Required documents/translations at Frankfurt (2016)

[TexanInExile 0]

I (USC) have lived in Germany for 10+ years and have been married to a German citizen for 8. We have two kids, both of which have CRBAs as well as US passports. We married in Germany.

What kinds of documents does Frankfurt really require to establish proof of residency / marriage for the I-130? The consulate's checklist includes a bunch of stuff that sounds like it would/will be awfully expensive to have officially translated.

I have a valid Aufenthaltserlaubnis, although these days it's just a little ID card (elektronisher Aufenthaltstitel). Do they really require you to have this officially translated?

Also, for proof of marriage, would the CRBAs from our children (which have both of our names, etc) be enough? We also have shared bank accounts, a rental contract, a Anmeldebescheinigung, as well as a German marriage certificate - but what all do they really need? Is it enough to have the first/last pages of a rental contract translated? Ours is like 15 pages long :-)

I'm just wondering if anyone of y'all have recent experience for which exact documents were required, thanks in advance for any info!

[gregcrs2 1,778]

There's a reason for the checklist...it means they want it. Sorry to say but we are all in the same boat when it comes to these expenses. All documents submitted in a foreign language need to be translated. Do you have a friend that is fluent in German and English that can translate documents for you? You need to use Marriage certificate for proof of marriage. Have you maintained a domicile in the USA all these years?

[TexanInExile 0]

There's a reason for the checklist...it means they want it. Sorry to say but we are all in the same boat when it comes to these expenses. All documents submitted in a foreign language need to be translated.

Sure, I know they want the information and that we'll have to have documents translated. The question is, what exactly do I really need to send in?

The Frankfurt checklist says: "Evidence of a bona fide marital relationship with the beneficiary such as shared residence, finances, and familial experiences with beneficiary. (Examples: joint bank accounts, apartment leases, shared bills, health/life insurance designations, birth certificates of children born to the marriage.)"

My question exactly is, how many of those things do they really require? It just says "examples" and I was trying to hear from others' experiences what exactly they sent in before I start translating random documents and mailing them off. Has anyone JUST sent in their (translated) German marriage certificate?

Do you have a friend that is fluent in German and English that can translate documents for you?

I'm fluent in German and could translate myself, but I'm assuming they want the official translations with the stamp? We had to do that for lots of documents when we got married here and when applying for CRBAs for our children, and ended up being pretty pricey - ~75 EUR per page, which would really add up with a 20 page Mietvertrag...

Have you maintained a domicile in the USA all these years?

When necessary I have stuff mailed to my parents who still live in the US, but I don't know if that qualifies as "maintaining a domicile".

[gregcrs2 1,778]

What you can do is submit items you think are satisfactory and see what sticks, and have them send you an RFE for what they want further. It will delay the process a little. Based on the price for translations, I would definitely try to avoid translating the lease. I think your residency permit such suffice. By the way, if you google translations services, you can find much cheaper translation costs (less than half) of what you have quoted. Your children's birth certificate will at some point or other need to be translated for use in USA so may as well get that over with. Unfortunately, upon further research, it seems Germany wants certified and registered translations (stamps). If I were in your shoes I would just try to submit translated marriage certificate, birth certificates, and residency permit. Sorry, I don't have direct experience in Germany, just trying to help you. I do suggest you contact the embassy with some of your questions. Hopefully a VJ'er here with direct experience in Germany can answer your questions. Good Luck!

[TexanInExile 0]

What you can do is submit items you think are satisfactory and see what sticks, and have them send you an RFE for what they want further. It will delay the process a little. Based on the price for translations, I would definitely try to avoid translating the lease. I think your residency permit such suffice. By the way, if you google translations services, you can find much cheaper translation costs (less than half) of what you have quoted. Your children's birth certificate will at some point or other need to be translated for use in USA so may as well get that over with. Unfortunately, upon further research, it seems Germany wants certified and registered translations (stamps). If I were in your shoes I would just try to submit translated marriage certificate, birth certificates, and residency permit. Sorry, I don't have direct experience in Germany, just trying to help you. I do suggest you contact the embassy with some of your questions. Hopefully a VJ'er here with direct experience in Germany can answer your questions. Good Luck!

