H4 documents please help

M

mobfigr

New Member
Hi all,

I am currently on H1. I recently got married in India. I am facing some complex issues with regards to my spouse's H4 documents. Any insight or help regarding this matter is greatly appreciated.

1. my spouse is from a different state than I am from. The marriage took place in her state so the marriage cert must be obtained from her state. We went and registered. They asked to collect the marriage cert after 1 month and that only I can collect the cert in person. Now, I don't have enough vacation to stay for that long to collect the cert in person. So, as a back up I went and registered in my state which was easy and straight-forward. But the date and place of marriage on this cert is now different (as per my state's requirements I had to show we were married in my state). Now my question is this. I am back in the US now, so should I use the marriage cert with a diff marriage date than original for her H4 interview or should I go back to India collect the marriage cert from her state and use that for her H4? Can she say that we were married in her state but we got a registered in my state? Ofcourse with the date and place of marriage diff on cert from my state not sure if this could create any problem. I don't want to lie to the consular at the same time but I don't want to create any doubts in the consular's mind at the same time.

2. My spouse's birth certificate has a different date than what's on the marriage cert and all of her other documents. I know. I was thinking the same what the hell. Anyways, could this be a problem in the visa interview. The date on her passport is not the same on her birth cert.

Thanks for any info in advance.
 
mobfigr said:
Hi all,

I am currently on H1. I recently got married in India. I am facing some complex issues with regards to my spouse's H4 documents. Any insight or help regarding this matter is greatly appreciated.

1. my spouse is from a different state than I am from.
The marriage took place in her state so the marriage cert must be obtained from her state.
We went and registered.
They asked to collect the marriage cert after 1 month and that only I can collect the cert in person.
---------------------it simply means you did not used Lawyer or Agent or did not pay to Clerk in Marriage registrar office. One can get marriage certificate second day or same day.what state you got registred? City?
Now, I don't have enough vacation to stay for that long to collect the cert in person. So, as a back up I went and registered in my state which was easy and straight-forward. But the date and place of marriage on this cert is now different (as per my state's requirements I had to show we were married in my state). Now my question is this. I am back in the US now, so should I use the marriage cert with a diff marriage date than original for her H4 interview or should I go back to India collect the marriage cert from her state and use that for her H4?
-------why go to India? use the second marriage certificate from your state.

Can she say that we were married in her state but we got a registered in my state?
----------She can say IF asked. I will show only the marrage certificate from your state and will write the date of marrage that is on that certificate. and you wife should write that date . Don’t discuss the other certificate that you or your wife never got.
Ofcourse with the date and place of marriage diff on cert from my state not sure if this could create any problem. I don't want to lie to the consular at the same time but I don't want to create any doubts in the consular's mind at the same time.
------------------------Your wife can try by paying to any agent lawyer and he can get you certificate from your wife state if you/she wants to use that.
2. My spouse's birth certificate has a different date than what's on the marriage cert and all of her other documents.
-------------------------- on birth certificate and marriage cert and on passport DOB should be same. fix it.
I know. I was thinking the same what the hell. Anyways, could this be a problem in the visa interview.
The date on her passport is not the same on her birth cert.
---------------------She need to correct.all documents should have same DOB.
Thanks for any info in advance.
Click to expand...
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hi ginnu,

thanks for the info. my wife's from madhya pradesh state and city indore. i am from gujarat. we did try paying the clerk but that didn't work. didn't use any lawyer or agent. that was a mistake. But like you said, it makes sense that it's better to use cert from my state and not discuss the the other cert. we'll just show that as marriage date. her other documents are being fixed now. so let's see what happens. thanks for the advice.
 
I have come across one more problem now. My original I797 (H1B approval notice) is lost. I do have photocopy of it. Also have my H1B visa in my passport. Will the mumbai consulate accept copy of my H1B approval notice for h4 visa or only original is accepted? I have sent them emails multiple times with no reply. Tried calling them but they insist on email only. Processing times for duplicate I797 approval notices is taking about 6-7 months.
 
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