Marriage Certificate

[CAN2US 0]

Hey Everyone,

I was told by City Hall that a marriage certificate will take 8-10 weeks to issue, and we definitely need a copy of the marriage certificate to file for a CR-1...so is it possible for now to apply for the CR-1 based on the unofficial document given to us by our priest...and provide USCIS with a proof that we have ordered our marriage certificate and that once its available we will ship it off...??

Do you think its best to wait 10 weeks (AND delay our process )to get a marriage certificate and then file? Or should we go ahead with the filing and provide the necessary proof?

Please advice if anyone been in the same situation! thanks in advance!!

[lgg 2]

Hey there CAN2US... are you getting married in Ontario? If so, then YES! We waited for 9 weeks to have our Marriage cert filed in Ontario and then sent to us. IF we ever needed another one, it'd only take like a week but that first time registering is a doozy.

And... you DO need your marriage certificate for the initial filing of the 1-130 for your CR1, there is NO point sending it in without your marriage cert or the copy of it for the USCIS... you cannot use the slip of paper that you get at your ceremony -- you need the actual registered marriage certificate.

Sorry about Ontario if you are in fact here -- that made me so mad as it's already a waiting game. Good luck. Apply for it as SOON as you get married, okay?

BEst,

LGG

Hey Everyone,

I was told by City Hall that a marriage certificate will take 8-10 weeks to issue, and we definitely need a copy of the marriage certificate to file for a CR-1...so is it possible for now to apply for the CR-1 based on the unofficial document given to us by our priest...and provide USCIS with a proof that we have ordered our marriage certificate and that once its available we will ship it off...??

Do you think its best to wait 10 weeks (AND delay our process )to get a marriage certificate and then file? Or should we go ahead with the filing and provide the necessary proof?

Please advice if anyone been in the same situation! thanks in advance!!

Edited October 26, 2009 by lgg

[July09Bride 1]

After our wedding, we HAND-CARRIED the paperwork to the county offices and we got the certificate on the spot!!! So, call and see if, by chance, there is an option to hand-carry the paperwork after the ceremony. What's the worst that could happen, they say no? Perhaps, they'll say YES!! Good luck!

[lgg 2]

To Thunder Bay?

If I'm not mistaken -- the office of the Registrar is in Thunder Bay, ONtario and all marriage licenses need to be registered there?

Office of the REgistrar General

I'm pretty sure that ALL marriages, deaths and births have to be registered at the Registrar General.

Please correct me if i'm wrong -- I don't want to give out the wrong information if possible! This info that I have is only if they marry in Ontario. Anything else -- I have NO idea...

After our wedding, we HAND-CARRIED the paperwork to the county offices and we got the certificate on the spot!!! So, call and see if, by chance, there is an option to hand-carry the paperwork after the ceremony. What's the worst that could happen, they say no? Perhaps, they'll say YES!! Good luck!

Edited October 26, 2009 by lgg

[bowflex 0]

My wife and I were married in Windsor, Ontario, and were told that if we waited by mail that it could be months before it was ready. We called the Thunder Bay office and were told that if we went to Toronto we could get it right on the spot, it would just cost a whole lot more (I believe we paid about $100 more than normal back in February of 2006). My wife, parents, and I drove to Toronto for the day, picked up the certificate about a week after we were married, and had our documents ready for the lawyer to send in the next day. Good luck!

[lgg 2]

Wow... I wish I would have known that -- we got married right in Toronto proper last year and were told that there was no way we could get it expedited... wish we had done what you'd done, Bowflex -- we'd be 8 weeks ahead of the game! Totally would have paid an extra 100$ too...

My wife and I were married in Windsor, Ontario, and were told that if we waited by mail that it could be months before it was ready. We called the Thunder Bay office and were told that if we went to Toronto we could get it right on the spot, it would just cost a whole lot more (I believe we paid about $100 more than normal back in February of 2006). My wife, parents, and I drove to Toronto for the day, picked up the certificate about a week after we were married, and had our documents ready for the lawyer to send in the next day. Good luck!

[bowflex 0]

Wow... I wish I would have known that -- we got married right in Toronto proper last year and were told that there was no way we could get it expedited... wish we had done what you'd done, Bowflex -- we'd be 8 weeks ahead of the game! Totally would have paid an extra 100$ too...

LOL Yep I don't know how many people we ended up calling but some lil ol' lady in Thunder Bay finally let us know. Actually took about 4 hours to drive to Toronto and I was in the building to get it processed for maybe 15 minutes

[CAN2US 0]

Wow... I wish I would have known that -- we got married right in Toronto proper last year and were told that there was no way we could get it expedited... wish we had done what you'd done, Bowflex -- we'd be 8 weeks ahead of the game! Totally would have paid an extra 100$ too...

