Marriage License vs Marriage Certificate

[MASH 172]

I got married on Jan 7th (in Texas) and when I went on Jan 11th to have the licensed signed and was told the marriage license is the marriage certificate

But I remember hearing people getting A RFE for showing the License but not the certificate

For people who got married and did there AOS in Texas and got approved did you just show them the license and explained or did somehow got a certificate from somewhere ?

Any help is appreciated

Edited January 12, 2016 by MASH

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from Fam.-based AOS to Moving to the US and Your New Life in America Forum~

~Similar topics are discussed at this forum~

[Darnell 8,478]

eh - go back tomorrow, ask for certified copy of marriage certificate, see what the clerk says.

[MASH 172]

eh - go back tomorrow, ask for certified copy of marriage certificate, see what the clerk says.

I asked that on Monday and he said that the license is the certificate but I have this weird feeling, you think it's best if I should just call them cuz my fiancé works on weekdays and only had Monday off which sadly he also has a car and were we live at the moment there is no bus stops for me to go alone

[DJ6372 111]

The licence is the paperwork for permission to marry...................the certificate is what you require

[MASH 172]

The licence is the paperwork for permission to marry...................the certificate is what you require

That is what I thought prev so I thought it was weird how they told me the license is the certificate , how does one go about getting the certificate

[Hypnos 6,576]

In Texas (and several other states, but Texas for sure) the marriage licence, once received and recorded by the local county clerk's office after the marriage has taken place, automagically becomes the marriage certificate. There is no separate document called a marriage certificate in Texas.

[MASH 172]

In Texas (and several other states, but Texas for sure) the marriage licence, once received and recorded by the local county clerk's office after the marriage has taken place, automagically becomes the marriage certificate. There is no separate document called a marriage certificate in Texas.

Oh ok, so if I just send that sheet I got that would be ok for AOS?

[Hypnos 6,576]

Yes, a photocopy of both sides. If yours is like mine then it contains information on both sides.

[DJ6372 111]

In Texas (and several other states, but Texas for sure) the marriage licence, once received and recorded by the local county clerk's office after the marriage has taken place, automagically becomes the marriage certificate. There is no separate document called a marriage certificate in Texas.

Good to know, I got married in Chicago, where a certificate is separate

Well obviously all states have to be different lol!

[MASH 172]

Yes, a photocopy of both sides. If yours is like mine then it contains information on both sides.

Yup the person mentioned the back to me so I'll just scan both side of it

I was also told they need the original paper should I give both or just the photocopied version?

[Hypnos 6,576]

You can send photocopies to USCIS, but should take an original certified copy to your interview, if you have one, so they can compare the two if they wish.

[MASH 172]

You can send photocopies to USCIS, but should take an original certified copy to your interview, if you have one, so they can compare the two if they wish.

Awsome , thank you so much for the help I wanna avoid an RFE as much as possible especially when I had one for the k1 visa part and it delayed everything by 2 months

[racheal&david 108]

In Texas (and several other states, but Texas for sure) the marriage licence, once received and recorded by the local county clerk's office after the marriage has taken place, automagically becomes the marriage certificate. There is no separate document called a marriage certificate in Texas.

Same here in Georiga. I too thought it was going to be a separate document but when the clerk handed it to me I realized it was a certified copy of the marriage license.

[Hypnos 6,576]

I think Pennsylvania too but don't quote me.

It would be very useful if this was all written down somewhere; US immigration is difficult enough as it is, let alone having to account for documentation varying wildly from one state to the next.

Edited January 13, 2016 by Hypnos