File i-130 after marriage certificate but before traditional wedding ceremony?

[TylerTrúc 1]

Is it fine to file the i-130 after we get our marriage certificate but before our traditional wedding ceremony? I should have the marriage certificate within the month, but the ceremony will be at the end of November when my family can come. Just trying to save about 4 or 5 months of waiting. Thanks

[mallafri76 1,012]

Where are you getting married where a marriage certificate is valid four to five months after being issued? Or do you mean that you will get a marriage license, have a "non-traditional" ceremony and then have a second traditional ceremony in November?

The marriage certificate you send to USCIS must be the officially signed and registered certificate, the one you get after you have legally married.

[TylerTrúc 1]

Where are you getting married where a marriage certificate is valid four to five months after being issued? Or do you mean that you will get a marriage license, have a "non-traditional" ceremony and then have a second traditional ceremony in November?

The marriage certificate you send to USCIS must be the officially signed and registered certificate, the one you get after you have legally married.

It is an official marriage certificate/license. There is no expiration date. The reason I ask is because in Vietnam they really want you to do all the traditional Vietnamese wedding things, which I will do, but after I plan on submitting the i-130. I am only trying to save about 4 or 5 months of waiting for the Visa since it is a long process to begin with.

[mallafri76 1,012]

All I can say is that you need to be legally married when filing the I-130 petition. Part of the petition is providing bona fida evidence of your relationship. If a traditional Vietnamese wedding is a big thing in Vietnam, I would think that pictures and proof of such a wedding would be part of your bona fida evidence, but hopefully someone with specific Vietnamese knowledge will come along soon.

[Lana999 0]

Why should you have the marriage certificate within a month ? who ask you to do it ?

[TylerTrúc 1]

Why should you have the marriage certificate within a month ? who ask you to do it ?

We will have it in a month because we have already started the process. My wife and I decided to do it.

[jklm2010 10]

I think it should be perfectly fine.

That's what me and my husband did.

We got a legal court marriage in our country and went through a bunch of signatures and courts and stuff but did not have a ceremony because we decided to have a ceremony here in the US.

As long as you go through the proper ritual that validates you and your wife as married in your country with papers to prove it, you should be fine.

Good luck!

[frontgear 194]

@OP: You should be fine. Many couples delay their ceremony until their beneficiary arrives in the U.S. or until time permits.

[TylerTrúc 1]

@OP: You should be fine. Many couples delay their ceremony until their beneficiary arrives in the U.S. or until time permits.

Thanks, I will have plenty of pics of the wedding for the interview, but I won't be able to send them with the i-130.

[frontgear 194]

Thanks, I will have plenty of pics of the wedding for the interview, but I won't be able to send them with the i-130.

I think you will be fine.