Question about certificates

[BearDown 1]

Me and my fiance our planning to have our wedding soon but have already started filling out her immigration papers to get a head start. I noticed that we need to include certified copies of the marriage and birth certificates and had two questions (I read a bunch a threads but am still unsure):

1. 1. How long will it take to get a certified copy of the marriage certificate? Do you have to wait until you are mailed your certificate or can you try and file the license yourself (instead of waiting for the person who performed the ceremony to file it) and get a copy immediately?
   
2. 2. I know that we needed the actual certified copy of my fiance's birth certificate to get a marriage license (not a photocopy). Do we need the actual certified copy of the marriage and birth certificate for the I-130 or can they be photocopies of the certified copies (essentially a copy of a copy)?
   

Thanks in advance.

Edited December 15, 2012 by BearDown

[Hypnos 6,578]

1) It will depend on your state and county. Calling the county clerk who issued your marriage license and asking would probably be the way to go.

2) You should only submit photocopies to USCIS in your initial package and then bring an original certified copy to your interview so they can inspect it if they wish (sometimes they will ask to see one, sometimes they won't, but they will RFE you for it even at the interview or beyond it if they ask you for something that you do not have).

[BearDown 1]

1) It will depend on your state and county. Calling the county clerk who issued your marriage license and asking would probably be the way to go.

2) You should only submit photocopies to USCIS in your initial package and then bring an original certified copy to your interview so they can inspect it if they wish (sometimes they will ask to see one, sometimes they won't, but they will RFE you for it even at the interview or beyond it if they ask you for something that you do not have).

Thanks for the reply.

One more question though about the process of going from an F-1 to an AOS. I know once you file an AOS the F-1 would be void and you no longer need to maintain it. However, does that "void" status begin when you have delivery confirmation of the package to them or when they officially tell you they received it? Thank you.

[AnotherLostSoul 167]

I was on F1 when I filed for AOS and I maintained my F1 student status up until the day I got the green card in the mail. It is advised to stay on F1 visa as long as you're not approved and get your greencard because if you abandon you're F1 status when you send the package in, then basically you have to pack up and go home. However, if you stay on F1 status then even if you get denied for AOS you can still stay in the US and continue your studies (and maybe later re-file for AOS when more evidences exists). They basically would tell your wife the same thing at the international office where her adviser is in. She decides, if she wants to get off of F1 status when she mails all the stuff in she can, but they will same way advise her to stay on F1 as long as she is not approved and have her pretty green card in her hand. I recommend for this reason the same thing! Good luck!