Certified Marriage Certificate

[DeeJF 32]

Hi all,

 

Our AOS packet is ready to go minus our Certified Marriage Certificate. We got married in LA and they said it can take up to 6 weeks to receive. We're just over 4 weeks in and no sign yet. I'm wondering if people have found that it is necessary to wait for this official certified copy of the marriage certificate? Is there any work around when the rest of the packet is ready to go? Can we send the copy we received (it says copy in huge letters on it) or is that just stupid? 

 

If we have to wait, once we do receive the Certified Certificates (ordered 3), is it okay to only include one of the CERTIFIED copies with the AOS packet, and then include a copy of the certified copy with the AP and EAD? So we would copy the certified copy and send that with those forms since the I-485 would have the actual Certified certificate. 

 

Thank you in advance! 

[Loren Y 2,756]

I sent my original with the I485, and copies with the EAD/AP paperwork and have had no issues. Wife got EAD/AP card in only 83 days, so the copies must have been fine. I think you would risk an RFE by not sending the original. Some have gotten them, some have not for the original marriage certificate. You can send it with the copy and hope no RFE, or wait a few weeks and be good for sure. I would just wait, because it's gong to be wait 2 weeks now, or get an RFE possibly and waste 2 weeks taking care of that, The good thing about sending everything in now is it will get you a jump on the EAD/AP card, but I know if the I485 gets an RFE it can end up putting those on hold also. Your in a tough situation there, and it is up to you. See what other people say, but I think best to wait. Another thing to consider is when does your I94 expire? You kinda want to get the AOS filed and have your NOA1 before the I94 expires, so there is that to take into consideration also.

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,096]

11 minutes ago, DeeJF said:

Hi all,

 

Our AOS packet is ready to go minus our Certified Marriage Certificate. We got married in LA and they said it can take up to 6 weeks to receive. We're just over 4 weeks in and no sign yet. I'm wondering if people have found that it is necessary to wait for this official certified copy of the marriage certificate? Is there any work around when the rest of the packet is ready to go? Can we send the copy we received (it says copy in huge letters on it) or is that just stupid?

 

If we have to wait, once we do receive the Certified Certificates (ordered 3), is it okay to only include one of the CERTIFIED copies with the AOS packet, and then include a copy of the certified copy with the AP and EAD? So we would copy the certified copy and send that with those forms since the I-485 would have the actual Certified certificate. 

 

Thank you in advance! 

FWIW, the long wait times for civil ceremony dates and for certified copies of your marriage certificate are why I'd suggest not getting married in LA county on a K-1. Orange, Ventura, Riverside (where we married), and San Bernardino counties are all much faster.

 

Still - is what you have fully filled out (with the officiant's signature, the local county clerk's signature, and the date accepted for registration)? If so, a photocopy of that is good enough.

 

You don't actually have to send certified copies your marriage certificate; photocopies are fine. But you do actually have to have a certified copy to start with (the original is filed with the county clerk's office; you don't get it).

[junkmart 320]

23 minutes ago, DeeJF said:

Hi all,

 

Our AOS packet is ready to go minus our Certified Marriage Certificate. We got married in LA and they said it can take up to 6 weeks to receive. We're just over 4 weeks in and no sign yet. I'm wondering if people have found that it is necessary to wait for this official certified copy of the marriage certificate? Is there any work around when the rest of the packet is ready to go? Can we send the copy we received (it says copy in huge letters on it) or is that just stupid? 

 

If we have to wait, once we do receive the Certified Certificates (ordered 3), is it okay to only include one of the CERTIFIED copies with the AOS packet, and then include a copy of the certified copy with the AP and EAD? So we would copy the certified copy and send that with those forms since the I-485 would have the actual Certified certificate. 

 

Thank you in advance! 

Our attorney only sent one copy of the certified marriage certificate. I was never asked for an original.

[K1visaHopeful 2,872]

Photocopies are only necessary when submitting I485, I765 and I131. You dont need to submit the original or certified copy BUT you do need to submit a photocopy of the original or certified copy and you need to ensure the photocopy shows it has a raised seal if it has one (so set the photocopier to darken so the seal is apparent).

What do you have? 

[DeeJF 32]

56 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

Photocopies are only necessary when submitting I485, I765 and I131. You dont need to submit the original or certified copy BUT you do need to submit a photocopy of the original or certified copy and you need to ensure the photocopy shows it has a raised seal if it has one (so set the photocopier to darken so the seal is apparent).

What do you have? 

Ah okay I think we'll have to wait. I have a "Customer Copy" (it says this in big letters across the form) of the marriage license/certificate. It is signed by witnesses and the officiant, but no seal. Thank you for your reply! 

