here it say on step 17 http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...amp;page=k1flow
Apply for marriage certificate. We are both catholic and will marry at church, is it the priest that will give it to us by request? Why it say on step 17 to get this and on step 18 get married? I am confused.

I think step 17 should say apply for and obtain a marriage license. In some states the license and certificate are the same form. You'll need to actually obtain an official government issued marriage certificate, usually by mail, before filing for AOS.

Sign for license before marriage. Sign marriage papers after the vows. Wait for official certificate.

Thanks, I will arrive Atlanta Ga. Where should I get that license/certificate?

Usually the County Clerk office in the County the marriage will take place.

We got married in a Catholic church wedding and one of the requirements they needed from us is the marriage license that we got from our county's court.

Do I need a SSN, how long dose it take to get appointment usualy?

I suggest you google the website of the Clerk's Office of the County where your wedding will take place.

Every County has its own requirements, the County where my fiance lives requires: Birth Certificate and SSN of the bride and groom, we also need to provide an I.D. with picture and we have to apply at least 30 days prior to the wedding.

You can google yours, its pretty easy to find

Often the required SSN is waived if the applicant has never had one. Checking directly with the marriage license office is a good idea. Of course, a K1 visa holder can apply for a SSN immediately upon arrival, a very good idea.

Every state (or even county) is different.

In New York City, you need to go get a marriage license at least 24 hours before the ceremony (civil or religious).

Then if you get married at one of the court houses, you get the marriage license right away.

If you get married anywhere else, the person who marries you (priest, minister, judge, etc) has to fill out the back of the marriage license and send it out and you receive the marriage license by mail.

SSN is not necessary to marry here.

Hello Feejo,

We're Catholic as well. In our case, we followed a two step proces: First, we simply had a 'downtown civil wedding' by the justice of the peace in order to fulfill the immigration requirement of marrying within 90 days of her entry into the USA. Second, once the civil marriage had occured, we spoke to our Priest and arranged to have the Catholic wedding in our church.

My wife and I consider our Catholic marriage in our Church to be our true marriage/anniversary date. The civil marriage was really a 'non-event' that simply meant she could stay in the country and we could file for AOS.

In my opinion, take the easy/legal route and have a simple 'walk in/walk out' legal marriage ceremony to fulfill the requirements of the K1 visa. Then, meet with your priest and take your time to arrange the more important sacrament of marriage with your Catholic priest. I don't think you'll find any objection to that process from your priest (he understands the secular world) and you'll feel less 'rushed/pressured' to complete the most important day of your life, which will be the Catholic sacrament of marriage, not the immigration marriage requirement.

Well, talk to your Priest...that is the path we followed and it all worked out wonderfully well for us!

God's Peace and God's Blessing to You and Your Fiancee!

MarkNAAm

Maybe the Catholic diocese in Georgia is different (hopefully), but here in New Jersey the Catholic church will not do a quickie marriage.

First, it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to find a Catholic church to get married in unless you have been a member of that specific parish for at least one year. It's the rules, they just won't allow it. Even if that is the church you will be living near and attending as a married couple. You cannot walk in off the street and ask to be married there. The reason always given is that the many marriage requests made by parish members fill the time slots and prevent them from accomodating others. The only time they make an exception is if it happens to be the church you or your SO were baptized in. Then they make an exception. Usually.

Second, you must attent their premarital counselling program, called Engaged Encounter. It is either one solid weekend long, or one hour a week for like eight weeks.

Third, 'freelance' Catholic priests are virtually non-existent. Meaning, you can't find one who will just come and officiate you wedding somewhere. If you do find one, he is more than likely on the verge of being told to resign for some sort of infraction.

So... I advise having a civil ceremony within the 90 day window, then planning a church wedding later on. Though I'm betting the Catholic church isn't keen on that either, since you would technically be living in sin prior to the Catholic ceremony.

(Can you tell my failed first marriage was in a Catholic church... and that I'm not Catholic?)

I'm glad my pastor is laid back and realizes it doesn't associate how long you've been a member of a parish to the realization that we believe in what it means to be married in the Church.

Not judging other parishes that do, I understand why the rule exists but am thankful my parish is more progressive.

Thanks to all of you, I feel better now and we will talk to the priest then. So far he ask to attend the preparation and also that I have a rescent certificat shoing I made my sacrements.

Found this for Henry county GA, http://www.co.henry.ga.us/Probate/ProbateMarriage.htm

Hey, I live in Clevleand by my finacee and I are getting married in the Greater Atlanta area. I do not know which county you will be getting married in, but Cobb and Fulton and both very similar. I suggest making an appointment with the priest at your respective church and talking with them about it because I know different Catholic churces have different rules on what documents are needed before they will perform the ceremony. I talked to two different Churches and just chose the one my parents attend because they required the least amount of paper work.

My gf talked to the deacon, and he said if we marry at court we can't have a mass for our wedding. I guess I can forget about the court and marry directly to church. If the immigration ask later for a court thing I will give church paper then.

First, We married in the court. About 9 months later, we had Catholic wedding in the church, inclusive of a mass.

Peace,

MarkNAAm