Question about Marriage Certificate

I

imhrb

Registered Users (C)
Hello Folks,

The CIS had asked me to send an original copy of the marriage certificate in their detailed RFE to my I-130. I just found out this week that my name check has been cleared (after 3.5 years of waiting) and the case is now transfered to the Baltimore office. My question is, when and how can I get my original marriage certificate? Would they just give it back to me at the interview? Or would they mail it back with or after the green card?

Any one has had similar experiences?
 
They need an "original" certified copy of your marriage certificate.

Which you get from the probate judge office or court house where your marriage was registered.

It is a copy with a dry or golden seal from the issuing authority, plus a stamp that states that it is a certified copy of the original which resides in the archive of that office, signed by some clerk or the judge itself.

It will cost you $2-5 and that is what you need to send them.
 
PraetorianXI said:
They need an "original" certified copy of your marriage certificate.

Which you get from the probate judge office or court house where your marriage was registered.

It is a copy with a dry or golden seal from the issuing authority, plus a stamp that states that it is a certified copy of the original which resides in the archive of that office, signed by some clerk or the judge itself.

It will cost you $2-5 and that is what you need to send them.
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Thanks for the response. Well I know the certified copy and here in MD it costs $5. But they had asked the original marriage certificate (not a certified copy, I had already sent that when I first applied), which I had to send back in August. My question is, how do I get it back now?
 
imhrb said:
Thanks for the response. Well I know the certified copy and here in MD it costs $5. But they had asked the original marriage certificate (not a certified copy, I had already sent that when I first applied), which I had to send back in August. My question is, how do I get it back now?
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There is no such thing as the "original"... the "original" is kept at the court house or probate judge's records office... and you can not get it, those copies you got from them are "as good" as the original.
 
imhrb,

perhaps I'm making it even more confusing, but what they are asking for in the initial evidence is actually a photocopy of the certified copy of the marriage certificate (that's what we sent). Could it be that they are simply asking for the original certified copy (with the original certified stamp and signature) rather than a photocopy of the certified copy? Or are you saying you sent them an original certified copy already and they do not accept it?
 
austriacus said:
imhrb,

perhaps I'm making it even more confusing, but what they are asking for in the initial evidence is actually a photocopy of the certified copy of the marriage certificate (that's what we sent). Could it be that they are simply asking for the original certified copy (with the original certified stamp and signature) rather than a photocopy of the certified copy? Or are you saying you sent them an original certified copy already and they do not accept it?
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They asked for the original marriage license. We had our marriage outside of court through a religious clergy, who signed it. We then took it to court and they gave us certified copies of the marriage certificate. So we have a few copies of the certified marriage certificate (and we sent those to them initially when we filed), but they asked for the original marriage license in their RFE.

Hope that makes sense??
 
Can you quote exactly what they are asking? Don't include personal info...only what the note states... Is not that I don't believe you but first you said the marriage certificate and now you said the marriage license...just to avoid further confusions.
 
Sorry about the confusion. Here is what it says:

Submit the original marriage certificate for the marriage of XXX and XXX, issued by the civil authority. In order for the marriage to be considered valid for immigration purposes, it must have been registered with a civil authority from the location where the marriage took place. The document must contain the seal of the issuing office, including the date of registration and signature of the registrar.
 
imhrb said:
Sorry about the confusion. Here is what it says:

Submit the original marriage certificate for the marriage of XXX and XXX, issued by the civil authority. In order for the marriage to be considered valid for immigration purposes, it must have been registered with a civil authority from the location where the marriage took place. The document must contain the seal of the issuing office, including the date of registration and signature of the registrar.
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That is exactly what a "certified original copy" IS... the document with the seal, the date and the signature. Send that. :p
 
PraetorianXI,

Thank you so much for the response. I had already sent it back in August, but I just wasn't sure how to get it back. I think I will ask them for it at the interview (hopefully soon).

Thanks again!
 
imhrb said:
PraetorianXI,

Thank you so much for the response. I had already sent it back in August, but I just wasn't sure how to get it back. I think I will ask them for it at the interview (hopefully soon).

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Get another one from the court house.
 
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