[Liflead 112]

On 6/10/2019 at 12:41 PM, DeeJF said:

Hi all,

 

Our AOS packet is ready to go minus our Certified Marriage Certificate. We got married in LA and they said it can take up to 6 weeks to receive. We're just over 4 weeks in and no sign yet. I'm wondering if people have found that it is necessary to wait for this official certified copy of the marriage certificate? Is there any work around when the rest of the packet is ready to go? Can we send the copy we received (it says copy in huge letters on it) or is that just stupid? 

 

If we have to wait, once we do receive the Certified Certificates (ordered 3), is it okay to only include one of the CERTIFIED copies with the AOS packet, and then include a copy of the certified copy with the AP and EAD? So we would copy the certified copy and send that with those forms since the I-485 would have the actual Certified certificate. 

 

Thank you in advance! 

Well! I guess if you have waited for 4 weeks then waiting for 2 more weeks shouldn't be any harm but if you really want to send your package then you can make copy of your original marriage certificate and send it. I had read posts by people who did that and it was accepted. My partner and I had gone to clerk's office to collect our marriage licence and came to know that we can self-solemnize our marriage and we can get the original marriage certificate and certified copies there itself so we got married at the clerk's office and got everything there.  The clerk informed that we can get more certified copies later as they scan the original and keep one in the system. The original will only be one. So we kept the originals with us in our files and sent 3 certified copies with the AOS package. 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

On 6/10/2019 at 3:46 PM, DeeJF said:

Ah okay I think we'll have to wait. I have a "Customer Copy" (it says this in big letters across the form) of the marriage license/certificate. It is signed by witnesses and the officiant, but no seal. Thank you for your reply! 

What makes it a certified copy is an indication it has been recorded in the county records. Yours right now is no more than the license.

Not every county in the US has a raised seal,  it may have a stamp stating something like "This is certified to be an exact copy of the record on file in XYY? County" with a signature from the county clerk. And that's what you are waiting on...somebody to enter it in the official county records, then "certify" it's registered with the county.

 

FYI: the I:131 and I-765 applications don't need a marriage certificate. Not part of their required evidence.

 

You can photocopy your certified marriage certificate for the I-485 and take the real document to your interview.

[arken 4,197]

On 6/10/2019 at 3:01 PM, Loren Y said:

I sent my original with the I485, and copies with the EAD/AP paperwork and have had no issues. Wife got EAD/AP card in only 83 days, so the copies must have been fine. I think you would risk an RFE by not sending the original. Some have gotten them, some have not for the original marriage certificate. You can send it with the copy and hope no RFE, or wait a few weeks and be good for sure. I would just wait, because it's gong to be wait 2 weeks now, or get an RFE possibly and waste 2 weeks taking care of that, The good thing about sending everything in now is it will get you a jump on the EAD/AP card, but I know if the I485 gets an RFE it can end up putting those on hold also. Your in a tough situation there, and it is up to you. See what other people say, but I think best to wait. Another thing to consider is when does your I94 expire? You kinda want to get the AOS filed and have your NOA1 before the I94 expires, so there is that to take into consideration also.

 

 

Have you read the following i485 instructions on Page 5?

 

 “NOTE: If you submit original documents when not required or requested by USCIS or the Immigration Court, your original documents may remain a part of the record, USCIS or the Immigration Court will not automatically return them to you, and your original documents may be immediately destroyed upon receipt.”

 

 

 

Edited June 12, 2019 by arken

[Loren Y 2,756]

31 minutes ago, arken said:

 

 

Have you read the following i485 instructions on Page 5?

 

 “NOTE: If you submit original documents when not required or requested by USCIS or the Immigration Court, your original documents may remain a part of the record, USCIS or the Immigration Court will not automatically return them to you, and your original documents may be immediately destroyed upon receipt.”

 

 

 

I wasn't really going to sweat the 15 bucks I spent on the certificate, I've blown more money than God on all the small stuff that seems to nickle and dime you to death. They can use it for toilet paper for all I care, destroy it, make a paper plane out of it and fly it around the office. It said send in a copy of your marriage certificate, I sent in what I had. I bought like 4 original certified copies, so I had extra laying around. I'm in the process of getting 2 of them certified by the US aspostile right now so I can register my marriage in a foreign country, and actually that was the cheapest thing so far at only 8 bucks each. I have yet to see someone get a RFE for sending in an original copy and them issuing a RFE saying please send in a regular copy, we don't want the original. But I have seen RFE asking for a original copy, so I erred on the side of caution.