LOL Yep I don't know how many people we ended up calling but some lil ol' lady in Thunder Bay finally let us know. Actually took about 4 hours to drive to Toronto and I was in the building to get it processed for maybe 15 minutes

Please tell me exactly where is it that I have to go and what is it that I have to take! I am getting married in Mississauga, Ontario. Its not a problem at all for me to get to TORONTO, but I just need to know where...

Is the priest supposed to submit the paperwork or do I have too?? Not sure!

[She_Fitz 0]

I only submitted the piece of paper the minister gave us and we got our papers approved by USCIS.

We have our certificate now and it took 9 weeks from the wedding date. I applied for it at 4 weeks after the actual wedding and we got it 5 weeks after that.

I will be using the certificate from here on in.

The lady at the City office told us that the sheet from the minister would be fine and it was.

[chyiochan 1]

Is this serious? I am asking so hopefully right now. If I call the Thunder Bay Office, and ask about taking it to Toronto to get it filed RIGHT AWAY to get the certificate within a week, will this work? I amd most DEFINATELY phoning tomorrow. I need the certificate within 2 weeks to be able to apply for the I-130 form. PLEASE let me know if this is possible.

I just came to the Canadian forums asking if anything of this sort is possible THANK you for giving me a bit of hope!! Any answers would be greatly appreciated!!!

[CAN2US 0]

I only submitted the piece of paper the minister gave us and we got our papers approved by USCIS.

We have our certificate now and it took 9 weeks from the wedding date. I applied for it at 4 weeks after the actual wedding and we got it 5 weeks after that.

I will be using the certificate from here on in.

The lady at the City office told us that the sheet from the minister would be fine and it was.

Whom did you speak to? any number? The lady I spoke to at the City just gave me a number and told me to call and ask the registrars office, when I called them, they said 8-10 weeks (I guess I called the Thunder bay)...

So the unofficial record was good enough? seriously? No issues/hassels?? did you provide proof that you have applied for a marriage certificate?

Thanks!

Is this serious? I am asking so hopefully right now. If I call the Thunder Bay Office, and ask about taking it to Toronto to get it filed RIGHT AWAY to get the certificate within a week, will this work? I amd most DEFINATELY phoning tomorrow. I need the certificate within 2 weeks to be able to apply for the I-130 form. PLEASE let me know if this is possible.

I just came to the Canadian forums asking if anything of this sort is possible THANK you for giving me a bit of hope!! Any answers would be greatly appreciated!!!

I am definitely calling tomorrow as well, please let me know what they say to you!! and I will share my information as well! thanks!

[lgg 2]

@ambermiele...

I think your best bet is to call and see -- as you can see, someone from ONtario got lucky and was able to process this faster. Most cases of registering a marriage take between 6-8 weeks in Ontario. ours took 9. So, call them, call again and contact the poster who was able to have theirs expedited and see if they can help you.

And relax. There's a lot of forms to fill out and stuff to send -- if you rush too much you might make a mistake which'll only hold you up more.

Good luck.

[lgg 2]

ANd NO, NO, NO!!!! Do NOT just send the record of marriage you get the day of getting married -- that is NOT an official document it is not an official Marriage Certificate, USCIS will NOT accept this. That is incorrect information.

You have to get the official document from The Registrar. If anyone else from Ontario can back me up, please do. But that slip is akin to a receipt of purchase, if I may, it's not the actual article.

I think both you guys need to relax a bit there are is SH1TLOADS of forms and stuff to fill out -- they're not hard but you need to be accurate and send these government organizations what they need or you'll only delay yourselves.

Okay?

Good luck. We're here to help. Really.

PS

Do let us know if you do manage to get your Marriage certificate faster and such, I'm sure other Ontarians will want to know this information.

Edited October 27, 2009 by lgg

[CAN2US 0]

ANd NO, NO, NO!!!! Do NOT just send the record of marriage you get the day of getting married -- that is NOT an official document it is not an official Marriage Certificate, USCIS will NOT accept this. That is incorrect information.

You have to get the official document from The Registrar. If anyone else from Ontario can back me up, please do. But that slip is akin to a receipt of purchase, if I may, it's not the actual article.

I think both you guys need to relax a bit there are is SH1TLOADS of forms and stuff to fill out -- they're not hard but you need to be accurate and send these government organizations what they need or you'll only delay yourselves.

Okay?

Good luck. We're here to help. Really.

PS

Do let us know if you do manage to get your Marriage certificate faster and such, I'm sure other Ontarians will want to know this information.

I think its OK to show proof that you have applied and you have an "unofficial" document plus pictures...really...but its even better to have a marriage certificate...if we can get it ASAP...then that's great...

USCIS is always asking for further stuff anyways after filing...it's not like its one package...at the beginning...and thats it...they are always asking for something or the other...

[lgg 2]

Uh. Okay then.

Well, good luck with everything.

Keep us posted -- it'll be interesting to see how it works out.