Documentation reuqired for marriage license

[scandal 951]

So, like most people here, we're in the K-1 queue, hopefully getting NOA2 approval, interview and K1 visa over the next few months, and anticipating my fiancee's arrival stateside by springtime.

Looking ahead a bit - I'm puzzled about something.

She'll enter on K-1 and we need to get married within 90 days to adjust status - got that part.

However, to get married, she will need to satisfy the local county requirements for identification/documentation.

I live in DuPage county, Illinois. The requirements here are taken from their website - http://www.dupageco.org/countyclerk/generic.cfm?doc_id=622

In particular:

REQUIRED IDENTIFICATION:

Identification and proof of age are required of all persons. Any of the following documents will be accepted:

* A valid U.S. driver’s license.

* A valid U.S. state identification card.

* A valid U.S. passport.

* A valid U.S. military identification card.

If you do not have any of the above forms of identification, then you must present two (2) of the following pieces of identification:

* A certified copy of a birth certificate.

* A baptismal record (the date of birth of the applicant must appear on this record).

* A valid foreign passport.

* U.S. naturalization papers.

* A valid U.S. resident alien card.

* A life insurance policy, which has been in effect for one (1) year (the applicant’s date of birth must appear on the document).

* All consulate identification cards. Affidavits are not acceptable.

Well - obviously she won't have anything from the first group - she will have just arrived in the US, and we require the marriage to OBTAIN these types of US status and documentation (drivers license, state ID card, etc.)!!

As to the second group - she'll have her foreign passport of course, but she requires 2 items from this group. She's not naturalized and doesn't have a green-card - duh! - again that's the whole point of this step by step process- meaning she won't have "US naturalization papers" or "valid US resident alien card". She's Buddhist, not Christian, so there's no baptismal record. At this time there's no life insurance policy in her name, so that one is out. That leaves "certified copy of birth certificate" and "consular identification card" (whatever that is!!).

I guess we'll do the birth certificate route,and I'll ask her to have her BC translated and notarized in Thailand before she travels.

I'm sure these requirements vary across the country from state to state and county to county. Nonetheless, the broader issue is probably similar for most K1 filers: is there a catch-22 situation here? I.e., - you need to get married in the US to move from K1 to permanent status, but to get married you need documentation to demonstrate your status????

What have other done, or are planning to do, in this regard?

[MARM 7]

So, like most people here, we're in the K-1 queue, hopefully getting NOA2 approval, interview and K1 visa over the next few months, and anticipating my fiancee's arrival stateside by springtime.

Looking ahead a bit - I'm puzzled about something.

She'll enter on K-1 and we need to get married within 90 days to adjust status - got that part.

However, to get married, she will need to satisfy the local county requirements for identification/documentation.

I live in DuPage county, Illinois. The requirements here are taken from their website - http://www.dupageco.org/countyclerk/generic.cfm?doc_id=622

In particular:

REQUIRED IDENTIFICATION:

Identification and proof of age are required of all persons. Any of the following documents will be accepted:

* A valid U.S. driver’s license.

* A valid U.S. state identification card.

* A valid U.S. passport.

* A valid U.S. military identification card.

If you do not have any of the above forms of identification, then you must present two (2) of the following pieces of identification:

* A certified copy of a birth certificate.

* A baptismal record (the date of birth of the applicant must appear on this record).

* A valid foreign passport.

* U.S. naturalization papers.

* A valid U.S. resident alien card.

* A life insurance policy, which has been in effect for one (1) year (the applicant’s date of birth must appear on the document).

* All consulate identification cards. Affidavits are not acceptable.

Well - obviously she won't have anything from the first group - she will have just arrived in the US, and we require the marriage to OBTAIN these types of US status and documentation (drivers license, state ID card, etc.)!!

As to the second group - she'll have her foreign passport of course, but she requires 2 items from this group. She's not naturalized and doesn't have a green-card - duh! - again that's the whole point of this step by step process- meaning she won't have "US naturalization papers" or "valid US resident alien card". She's Buddhist, not Christian, so there's no baptismal record. At this time there's no life insurance policy in her name, so that one is out. That leaves "certified copy of birth certificate" and "consular identification card" (whatever that is!!).

I guess we'll do the birth certificate route,and I'll ask her to have her BC translated and notarized in Thailand before she travels.

