About to petition I-130 for spouse (merged topics)

[Bill Hamze 89]

Already have my certified divorce decree on hand, as well as my current marriage certificate (with my beneficiary wife). 

 

But do I need to submit my PRIOR marriage certificate as well for the I-130 petition? 

 

I'm male, if that makes a difference.

 

Edited February 13, 2020 by Bill Hamze

[Crazy Cat 41,850]

No.  Just proof that previous marriages were legally dissolved.

[Unlockable 7,314]

Divorce decree is sufficient. No need for a previous marriage certificate if you have the decree.

[geowrian 22,337]

3 hours ago, Bill Hamze said:

I'm male, if that makes a difference.

It doesn't. Not sure why it would...?

Edited February 13, 2020 by geowrian

[pushbrk 12,883]

7 hours ago, geowrian said:

It doesn't. Not sure why it would...?

It quite often is relevant.  Typically males don't change their names when they marry but some do.  The reason for submitting prior marriage certificates is to track name changes.  Another discussion on exactly this issue in the past week or so.

 

Mary Smith married George Jones.  How do we know the Mary Jones that divorced George Jones is the Mary Smith on the birth certificate?  Sometimes the maiden or prior name is on the divorce decree and sometimes it's not.

[WandY 430]

Just need an officially-stamped divorce decree from the county in which the divorce occurred. Call it "certified" or "stamped" or "official," what you're seeking is a legal copy stamped (and often signed) by the county clerk who issues marital dissolution decrees. It is exactly what the feds wanted from me and I took an official copy with me to the interview in Saigon. Don't worry about the marriage certificate. The point about the male name is a good one, but in my state the female maiden name is in the decree. Vietnam can be a tough consulate. Go to the interview and you'll be fine.

[geowrian 22,337]

4 hours ago, pushbrk said:

It quite often is relevant.  Typically males don't change their names when they marry but some do.  The reason for submitting prior marriage certificates is to track name changes.  Another discussion on exactly this issue in the past week or so.

 

Mary Smith married George Jones.  How do we know the Mary Jones that divorced George Jones is the Mary Smith on the birth certificate?  Sometimes the maiden or prior name is on the divorce decree and sometimes it's not.

I see what you’re saying, but that’s an issue related to a name change, not gender or divorce certificate specifically.

[pushbrk 12,883]

20 minutes ago, geowrian said:

I see what you’re saying, but that’s an issue related to a name change, not gender or divorce certificate specifically.

Correct.  Prior marriage certificates are needed only if a name change is not documented on the divorce decree.  This is often overlooked.  Obviously, mostly by women.  I'm guessing that's what the OP had in mind when mentioning their gender.

[bombdefuzer 1]

We had our interview yesterday at HCMC for IR-1 Visa. I have 2 prior marriages. I had the original last divorce certificate and a copy of the 1st divorce certificate. They didn't even look at the copy. They were only interested in the last one which should be an original or certified copy. 

[Bill Hamze 89]

Thanks all for responding. 

 

Yeah, there was this other thread last week about this which only added to my confusion. Much appreciated for clearing this up.

[pushbrk 12,883]

3 hours ago, bombdefuzer said:

We had our interview yesterday at HCMC for IR-1 Visa. I have 2 prior marriages. I had the original last divorce certificate and a copy of the 1st divorce certificate. They didn't even look at the copy. They were only interested in the last one which should be an original or certified copy. 

This too, has missing context.  Was there a name change issue?  If not, then they were only inspecting the original, as the issue of whether you were both free to marry was already adjudicated by USCIS.  This is a petition filing question, not an interview documents question.  Two different "theys" with two different missions.

[bombdefuzer 1]

OK Sir you are the expert. Carry on. We have our Visa. 

[Ryan H 3,812]

On ‎2‎/‎11‎/‎2020 at 11:48 PM, Bill Hamze said:

I know we shouldn't leave anything blank,

 

Leaving it blank is a non-issue.

[Bill Hamze 89]

Until a few months ago, I didn't keep any old boarding passes (I mean, who keeps em?)

 

I only have my and my wife's boarding passes from our most recent trip in January. 

 

However, while I don't have old boarding passes from previous trips over the last 3 years, I do have our passport stamps.

 

1. Am I correct to assume that passport stamps are equally strong evidence (compared to boarding passes) of a trip actually having taken place, when accompanied by a ticket booking confirmation printout? 

 

2. If I include copies of passport stamps from both passports, should I also submit my wife's biometrics page in her passport as well?

 

I'm asking because for the I-130 petition, they said they don't need a copy of her passport, but I'm thinking of submitting that anyway due to lack of boarding passes.

 

 

[bakphx1 789]

You’ll get two flavors of answers.  Some will say you have to show a trip took place with boarding passes, though in my years reading VJ and other sites, I have yet to see anyone accused of staging trips but not actually taking them because they didn’t have boarding passes.  Most people don’t keep them.

 

But I submitted the paid itineraries with passport stamp pages and of course pictures from the trip.  No one doubted the trips were taken.  I take the whole boarding pass thing with a grain of salt myself.