Any advice appreciated! What type of affidavit/notary for bonafide marriage letter and marriage certificate?

[undependable 1]

Hey guys! I dearly hope I can get an answer if anyone knows about this. I met my wife while hitchhiking and lived with her in japan for many months on a tourist visa, so I don't have much evidence to establish a Bonafide marriage.

 

My parents and a few of my friends have written letters to support our marriage, that include place of birth, ect, ect.

 

Question 1: Yesterday my mother took hers to a public notary at work and the notary was confused as to how my mother should notarize it. She said there were two options, and Acknowledgement and a Jurat.

 

She said a Jurat would mean that my mother would have to swear in front of her that the info is correct. An Acknowledgment means she is acknowledging her signature. Which one is the one she and my other friends and family need?

 

Question 2: My wife translated our marriage certificate(she speaks perfect english), but I was unable to get it notarized before I left Japan. Am I able to get it notarized here? Or this is impossible because I am not the translator? Do I need to get a japanese translator and a notary in a room together?

 

Also, for those specificly married to a Japanese woman/man, I used the translation provided on the US/Japan embassy website. There is space for a "seal" I have no idea what that is for, unless its for a japanese citizens Inkan. Link below.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

https://jp.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/205/2016/09/fsmall.pdf

 

 

Edited July 14, 2017 by undependable

[JFH 12,189]

Affidavits and translations do not need to be notarized for USCIS. 

[pushbrk 12,403]

Actually, your evidence of being together in Japan for months, is far more important than any affidavits.  I would skip the affidavits altogether and use the passport stamps or boarding passes showing your time in Japan, along with photos together, etc.  You're looking at a list of possible kinds of evidence that come after the words, "In addition to the required...."  No need to manufacture any affidavits.  Provide what you actually have and don't worry about anything on that list you don't have.

[Going through 5,669]

You probably have more proof than you realize....things I submitted when I was going through my AOS years ago included the following:

 

Photos of my husband and I together

Photos of me with my husband's family and friends at events/parties/weddings/etc.

Cards and letters written to both of us (this shows that OTHER people also validate your relationship as real)

Wedding announcement we sent to people after our marriage

Proof of any joint finances (bank statements)

Proof of bills with both names on the account

Proof of large household purchases we made together over the years (ie. the carpet, furniture and refrigerator delivery paperwork showed our address, and both our names on the invoice)

 

Think outside the box!  You can probably dig up more proof than you think!

 

[Yeonin 127]

I've only submitted the marriage certificate & proof of joint bank account, first stages of these processes never bombard the USCIS with too much did, they're just there to do everything by a checklist, the simple/ straight forward formalities. During the consular processing they look into your case more in-depth. There's more people in my filers group that did just what I did and we our cases were all approved in 1 go and we're now at NVC. 

[DJWS 4]

My wife is Japanese and we got married in Japan last year.  We went to the local city hall office and got copies of our japanese marriage certificate 

Kon-in Todoke Juri Shomeisho

koseki tohon 

koseki shohon as proof.  

also printed out embassy and nvc reciprocity page that explains the use of koseki in japan.

 

We didn't use any notary, just translated the documents ourselves line by line to match the original format and sent it to USCIS, and are now in the NVC stage.  `We also included screenshots of a one page collage of whatsapp/line/facebook chat and pictures, some airline tickets and passport stamps showing we traveled together.

[pushbrk 12,403]

Just a cautionary note on translations.  While USCIS accepted your own translation of the marriage certificate from Japanese to English, there is at least one country from which they do not follow their own guidelines to accept a translation from any person who will sign attesting to the accuracy of the translation and their fluency in both languages.  That's China.  Chinese civil documents MUST be translated by the Chinese Notarial Office.