I'm sure these requirements vary across the country from state to state and county to county. Nonetheless, the broader issue is probably similar for most K1 filers: is there a catch-22 situation here? I.e., - you need to get married in the US to move from K1 to permanent status, but to get married you need documentation to demonstrate your status????

What have other done, or are planning to do, in this regard?

I also live in DuPage County, Illinois.

Yes, you are correct, the Birth certificate and the foreign passport (with the K-1 visa ofcourse and I-194) is all that will be needed. Consular Identification card would be an ID issued from the American Embassy in the foreign country of citizenship, but this is not applicable in your case.

[elyandmichael 0]

* A certified copy of a birth certificate.

* A baptismal record (the date of birth of the applicant must appear on this record).

* A valid foreign passport.

* U.S. naturalization papers.

* A valid U.S. resident alien card.

* A life insurance policy, which has been in effect for one (1) year (the applicant’s date of birth must appear on the document).

* All consulate identification cards. Affidavits are not acceptable.

Hi Marm,

I guess she has two of this group...Birth Certificate...and a valid Foreign passport..

Good luck...

[Dakine 26]

So, like most people here, we're in the K-1 queue, hopefully getting NOA2 approval, interview and K1 visa over the next few months, and anticipating my fiancee's arrival stateside by springtime.

Looking ahead a bit - I'm puzzled about something.

She'll enter on K-1 and we need to get married within 90 days to adjust status - got that part.

However, to get married, she will need to satisfy the local county requirements for identification/documentation.

I live in DuPage county, Illinois. The requirements here are taken from their website - http://www.dupageco.org/countyclerk/generic.cfm?doc_id=622

In particular:

REQUIRED IDENTIFICATION:

Identification and proof of age are required of all persons. Any of the following documents will be accepted:

* A valid U.S. driver’s license.

* A valid U.S. state identification card.

* A valid U.S. passport.

* A valid U.S. military identification card.

If you do not have any of the above forms of identification, then you must present two (2) of the following pieces of identification:

* A certified copy of a birth certificate.

* A baptismal record (the date of birth of the applicant must appear on this record).

* A valid foreign passport.

* U.S. naturalization papers.

* A valid U.S. resident alien card.

* A life insurance policy, which has been in effect for one (1) year (the applicant’s date of birth must appear on the document).

* All consulate identification cards. Affidavits are not acceptable.

Well - obviously she won't have anything from the first group - she will have just arrived in the US, and we require the marriage to OBTAIN these types of US status and documentation (drivers license, state ID card, etc.)!!

As to the second group - she'll have her foreign passport of course, but she requires 2 items from this group. She's not naturalized and doesn't have a green-card - duh! - again that's the whole point of this step by step process- meaning she won't have "US naturalization papers" or "valid US resident alien card". She's Buddhist, not Christian, so there's no baptismal record. At this time there's no life insurance policy in her name, so that one is out. That leaves "certified copy of birth certificate" and "consular identification card" (whatever that is!!).

I guess we'll do the birth certificate route,and I'll ask her to have her BC translated and notarized in Thailand before she travels.

I'm sure these requirements vary across the country from state to state and county to county. Nonetheless, the broader issue is probably similar for most K1 filers: is there a catch-22 situation here? I.e., - you need to get married in the US to move from K1 to permanent status, but to get married you need documentation to demonstrate your status????

What have other done, or are planning to do, in this regard?

BC is the main thing she needs. Get more than one certified copy if she can.

Both of you WORK on your continuing "bonafide relationship". Thailand is not a "cake walk" for K1s!

[pushbrk 12,110]

* A certified copy of a birth certificate.

* A baptismal record (the date of birth of the applicant must appear on this record).

* A valid foreign passport.

* U.S. naturalization papers.

* A valid U.S. resident alien card.

* A life insurance policy, which has been in effect for one (1) year (the applicant’s date of birth must appear on the document).

* All consulate identification cards. Affidavits are not acceptable.

Hi Marm,

I guess she has two of this group...Birth Certificate...and a valid Foreign passport..

Good luck...

Two is all you need and there's no way she's getting a K1 visa without a birth certificate. Just get several certified or notarial copies as applicable as they may be needed for other things later.

[scandal 951]

* A certified copy of a birth certificate.

* A baptismal record (the date of birth of the applicant must appear on this record).

* A valid foreign passport.

* U.S. naturalization papers.

