Photocopy of your Current Legal Marital Status Document

[klausb 0]

Hi to all

I'm preparing my documents to send in for the Naturalization process.

I found the information under "Required Evidence" I have to send a photocopy of my current legal marital status.

I'm married but my wife is german and our marriage was in Germany as well and everything is in German.

Do I have to send a copy regardless of the language or do I need a translation?

Thanks

Klaus

[Hypnos 6,579]

Yes, it needs to be translated.

If you or your wife is fluent in both English and German you can do it yourself.

[Mamabrown3 17]

Yes, you will get a RFE, if you don't send all documents that are in another than English. Birth papers, if either of you have ever been divorced or any legal document you are submitting.

Remember you must always assume the person reviewing your case doesn't speak the mother tongue of where you are coming from.

Good Luck!!!

[klausb 0]

Sorry but I'm really confused. I saw on an other page of the USCIS site (Document Checklist for form N-400), I have to send only: 1. Copy of GC; 2. Color pictures; 3. Money.

Is the marriage certificate only if somebody is U.S. citizen necessary?

[akihon 129]

You have to send in your marriage certificate if you are an LPR through marriage, even if you are not applying for N400 based on marriage.

Otherwise, if you are an LPR through employment, for example, it is not important.

Edited July 1, 2016 by akihon

[klausb 0]

Thanks for the information. I got my green card by lottery so I don't send my marriage certificate.

Klaus

[charmander 692]

They used to not ask marriage certificates under the 5 year rule but they changed that with the new form (in effect since April 13th). You do not need to submit a photocopy with the application unless the application is based on marriage to a US citizen (3 year rule); clearly does not apply to you. However, as you probably saw on Page 11 of the N400 instructions https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/n-400instr.pdf they are asking to bring the original to the interview regardless of the type of application.

Unfortunately, the new form has not been around long enough so whoever used the new form most likely have not been interviewed yet. However, we should soon start to see first interview experiences with this form within a month or two. I hope someone who applied based on 5 year rule could with the new form could revisit here and confirm whether they asked for the marriage certificate in the interview.