Proof of marriage needed when having 2 kids together?

[dying2moveback 0]

Hi all,

I'm preparing all the documentation for the I-130 and wanted to know if anyone needed to provide proof of marriage when you already have kids together (my spouse and I have two kids and he is the father).

I know that this may sound stupid but from reading what everyone else provided or needed to provide, I'm just thinking I need to prepare in case they ask for something.

This forum is great, I'm getting a lot of information to lots of questions I have and wanted to thank you in advance for your reply.

[Dakine 26]

Hi all,

I'm preparing all the documentation for the I-130 and wanted to know if anyone needed to provide proof of marriage when you already have kids together (my spouse and I have two kids and he is the father).

I know that this may sound stupid but from reading what everyone else provided or needed to provide, I'm just thinking I need to prepare in case they ask for something.

This forum is great, I'm getting a lot of information to lots of questions I have and wanted to thank you in advance for your reply.

Best to submit all the evidence of marriage you can get. Kids help a lot but "more ammo the better".

[geezer 1]

Hi all,

I'm preparing all the documentation for the I-130 and wanted to know if anyone needed to provide proof of marriage when you already have kids together (my spouse and I have two kids and he is the father).

I know that this may sound stupid but from reading what everyone else provided or needed to provide, I'm just thinking I need to prepare in case they ask for something.

This forum is great, I'm getting a lot of information to lots of questions I have and wanted to thank you in advance for your reply.

You will need to provide your marriage certificate and birth certificates of the children (having kids is no proof of marriage ) . You need to list children on the application even if they USC.

[Penguin_ie 5,986]

You still need to provide the marriage cert with your application. I would bring the birth certs of the kids to the interview to proof bonafides, but also some other stuff (proof of joint bills/ assets, photos of you two with eachother's families etc). That being said, I didn't get asked for any proof at my DCF interview- in fact the only thing the CO seemed concerned about is to make sure our two kids were registered with the embassy as USC!

[dying2moveback 0]

Thanks for your replies. The kids are dual-citizens (German and USC). I have the marriage certificate and the U.S. Consular Report of a birth abroad of a US Citizen (sounds long, it's equivalent to a US Birth certificate) plus the kids have American passports.

Just one additional question: Geezer wrote that I have to add them on the application?

You mean section C where I list all the relatives and kids of the intending immigrant right?

I saw in another form (I don't remember which one - it's sooo many and I'm getting worked up about all the information needed...)

that I have to enter "all the family members planning to immigrate with the intended immigrant" - in short, if I understood correctly, my kids are not immigrating since they are already USC, right? Or do I have to enter them anyway since they'll be coming with me and my husband to the US (of course!)? It's just that I'm not sure if I understand the questions correctly or whether there's another meaning to the questions and I'm missing it.... I thought the process is going to be much easier than this. I got my PR in Germany in 30 minutes at the local city hall....

Thanks again!

BTW, with proof of marriage I meant Bona Fide and not the marriage certificate. Sorry for the confusion...

[geezer 1]

Yes on line 17 Section C, you would list yourself and the kids.

[pushbrk 12,230]

Hi all,

I'm preparing all the documentation for the I-130 and wanted to know if anyone needed to provide proof of marriage when you already have kids together (my spouse and I have two kids and he is the father).

I know that this may sound stupid but from reading what everyone else provided or needed to provide, I'm just thinking I need to prepare in case they ask for something.

This forum is great, I'm getting a lot of information to lots of questions I have and wanted to thank you in advance for your reply.

Copies of your childrens' birth certificates ARE on the list of suggested evidence of a bona fide relationship. You can probably show a joint bank account too. That would be enough. (either or both)

[desert_fox 32]

No need to list the kids if they are US Citizens and have US passports...they are not immigrating.

[geezer 1]

No need to list the kids if they are US Citizens and have US passports...they are not immigrating.

If you have not looked at the example forms see http://www.visajourney.com/examples/INS-Form-I-130.pdf

The question is "17. List husband/wife and all children of your relative," it does not ask about intending immigrants seems pretty straight forward to me that they want you to list husband/wife and all children regardless of immigratiion status.

[pat06000 0]

Thanks for your replies. The kids are dual-citizens (German and USC). I have the marriage certificate and the U.S. Consular Report of a birth abroad of a US Citizen (sounds long, it's equivalent to a US Birth certificate) plus the kids have American passports.

Just a bit of advice. Make sure you protect the kids Certificate of Birth Abroad as original copies. Do not let them out of your hands. I have one from 1949 and it is original but the State Department only keeps records reasonably available for past 20 years. So if they need something later in life then it will cause a lot of problems for them.

Good luck.

Think you can see my name as Pat which is Patrick. Some of my friends call me St. Patrick. (lol)

[dying2moveback 0]

Thanks for all your replies!

So I'll list the kids as my and my husband's relatives in section C but not include them in the section where I'm suppose to list any family members immigrating with my husband.

I'll make copies of everything and take originals just in case they want to see the original (but it's noted on the consulate website that I'm only required to provide copies)

It's a good idea to take some bank account information and some pictures just in case (doesn't hurt...).

[Craneman 2]

Hi all,

I'm preparing all the documentation for the I-130 and wanted to know if anyone needed to provide proof of marriage when you already have kids together (my spouse and I have two kids and he is the father).

I know that this may sound stupid but from reading what everyone else provided or needed to provide, I'm just thinking I need to prepare in case they ask for something.

This forum is great, I'm getting a lot of information to lots of questions I have and wanted to thank you in advance for your reply.

Having children together does not prove marraige, even if your name is on the birthcertificate.

[frali 2]

I would think adding affidavits from friends and family would not hurt.

[pushbrk 12,230]

Hi all,

I'm preparing all the documentation for the I-130 and wanted to know if anyone needed to provide proof of marriage when you already have kids together (my spouse and I have two kids and he is the father).

I know that this may sound stupid but from reading what everyone else provided or needed to provide, I'm just thinking I need to prepare in case they ask for something.

This forum is great, I'm getting a lot of information to lots of questions I have and wanted to thank you in advance for your reply.

Having children together does not prove marraige, even if your name is on the birthcertificate.

Perhaps not but it's sufficient additional evidence of a bona fide relationship to include with the petition. Unless the couple shows up announcing the intention to divorce, living together as a married couple with proof of having not one but two children together will be more than sufficient to convince a Consular officer their relationship is bona fide.

[Dr. Obvious 49]

Having children together does not prove marraige, even if your name is on the birthcertificate.

It's enough for Frankfurt though. I just put a copy of my daughter's CRBA in the I-130 application. No further evidence needed.