* A valid U.S. resident alien card.

* A life insurance policy, which has been in effect for one (1) year (the applicant’s date of birth must appear on the document).

* All consulate identification cards. Affidavits are not acceptable.

Hi Marm,

I guess she has two of this group...Birth Certificate...and a valid Foreign passport..

Good luck...

Two is all you need and there's no way she's getting a K1 visa without a birth certificate. Just get several certified or notarial copies as applicable as they may be needed for other things later.

Thanks all ---- that was quick! I got 4 responses within 10 minutes of posting

The consensus (as I had guessed) was to use her passport+BC.

Regarding your comment that "there's no way she's getting a K1 visa without a birth certificate" - I was kind of wondering about that, actually. In our I129-F application I (the USC) included a copy of my BC, but there was no requirement for hers, so we did not send that. All along, I've been guessing that when we get to consular processing/interview stage (the mythical packet-3 and packet-4 I hear rumors about), that they will ask for her certified BC. It's hard to imagine that she would get an immigration visa without at some point being asked to present her BC, right?

Also, another poster suggested we both keep working on our paper trail for evidence of relationship (esp. since she is Thai). We will have a bunch of postmarked parcel and envelopes between us, dating to before and since the date we filed I-129F. And also her cellphone logs calling me. I don't have any logs calling her, since we use Skype primarily. I hope that's enough!

[Dakine 26]

* A certified copy of a birth certificate.

* A baptismal record (the date of birth of the applicant must appear on this record).

* A valid foreign passport.

* U.S. naturalization papers.

* A valid U.S. resident alien card.

* A life insurance policy, which has been in effect for one (1) year (the applicant’s date of birth must appear on the document).

* All consulate identification cards. Affidavits are not acceptable.

Hi Marm,

I guess she has two of this group...Birth Certificate...and a valid Foreign passport..

Good luck...

Two is all you need and there's no way she's getting a K1 visa without a birth certificate. Just get several certified or notarial copies as applicable as they may be needed for other things later.

Thanks all ---- that was quick! I got 4 responses within 10 minutes of posting

The consensus (as I had guessed) was to use her passport+BC.

Regarding your comment that "there's no way she's getting a K1 visa without a birth certificate" - I was kind of wondering about that, actually. In our I129-F application I (the USC) included a copy of my BC, but there was no requirement for hers, so we did not send that. All along, I've been guessing that when we get to consular processing/interview stage (the mythical packet-3 and packet-4 I hear rumors about), that they will ask for her certified BC. It's hard to imagine that she would get an immigration visa without at some point being asked to present her BC, right?

Also, aonother poster suggested we both keep working on our paper trail for evidence of relationship (esp. since she is Thai). We will have a bunch of postmarked parcel and envelopes between us, dating to before and since the date we filed I-129F. And also her cellphone logs calling me. I don't have any logs calling her, since we use Skype primarily. I hope that's enough!

I don't have any logs calling her, since we use Skype primarily. I hope that's enough!y

May not be. I suggest you get a international carrier for awhile like AT+T. Make short calls for the record and cards or Skype for the long calls.

If you have only made one trip try for more if you can. Don't worry about getting married yet. If you don't work on evidence of your relationship you won't have to worry about getting married for a LONG time. Been there! Done that!.

[scandal 951]

I don't have any logs calling her, since we use Skype primarily. I hope that's enough!y

May not be. I suggest you get a international carrier for awhile like AT+T. Make short calls for the record and cards or Skype for the long calls.

If you have only made one trip try for more if you can. Don't worry about getting married yet. If you don't work on evidence of your relationship you won't have to worry about getting married for a LONG time. Been there! Done that!.

Hmm... let me clarify. To date we've had 5 distinct trips in which we've visited each other.

Four trips of mine to Thailand (Jan07, May07,June07, Sept08) and one trip by her to visit me in Israel (where I was living at the time) in Sept07.

We have tons of joint photos from all of those trips, as well as airline receipts/boarding cards/passport stamps. All of that was supplied in the I129F application.

I guess I was thinking of ADDITIONAL evidence from the time we filed in Sept and until now. I realize they will want more recent ongoing evidence, hence I thought the envelopes with canceled postage should do the trick. I have no plans (or vacation days, or budget..) for a trip to Thailand at this time. Much as I'd love to go to BKK, I can't believe that is a requirement for the K1 process?? We have clearly met the requirement for face to face meeting within the past 2 years...

