOT helpful and didn't know what they were talking about...

Take a flight to Vegas, you will be near if you are in California. you can get married and get the Marriage certificate in the same day!

[SWA2 1]

Hi, I just joined VisaJourney and so this will be my first posting..

It probably is different in every state and city, but is it true that you can get your marriage certificate right there and then when you go request it in person?

It's hard to believe that it's possible for Los Angeles which is where I'll be going..

Or if that is going to be crazy I may get the marriage license from Santa Barbary county office and get the certificate from there.

how fast can you really get the marriage certificate after your wedding?

Do you just bring your license (after getting married) to the county office and they process your license and certificate right there?

I called the LA county office today but they were NOT helpful and didn't know what they were talking about...

I suppose it probably varies per state. We had our marriage in Minnesota. Hey, today is our one year Anniversary! We were married at the courthouse year ago today. We could have gotten the our marriage certificate that day if we had wanted to wait for it, but we had them mail it to us and we received it a few days later.

[lucyrich 20]

We got married in California, on a Sunday evening. On Monday morning, we carried the signed paperwork to the county courthouse, and then got the official certified and recorded certificates a few hours later that afternoon. We had e-mailed the courthouse in advance to be sure this was possible, and they arranged it for us at no charge.

Normally, our county recorder receives the certificates from the wedding officiant by mail, puts them in a stack, and then records and copies all of them in a big batch one day a week, and returns copies to the bride and groom at that time. And usually, the couple is on a honeymoon and doesn't care that it takes a week or two to get the marriage certificate. But they understand that sometimes a couple has a legitimate reason to be in a hurry for that piece of paper, and they'll make arrangements to accomodate those needs.

So call your county recorder's office and ask them.

[marchelove 0]

Welcome to VJ

It would be very helpful if you would fill in your timeline and give us some more information.

What did you file for, a K1, K3, etc???

Usually what happens is you get married and the officiant who married you will mail off your marriage license that you both signed a long with your witnesses (if they were needed at the ceremony) and then a few weeks later, your certificate is mailed to you. Our officiant told us it would be about 2 to 6 weeks for the marriage license to be mailed to us. I'm hoping it's sooner and I'm sure all States vary.

It's possible that some allow you to pick it up. I would call again and ask or perhaps call another local office. I think you would get your fastest and most correct answer by doing that. Have you tried google? You can probably get your answer right there, most offices have a website that gives this type of information out.

Best of Luck.

I'm sorry I hadn't actually done the timeline mainly because i am actually doing AOS from a F-1 student visa here in California, and hadn't processed anything yet.

I've tried google but the websites are not very clear about the certificate. I'm going to try and call another local office.

Thank you for your input!!!

[marchelove 0]

We got married in California, on a Sunday evening. On Monday morning, we carried the signed paperwork to the county courthouse, and then got the official certified and recorded certificates a few hours later that afternoon. We had e-mailed the courthouse in advance to be sure this was possible, and they arranged it for us at no charge.

Normally, our county recorder receives the certificates from the wedding officiant by mail, puts them in a stack, and then records and copies all of them in a big batch one day a week, and returns copies to the bride and groom at that time. And usually, the couple is on a honeymoon and doesn't care that it takes a week or two to get the marriage certificate. But they understand that sometimes a couple has a legitimate reason to be in a hurry for that piece of paper, and they'll make arrangements to accomodate those needs.

So call your county recorder's office and ask them.

Thank you everyone for your input.

I guess I could have a civil ceremony or vegas wedding but we really wanted to do an actual wedding with all our family and friends around..

Lucyrich: I called the LA county recorder's office yesterday but each person i talked to was not confident in what they were telling me and was not helpful.

I'm going to call a different office and hope that we'll be able to do what you guys did! (and hopefully they'll know what they are talking about this time)

I think I'm going to go with the Santa Barbara county recorder's office because that's where we'll be getting married anyway, and it will definitely be less crowded than in LA!!

It's great to know that the same day service is actually possible! Thank you so much!

[amylovespaul 0]

I was speaking to the judge that married us after the ceremony and told him I needed the Marriage Abstract ( that's what it's called in Ohio) for Paul's paperwork. He said he would make sure I got it ASAP. I got it in the mail in no time. He even paid for an extra copy. Only $4 but it was a very nice gesture. Maybe speak to the person who marries you and see if they can help out. It can't hurt, worse they can do is say "no"!

[TRELAWNY PARISH 10]

It really depends on what state you're in. I received 3 copies before the start of my ceremony at the court house. My friends that live elsewhere told them they need it immediately for immigration purposes and they were able to get it .

[mjkj 14]

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[antda 13]

Hi Marchelove,

Welcome to VisaJourney! I hope you find the VJ community to be helpful and friendly for you too.

In answer to your questions/concerns, here is my "how to plan a wedding/elopement in a week" situation that I experienced here in New York State, about 2 years ago or so:

-7 days/1 week before: My boyfriend/husband and I decide to get married/eloped during my visit here in the USA

-6 days-5 days before: Arrange for a "officiant/minister" to marry us (thank goodness they were available last-minute)

-4 days before: Apply for a "marriage license" (there is a 48 hour waiting period by the way)

-3 days before: Search for an reserve "park/garden" for wedding

-2 days before: Shop for and buy "wedding stuff" (lol..last minute shopping!)

-1 day before: Inform family that they were invited to the "wedding". Also found an "informal family photographer"

-The day of (as also mentioned on my VJ timeline too, and see my timeline for more info too):

"Chapter 2 "Married": Ant and D had a small garden/park spontaneous elopement in the Niagara County Region NYS USA on 2006-04-28. A memorable and lovely occasion, on the eve of D's milestone birthday. D and Ant, as Husband and Wife, happily married and living together. Chapter 2 Timeline: Together Forever!"

We also got the "marriage certificate" the same day after (literally 20 minutes after the we got married). With the signed papers we then drove directly from the park to the city hall to pick up the certificate in-person, instead of waiting an extra two weeks for it. And voila...a perfectly "legal" marriage with a "NYS legal marriage certificate/document"....

Hope this helps (or at least makes you laugh...lol......). Good luck too with your marriage/wedding and the rest of your immigration journey too.

Ant (Eloped and "Certified Married"....)

Hi, I just joined VisaJourney and so this will be my first posting..

It probably is different in every state and city, but is it true that you can get your marriage certificate right there and then when you go request it in person?

It's hard to believe that it's possible for Los Angeles which is where I'll be going..

Or if that is going to be crazy I may get the marriage license from Santa Barbary county office and get the certificate from there.

how fast can you really get the marriage certificate after your wedding?

Do you just bring your license (after getting married) to the county office and they process your license and certificate right there?

I called the LA county office today but they were NOT helpful and didn't know what they were talking about...

Edited October 13, 2008 by AntandD

[justashooter 430]

in oennsylvania we were able to take the documents to the courthouse the day after marriage and get a certified copy. be sure to get two or three. the cost is small, and you may want to carry an original copy when traveling outside US on AP, or some such event.