Obtaining marriage licence, filing for marriage certificate for AOS in Kent Michigan

[KPea 0]

Hi! Can anyone shed some light on the process of obtaining marriage licence to obtaining marriage certificate to filing for AOS..and the timefame of this?

This will be in Kent County in Michigan.

I will be arriving on a K1 visa and having a small civil ceremony a couple weeks later on my fiance's family's property. His friend is a celebrant/officiant and will be marrying us legally.

From what he has told us, we need to have the paperwork ready for him for when he arrives, and he signs it then files it with the county clerk himself.

This paperwork we need to have for him, will this all be given to us when we apply at the county for a marriage licence (probably will do a week prior)?

Then when he files it with the county clerk, would we ask for certified copies immediately? I read somewhere that if you don't ask for certified copies when this is filed, you have to wait for your marriage certificate to arrive in the mail..waiting up to a month! Is it best that we go file it ourselves or have the officiant file it? I would love to be able to send off my AOS, EAD, and AP applications within a couple of days after the wedding ceremony...

Any one have any thoughts or experience on this?

Thanks in advance!

[Girl from Celebes 588]

This is how to apply a marriage license in Michigan.

http://usmarriagelaws.com/search/united_states/michigan/marriage_licenses/

Edit:

Though each state has their own marriage laws but I wanted to share my experience here. We also told that have to wait 2-3 weeks to receive certified marriage certificate by mail.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/494877-for-k-1-visa-holders-do-you-have-a-plan-to-get-married-in-florida/#entry6990277

Edited May 14, 2014 by Girl from Celebes

[PalmTrees 34]

I'm not sure I can answer all your questions but here is an idea you can try...

We are getting married in Florida and there is a three-day wait to receive the marriage license after applying for it. That's fine. I want to send off my AOS packet the next day if possible as I'm keen to start working. I emailed the courthouse where we will be having our legal wedding and they replied saying that if we ask for certified copies that same day then an official will "walk" our marriage license over to the controller's office after the ceremony and we can have as many certified copies as we like printed out there and then!

I would suggest emailing the courthouse where your officiant will file the paperwork to see if this is possible. I know receiving the marriage certificate varies from state to state. Good luck!

[suv 0]

We obtained marriage licences same day we got married.We got ii from Midland county,Michigan.Though ours was a court marriage,performed by magistrate.Yes you do need to visit county office for applying marriage licence in person at least a week before.

[KPea 0]

We obtained marriage licences same day we got married.We got ii from Midland county,Michigan.Though ours was a court marriage,performed by magistrate.Yes you do need to visit county office for applying marriage licence in person at least a week before.

Thanks for your reply!

To clarify, there's a difference between applying for and obtaining marriage licence; and filing and obtaining marriage certificate (which certified copies of are needed to file AOS, etc), right?

We are having our ceremony not in the courthouse, so is it better for me personally to take the signed papers to the courthouse to file (and therefore request for certified copies ASAP)? Or is it better for the celebrant himself to do it? We're getting married on a Sunday anyway so would have to wait until the next day at least to go to the courthouse.

[suv 0]

We didn't apply for any certified copies.We just mailed copies of the licence in our AOS packet and didn,t received any RFEs.You need to visit in person,to obtain marriage licence,a week before at least.I am not sure if your fiance's friend could do it.We went to the county in person and signed the certificate in front of the clerk.A week later,we collected the certificate and got married in the courthouse.The witnesses signed the certificate and the certificate was then stamped.This becomes your marriage licence.

[lil2be 11]

First, you and your fiance will need to go to county clerk together with your/his passport (or state ID for him)and birth certificate. Plus, a fee. I am not sure how much. I think we paid $25 or something like that.

Then, the clerk will give you a license right away. You have 34 days to get married.

If you want to get married at the court house, you have to call and schedule.

When you get a date, bring married license, ID or passport, 2 witnesses who are older than 21 and $10 fee (we paid $10 in Oakland county).

If you don't get married at the court house, anywhere you go like church or chapel, it will be slightly different. You still need your marriage license for them to sign. It might be free at the church but I am sure it costs money at chapel.

You have to wait about a week to request a certificate. You can obtain it online. Again, it is $25 for first copy and $5 each additional. It will come in the mail within a week.

