Marriage License

[ForeverAmen 0]

Is there a reason why the rules for marriage license varies so much in each state? I would like to get married where we live. However, my fiance is required to have a SS#, otherwise he will have to sign an affidavit stating that "he does not have a SS# AND he is not eligble to work" (duh ... he is eligible to work and we have since applied for the SS# which we hope to have within 1 month or less). In addition, the state we live in will not provide the 2 witness that are necessary for the civil ceromony. On the other hand, another nearby state requires that we sign up for a license (with or without a SS#), wait 3 days before we can marry, and no witnesses are needed. We really do not want to make a big thing about the civil wedding since we are planning a church wedding later this year. The main thing is trying to get through the pile of forms that are necessary ie., AOS and EAD.

Thanks for your help, and thanks for listening

[gcox457 0]

/shrug...that's just the way the country was built. The emphasis has always been on states making their own rules for most social issues...so invariably there are going to be a lot of differences on how each one decides to do things. It's only recently (pretty much since LBJ) that the federal governement has been making mandates on many of these issues...but there still is a *lot* left to the individual states (and rightly so, according to both the letter and spirit of the Constitution).

[john_and_marlene 162]

Is there a reason why the rules for marriage license varies so much in each state? I would like to get married where we live. However, my fiance is required to have a SS#, otherwise he will have to sign an affidavit stating that "he does not have a SS# AND he is not eligble to work" (duh ... he is eligible to work and we have since applied for the SS# which we hope to have within 1 month or less). In addition, the state we live in will not provide the 2 witness that are necessary for the civil ceromony. On the other hand, another nearby state requires that we sign up for a license (with or without a SS#), wait 3 days before we can marry, and no witnesses are needed. We really do not want to make a big thing about the civil wedding since we are planning a church wedding later this year. The main thing is trying to get through the pile of forms that are necessary ie., AOS and EAD.

Thanks for your help, and thanks for listening

Las Vegas! No waiting period/no residency requirement/same day weddings

[desert_fox 32]

The US Constitution gives each state the right to make their own laws unless it is something specifically reserved for the Federal Govt. State agencies do not provide witnesses for weddings. They expect you to bring your own.

[Yodrak 7]

Boaz,

Because the name of the country, United States, means exactly what it says - this country is a united group of individual states. Issues that do not significantly affect the group as a whole are left to the individual members.

Some issues can be quite contentious as to what level they belong at, but marriage is still pretty much considered to be an issue that belongs at the state level.

Yodrak

Is there a reason why the rules for marriage license varies so much in each state? ...

[Canuck Carrie 1]

On the other hand, another nearby state requires that we sign up for a license (with or without a SS#), wait 3 days before we can marry, and no witnesses are needed.

Would that happen to be Texas? Be careful about the SSN requirement, it's different from county to county.

Example: In Tom Green county, a SSN # is not required for the license, in Nueces county it is, but you can bring your Tom Green license to Nueces without a problem and without a SSN, you just can't apply for the license in Nueces without it. And all counties charge a different amount for the license.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Because this country is crazy

Edit: Yodrak's explanation is more accurate, however.

Edited February 6, 2006 by Agent Smith

[shayrene 0]

Every state is different. I will be getting married in TN (because my family is there) and on their website it stated that they require a SSN card. However, when I called, they said a passport is sufficient. Be sure to call and verify.