CR1

[Natanloupan 11]

We have our marriage certificate from the city of Tandag Philippines . We are currently waiting for it to be sent to Davo to be authenticated by NSO . Which will take about a month to be completed before we get a copy . Does the USCIS require this copy or will the one from the Tandag the city we were married in be enough ?

[Nonofurbusiness 13]

Hi, are you submitting marriage certificate to NVC? coz if its for USCIS and NVC you will really need a copy of MC.. on NSO security paper. not the authenticated or SECPA. it should be on Yellow paper.

[Natanloupan 11]

Hi, are you submitting marriage certificate to NVC? coz if its for USCIS and NVC you will really need a copy of MC.. on NSO security paper. not the authenticated or SECPA. it should be on Yellow paper.

We are still waiting to file the CR1 with USCIS . I figured it was needed just wanted to be sure before waiting the time to get it . We are sending it to Davo instead of Butuan as we heard Davo is only 1 month .

[lost_at_sea 995]

What stages have you completed?

[pnjandmtc1209 9]

We have our marriage certificate from the city of Tandag Philippines . We are currently waiting for it to be sent to Davo to be authenticated by NSO . Which will take about a month to be completed before we get a copy . Does the USCIS require this copy or will the one from the Tandag the city we were married in be enough ?

hello I filed a CR1 for my wife we are in the NVC stage.

for the USCIS stage a certified true copy of your marriage

certificate is enough. You will need The NSO copy at the

NVC stage. Depending on what date you filed the I-130

you should have plenty of time to get your NSO copy because

the USCIS portion takes 8 to 12 months.

[Natanloupan 11]

What stages have you completed?

No timeline to put in yet . We haven't filed with USCIS . Married Oct 25th 2013 just got home 1 day ago

[JbTin 51]

Hi, are you submitting marriage certificate to NVC? coz if its for USCIS and NVC you will really need a copy of MC.. on NSO security paper. not the authenticated or SECPA. it should be on Yellow paper.

Im confused. Isn't NSO security paper and SECPA the same? Theyre both the yellow one.

[JbTin 51]

We also didnt send the NSO copy when we sent the I130. We decided to just use the Certified true copy from the local civil registrar since we figured we would be wasting time waiting for the nso copy.

[Nonofurbusiness 13]

SECPA is authenticated by NSO but the one you requested from LCR/Local Civil Registrar.LCR/Local Civil Registrar will submit your request for SECPA to NSO and its on a NSO security paper but there is a stamp of LCR at the back. it will took just 5 working days to get that SECPA you can request it from LCR. NSO Marriage Certificate is the one that printed on yellow paper and NSO the is one who issued the certificate.

Im confused. Isn't NSO security paper and SECPA the same? Theyre both the yellow one.

SECPA is authenticated by NSO but the one you requested from LCR/Local Civil Registrar.LCR/Local Civil Registrar will submit your request for SECPA to NSO and its on a NSO security paper but there is a stamp of LCR at the back. it will took just 5 working days to get that SECPA you can request it from LCR. NSO Marriage Certificate is the one that printed on yellow paper and NSO is the one who issued the certificate.

Edited November 14, 2013 by rinoa

[Nonofurbusiness 13]

SECPA is authenticated by NSO but the one you requested from LCR/Local Civil Registrar.LCR/Local Civil Registrar will submit your request for SECPA to NSO and its on a NSO security paper but there is a stamp of LCR at the back. it will took just 5 working days to get that SECPA you can request it from LCR. NSO Marriage Certificate is the one that printed on yellow paper and NSO the is one who issued the certificate.

SECPA is authenticated by NSO but the one you requested from LCR/Local Civil Registrar.LCR/Local Civil Registrar will submit your request for SECPA to NSO and its on a NSO security paper but there is a stamp of LCR at the back. it will took just 5 working days to get that SECPA you can request it from LCR. NSO Marriage Certificate is the one that printed on yellow paper and NSO is the one who issued the certificate.

[JbTin 51]

SECPA is authenticated by NSO but the one you requested from LCR/Local Civil Registrar.LCR/Local Civil Registrar will submit your request for SECPA to NSO and its on a NSO security paper but there is a stamp of LCR at the back. it will took just 5 working days to get that SECPA you can request it from LCR. NSO Marriage Certificate is the one that printed on yellow paper and NSO is the one who issued the certificate.

