Certified copy of marraige certificate

[106206 15]

Hello,

I see that the i130 and i485 require a "A certified copy of your certified marriage certificate".

Our state (GA) has a 3-4 week turnaroud time before the vital records department records the certificate.

I can simply photocopy the executed (by minister) but unrecorded certificate. But it will not read as recorded.

Or I can walk down the certificate to the court and see if they can record it on the spot. I am doubting that will occur.

Maybe if I ask them to certify copy the unrecorded cert it will be good enough?

What is the consensus on what is required?

Thanks

[Ryan H 3,834]

I would think certified is required and anything else would not cut it.

[Anh map 2,098]

Hello,

I see that the i130 and i485 require a "A certified copy of your certified marriage certificate".

Our state (GA) has a 3-4 week turnaroud time before the vital records department records the certificate.

I can simply photocopy the executed (by minister) but unrecorded certificate. But it will not read as recorded.

Or I can walk down the certificate to the court and see if they can record it on the spot. I am doubting that will occur.

Maybe if I ask them to certify copy the unrecorded cert it will be good enough?

What is the consensus on what is required?

Thanks

You need a certified copy that has been recorded in the county/city records. The certificate signed by the officiant will not be acceptable.

Go to the courthouse and see if you can get a copy sooner.

[106206 15]

Thanks guys for the replies.

It sounds like what I need to do is:

Physically find out how fast I can get the recorded copy.

Speed up the wedding date (the fastest it could be is Monday the 11th which would at least give us a better chance of getting it in.

I am going to open another thread on impact of 6 month overstay as to not get off track. That will have a key influence on what we do here.

[Tracy67 1]

I'm from Georgia..... only took us about a week to get ours in the mail - when you go in to get your license you can request extra copies too at the same time.

[106206 15]

I came to learn the next county over (Gwinnett) does marriages same day in the court, with the certificate available for pick-up the next day.

We can do that as an "administrative" item whereas we'd have the actual wedding shortly thereafter. That will save us at least 2-3 weeks of waiting and uncertainty.

[Godwen 0]

does form I-485 require marriage cert? Someone clarify this please....

[missicy 87]

does form I-485 require marriage cert? Someone clarify this please....

When you are adjusting status based on marriage to a USC, absolutely.

[Godwen 0]

thanks a lot for the response. I didn't even know and I am almost done arranging all docs. But luckily for me I have not sealed the envelope with form I-864 because I have not put in the money orders. really appreciate