Hi folks,
Just thought we'd keep you posted. Strange things are happening. We sent in our I-130 petition on March 18th. We got a letter back last week saying that the paperwork was Incomplete.

You'll never guess what they asked for. . . They want a copy of the Marriage Certificate from my husband's first marriage!!! That came out of the blue. As per the instructions, we sent in EVERYTHING they asked for, including my husbands Divorce certificate from his Ex wife. Surely if there was a divorce certificate, there must have been a marriage certificate, but why on earth would they want that item??? Beats us! Never mind, we got a copy and sent it off today. We'll have to wait and see what happens.

Just thought we'd let you all know. Be prepared for anything

Trish and Dave

Yeah they require it for K1 as well - all marriage certs from previous marriages. Not sure why as a legal divorce REQUIRES you to submit your marriage cert to the judge - but hey ho - I had to shell out for a new copy myself

I guess things differ for everyone on a case by case basis, as our I-130 was approved without our previous marriage certificates. So sorry it happened for you like that!

No worries. When we sent ours in - and included EVERYTHING - they sent us..and RFE I guess that wanted photocopies of every page of Stewarts passport. It didn't delay us and was no issue but it hadn't ASKED for that...

That is really weird. I never heard of such a thing, requiring marriage certificates from previous marriages. Understandably, I had to submit the divorce final but marriage certificates

H MY GOSH if they require the certificate..... guess ill have to send a request and find where to get...
I tore mine up the day I kicked the Abusive SOB out..

gawd.....how rediculous...I wouldn't even know where to for look for mine....I have only just got a copy of my absolute....I am crap at keeping very important documents...

on our list it asked for our's too...but we dont have them. i am here in Lebanon with my husband and both our first marriages were in the USA and neither of us have the cert. we did send our divorce papers.....hopefully that will sufice, if not guess ill be callin the clerk in our town..............hope they wont need em, its takin long enough as it is

At what stage do you need this? Just a certified copy or what?

Very strange requirement indeed.....

However - I have a question for you:
Is your husband the petitioner or are YOU the petitioner? If your husband is the petitioner, then, when the I-130 was filed and accepted, he HAD had to submit his divorce certificate copy. The I-130 requires one to submit an original AND a photocopy of ONLY the divorce certficate, NOT the PREVIOUS marriage certficate. The original will then be returned to the petitioner.

If YOU are the petitioner (in which case your husband is the applicant/beneficiary), then yes - they do ask for the previous marriage certficate AS WELL AS his divorce certficate. Strange but true.

So, who is the petitioner? If its your husband, then what they are asking you at this point is incorrect - surely a mistake on their part. I would call and let them clarify.

Agrawala: Are you saying that if the beneficiary (the non-USC to avoid confusion!) has been married before, then it is quite normal (and should be expected) to be asked for the marriage certificate from the first marriage?

What a nightmare if it is so; I had to relinquish the marriage certificate to the court that processed my annulment so I don't have it.

This is what the embassy told me when I emailed them:

We regret the delay in responding to your email.

If you are not in possession of your previous marriage certificates, please furnish the original divorce certificates, plus one photocopy, during the interview.

Thank you for your e-mail correspondence.

Consular Information Unit
U.S. Embassy, London
CONS/CIU/SF

When my husband and I filed, I had been previously married and divorced. We were only asked for the divorce decree, and not the marriage certificate. Oh, and I'm the USC. I don't know why they would need a marriage certificate as long as they have the divorce decree. Seems a little like overkill to me.

I have come across many posts recently when members have said for various applications from visa to AOS that former marriage certificates were needed. Today I went through the London Embassy web pages in detail and yes, it says "Marriage certificate* - the original or certified copy bearing the appropriate seal or stamp of the issuing authority [b]for each of the applicant's marriages[/b]."

Candace,

I am not saying that it is normal. All I am saying is that they require the marriage as well as divorce certificates from the beneficiary (this they do ask for in writing). Does not make sense to me, but .......

I am just not sure if they need the previous marriage(s) certificates from the USC (petitioner). DOes anyone on this thread know?

Candace, I'm doing DCF through London. Both my husband (the UKC) and me have been married previously. I emailed London and was told that the certificates from previous marriages are unnecessary, as long as you have certified proof of divorce or annulment. The ds-2001 checklist they sent us verified this as well. Hope that helps....