Marriage Certificate vs. Marriage Licence

[amylou 0]

Hi everyone!

When I apply for my AOS... do I submit a copy of the marriage licence AND the marriage certificate?

What exactly needs to be certified?

We just got married in VA over the weekend, and the county clerk office said they usually certify a copy of the marriage licence. What exactly am I supposed to be submitting?

I realize that this is sort of a dumb question but obviously I don't want to hand in the wrong thing.

THANK YOU!

[tinyrosie 0]

Hi everyone!

When I apply for my AOS... do I submit a copy of the marriage licence AND the marriage certificate?

What exactly needs to be certified?

We just got married in VA over the weekend, and the county clerk office said they usually certify a copy of the marriage licence. What exactly am I supposed to be submitting?

I realize that this is sort of a dumb question but obviously I don't want to hand in the wrong thing.

THANK YOU!

My husband and I got married in Texas, and our marriage license IS our marriage certificate. It was a marriage license when we first got it from the city office, but it became marriage certificate after we brought it to Justice of Peace for our marriage (the JP signed and put the marriage date on it). We got two certified copies from the JP the same day we got married, and sent one of them to USCIS for my AOS. As for the original marriage license/certificate, we didn't get it back until about 2 weeks after we got married because the JP office sent it to city office to be registered and then they mail it back to us.

That is in Texas though. Might be different in VA.

[H&V 5]

I can confirm it is the pretty much the same in VA as we got married there. The marriage license is the form you both have to go to the clerk's office with together, swear an oath and sign. After your marriage, your celebrant signs the license, then you can take it back to the clerk of court (we did this the next day) and they will take it and you can get as many certified copies as you want there and then (in Alexandria they were $2.50 each). Send one of those in with AOS - it has an embossed stamp in one corner so they know it's not a photocopy. We didn't have to wait for anything further from the court.

Edited September 28, 2009 by H&V

[amylou 0]

Thank you! That completely answers my question then. I was wondering, because we didn't sign or anything the marriage certificate, so then it must be the licence they need, and that is the same here in Arlington - $2.50 to get it certified.

Thank you so much for the help!

Amy