Marriage Certificate Vs Marriage License?

[Nishi 0]

Hi All,

For AOS, I know I need to show a copy of my marriage certificate. Firstly how do I go about getting one? I say this because, I also need my fiance's "State ID" and other proof to get this. I wont have this till 3 to 4 weeks after we enter into the U.S.A.

Do let me how you went through getting a marriage certificate? I live in Oakland County, Michigan.

Thank You,

Nishi

[juliava 80]

Hi All,

For AOS, I know I need to show a copy of my marriage certificate. Firstly how do I go about getting one? I say this because, I also need my fiance's "State ID" and other proof to get this. I wont have this till 3 to 4 weeks after we enter into the U.S.A.

Do let me how you went through getting a marriage certificate? I live in Oakland County, Michigan.

Thank You,

Nishi

You can not get your marriage license until your fiancee arives in US. The marriage license is the document that authorizes you two to get married.You will both have to go to the court house to apply for it. Both of you need a picture ID and your fiancee's passport will be a satisfactory form of identification, you don't need a "State ID" for her. Once you get married, you will get a marriage certificate that you will submit when you apply for AOS.

[baron555 934]

Hi All,

For AOS, I know I need to show a copy of my marriage certificate. Firstly how do I go about getting one? I say this because, I also need my fiance's "State ID" and other proof to get this. I wont have this till 3 to 4 weeks after we enter into the U.S.A.

Do let me how you went through getting a marriage certificate? I live in Oakland County, Michigan.

Thank You,

Nishi

You and your fiance(e) both apply for a marriage license at your local county office. This is the official authorization to become married.

Then you get married by a person certified to conduct marriages, this could be a county judge or a priest. That person signs the marriage license which they or you then send back to the county office. The county office recorrds the marriage and then sends you a marriage certificate.

AOS wants a certified marriage certificate, not the marriage license. The certificate is the certification that you are married.

[Bernie C 24]

After you arrive to the US, you and your fiancee will apply for a marriage liscence (usually at the local courthouse). Once they issue the marriage liscence, then you have a time period to get married (ours was valid for 60 days).

Your marriage liscence will be signed by the officiant who presides over the marriage and sends it back to the courthouse. You then go to the courthouse and request certified copies of the marriage certificate.

Take your passport and your G325A - then they can just copy the info for your parents from the G325A. Your passport is valid ID for you.

You dont need to have the G325A but I took ours because it was easier for them to copy the info rather than for us to try and tell them and get the spellings and names and things correct.

[JohnAnwesha 4]

You and your fiance(e) both apply for a marriage license at your local county office. This is the official authorization to become married.

Then you get married by a person certified to conduct marriages, this could be a county judge or a priest. That person signs the marriage license which they or you then send back to the county office. The county office recorrds the marriage and then sends you a marriage certificate.

AOS wants a certified marriage certificate, not the marriage license. The certificate is the certification that you are married.

Sorry to intrude here.But this was also one of my doubts so thanks Nishi for the good question.

What I wanted to know is,is there a certain time till which the license is valid?What if we apply for the license but do not get married right away?Will we still be good?

And I know this probably depends on the individual state or county,but how long does it normally take to get a license?

Thanks!

[Bernie C 24]

Sorry to intrude here.But this was also one of my doubts so thanks Nishi for the good question.

What I wanted to know is,is there a certain time till which the license is valid?What if we apply for the license but do not get married right away?Will we still be good?

And I know this probably depends on the individual state or county,but how long does it normally take to get a license?

Thanks!

We applied for our marriage liscence on a Friday (at the local courthouse - Erie, PA) and were able to pick it up on the following Monday. It was valid for 60 days.

[that_girl 9]

Sorry to intrude here.But this was also one of my doubts so thanks Nishi for the good question.

What I wanted to know is,is there a certain time till which the license is valid?What if we apply for the license but do not get married right away?Will we still be good?

And I know this probably depends on the individual state or county,but how long does it normally take to get a license?

Thanks!

For us (Florida), we went to apply for the license on a Monday. There was a 3 day waiting period for the license to be valid, and then we had to get married within 60 days of it being issued (so a 57 day window). It only took 15 mins or so for them to issue the license to us, just be sure that you both have ID (I had state ID, he had foreign passport). Also, we paid a fee for the license at that time (about $90). We got married at the courthouse on the Friday of that week, and were able to get our certified marriage certificate (which, in FL at least, is the same piece of paper as the license, but with some extra seals, signatures and another section filled out) right away, as well as a few certified copies to send in with AOS, etc.

Good luck!

[JohnAnwesha 4]

We applied for our marriage liscence on a Friday (at the local courthouse - Erie, PA) and were able to pick it up on the following Monday. It was valid for 60 days.

For us (Florida), we went to apply for the license on a Monday. There was a 3 day waiting period for the license to be valid, and then we had to get married within 60 days of it being issued (so a 57 day window). It only took 15 mins or so for them to issue the license to us, just be sure that you both have ID (I had state ID, he had foreign passport). Also, we paid a fee for the license at that time (about $90). We got married at the courthouse on the Friday of that week, and were able to get our certified marriage certificate (which, in FL at least, is the same piece of paper as the license, but with some extra seals, signatures and another section filled out) right away, as well as a few certified copies to send in with AOS, etc.

Good luck!

Oh goodie! Thanks Bernie C and Megan Good information!

[WorriedPinay2 0]

For us (Florida), we went to apply for the license on a Monday. There was a 3 day waiting period for the license to be valid, and then we had to get married within 60 days of it being issued (so a 57 day window). It only took 15 mins or so for them to issue the license to us, just be sure that you both have ID (I had state ID, he had foreign passport). Also, we paid a fee for the license at that time (about $90). We got married at the courthouse on the Friday of that week, and were able to get our certified marriage certificate (which, in FL at least, is the same piece of paper as the license, but with some extra seals, signatures and another section filled out) right away, as well as a few certified copies to send in with AOS, etc.

Good luck!

One small correction about Florida. The marriage license you get back with extra seals on it just shows that it was actually recorded with the State. The marriage certificate is different and can only be obtained by mail from the Buraeu of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville, Fl.

Here is the link...http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Planning_eval/Vital_Statistics/marriage.htm

For your initial filing the certified copy of the license is sufficient. If you have an interview, some of the consulates want the certificate.

[that_girl 9]

One small correction about Florida. The marriage license you get back with extra seals on it just shows that it was actually recorded with the State. The marriage certificate is different and can only be obtained by mail from the Buraeu of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville, Fl.

Here is the link...http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Planning_eval/Vital_Statistics/marriage.htm

For your initial filing the certified copy of the license is sufficient. If you have an interview, some of the consulates want the certificate.

AH! Thanks for that info! I didn't realize that. The guy at the courthouse told me to use the certified license for the immigration things, since the actual certificate apparently doesn't have social security numbers on it, while the certified license does. Miami isn't always the greatest place, but the officials here deal with immigrants so much that they really know their stuff, which is nice!

[Nishi 0]

Thanks to all for helping me figure out on how to go about getting a Marriage Certificate.

Nishi

[Ryan_and_Priscy 16]

Thanks to all for helping me figure out on how to go about getting a Marriage Certificate.

Nishi

Hi Nishi,

We live also in Oakland County and married at Waterford Court. As other friends advice here before, it is what you have to do: once you come here you apply for the Marriage license, for us it was valid only for 30 days. As you live in Oakland county, just go to apply for the license marriage at the Oakland Office which is in Telegraph. Go to this link and you will see what you need to present in order to get your marriage license. It can be request online, in our case we both went there.

Best wishes.