Divorce decree

[Bryanj 0]

If you were previously married more than once, do you need a copy of your most recent divorce decree or a copy all previous divorce decrees ?

[bebop + rocksteady 0]

I have no experience on this one. So wait for more experienced members to chime in.

But it sounds like having all of them wouldn't hurt. Granted, you have to be legally divorced from your first marriage to have a second, but...

Cass (bebop the great)

If you were previously married more than once, do you need a copy of your most recent divorce decree or a copy all previous divorce decrees ?

Edited July 27, 2006 by bebop + rocksteady

[Dean iWait 0]

You will want to submit evidence ALL previous marriages are terminated.

[hockeygal 0]

yes, you need copies of all the divorce decrees.

[GaryC 7]

All of them for both you and your fiance.

[lisaf 0]

All of them for both you and your fiance.

And make sure they are all 'certified' ... my fiance's (the USC) divorce papers were the ones sent to him in the mail by the lawyers, It had one red stamp on it. We received an RFE over the divorce papers/ My SO called the divorce lawyer who said he would need to take the papers to the court house to have them stamped with some kind of raised seal . They did not stamp the original papers but did a search and printed out a copy of whatever records they keep and stamped them. Sorry I can't be more specific- Im not in the US and didnt see the RFE, but I know I've seen posts by other members over the same thing, who may have more specific information.

[rl2009 0]

If you were previously married more than once, do you need a copy of your most recent divorce decree or a copy all previous divorce decrees ?

You will need a copy of all divorce decrees. I know. If one is in another state or county you can send off for a copy.

[GaryC 7]

All of them for both you and your fiance.

And make sure they are all 'certified' ... my fiance's (the USC) divorce papers were the ones sent to him in the mail by the lawyers, It had one red stamp on it. We received an RFE over the divorce papers/ My SO called the divorce lawyer who said he would need to take the papers to the court house to have them stamped with some kind of raised seal . They did not stamp the original papers but did a search and printed out a copy of whatever records they keep and stamped them. Sorry I can't be more specific- Im not in the US and didnt see the RFE, but I know I've seen posts by other members over the same thing, who may have more specific information.

Why would you have gotten an RFE asking for certified originals of his divorce papers? The instructions on the I-129F form say copies are OK:

Copies. If these instructions state a copy of adocument may be filed with this petition, you maysubmit a copy rather than an original. If you choose to send the original, U.S. Citizenship and ImmigrationServices (USCIS) may keep that original for our records. If USCIS requires the original, we will request it.

If either you or your fiancé(e) were married before,give copies of documents showing that each priormarriage was legally terminated.

Was there something that made them want a closer look at his divorce? Not being nosey just parinoid.

[lisaf 0]

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Why would you have gotten an RFE asking for certified originals of his divorce papers? The instructions on the I-129F form say copies are OK:

Copies. If these instructions state a copy of adocument may be filed with this petition, you maysubmit a copy rather than an original. If you choose to send the original, U.S. Citizenship and ImmigrationServices (USCIS) may keep that original for our records. If USCIS requires the original, we will request it.

If either you or your fiancé(e) were married before,give copies of documents showing that each priormarriage was legally terminated.

Was there something that made them want a closer look at his divorce? Not being nosey just parinoid.

- Well we had 6 touches before we got the RFE. We think it might be that the photocopy of his papers did not pick up the stamps clearly enough that were already on it..( I only remember one small red one) and perhaps they ummed and aahed over it. Apparently the confusion was over this 'raised seal' However when he called the lawyer who handled the divorce, the man knew exactly what was needed and told him to go to the court house to get the stamps he needed. Seems it was something that did not fall under the lawyers responsibility. SO because of the photocopy problem, we had three copies made and stamped ( $8 each) so a live copy went back with RFE, one to send to me and one back up.

or :

The divorce papers he had were from the court saying -------- and ----------- divorced on this day etc...on the grounds of --------------" I dont know if there is a difference between court papers and some kind of certificate that is recognised for international purposes . I forgot to ask him if the papers they printed for him were the same as the ones he had, or more like an official certificate. Ill ask when we chat next.

[gugu24 0]

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE. I had to give certified copies from my previous divorces and one was from another country so for that one i had to show them the original. They take these divorces very seriously,mainly when its from another country to see as to whether it is done according to the laws of that country. because of my last experience we faced a big mess and were told my previous divorce was not acceptable and there for my previous marriage was void. I had to refile the divorce in my home state, and then refile for fiance visa and start all over. They wanted to see the orginal divorce decree for that previous divorce and then investigated it. we started our whole process in Dec 2003( married ) (filed in march 2004) were denied in July 2005 refiled divorce in August 2005 and refiled for visa feb 2006. now things are doing well. we are waiting to hear for interview date. they called today to let us know the documents we supplied were enough and they'd be contacting us soon for the interview.

[csp 0]

I sumitted all of my previous divorce decrees (2). My application just been approved.

I have no experience on this one. So wait for more experienced members to chime in.

But it sounds like having all of them wouldn't hurt. Granted, you have to be legally divorced from your first marriage to have a second, but...

Cass (bebop the great)

If you were previously married more than once, do you need a copy of your most recent divorce decree or a copy all previous divorce decrees ?

[Milka 0]

Definately make a copy of all divorce certificates. Better you have to many than too less.

[john_and_marlene 162]

All of them for both you and your fiance.

And make sure they are all 'certified' ... my fiance's (the USC) divorce papers were the ones sent to him in the mail by the lawyers, It had one red stamp on it. We received an RFE over the divorce papers/ My SO called the divorce lawyer who said he would need to take the papers to the court house to have them stamped with some kind of raised seal . They did not stamp the original papers but did a search and printed out a copy of whatever records they keep and stamped them. Sorry I can't be more specific- Im not in the US and didnt see the RFE, but I know I've seen posts by other members over the same thing, who may have more specific information.

Why would you have gotten an RFE asking for certified originals of his divorce papers? The instructions on the I-129F form say copies are OK:

Copies. If these instructions state a copy of adocument may be filed with this petition, you maysubmit a copy rather than an original. If you choose to send the original, U.S. Citizenship and ImmigrationServices (USCIS) may keep that original for our records. If USCIS requires the original, we will request it.

If either you or your fiancé(e) were married before,give copies of documents showing that each priormarriage was legally terminated.

Was there something that made them want a closer look at his divorce? Not being nosey just parinoid.

You answered your own question.

[GaryC 7]

You answered your own question.

I was wondering why they would need the original. They could do any checks they wanted to with the copy, unless they thought the copy was a fake or something. I just sent in copies of my divorce. In all this waiting for my NOA2 I am just getting parinoid.

[TracyTN 237]

I thought what lisaf meant was that the version of the divorce papers that her fiance sent in were not certified by a court (meaning no court stamp). So the issue wasn't that it was a photocopy, but rather that it didn't have the 'official' marking on it from the court. (Unless I misinterpreted lisa's post!)

The copy I have of mine has a court stamp/seal on it, the date and the signature of the court officer who procured the copy for me. I plan to send that in with my petition - not the original, which is actually on file in the court clerk's office. The best you can get is a copy of that original from the court itself with their stamp/seal (which I paid $26 for, thank you very much!).