Obtaining Divorce Decree

[snaggy 0]

Hi,

My fiance is the American and I'm the foreign bride-to-be. He was married once and now he needs his divorce decree (he's got a copy of it but apparently he needs the the one with the raised state seal) to even start the application process. His divorce happened in New Jersey and it was almost 20 years ago (happened in 1990 to be exact). We have been researching on how to obtain this but it seems that the only way he can get it is by writting to the record centre in new jersey and apparently there will be a delay in their returning us his decree (they didn't say how long the delay will be. As a matter of fact, they didn't say how long the usual process would take). He could also do a walk-in but does anyone have any experience with this? Since he's got a copy of the decree, would he be able to get the official divorce decree the same day he physically goes to the record centre (I assume since he's got a copy, it should be easy for them to track down the original decree)?

(It doesn't help that he lives 8 hours drive away from the record centre).

Thanks,

Snaggy...

[Anh map 2,098]

He should call the record center / clerk of the court where the divorce was granted to get the answer to your question.

[Inky 1,111]

Not from the same state but my husband just went in and they took about an hour and gave him a signed and raised seal tamped copy.

we only needed the original for the interview stage.. made a copy and brought a copy and original, he looked at the original and gave it back to me and kept the copy for the file.

[snaggy 0]

Thanks... think I'm going to have to call the record centre and hope that I can talk to someone instead of getting the machine.

[payxibka 10,047]

Hi,

My fiance is the American and I'm the foreign bride-to-be. He was married once and now he needs his divorce decree (he's got a copy of it but apparently he needs the the one with the raised state seal) to even start the application process. His divorce happened in New Jersey and it was almost 20 years ago (happened in 1990 to be exact). We have been researching on how to obtain this but it seems that the only way he can get it is by writting to the record centre in new jersey and apparently there will be a delay in their returning us his decree (they didn't say how long the delay will be. As a matter of fact, they didn't say how long the usual process would take). He could also do a walk-in but does anyone have any experience with this? Since he's got a copy of the decree, would he be able to get the official divorce decree the same day he physically goes to the record centre (I assume since he's got a copy, it should be easy for them to track down the original decree)?

(It doesn't help that he lives 8 hours drive away from the record centre).

Thanks,

Snaggy...

My divorce decree did not have a "raised" seal on it... however it did have "official" looking court "stamps" on it. Since a regular photocopy of the decree is all that is required, even if the decree has the "raised" stamp it would no longer be "raised" on the photocopycopy that is submitted to the USCIS.

[snaggy 0]

We were given to understand that the 'raised' seal version is required. I called the record office and found out that it would take them 3-7 weeks to send a copy to him so the Mister drove 6 hours to get there, stayed overnight and went to the record office the next morning. It was all done in 15min and then he started the trip back home. Goodness me!

[baron555 934]

Hi,

My fiance is the American and I'm the foreign bride-to-be. He was married once and now he needs his divorce decree (he's got a copy of it but apparently he needs the the one with the raised state seal) to even start the application process. His divorce happened in New Jersey and it was almost 20 years ago (happened in 1990 to be exact). We have been researching on how to obtain this but it seems that the only way he can get it is by writting to the record centre in new jersey and apparently there will be a delay in their returning us his decree (they didn't say how long the delay will be. As a matter of fact, they didn't say how long the usual process would take). He could also do a walk-in but does anyone have any experience with this? Since he's got a copy of the decree, would he be able to get the official divorce decree the same day he physically goes to the record centre (I assume since he's got a copy, it should be easy for them to track down the original decree)?

(It doesn't help that he lives 8 hours drive away from the record centre).

Thanks,

Snaggy...

Does his copy include a copy of the raised seal? If so, then that's all that I sent in.

[snaggy 0]

Nah, his copy wasn't the one with the raised seal. It was a photocopy and hence why he had to physically go to the NJ record office to get a "raised sealed" copy last week. Now everything should be ready for submission.

[rebeccajo 14]

My divorce decree did not have a "raised" seal on it... however it did have "official" looking court "stamps" on it. Since a regular photocopy of the decree is all that is required, even if the decree has the "raised" stamp it would no longer be "raised" on the photocopycopy that is submitted to the USCIS.

pay -

There is some recent evidence in the forums of RFE's by the Service for an 'original' copy.

Back when we processed, the same thing was happening. So when I filed my husband's petition, I sent the original certified copy, and not a photocopy of it.

[payxibka 10,047]

pay -

There is some recent evidence in the forums of RFE's by the Service for an 'original' copy.

Back when we processed, the same thing was happening. So when I filed my husband's petition, I sent the original certified copy, and not a photocopy of it.

How is 'original' copy even possible? That appears to be an oxymoron. 'Certified' copy I can understand but an 'original' copy is a merely a copy of an original document.

[rebeccajo 14]

How is 'original' copy even possible? That appears to be an oxymoron. 'Certified' copy I can understand but an 'original' copy is a merely a copy of an original document.

Sorry for breaking the conversation by not coming back to this sooner.

What I said was "original certified copy" - meaning what I sent to the Service was the exact document the Clerk handed to me - the "original certified copy".

In other words I didn't send to them a photocopy (made by me) of the document I was given by the Clerk. I sent the real deal so the Service could clearly see the Clerk's authentication on the copy.

LOL.....I always think these conversations are a bit confusing. The original of a divorce decree can never be obtained by any of us as the original is on file at the Clerk's office in the county wherein the divorce was granted. So the best any of us can ever get is a copy of the decree. When the Clerk of Courts (Circuit Clerk of whatever they are called in your county) places their mark on the copy, it becomes a certified copy.

Since certification can take any number of forms (a raised seal, a rubber stamp, etc) it can be hard to tell (from a photocopy) if the certification is legitimate. I believe that's the reason these RFE's happen - the adjudicator literally cannot tell if the divorce decree is for real.

So while we are all told it's perfectly OK to send photocopies of documents to the Service, this is one document where that rules seems not to apply.

[When2RNLove 6]

Hi,

My fiance is the American and I'm the foreign bride-to-be. He was married once and now he needs his divorce decree (he's got a copy of it but apparently he needs the the one with the raised state seal) to even start the application process. His divorce happened in New Jersey and it was almost 20 years ago (happened in 1990 to be exact). We have been researching on how to obtain this but it seems that the only way he can get it is by writting to the record centre in new jersey and apparently there will be a delay in their returning us his decree (they didn't say how long the delay will be. As a matter of fact, they didn't say how long the usual process would take). He could also do a walk-in but does anyone have any experience with this? Since he's got a copy of the decree, would he be able to get the official divorce decree the same day he physically goes to the record centre (I assume since he's got a copy, it should be easy for them to track down the original decree)?

(It doesn't help that he lives 8 hours drive away from the record centre).

Thanks,

Snaggy...

That sounds crazy. I just included a photocopy with the seal visible in my case, and yes I requested mine via snail mail. It took about 30 days because my first copy was lost in the mail, but strangley received them both the same day.