Marriage License vs Marriage Certificate..

[Abby62 23]

So I picked up my marriage license today and they told me you have to wait 90 days in Ontario before you can apply for a marriage "certificate". I noticed on the CR-1 application that you have to submit a marriage "certificate" is this right? That means we have to wait ANOTHER 90 days before we can even apply for a CR-1????

HELP..wahhhhh

[Otto 83]

Not sure how it works in Canada but in the US a marriage license is what you would get before getting married, once married, the license is 'recorded' and a marriage certificate is issued (which proves the marriage took place). This is what USCIS is going to want - proof that the marriage took place.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

James Bond has a license to kill. Once he kills somebody, somebody else has to look at the body, sign off on it, then a certificate of death has the be issued. The certificate of death is basis of the certificate of kill.

The marriage thing is exactly the same. You now have a license to get married. So get married. After you got married, a certificate of the person authorized to marry people in your Country (or a pilot of an airplane or a captain of a ship) has to be issued and signed. That takes time. So, yes, after getting married, you'll have to wait for the Marriage Certificate to be issued until you can apply for AOS.

[canadian_wife 1,829]

As previously stated, the marriage licence allows you get married. In Ontario, once you are married, the licence is sent off to the Office of the Registrar Genearal. You will be given a solemnization of marriage (as good as the paper it's printed on for immigration, they won't accept it for anything). You will then, after a period (the marriage must be registered before a certificat is issued) you can apply for the certificate of marriage. It takes a while to get and yes, you need that before you can petition.

http://www.ontario.ca/en/life_events/married/STEL02_119192

Good luck.

[Angie'nMark 0]

This is the reason we did not get married in Ontario! We researched first on what would be the fastest, ended up in civil ceremony in California because you can get it in a week. Some states are faster even.

Sorry to hear about the longer wait. Nothing more frustrating than that.

[Angie'nMark 0]

Can you just go across the border instead? Quebec there is a wait to but check out the states just south of you before you do it in Ont...it will be faster. Sucks!!!

[OBX 51]

This is the reason we did not get married in Ontario! We researched first on what would be the fastest, ended up in civil ceremony in California because you can get it in a week. Some states are faster even.

Sorry to hear about the longer wait. Nothing more frustrating than that.

Same here!

We married in North Carolina. Got our license on Tuesday, married on Wednesday, took paperwork to the county offices the same day and walked out 15 minutes later with two certified copies of the marriage certificate, I-130 in the mail 4 days later!

[JerryP 2]

We got married in Ontario in May 2009 and tried to wait the 90 days before requesting the certificate, BUT instead waited about 60 days and sent in the request for the Certified Marriage Certificate. We got it a week later; they work very quickly in the Thunder Bay office where they issue the paperwork. You should give it a shot after at least 60 days.