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Marraige License vs Marriage Certificate

By astone in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

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astone Rookie

astone   0

Posted
Filed: Timeline
Posted

Hey all,

My fiancee are planning on getting married here in Northern Virginia next week. We have put together the majority of our I-130 paperwork and are pretty much just waiting on the Marriage Certificate. I went to the courthouse today to ask some questions about it.

According to this site: http://www.vdh.state.va.us/Vital_Records/marry.htm

and to the clerk I spoke with, the court issues a Marriage License, then you go to the Celebrant to get the ceremony. He/she sends some information back to the court and gives you a certificate. You can also get a "certified copy" of your marriage license. They said that would be sufficient for the Visa process and that is th emost evidence that they give.

Would that be OK to submit for my I-130 packet?

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Done--Really Proficient

Done--Really   331

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Mexico
 Timeline
Posted

Certificate--no license--for the immigration folks. They want PROOF That you are married and with the exception of one or two states, the license proves nothing, so get the cetificate just liek it says in all the directions you have read

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Kat2011 Apprentice

Kat2011   2

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (pnd) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Hi! I married in Northern VA in June, and I recieved a certified copy of the marriage license from the courthouse. The marriage certificate, signed by the officiant, is beneath the marriage license section on the same page. That's what I sent for my I-130 packet.

09/2009 - Met on Online Christian Dating Website
06/18/2011 - Married to my Canadian :)
09/12/2011 Mailed I-130 package via USPS to Chicago lockbox
09/14/2011 Priority Date/Received Date
09/15/2011 Received email and text confirmation from USCIS that my application was sent to CSC
09/19/2011 Received I-797C in mail (NOA1)
04/26/2012 - Called USCIS for the third time and this time they put in service request
05/09/2012 - Recevied an email from USCIS saying that my case was being ajudicated and to wait up to 45 days
05/16/2012 - Received letter from NVC with number - No NOA 2 or updates online
05/17/2012 - AOS Bill - Received & Paid
05/17/2012 - Sent in optin email for electronic processing and received email back with confirmation same day
05/17/2012 - Sent in DS-261 Choice of Agent
05/21/2012 - Sent AOS package via email to NVC
05/31/2012 - Received checklist for IV form, but haven't been invoiced yet
06/06/2012 - Received invoice for IV bill & paid online
06/07/2012 - IV bill showed as PAID & IV application ready to fill out
06/08/2012 - Completed DS-260 IV application and sent it electronically to NVC
06/08/2012 - Sent IV supplemental documents package via email to NVC
06/15/2012 - Case complete - email sent from NVC
06/25/2012 - Called NVC and received Interview date; email was sent later in the day
07/18/2012 - Hubby's Medical Appt Completed in Toronto
08/02/2012 - Hubby's Interview in Montreal - Approved!
09/04/2012 - POE at Lewiston, NY - Drive home to VA

Removal of Conditions

06/12/2014 - Mailed off I-751 package to Vermont Service Center
06/13/2014 - Receipt date of NOA1
07/21/2014 - Attended Biometrics Appt. at 10 AM
11/26/2014 - Received email showing transfer of case from Vermont to California

11/22/2014 - 11/26/2014 - Not sure when transfer letter was sent, but it was during this time period.

12/27/2014 - Received notice of 2nd bio date - January 5, 2015

01/05/2015 - 2nd bio completed

02/24/2015 - Received email saying that Greencard was ordered today

03/04/3015 - 10 yr Greencard received!

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Kat2011 Apprentice

Kat2011   2

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (pnd) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Glad to help, magical. :)

09/2009 - Met on Online Christian Dating Website
06/18/2011 - Married to my Canadian :)
09/12/2011 Mailed I-130 package via USPS to Chicago lockbox
09/14/2011 Priority Date/Received Date
09/15/2011 Received email and text confirmation from USCIS that my application was sent to CSC
09/19/2011 Received I-797C in mail (NOA1)
04/26/2012 - Called USCIS for the third time and this time they put in service request
05/09/2012 - Recevied an email from USCIS saying that my case was being ajudicated and to wait up to 45 days
05/16/2012 - Received letter from NVC with number - No NOA 2 or updates online
05/17/2012 - AOS Bill - Received & Paid
05/17/2012 - Sent in optin email for electronic processing and received email back with confirmation same day
05/17/2012 - Sent in DS-261 Choice of Agent
05/21/2012 - Sent AOS package via email to NVC
05/31/2012 - Received checklist for IV form, but haven't been invoiced yet
06/06/2012 - Received invoice for IV bill & paid online
06/07/2012 - IV bill showed as PAID & IV application ready to fill out
06/08/2012 - Completed DS-260 IV application and sent it electronically to NVC
06/08/2012 - Sent IV supplemental documents package via email to NVC
06/15/2012 - Case complete - email sent from NVC
06/25/2012 - Called NVC and received Interview date; email was sent later in the day
07/18/2012 - Hubby's Medical Appt Completed in Toronto
08/02/2012 - Hubby's Interview in Montreal - Approved!
09/04/2012 - POE at Lewiston, NY - Drive home to VA

Removal of Conditions

06/12/2014 - Mailed off I-751 package to Vermont Service Center
06/13/2014 - Receipt date of NOA1
07/21/2014 - Attended Biometrics Appt. at 10 AM
11/26/2014 - Received email showing transfer of case from Vermont to California

11/22/2014 - 11/26/2014 - Not sure when transfer letter was sent, but it was during this time period.