[Dakine 26]

I don't have any logs calling her, since we use Skype primarily. I hope that's enough!y

May not be. I suggest you get a international carrier for awhile like AT+T. Make short calls for the record and cards or Skype for the long calls.

If you have only made one trip try for more if you can. Don't worry about getting married yet. If you don't work on evidence of your relationship you won't have to worry about getting married for a LONG time. Been there! Done that!.

Hmm... let me clarify. To date we've had 5 distinct trips in which we've visited each other.

Four trips of mine to Thailand (Jan07, May07,June07, Sept08) and one trip by her to visit me in Israel (where I was living at the time) in Sept07.

We have tons of joint photos from all of those trips, as well as airline receipts/boarding cards/passport stamps. All of that was supplied in the I129F application.

I guess I was thinking of ADDITIONAL evidence from the time we filed in Sept and until now. I realize they will want more recent ongoing evidence, hence I thought the envelopes with canceled postage should do the trick. I have no plans (or vacation days, or budget..) for a trip to Thailand at this time. Much as I'd love to go to BKK, I can't believe that is a requirement for the K1 process?? We have clearly met the requirement for face to face meeting within the past 2 years...

Multiple trips is NOT a requirement. Just helps show a ONGOING bonafide relationship which lack of evidence of is a common reason for denial.

[afisher 0]

Yeah, you should really call her using something that will produce proof. I use T-mobile and can call Thailand for .26 cents per minute. I will use that a couple times a week and talk for about 10 minutes. That way her number will show up on the bill. Other than that I just use calling cards, and keep the used card. That way you can take the stacks of calling cards as well.

[pushbrk 12,110]

* A certified copy of a birth certificate.

* A baptismal record (the date of birth of the applicant must appear on this record).

* A valid foreign passport.

* U.S. naturalization papers.

* A valid U.S. resident alien card.

* A life insurance policy, which has been in effect for one (1) year (the applicant’s date of birth must appear on the document).

* All consulate identification cards. Affidavits are not acceptable.

Hi Marm,

I guess she has two of this group...Birth Certificate...and a valid Foreign passport..

Good luck...

Two is all you need and there's no way she's getting a K1 visa without a birth certificate. Just get several certified or notarial copies as applicable as they may be needed for other things later.

Thanks all ---- that was quick! I got 4 responses within 10 minutes of posting

The consensus (as I had guessed) was to use her passport+BC.

Regarding your comment that "there's no way she's getting a K1 visa without a birth certificate" - I was kind of wondering about that, actually. In our I129-F application I (the USC) included a copy of my BC, but there was no requirement for hers, so we did not send that. All along, I've been guessing that when we get to consular processing/interview stage (the mythical packet-3 and packet-4 I hear rumors about), that they will ask for her certified BC. It's hard to imagine that she would get an immigration visa without at some point being asked to present her BC, right?

Also, another poster suggested we both keep working on our paper trail for evidence of relationship (esp. since she is Thai). We will have a bunch of postmarked parcel and envelopes between us, dating to before and since the date we filed I-129F. And also her cellphone logs calling me. I don't have any logs calling her, since we use Skype primarily. I hope that's enough!

Yes, she'll need an acceptable BC during the Consulate stage. Please study the guides here. You'll need to prepare for next steps and it's already laid out quite nicely for you.

[bslsailor 0]

Hi -

I use an IP phone company called Callcentric for calling Brazil -

You can print out a phone log - You have to buy a box to use at home

or can dial access from your cell phone

Looked up rates for Thailand you can do it for $.0275 per minute (less then 3 cents)

http://www.callcentric.com/

(No promotional fee paid for this endorsement)

John

[tallcoolone 102]

You can always go to Las Vegas to get married.

The courthouse where you get a marriage license is open 7 days a week. 8 a.m. till Midnight.

No waiting period.

I believe only passport is needed.

Quick, Easy, and Fun place to be married.

[payxibka 10,044]

"Moving Here and Your New Life In America" is probably a better place for this

[ashley&carlos 0]

I reside in Tennessee and the requirements here are bascially the same. My husband is here illegally too. We used his Tax ID number in place of the social. But when we went to the Court house they didn't ask to see any identification!!!! We had printed the application for the license online and had it filled out when we got there. Good Luck!!