Is an Original Marriage Certificate Required?

[Ninja Joe 1]

My wife, who I brought to the U.S. via a K-1 Visa, will soon be applying for adjustment of status. My question is, do they require an original marriage certificate or can we just mail them a photocopy? Also, does the marriage certificate need to be certified by the office of records? If I send them an original, will they mail it back to us?

[payxibka 10,047]

2 minutes ago, Ninja Joe said:

My wife, who I brought to the U.S. via a K-1 Visa, will soon be applying for adjustment of status. My question is, do they require an original marriage certificate or can we just mail them a photocopy? Also, does the marriage certificate need to be certified by the office of records? If I send them an original, will they mail it back to us?

What do the instructions say?  

 

The evidence standard is a legible photocopy unless an original or certified copy is SPECIFICALLY requested.  It goes on to say that if you send an original that was not specifically requested they will likely DESTROY the original, so no you don't get it back.

[juggy_11 18]

43 minutes ago, Ninja Joe said:

My wife, who I brought to the U.S. via a K-1 Visa, will soon be applying for adjustment of status. My question is, do they require an original marriage certificate or can we just mail them a photocopy? Also, does the marriage certificate need to be certified by the office of records? If I send them an original, will they mail it back to us?

Photocopy of the marriage certificate is sufficient. Nothing in the instructions say you need to submit a certified copy.

[Ninja Joe 1]

On 5/1/2019 at 10:27 AM, juggy_11 said:

Photocopy of the marriage certificate is sufficient. Nothing in the instructions say you need to submit a certified copy.

Thank you.

[programmer437 27]

Just an FYI, our interview for adjustment of status required a certified copy; however, since we sent a certified copy with the original I-485 packet, they were able to skip that at the actual interview appointment. If you can get an extra certified copy (they're $5 at my local courthouse but it'll vary from state to state), it certainly doesn't hurt to send a certified copy and may save you some effort later. 

[payxibka 10,047]

1 minute ago, programmer437 said:

Just an FYI, our interview for adjustment of status required a certified copy; however, since we sent a certified copy with the original I-485 packet, they were able to skip that at the actual interview appointment. If you can get an extra certified copy (they're $5 at my local courthouse but it'll vary from state to state), it certainly doesn't hurt to send a certified copy and may save you some effort later. 

Yes, interview requirements are different. They only review the certified version,  they don't keep it 

Edited June 14, 2019 by payxibka

[payxibka 10,047]

In the era that we live in it is better to never, ever, ever allow an original or certified version of any civil document to be out of your control