Marriage License AND certificate?

[charity1214 3]

So I was getting my packet together (I-130) and making sure every last i is dotted and every t crossed and then I see... CERTIFIED marriage certificate.

So first I do a little searching on VJ...seems others had the same question. And most of the consensus is that a license ISN'T the same as a certificate because it doesn't prove marriage. Well, here's my question...

My marriage license is also a certificate of marriage because we take the license to the officiant and after the marriage, he signs it, we sign it, the marriage date is listed and then he presses his offical "SEAL" on it (in our case it was a Judge and he SEALED 3 copies for us and we signed all 3). We keep one, and send 2 back to the county it was filed in. The form even says at the top "STATE OF XXXXXX LICENSE AND CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE" on it. Soooooo....

Will it work???

[charity1214 3]

Nevermind... I'm not sure where I thought I saw "CERTIFIED" for the I-130... instead it says "copy of marriage certificate"... and since mine is both a license AND a certificate, it should be ok, right??

[pushbrk 12,883]

Nevermind... I'm not sure where I thought I saw "CERTIFIED" for the I-130... instead it says "copy of marriage certificate"... and since mine is both a license AND a certificate, it should be ok, right??

Not unless it was returned to you by a government agency AFTER the marriage took place and indicates they have registered the marriage, not just provided you a license to marry.

[charity1214 3]

Not unless it was returned to you by a government agency AFTER the marriage took place and indicates they have registered the marriage, not just provided you a license to marry.

It says license AND certificate, and has the information of where and when the marriage took place, also the judge that officiated and the location of the marriage and bride and groom signatures.

[Canadiandggal 49]

It says license AND certificate, and has the information of where and when the marriage took place, also the judge that officiated and the location of the marriage and bride and groom signatures.

My original one is like this as well. It was our license and the certificate as my husband brought it home then we brought it with us on the day we picked, the minister took the paperwork , signed it dated it stamped it and handed it back to us the same day. I did get certified copies a few weeks later but I sent a photocopy of the original in.

If it looks like mine then you should be fine... let me go look

[amykathleen2005 441]

Your marriage cannot be verified until it is sent back to the government office of your jurisdiction. Otherwise there will be no record of it. Therefore you will have to wait until they process your signed copy and then you can get a certified marriage record which is what immigration is looking for.

[Canadiandggal 49]

Ok mine says certificate of marriage at the top..

then it rambles on that I certify that such and such was married in front of me on date and time.

Our names and addresses, The date we got the license and where and how long it was valid for.

the court officials name and address

[charity1214 3]

Ok mine says certificate of marriage at the top..

then it rambles on that I certify that such and such was married in front of me on date and time.

Our names and addresses, The date we got the license and where and how long it was valid for.

the court officials name and address

And that worked for you in your I-130 right?? What about at the interview?

Thanks so much for checking yours for me

[charity1214 3]

Your marriage cannot be verified until it is sent back to the government office of your jurisdiction. Otherwise there will be no record of it. Therefore you will have to wait until they process your signed copy and then you can get a certified marriage record which is what immigration is looking for.

Yes, I understand that in order to have a "certified" copy I will need to get it from the county courthouse. But my adjusted question was if the marriage license/certificate I have as described above would be accepted in the I-130 which only asks for a copy of the certificate. Which i do believe would be accepted after closer examination and canadiandggal's posts. But thank you for your input too. I am still definitely going to pursue getting a certified copy for the interview.

[Canadiandggal 49]

And that worked for you in your I-130 right?? What about at the interview?

Thanks so much for checking yours for me

yes it worked for my i130 h0wever I used a certified copy for nvc and interview.

[charity1214 3]

yes it worked for my i130 h0wever I used a certified copy for nvc and interview.

awesome! That's exactly my plan! Thanks!

On a side note: are you ready to move yet??

[pushbrk 12,883]

It says license AND certificate, and has the information of where and when the marriage took place, also the judge that officiated and the location of the marriage and bride and groom signatures.

Like I said, it needs to be a certified copy showing the marriage was "registered". It's something you get back in the mail or pick up at the same place you got the license, not something you are handed at the wedding. Yes, it will contain the same information and may well be a copy of what you have but it will have the added stamp indicating the marriage was filed/registered.

[Canadiandggal 49]

awesome! That's exactly my plan! Thanks!

On a side note: are you ready to move yet??

Yeah Im ready to get out of here, Leaving on saturday to vist friends along the trip then will poe through thousand islands on Monday.

Yeah Im ready to get out of here, Leaving on saturday to vist friends along the trip then will poe through thousand islands on Monday.

Heres a question are you the petitioner or the ben? where were you two married? You can easily walk into the court office or marriage restraition office and get a certified copy within minutes. Solving all your doubts and preparing you for the next stage as well.

[Dan Nguyen 3]

Are you saying that USCIS sent the copy of our marriage certificate that we sent them all the way back to the country that issued it for verification?

[amykathleen2005 441]

Are you saying that USCIS sent the copy of our marriage certificate that we sent them all the way back to the country that issued it for verification?

They could if they had cause to check.