pakistan Confusion about Birth Certificate & Marriage Certificate.

[virgo2019 0]

Hi all,

I am Pakistani national, due to my work i have been living in Riyadh Saudi Arabia for more than 6 years. We got married in Pakistan on 9 March 2019, got our NOA2 approval email on 14 November 2019 (letter came a bit later via snail mail). Now we are waiting for welcome letter from NVC. Its gonna be any day now. Meanwhile, I am preparing our case file for NVC processing. During this process I come across few points which i am little confused about. The wording on NOA2 letter says 

 

Quote

It [NVC] also determines which consular  post is the appropriate consulate to complete visa processing. The NVC then forward the approved petition to that consulate.

Now, I have assumed that its gonna be US consulate Riyadh as i am resident of Saudi Arabia and this is the post which process the IV. I don't know this assumption is correct or not. I guess we will find out shortly.  Meanwhile, I was wondering, do i have to prepare my file as per Pakistani national requirements or follow Saudi Arabian requirements especially the part about interview guidelines for Riyadh embassy? For example, here are few things which i noticed. I am assuming NVC will choose Riyadh Saudi Arabia for further processing.

 

1. Birth Certificate. I was born in Pakistan. I have union counsel/Nadra issued birth certificate. It contain both Urdu and English details. I think i need to get a certified copy. My question is certified from whom? Union Council, MOFA Pakistan or someone else or all of them? Also original document already has union counsel seal, do it needs MOFA Pakistan seal on original as-well?
2. Interview guidelines at Riyadh Saudi Arabia states the following:

   Quote

   Original birth certificate, and a photocopy. The certificate must contain your date and place of birth, the names of both parents, and an annotation from the appropriate authority indicating that it is an extract from official records.

   Pakistani birth certificate don't contain an such annotation  and there is no such requirement for annotation at Interview guidelines for Islamabad Embassy. My question is would they accept the Pakistani birth certificate original and certified copy without annotation at my interview in Riyadh?

3. Marriage Certificate.  As mentioned earlier, my marriage took place in Pakistan. I have Nikkah Nama, its notarized translation (which we submitted earlier with i130) Nadra issued Marriage Certificates from Municipal committee. Apparently i need certified copies. Again my question is certified from whom? Union Council/Municipal Committee, MOFA Pakistan or someone else or all of them? Also original Marriage certificate already has Municipal committee seal, do it needs MOFA Pakistan seal on original as-well?

4. Documents required for Saudi Arabia states the following in marriage certificate section 

   Quote

   Only the Saudi government is authorized to create legally binding marriages that are valid for immigration purposes.  In the cases of third country nationals who get married outside of a Sharia Court in Saudi Arabia, that marriage must be endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  There are MOFA offices located in most major cities.  For example, a third country national who performs his/her wedding ceremony at his/her country’s embassy in Saudi Arabia must have their wedding certificate and/or marriage contract endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will affix a small stamp with two crossed sabers and a tree on it when they endorse the document.

   Even though i am resident of Saudi Arabia i think above paragraph is not applicable on me (my marriage took place in Pakistan not at Pakistani embassy in Riyadh and therefore i don't think i need to register it here) however i was wondering would my Pakistani marriage certificate would be acceptable at US consulate in Riyadh without Saudi Arabian MOFA stamp?

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

[geowrian 22,337]

You will have the option to process in Riyadh or Islamabad since you reside (assuming legally) in KSA and have Pakistani citizenship. Usually it's best to do so where you currently reside.

You will need to follow the procedures for whichever consulate you interview at.

 

The birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc. will need too conform to the requirements of where they were issued.

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

 

Your marriage certificate only needs to meet the requirements for where it was issued. It does not appear that the KSA requirements you quoted apply to you since you did not marry within KSA.