That is what we did in Oakland county, MI. I belive it is the same state wide.

Edited May 15, 2014 by lil2be

[KPea 0]

First, you and your fiance will need to go to county clerk together with your/his passport (or state ID for him)and birth certificate. Plus, a fee. I am not sure how much. I think we paid $25 or something like that.

Then, the clerk will give you a license right away. You have 34 days to get married.

If you want to get married at the court house, you have to call and schedule.

When you get a date, bring married license, ID or passport, 2 witnesses who are older than 21 and $10 fee (we paid $10 in Oakland county).

If you don't get married at the court house, anywhere you go like church or chapel, it will be slightly different. You still need your marriage license for them to sign. It might be free at the church but I am sure it costs money at chapel.

You have to wait about a week to request a certificate. You can obtain it online. Again, it is $25 for first copy and $5 each additional. It will come in the mail within a week.

That is what we did in Oakland county, MI. I belive it is the same state wide.

Thank you! So its the certified copy of the marriage certificate that needs to be sent off in AOS yes? Not the marriage licence (i think someone mentioned that as the case above)?

Is the act of 'filing for the marriage certificate' the same as requesting one? Just to get the jargon right. And how exactly do you request for certified copies (and how do you get the real certificate?)

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

After you are married, the license, that is signed by you, the officiant and witnesses will be submitted to the court for your marriage to be registered. What you receive back from the court IS a real marriage certificate. You will never get the original license back. When you ask for copies of your marriage certificate from the court, you will receive certified copies, meaning they will have clerk's signature and/or a seal/stamp on them to show they are in fact true copies from the court. You simply need to send a photocopy of the certified copy you receive from the court.

Sometimes they automatically mail you a copy or two of your marriage certificate(depends on your county and state), or you can go in person to the court and request them. They usually charge a small fee per certified copy.

[lil2be 11]

Thank you! So its the certified copy of the marriage certificate that needs to be sent off in AOS yes? Not the marriage licence (i think someone mentioned that as the case above)?

Is the act of 'filing for the marriage certificate' the same as requesting one? Just to get the jargon right. And how exactly do you request for certified copies (and how do you get the real certificate?)

In michigan, there are 3 copies of license from the county clerk. You will bring 3 of them to the court, church or where ever.

If you go to the court, after everyone (groom, bride, judge and 2 witnesses) signed all 3 copies. They will seal all copies with stamp and give you back one copy. However, what you receive is not a "certified" copy yet.

You will have to request from the county civil department or online after a week of the marriage date. The certified copy is a longer paper with color and gold stamp from the state.

I used a certified copy for AOS.

[lil2be 11]

Michigan vital record online purchase

http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,4612,7-132-4645_6245---,00.html

[lil2be 11]

After you are married, the license, that is signed by you, the officiant and witnesses will be submitted to the court for your marriage to be registered. What you receive back from the court IS a real marriage certificate. You will never get the original license back. When you ask for copies of your marriage certificate from the court, you will receive certified copies, meaning they will have clerk's signature and/or a seal/stamp on them to show they are in fact true copies from the court. You simply need to send a photocopy of the certified copy you receive from the court.

Sometimes they automatically mail you a copy or two of your marriage certificate(depends on your county and state), or you can go in person to the court and request them. They usually charge a small fee per certified copy.

It might be true in other state. In Michigan, what you get back on the wedding day is NOT a "certified" copy. You CAN NOT use it at any government issue such change your name at secretary of state or even a school. They need your certified copy that you have to purchase.

See my certified copy. And sorry there is no gold stamp. Just more signature. In my case was Oakland county clerk and register of deeds

Edited May 16, 2014 by lil2be

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

It might be true in other state. In Michigan, what you get back on the wedding day is NOT a "certified" copy. You CAN NOT use it at any government issue such change your name at secretary of state or even a school. They need your certified copy that you have to purchase.

See my certified copy. And sorry there is no gold stamp. Just more signature. In my case was Oakland county clerk and register of deeds

You should re-read what I posted. I never said anything about getting anything back on the actual wedding day. The certified marriage certificate is what you receive from the court after the marriage is registered, and that is what I stated.