Documents Required for i-130

[Wasif 2]

HI

 

My Profile :

Location : Living and Working in South Korea

Nationality : Pakistan

 

Wife  : 

Location : Texas US

Nationality : US Citizen

 

We got married in March in Pakistan, we are now looking to file for CR1.

What documents Do we need to file for i-130 petition?

 

For Nikah Nama / Marriage Certificate , is it mandatory to get it Attested from Foreign Affairs of Pakistan? We have NADRA English Marriage Certificate.

 

Foreign Affair Office asked for Wife's NICOP with updated Name and then they will attest it.

 

Can we Skip Foreign affair Pakistan attestation and get it notarized by Notary Public instead?

 

If there is any document help page for Pakistan ,please refer me to it.

 

Thank you

 

 

 

 

[millefleur 5,046]

**Moved from IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures to  Asia: South regional subforum; question is country specific**

[millefleur 5,046]

You can check out the official DOS website about what foreign documents are accepted for immigration purposes. This is what it states for marriage certificates from Pakistan:

 

Quote

 

Marriage Certificates

Available

Fees: There are fees

Document Name:  Nikah Nama along with its English translation or Marriage Registration Certificate

Issuing Authority: Union Council for Muslims. Certificates for non-Muslim citizens such as Ahmadis, Christians, Hindus, Parsis etc. are issued by respective community head offices (i.e. church or temple).

Special Seal(s) / Color / Format:  This varies by location and religion.

Issuing Authority Personnel Title:  Secretary of Union Council & Nikah Registrar on Nikah Nama

Registration Criteria: For Muslims, the marriage registrar should sign and stamp each original Nikah Nama and submit the first copy to the Union Council, while the second and third copies are provided to the bride and groom. The Registrar keeps the fourth copy. The Nikah Registrar should register the marriage within two months, but this does not always occur. The NADRA marriage certificate can provide further proof of registration. For immigration purposes, the Nikah must be registered with the Union Council.

Ahmadi, Christian, Hindu, and Parsi marriage certificates are issued by the church or temple leaders and are not generally registered with the local authorities.

Procedure for Obtaining: The original Nikah Nama is usually in Urdu and can be obtained from the Nikah Registrar.

Certified Copies Available: Certified copies are available

Alternate Documents: The NADRA marriage registration certificate is an acceptable substitute for the Nikah Nama, but usually it is examined with a Nikah Nama along with its English translation as it contains more information (i.e. witnesses, ex-spouse and number of children). 

Exceptions: None

Comments: None

 

Info taken from here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Pakistan.html

 

[Wasif 2]

Thank you , I have NIkah Nama in Urdu Registered with UNION Council and NADRA Marriage registration Certificate in ENGLISH.

 

The Information above does not say anything about , Notarization or Attestation from any institute or Notary Public.

 

 

[Sibtain 1]

@Wasif - I am in the same boat. Have you figured out for the translation and attestation? Please let me know.

 

[Wasif 2]

yes,

 

You can get NADRA Marriage registration Certificate in ENGLISH , make 3 - 4 Copies of it

and get them NOTARIZED  from Notary Public and  MOFA / local Kechehri  .

 

You will need your ID , Copies, and Wife's ID and COPY , Your wife's last name must be changed to your name in the ID card.

otherwise , show them the US passport COPY and Pakistani VISA / Entry Exit Stamp and her NICOP.

[ProbeGT 47]

On 4/9/2019 at 11:40 PM, Wasif said:

Thank you , I have NIkah Nama in Urdu Registered with UNION Council and NADRA Marriage registration Certificate in ENGLISH.

 

The Information above does not say anything about , Notarization or Attestation from any institute or Notary Public.

 

 

You need 3 documents

 

1. Urdu Nikah Nama, registered with UC

2. English translation of Nikah Nama, with a statement by the translator stating that it is an accurate translation (you can do this yourself, or have a relative/friend to this as well)

3. NADRA Marriage Registration Certificate

 

Wife's NICOP, listing you under "Husband" can be included as secondary evidence to prove your ongoing marital relationship

[ProbeGT 47]

The only document that needs to be notarized is the english translation of the nikah nama.  Other documents do not need to be attested.  