That sounds like good advice! I'm HOPING that the Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (which have both of our names on them) will suffice instead of the original birth certificates, as we already had to have those translated to get the CRBAs in the first place.

[awaywego 28]

Hi! There are two different sets of translation requirements for Frankfurt DCF, depending on which area you're dealing with.

For the USCIS portion of the process (I-130 and accompanying documents), anyone who is proficient in both languages can do the translations into English. Plenty of people on VJ have done their own translations or asked a friend. The translations must be "certified," which in this case means that the translator adds a little block of text certifying that he/she is proficient in both languages. The text is in this USCIS FAQ.

For the consular portion of the process at Frankfurt (I-864, DS-260, etc), official translations are required. At this stage, documents in German no longer need to be translated.

I have a valid Aufenthaltserlaubnis, although these days it's just a little ID card (elektronisher Aufenthaltstitel). Do they really require you to have this officially translated?

I have seen posters say they didn't translate the Aufenhaltstitel and had no troubles. However, the instructions say to translate everything (and our petitions seem to end up in Rome), so I personally did.

Also, for proof of marriage, would the CRBAs from our children (which have both of our names, etc) be enough? We also have shared bank accounts, a rental contract, a Anmeldebescheinigung, as well as a German marriage certificate - but what all do they really need? Is it enough to have the first/last pages of a rental contract translated? Ours is like 15 pages long :-)

This list sounds good. It actually sounds much like ours I would suggest adding a small selection of photos spanning your relationship, with each family, friends, doing couple/family things, in different places, etc. However, you likely have enough as is.

I translated our entire Mietvertrag because I never sorted the "how much do they need" question. It was...an experience.

(We prepared our packet earlier this year but have pushed back filing. Life happens.)

My question exactly is, how many of those things do they really require? It just says "examples" and I was trying to hear from others' experiences what exactly they sent in before I start translating random documents and mailing them off. Has anyone JUST sent in their (translated) German marriage certificate?

It can be a bit frustrating, but, as each case is different, there's no specific requirement list. It's more providing quality evidence that together shows a marriage for the sake of being together vs a marriage for the sake of a visa.

A Frankfurt DCF poster last year sent in only her marriage certificate and received an RFE asking for evidence of bona fide marriage. I've heard of people filing other places who can send just the marriage certificate with the I-130 and don't need the evidence until later in the process, but it seems we need to include both with the I-130.

When necessary I have stuff mailed to my parents who still live in the US, but I don't know if that qualifies as "maintaining a domicile".

You'll address domicile with the I-864, so long as you're still living abroad at that point. The options (provided you don't work for the military or a US company) are either to show that you have maintained a US domicile – your stay in Germany is temporary – or that you intend to reestablish a US domicile no later than the date the beneficiary enters. There's more information in the I-864 instructions, the NVC FAQ on the State Department website, and many posts here on VJ.

Hope this helps!

[Kuegs 5]

I'm a little late to this, and it seems like you got some good advice.

Since we just did the I 130 in April, I thought I'd comment anyway.

Like you, we've been living in Germany for a while and have two kids. However, we married in the US.

What we sent in was this:

- CRBA for child 1 (second child didn't have his yet) + German international birth certificates for both

- marriage certificate

- statement about joint bank account (in German, no translation)

- first and last page of Mietvertrag (in German, no translation)

- copy of Aufenthaltstitel (no translation)

- Meldebescheinigung from the city about us all living at the same address (no translation)

- we also added 8-10 pictures of us through the years

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We had no trouble with any of it, didn't get an RFE, and were not required to translate any of the German documents.

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Does this help?

Good luck!