Is "Certificate of Marriagability" needed with Form I-129F?

[rcearley 0]

I'm helping an american friend and my sister in law in vietnam do their K1 fiance Petition. We just started the paperwork and my sister in law is trying to obtain a "Certificate of Marriagability" document in Vietnam. We were surpirsed that the immigration office in Vietnam said that the finace must do an interview to get this document. They scheduled the interview for 2 weeks out. Note that this isn't the same interview that determines your K1 approval , but rather an interview to determine if you can get your "certificate of marriagability"

I talked to an immigration person in Vietnam and they said that the "Certificate of Marriagability" isn't needed at this stage of the process. I talked to an immigration person here in the U.S. and they said that I needed to submit the "Certificate of Marriagability" doc with the I-129F form.

Which is correct? Do you need this certificate when sending in the I-129F?

My sister in law is concerned that if she doesn't pass the interview for getting this certificate, that she will not have another chance. Also, the immigration people in Vietnam are not very friendly in providing answers and like to give you the runaround. If the document isn't required at this stage, we will try to cancel the interview - since they may be wanting her to answer questions that one would only know, if they have been in a relationship for many months, where as, these two have only known each other for a short period of time.

Thanks.

Edited July 25, 2014 by rcearley

[CowBoE 429]

Please see my I-129F Cover Letter, which itemizes everything I sent in and got approved.

I had to submit my final divorce decree (just a copy for now, but they are requesting

the original certified copy for K1 interview later at the embassy).

My fiancee in China never married, so we didn't send in any marriage record document,

and it was fine.

However, she will need to bring that to the interview at embassy later.

[JIJourney 96]

we would think just interview

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from K1 Process to Vietnam Regional Forum~

~At this stage of the process, instructions/requirements are often country/embassy-specific~

[frontgear 194]

I do not believe the certificate is required for a K-1 Visa. However, in my case, to preempt any possible delays in getting the visa in a timely manner, I went ahead and asked my fiancee to obtain one. I do not know where your sister-in-law lives, but in Da Lat, all it took was a trip to the Uy Ban Nhan Dan where my fiancee lives. It took a week to get one and she got it without any issues (or bribe money paid). No interviews.

The immigration people that you spoke to apparently did not know everything. No certificate is required when sending in the I-129F. Like johnim said, if the petitioner had been married, then he/she would need to send a copy of the divorce decree (or death certificate) but nothing is required from the beneficiary side.

[siennaslammer 8]

rcearley

here is the link to general guidelines for what items are needed for K1-Fiance (I-129F) VISA application.

The application & required documents must be completed & collected + submitted by the petitioner (US citizen) to the regional processing center (california, texas or vermont). all of the items should be complete & as much as possible, more is always better.

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

Keep everything.

Make copies of everything.

"certificate of marriageability" is needed from both person, if they were applying for a formal marriage certificate to get married in VIETNAM.