Expiration Date on Paperwork?

[OkieGuitarist 0]

Hi, All.

I am marrying my fiancée in Slovakia in June and when I return, I will start putting together the paperwork to get an I-130 visa for her.

Will my paperwork (or both of our paperwork) need to be notarized no later than a particular timeframe before I submit it? In other words, does it need to be notarized less than six months before I submit, or does it matter?

My fiancée asked me, because we had to have some paperwork notarized by a certain date before we could register for our marriage.

I am thinking it wouldn't because there is not telling how long the visa process might take, whereas a marriage date is a fixed date.

Hopefully, this question was not too convoluted. I have a tendency to ramble a bit! :-)

Thanks very much!

Take care,

Eric

[Casprd 167]

Throughout the process you will have to submit different things and there is a lifespan for some of them, but it is based on when it is submitted so it isn't like the certificate or the notary will expire while it is waiting to be processed. Generally you want to submit things within 6 months of when it is notarized although some things like the police certificate you don't want to get too early. I know in China, the date of entry to the US is based on the date of the medical exam, not the visa issuance. Things like birth certificate, passport, marriage certificate don't change, but police certificate and medical exam could have changed.

So, short answer is the notary doesn't really expire, but the certificate that is being notarized may "expire". All depends on which certificate you're dealing with. Better to not let too much time elapse between the notary and submitting the documents just to avoid a possible RFE later.

[OkieGuitarist 0]

Throughout the process you will have to submit different things and there is a lifespan for some of them, but it is based on when it is submitted so it isn't like the certificate or the notary will expire while it is waiting to be processed. Generally you want to submit things within 6 months of when it is notarized although some things like the police certificate you don't want to get too early. I know in China, the date of entry to the US is based on the date of the medical exam, not the visa issuance. Things like birth certificate, passport, marriage certificate don't change, but police certificate and medical exam could have changed.

So, short answer is the notary doesn't really expire, but the certificate that is being notarized may "expire". All depends on which certificate you're dealing with. Better to not let too much time elapse between the notary and submitting the documents just to avoid a possible RFE later.

Hi, Casprd!!

This sounds like great advice to me. It doesn't hurt to have things notarized as close to the submission date as possible. And you're right...if it avoids a RFE, it's all worth it! Thanks very much!

Take care,

Eric