[ProbeGT 47]

UPDATED INFORMATION FROM DOS:

 

Marriage Certificates

Available

Fees: Fees vary.

Document Name: For U.S. immigration purposes, Pakistani Muslim applicants must present both an original, signed Nikah Nama (with its English translation) and a NADRA-issued marriage registration certificate. Note that while both documents reflect similar information, each on its own does not constitute sufficient proof of marriage.

Christians, Hindus, Ahmadis, and other applicants considered to be non-Muslim must present only a marriage certificate issued by their respective religious authority (i.e. a church or temple), since Union Councils do not uniformly issue NADRA certificates to these groups.

Citizens of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Afghans living in Pakistan must also only present a marriage certificate issued by religious authorities, as Union Councils do not issue NADRA certificates to these groups.

Issuing Authority: Union Councils register Nikah Nama documents for Pakistani Muslim citizens and issue subsequent NADRA marriage certificates.  Marriage certificates for Ahmadis, Christians, Hindus, Parsis, and other non-Muslim citizens are issued by their respective sectarian registration authority (i.e. church or temple), (Note: Some Union Councils have begun issuing NADRA marriage certificates to Hindus and Christians, though this process has not yet been standardized. As a result, such NADRA certificates are not required for non-Muslim applicants, per the above.)

Special Seal(s) / Color / Format: This varies by location and religion.

Issuing Authority Personnel Title: For Muslim applicants registering a Nikah Nama, the Secretary of the local Union Council and the Nikah Registrar constitute the appropriate authorities.

For non-Muslim applicants, priests or other religious leaders are considered appropriate issuing authorities.  

Registration Criteria: For Muslim applicants, the marriage registrar signs and stamps each original Nikah Nama, submitting the first copy to the local Union Council and providing the second and third copies to the bride and groom. The registrar keeps the fourth copy. In theory, the Nikah Registrar should register the marriage within two months, but this does not always occur. Upon registration, the Union Council issues a NADRA marriage certificate.

While there are penal consequences for not registering one’s marriage with the appropriate authorities, a signed Nikah Nama alone still constitutes a valid marriage under Pakistani law, according to the MFLO. For immigration purposes, however, the Nikah must be registered with and a NADRA marriage certificate issued by the Union Council.

Ahmadi, Christian, Hindu, and Parsi marriage certificates are issued by church or temple leaders and are not generally registered with the local Union Council).

Procedure for Obtaining: Muslim applicants can obtain and Urdu-language Nikah Nama from the Nikah Registrar. Ahmadis, Christians, Hindus, and other non-Muslim applicants can obtain marriage certificates from their local religious authorities.

Certified Copies Available: Certified copies are available.

Alternate Documents: No alternate documents are available or accepted.

Exceptions: 

Comments: Both the Nikah Nama and NADRA marriage certificate are required for a Muslim marriage to be considered valid for U.S. immigration purposes. 

[Wasif 2]

Thank you , For URDU TO ENGLISH TRANSLATION.  is there any Format for translation? A Blured PIC / sample would be great. 

how many pages would that be for ENGLISH translation?

 

''

ALso is that necessary ?   'with a statement by the translator stating that it is an accurate translation'

 

Arnt the translators, Notary TOO?

[ProbeGT 47]

On 8/20/2020 at 5:04 AM, Wasif said:

Thank you , For URDU TO ENGLISH TRANSLATION.  is there any Format for translation? A Blured PIC / sample would be great. 

how many pages would that be for ENGLISH translation?

 

  There are many samples online.  It looks just like a Nikah Nama, but it is in English

 

On 8/20/2020 at 5:04 AM, Wasif said:

 

ALso is that necessary ?   'with a statement by the translator stating that it is an accurate translation'

 

  Yes, it is required per USCIS rules

 

On 8/20/2020 at 5:04 AM, Wasif said:

Arnt the translators, Notary TOO?

No, not all translators are notaries, and not all notaries are translators.