Marriage Certificate in US and Nigeria

[jade20 64]

Need advise guys. Got married in Nigeria and got a cr1 visa, and now want to get married in NY. Will a second marriage certificate disrupt the uscis process?

[Dashinka 24,493]

If you are already considered married and got a CR1 visa, there is no need for a second marriage.  You can always do a ceremony to renew vows, or something like that, but doing another legal marriage is unnecessary.

 

Good Luck!

[Mike E 11,739]

A second marriage certificate would indeed disrupt the process.  
 

The state of New York marriage license requires you to list all previous marriages.
 

 https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/4210/

Information regarding previous marriages must be furnished in the application for a marriage license. This includes whether the former spouse or spouses are living, and whether the applicants are divorced and, if so, when, where and against whom the divorce or divorces were granted. A certified copy of the Decree of Divorce or a Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage may be required by the clerk issuing the marriage license.

 

So you aren’t likely to be issued a marriage license in the first place. 
 

But if you are given a marriage license and later a marriage certificate, USCIS will want to see the divorce decree if this is before the visa is issued. 
 

If this is after the CR-1 is issued,  getting marriage a second time would create the inference that original marriage was not valid and possibly result in removal proceedings.  
 

Even before that that, at the port of entry, if CBP learns that you intend to marry in the US, CBP might conclude the visa was fraudulently obtained, cancel the visa, and deny entry.  

 

If you are already in the US and later include the second marriage certificate as proof of bonafide marriage for removal of conditions, expect an RFE or a denial.  
 

So your plan is an excellent way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.  
 

Edited November 14, 2020 by Mike E

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

3 hours ago, jade20 said:

Need advise guys. Got married in Nigeria and got a cr1 visa, and now want to get married in NY. Will a second marriage certificate disrupt the uscis process?

What is your intended purpose for the second wedding?

[jade20 64]

Just now, Lucky Cat said:

What is your intended purpose for the second wedding?

Just to have a ceremony with family over here

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

23 minutes ago, jade20 said:

Just to have a ceremony with family over here

That’s a Ceremony, not a wedding, don’t confuse the two. I’m assuming this is with the same person otherwise you’d be committing polygamy..

[jade20 64]

1 hour ago, Luckycuds said:

That’s a Ceremony, not a wedding, don’t confuse the two. I’m assuming this is with the same person otherwise you’d be committing polygamy..

Or a wedding with same person. I’m only asking if it’s okay to get a certificate afterwards

[belinda63 3,038]

When you apply for the license you both will be asked if you currently single or some other verbiage to indicate you are legally free to marry. If you are already married how are you going to answer yes without lying since you are currently married.

[Timona 4,207]

3 hours ago, jade20 said:

Or a wedding with same person. I’m only asking if it’s okay to get a certificate afterwards

You don't like your Nigerian certificate? The American one won't confer you anything new

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

4 hours ago, jade20 said:

Or a wedding with same person. I’m only asking if it’s okay to get a certificate afterwards

No, you can not get a certificate. You are already married. Go have a nice celebration but no marriage license/certificate as you are married. 

[JeanneAdil 6,498]

https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/edrs/

What is a second or subsequent marriage ceremony?

A second or subsequent ceremony occurs when a couple can prove that they are already married to each other, regardless of where the marriage occurred and wish to remarry the same person (i.e., renew their vows) in New York State. This includes valid marriages between same-sex couples that have already occurred in other jurisdictions. New York State issues a second or subsequent marriage certificate to such couples. The 24-hour waiting period is not a requirement for second or subsequent ceremonies.

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

6 hours ago, jade20 said:

Just to have a ceremony with family over here

A ceremony doesn't need a new certificate. Don't complicate everything.

[JeanneAdil 6,498]

15 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/edrs/

What is a second or subsequent marriage ceremony?

A second or subsequent ceremony occurs when a couple can prove that they are already married to each other, regardless of where the marriage occurred and wish to remarry the same person (i.e., renew their vows) in New York State. This includes valid marriages between same-sex couples that have already occurred in other jurisdictions. New York State issues a second or subsequent marriage certificate to such couples. The 24-hour waiting period is not a requirement for second or subsequent ceremonies.

I should have added after we got the CR1 and he came i wanted a marriage ceremony and we renewed our vows at Statler Hotel on the Cornel Campus where i had graduated from

i wanted this as most African countries do not have  a marriage ceremony / the marriage is signing papers and having a party after 

and i had never had the chance to buy my own wedding gown (as i used a borrowed one for my first marriage)

so,  we did this and it never affected us as we had to prove our marriage in Morocco was real for immigration and had to prove the same to NY state health department to do the 2nd one

and Adil has gone all the way to becoming a US citizen with no problems about this issue

 

[Loren Y 2,755]

Here in Vegas you can renew your vows and get a certificate. It is completely a keepsake certificate. Nothing legal about it. It is still issued by the license bureau, but it has no legal meaning. It is strictly a way to generate revenue for the license bureau and gives couples the ability to " Marry again" in a ceremony with friends. It is strictly renewing your current wedding vows. This maybe an option where you are. Just make sure you do the renewal of vows as it is called here. This should avoid any issues with immigration. I have done renewal of vows ceremonies and it is similar to a normal ceremony with some different wording, but as the officiant I don't record anything or register the ceremony. It is just as it says on the certificate, a renewal of vows. Maybe this is what you want to do.

Edited November 14, 2020 by Loren Y

[JFH 12,190]

If your marriage in Nigeria was a legally-binding marriage and not just a religious or tribal ceremony (with no legal standing), then a second marriage is not required. By all means have the party of a lifetime, book out a whole hotel, invite all your friends and family and wear the biggest gown you can find if that’s what you want to do once he gets here. But if you are already legally married it won’t be a “marriage” ceremony, just a “vow renewal” and party. It will have no legal status. 
 

If your marriage in Nigeria has no legal standing then a legal marriage is necessary before you can file a CR-1. The legal marriage can take place anywhere in the world, be big or small. USCIS doesn’t care whether you go to a courthouse in jeans and tennis shoes or if you book the whole Ritz-Carlton for the weekend, they just care that the marriage is legal where it took place.