Using temporary marriage certificate in CR-1 application?

[RobynAndBradley 2]

Hi everyone! Wondering if any one has or has heard of any experience with this. My fiancé and I are getting married in a couple of weeks, and want to apply right away for the CR-1. Unfortunately, in California it can take up to 10-12 weeks for our official marriage certificate to be mailed to us after the ceremony (it has to be submitted to the county to be recorded after the ceremony, and then official copies are mailed out). 

 

We were told by the county clerk that they will provide us with a copy of our temporary but official signed marriage lisence, and that we should be able to use it for the visa application. We were wondering if this is in fact true, or if we risk getting a RFE asking for the official copy of the certificate and further delaying the process. 

 

Thanks all! And good luck!

[pushbrk 12,907]

Not true.  You need a photocopy of an actual certified copy of a "marriage certificate'.  Words mean things.  A marriage license is a license to GET married.  It is NOT a marriage certificate.  If you file with any other kind of document as evidence you are legally married, there is no way to be sure, whether you will get a request for the correct document (several months later) or an outright denial of the petition.

[fjxs 133]

Do you know if you can get the marriage certificate any sooner if you pick up in person? I noticed some of the counties have a long mailing time, but will allow you to pick it up sooner. 

 

Also, have you considered going to a different county for your marriage license? You can go to any county in California to get the license - it doesn’t have to be the one you get married in. Different counties have different processing times. Some will let you get the certified copy of the marriage license the same day they receive it, if you go I’m person. Some just have a 10 day wait. 

[pushbrk 12,907]

4 hours ago, eketros said:

Do you know if you can get the marriage certificate any sooner if you pick up in person? I noticed some of the counties have a long mailing time, but will allow you to pick it up sooner. 

 

Also, have you considered going to a different county for your marriage license? You can go to any county in California to get the license - it doesn’t have to be the one you get married in. Different counties have different processing times. Some will let you get the certified copy of the marriage license the same day they receive it, if you go I’m person. Some just have a 10 day wait. 

Ask the appropriate Government Office directly.

[Just Paul 4,595]

You can always get married someplace faster.  Vegas?

[fjxs 133]

On 3/30/2019 at 4:02 PM, pushbrk said:

Ask the appropriate Government Office directly.

Sorry I guess I worded my post poorly! I wasn’t trying to ask a question, I was trying to offer a suggestion - that the original poster should find out if they can get it faster in person. 

 

I know that at least some counties in California will allow you to get your marriage certificate the same day you get married.  (You can get the license, get married at the county clerks office, then get the certificate all on the same day.) So I meant to suggest that they either check if things can be done faster in person, or check if another nearby county offers better wait times and go there instead.