A certified copy of marriage certificate?

[Dr_LHA 3]

So, does it have to be a certified copy or not?

You are required only to send a photocopy of the certified copy. Not the original "certified copy".

[Milka 0]

I do not need a certified copy of your marriage license. A normal copy is just enough. Good luck.

[Ladylethal 12]

Okies, thanks.

I must say, all in all this package is easier to put together than the I-129F and I-134.

[Yodrak 7]

Milka,

No copy of any kind of the marriage license.

Yodrak

I do not need a certified copy of your marriage license. A normal copy is just enough. Good luck.

[Dr_LHA 3]

I do not need a certified copy of your marriage license. A normal copy is just enough. Good luck.

You need a copy of the certified copy of the marriage certificate. The marriage license is not what is needed by USCIS.

There's a lot of confusion here as to what the terminology means. I'll try to clear it up:

Firstly certified is not the same as notarised, I assume that's the mistake that Milka is making in the above post.

Your marriage certificate is held at the county registar's/clerk's office. To obtain proof that you are married you have to request a copy of this marriage certificate, this is the "certified copy of the marriage certificate", this is as close to the original as you can get. In some cases you will get this handed to you after your marriage (e.g. if you are married in a registry office). USCIS requires that you send them a photocopy of this document, not the original. So in essence what you are sending them is a photocopy of the certified copy. You keep the certified copy for your own records. Of course you could order as many as you want, and send an actual certified copy, but as USCIS don't require it that would be a waste of money.

There is also sometimes a "Abstract of Marriage" which doesn't have a copy of the marriage certificate on it, but is a legal document stating you are married. Some people have send copies of these to USCIS to prove marriage as well with no ill effects.

A marriage license is the piece of paper that allows you to get married, and is very different from the marriage certificate. USCIS does not want a copy of this because it does not prove that you got married, simply that you applied to get married.

Edited December 14, 2006 by dr_lha

[Cassie 8]

And in some states, like Oklahoma, the license and the certificate are both on the same sheet of paper.

We received back the certified license/certificate, as well as a embossed stamped photocopy.

[hanster 0]

It is really simple. It has to be a copy of a certified copy of the marriage certificate. That is the document that proves you have been married and the marriage has been recorded by the government into their official " book of life ".

They give you a liscense which allows you to marry and then they give you a certificate which says you have accomplished the marriage.

So, does it have to be a certified copy or not?

I am gonna make it easy for all of us:

After you get married, you will receive by mail a letter from your county clerk and it will contain a marriage certificate (it certifies that you are married to your spouse).

make a copy of this and you will submit this copy when you file your application

[Ladylethal 12]

For me it ain't that easy although I'm not confused anymore. For ours we had to go to the office where we get birth certificates and get a certified copy of the marriage certificate. Any number of copies we want, so hence my question as if it had to be the original or a regular copy. By original I meant the certified copy 'cus we don't actually have the original marriage certificate.

If some people get it sent by mail, that's a plus.

[Dr_LHA 3]

Yeah, there's a lot of confusion based on the fact that the original is referred to as a "copy" and the VJ guide incorrectly states that you need to send the "certified copy", when USCIS only asks for a "copy". Someone should really update the guide, but I have no idea how that happens.

Edited December 14, 2006 by dr_lha

[KarenCee 3]

You really should have asked this question to the folks that gave you the liscense. In Florida you take the paper they gave you to the minister ( notary ). They perform the marriage and send it back to the state. The state in turn generates the official marriage liscense and mailed it to us. That is the document that USCIS wants. Just make a copy. Don't send them your original. You will need it several times.

The minister who performed our wedding signed the certificate that night, gave it to us, and the following Monday we took it to the Probate Court here in the county we live in. We got our certified copies while we waited, less than 20 minutes. We sent them (USCIS) a certified copy and kept one for ourselves. Paid an extra $5, but it was what we wanted. So...if the minister is willing to give them the paper he signs, they can take it to the clerk's office (better check to be sure though) and they might not have to wait for it to take weeks to process. Just a thought.....

Edited December 14, 2006 by KarenCee

[Dr_LHA 3]

You really should have asked this question to the folks that gave you the liscense. In Florida you take the paper they gave you to the minister ( notary ). They perform the marriage and send it back to the state. The state in turn generates the official marriage liscense and mailed it to us. That is the document that USCIS wants. Just make a copy. Don't send them your original. You will need it several times.

The minister who performed our wedding signed the certificate that night, gave it to us, and the following Monday we took it to the Probate Court here in the county we live in. We got our certified copies while we waited, less than 20 minutes. We sent them (USCIS) a certified copy and kept one for ourselves. Paid an extra $5, but it was what we wanted. So...if the minister is willing to give them the paper he signs, they can take it to the clerk's office (better check to be sure though) and they might not have to wait for it to take weeks to process. Just a thought.....

A good idea if you can do this, but not all County Clerk's offices will allow walk ins, as with everything, it depends where you are.

[KarenCee 3]

This is true, which is why I put in () to check and make sure.

[lucyrich 20]

Yeah, there's a lot of confusion based on the fact that the original is referred to as a "copy"

No, the original document that establishes that your marriage has been recorded by the government is kept in a government vault somewhere. They won't let the original out. If the government ever gave you the original, they'd have no record of your marriage.

Much confusion results from people mistakenly calling the certified copy an "original", when it's actually a copy of the original, bearing the certification of the government officials certifying that it's a true copy of the original that's kept in their vault. Read the certification.

And yes, with the petition that you send to the USCIS, you only need a photocopy of the certified copy. But you'll need the actual certified copy at the consular interview, where they'll check the certifying seal.

[Dr_LHA 3]

Yeah, there's a lot of confusion based on the fact that the original is referred to as a "copy"

No, the original document that establishes that your marriage has been recorded by the government is kept in a government vault somewhere. They won't let the original out. If the government ever gave you the original, they'd have no record of your marriage.

*Sigh*. Yes I know. Please read my other lengthy post. I'll even provide a link for you:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...st&p=618992

Or you could scroll up the page. Whatever takes your fancy.

Edited December 14, 2006 by dr_lha