question about marriage certificate

[kirby808 0]

I have a question about the marriage certificate. Is it the piece of paper that is given after the wedding or is it something else that is given once it is recorded by the state? I don't know what building it is in because every state has a different building that they go to. But I was just curious because my friend got married and her certificate won't be given to her till 1-2 months later. I don't know if visa cases are a higher priority but I don't think I will have enough time to do the AOS if the certificate takes 1-2 months to get back to me after I marry my fiance. Any advice or experiences? I am doing all this in Hawaii so I don't know if there is anyone that experienced this in Hawaii. But any information on what to do is appreciated.

[Brit Abroad 166]

In Hawaii, the person who registers the marriage is the one who conducted it. This is why it can take forever to get registered. While you have no choice but to wait until the original arrives, you can order copies of the marriage certificate with an expedite and collect them in person as soon as the marriage has been registered. From memory, there is a form you fill in (giving your contact information) and they will call or email when that has happened so you can toodle down to the office and pick them up. You'll almost certainly want extra copies to notify various departments, so this works out pretty well.

Good link to confirm it all is ... Hawaii State Department of Health

Hope this helps put your mind at rest.

EDIT: PS We collected our copy certificates about 10 days after we got married.

Edited May 18, 2011 by Brit Abroad

[Theresa0828 65]

Hi, I got married in Hawaii last April 19, 2011. The first thing we did after the wedding is to go the Dept. of Health to ask for a copy of the marriage certificate, we also informed the marriage performer that we need the copy as soon as possible for the AOS. Right now, we are here in PA and still waiting for the copy from the Hawaiian Health Dept. I already called them last week and this week to ask about the status of our request. The lady on the line told me last week that it should be sent within this week, when I called last monday... she informed me again that it will be sent next week. I will call again on Monday and if I get the same answer, I will tell her that she is telling me that line every week for 3 mondays now... but I hope we will receive it next week, the guy on the counter did say that it will take around 30 days or so... I need to change status so that I can work... I am soooo bored right now and I am not a plain housewife material... I am enjoying the free time... but i always have this feeling that I have to be somewhere working... Right now... we are contemplating of getting married again here in PA where we can get the certified marriage certificate right away... but we will give Hawaiian Health Dept. some time... perhaps within this month.

[kirby808 0]

Theresa, how long has it been since you arrived in the u.s? Did you alemready get a ssn?

[Theresa0828 65]

Theresa, how long has it been since you arrived in the u.s? Did you alemready get a ssn?

I arrive April 17 and got married two days after. I applied for SSN last May 4, 2011, i did not encounter any problem, a week after, I got my card.

[kirby808 0]

Don't you need an ID to get the marriage license? I heard it might be harder to get an SSN once married? How did you get married 2 days after though I'm just curious.

[Theresa0828 65]

Don't you need an ID to get the marriage license? I heard it might be harder to get an SSN once married? How did you get married 2 days after though I'm just curious.

I have my passport, the I-94 and special marriage certificate (not the certified certificate from Hawaiian Dept of Health) with me. I went to the Limerick, PA Social Security Office, that's the nearest from where we live... and the girl in the counter knows about K visa etc. and she looked up my name in the system and its there... she inputs everything, did not need a copy of anything, and informed me that the card should be delivered within 2 weeks. I got it after a week, the card is in my married name.

My fiance (now my husband) stayed in Hawaii last year for a couple of days after visiting me in the Philippines and he hired a wedding coordinator. We planned the wedding with the coordinator by just exchanging emails, we also have friends in Hawaii who helped us... the only thing we did when we arrive in Hawaii was to apply for marriage license at the Hawaiian Dept. of Health. It only took us around 10 minutes. They only asked for a photo ID, and I have my passport and his passport, so that was enough. The wedding took place at the Hilton Hawaiian Village at the beach area.

[kirby808 0]

So it showed your married name in the system how soon after your wedding? How did you get the special marriage certificate?? So basically She doesn't need the SSN right away in order to get married? So if the people that do the SSN know about the K visa really good then there should be no problem in getting the SSN under the new name? Just want to make sure because if I can marry her and then get the SSN after then I will do it that way because I'm just worried about getting the marriage certificate in time for the AOS.

[Theresa0828 65]

So it showed your married name in the system how soon after your wedding? How did you get the special marriage certificate?? So basically She doesn't need the SSN right away in order to get married? So if the people that do the SSN know about the K visa really good then there should be no problem in getting the SSN under the new name? Just want to make sure because if I can marry her and then get the SSN after then I will do it that way because I'm just worried about getting the marriage certificate in time for the AOS.

The system shows my maiden name coz that is the name of my Fiancee Visa document, she (SS staff) honors the special marriage certificate that I have... that certificate is from the wedding coordinator, it's just a certification signed by me and my hubby with the witnesses... under Pensylvannia law, the couple can marry themselves, so we just tried to go to the Social Security System and hoping that they will honor that... and they did... and they give my Social Security Card in my married name. BTW, I got my certified wedding certificate today from Hawaii, we requested for it April 20th and we got it May 23rd.. so a little over a month... I am going to research the site now for the AOS guide. Goodluck!

[Messybrownhair 251]

Hey Theresa, I am in Allentown, PA! Are you far from there?

Kirby, I would advice you to get SSN before getting married.. It's just easier that way. Try to wait 10 days upon arrival.

I don't know about Hawaii but in Vermont where I got married, I was able to bring the marriage license to the town clerk and we just waited as they made the certificate.. Goodluck!

I made a guide on AOS that's on my signature, just click on it and it shows what I did since POE to prepare for AOS.. Hope it can help

[cesmt 0]

hi vj's! i came in here at hawaii last july 25,2011 .and the marriage took place last aug 14,2011. last tuesday we went at the Department of Health to apply for our marriage license..right now we are working on my AOS.help me out pls..what's the first thing to do.i still havent applied for my SSN though.thanks for the reply.God Bless everyone.

[disney09 6]

We had our wedding here in Hawaii last July 2011. They said it will be 120 working days until we get our marriage certificate. We had our marriage certificate expedited so we can start all the other papers and military paperworks. We paid $10 dollars at the Dep. of Health and got the expedited copy on the same day we requested it. (Yay! so fast) I got my SSN on my maiden name. We did it few hours before our wedding ) It's not a requirement to get married in Hawaii but we decided to get one just in case we get a problem in getting one with my married name. And we were right..the SS staff didn't let me change my SSN card with my married name. She said I need to wait for my GC to do it.