Yes i know that. SECPA means SECurity PAper and all documents coming from NSO are in secpa (yellow paper). The one coming from LCR is just a CERTIFIED TRUE COPY (white paper with documentary stamp).

Once the LCR gives you your certified true copy after u got married, u should ask for an "endorsement" from them for NSO so u can have ur NSO copy. Mine took about 20days (LCr lady said usually it takes 45days). After 20days i went to NSO and checked if they already have my marriage certificate in security paper. Since they already have it in their system, i request for the NSO copy. And that is the one in secpa / yellow paper.

Some agencies that require marriage certificate as a requirement would usually ask u to submit your "marriage certificate in security paper" (nso copy) OR "certified true copy duly authenticated by NSO" (i think this is if your nso copy is not available yet, u can bring your certified true copy to nso and have it authenticated). That is if u really need to pass a marriage cert but dont have the nso copy yet.

Edited November 14, 2013 by krispykreme

[Natanloupan 11]

My wife and I both have had prior K-1 visa filings . Mine was withdrawn with a formal letter to the US embassy in Manila . I have the return letter from the US embassy . Nothing from USCIS or NVC . My wife came over on a K-1 visa and ended in divorce . Before such divorce was filed she left the country on her own accord . AOS was never filed in her case . The divorce was final a few months after her return to the Philippines .

Should I include a copy of my US embassy letter along with the CR-1 package ? I am planning to call the USCIS since there has been no letter nor an update online . My wife case is this her ex-husband gave her verbal abuse and caused a depression within her . She finally decided to leave the country and return home to the Philippines . Before she left she check with USCIS and was told she was legal , but just could not work . Would this be in her favor to the CO that she left on her own .

I met my wife and spent nearly 2 months with her living in her home . We were married one month after my arrival . We had a big wedding and reception with family and friends . What should I include in the CR-1 for marriage evidence ? Of course I am going to include pictures from our wedding . All the receipts for the wedding costs . We stayed with friends in Manila , so we could have an affidavit done by them . Also one from her family as well . However will they accept a notary not from the USA ? I have also read that such affidavits do not carry that much weight with USCIS or a CO . Perhaps this is just with a K-1 and not a CR-1 . We live a part and do not have a bank account together . We are having a baby due in July . We would have the birth certificate from the Philippines , but not until the CR-1 was filed for some time . We are planning on doing the CRBA before the interview . Since we want our child to come as soon as possible . Should I include the hospital reports from her ultrasound ? I went with her to one visit and she has an appointment at the end of the month for the ultrasound .

Also we are going to include from my wife in the CR-1 package the G325A and passport style photo's . The marriage certificate will be a endorsed copy from the city hall where we were married . I was told that the NSO would be required at the NVC level . Which we will have , but not for at least 1 or 2 months . CR-1's taking 8-12 months we have plenty of time . Also my wife will begin the process to change all her ID's such as passport and others . Trying to do all of this before gets too far along as I do not want her to take a bus for some of these things . Took a bus from Tandag to Butuan and it was an experience !

I do not think these are huge red flags and we have plenty of evidence to back up our marriage up . I am sure some questions will be raised , but my wife and I know everything about each other . We spent a good amount of time together and it broke my heart to have to leave her . She took it very hard , but she has a wonderful family and friends to support her . We both have had our horror stories before on K-1's and we both know each others story very well . We both made the right and wrong choices to be on the path to meet each other . It truly has been an amazing time and glad we decided to marry instead of the K-1 .

If there is any help or advice that can be given we would be very thankful to receive it . This is a great place with many wonderful people with a lot of knowledge . Thank you in advance .

Note: I have filled out our timeline , but not filed our CR-1 yet . Just basic information so far .

[Natanloupan 11]

We also didnt send the NSO copy when we sent the I130. We decided to just use the Certified true copy from the local civil registrar since we figured we would be wasting time waiting for the nso copy.

That is what we have so far the certified true copy from the civil register office . If we had the office mail it they said it could take up to a year to reach the NSO . We could bring it ourselves and it would only take 1 month . Davo being the best place to do this . Butuan could take longer . I was a bit confused and seem to always be too busy taking out my wallet each time we went there LOL . Hopefully this will be good enough for now since we are eager to begin the process . Just want our ducks in a row before doing so .