12/27/2014 - Received notice of 2nd bio date - January 5, 2015

01/05/2015 - 2nd bio completed

02/24/2015 - Received email saying that Greencard was ordered today

03/04/3015 - 10 yr Greencard received!

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Moomin Proficient

Moomin   292

Posted
Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Denmark
 Timeline
Posted

Hey all,

My fiancee are planning on getting married here in Northern Virginia next week. We have put together the majority of our I-130 paperwork and are pretty much just waiting on the Marriage Certificate. I went to the courthouse today to ask some questions about it.

According to this site: http://www.vdh.state.va.us/Vital_Records/marry.htm

and to the clerk I spoke with, the court issues a Marriage License, then you go to the Celebrant to get the ceremony. He/she sends some information back to the court and gives you a certificate. You can also get a "certified copy" of your marriage license. They said that would be sufficient for the Visa process and that is th emost evidence that they give.

Would that be OK to submit for my I-130 packet?

Yes, certified copy of marriage certificate. Clerk's office(in the county that issued the marriage license) may provide you with it. Marriage license only shows you have a license to get married, not that you actually are married. Some places will let you get the certified copy when you show up in person(remember your ID/driver's license) in case you need a cert. copy in the future.

We went there after our marriage to hand in the marriage license and had 5 certified copies of marr. cert. within 5 minutes. That was Indiana however.

Good luck and enjoy your wedding day : )

K1 process, October 2010 > POE, July 2011

I-129F approved in 180 days from NOA1 date. (195 days from filing to NOA2 in hand)

Interview took 224 days from I-129F NOA1 date. (241 days from filing petition until visa in hand)

From filing I-129F petition until POE: 285 days

Click timeline or "about me" for all details.

AOS process, December 2011 > July 2012

EAD/AP Approval took 51 days from NOA1 date to email update. (77 days from filing until EAD/AP in hand)

AOS Approval took 206 days from NOA1 date to email update. (231 days from filing until greencard in hand)

From filing I-129F petition until greencard in hand: 655 days

Click timeline or "about me" for all details.

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jpc411 Apprentice

jpc411   0

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Mexico
 Timeline
Posted

Hey all,

My fiancee are planning on getting married here in Northern Virginia next week. We have put together the majority of our I-130 paperwork and are pretty much just waiting on the Marriage Certificate. I went to the courthouse today to ask some questions about it.

According to this site: http://www.vdh.state...cords/marry.htm

and to the clerk I spoke with, the court issues a Marriage License, then you go to the Celebrant to get the ceremony. He/she sends some information back to the court and gives you a certificate. You can also get a "certified copy" of your marriage license. They said that would be sufficient for the Visa process and that is th emost evidence that they give.

Would that be OK to submit for my I-130 packet?

hello astone

yes you can submit the copy, they will ask to see the original when you have the interview.

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TBoneTX Grand Master

TBoneTX   45,288

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
 Timeline
Posted
We went there after our marriage to hand in the marriage license and had 5 certified copies of marr. cert. within 5 minutes.
We did this, too (in Texas) -- made a beeline from the Justice of the Peace's office to the courthouse, after the JP consented to let us hand-carry the signed marriage license. The courthouse clerkette had never had a request for 7 marriage certificates, but she prepared them as we waited. After using them for various things, we have TWO copies remaining. In hindsight, it was smart to order multiple copies of the certified marriage certificate.

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

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OBX Mentor

OBX   51

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

We went there after our marriage to hand in the marriage license and had 5 certified copies of marr. cert. within 5 minutes. That was Indiana however.

We did the same in North Carolina. :)

USCIS

NOA1 08/19/08

NOA2 01/20/09

NVC

Received 01/26/09

Completed 02/13/09 (19 Days)

Interview Assigned 03/27/09 (6 weeks after NVC completion)

Medical

04/14/09 (Toronto)

Interview

Montreal 05/12/09 (88 days after NVC completion) **APPROVED**

POE

06/16/09 Buffalo

07/02/09 Welcome Letter Received

07/07/09 Applied for SSN

07/10/09 "Card production ordered" email received

07/13/09 SSN received

07/14/09 "Approval notice sent" email received

07/17/09 GREEN CARD received

Removal of Conditions

03/21/11 I-751 mailed to VSC

03/23/11 I-751 received at VSC

03/29/11 Cheque Cashed

03/30/11 NOA1 received (3/24/11)

04/11/11 Biometrics appointment notice received

05/05/11 Biometric appointment

12/13/11 **Approval date** (5 days short of 9 months!)

12/19/11 Approval letter and green card received

Naturalization

05/16/2019 Filed online (estimated completion February 2020)

05/18/2019 Biometrics scheduled

05/21/2019 Receipt notice and biometrics notices posted to online account.05/23/2019 Hard copy of NOA1 received

05/24/2019 Hard copy of biometrics appointment received

06/07/2019 Biometrics appointment (estimated completion January 2020)

12/31/2019 Email received "Interview scheduled"

01/01/2020 Interview date notice posted to online account (02/19/2020)

01/05/2019 Hard copy of interview appointment received

02/19/2020 Interview (**Approved**) and same day Oath Ceremony. 

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