Sent off wrong document

[kbertrand 7]

I sent off our application for our I-130 last week (spousal) and I just realized going over the copies I made that I sent off a copy of our Ontario marriage license (not a copy of the certificate that we just received) I assume I have to wait for NOA1, but once I receive that how do I go about fixing this? I really would like to avoid a RFE over this if at all possible. 

[USS_Voyager 1,971]

2 minutes ago, kbertrand said:

I sent off our application for our I-130 last week (spousal) and I just realized going over the copies I made that I sent off a copy of our Ontario marriage license (not a copy of the certificate that we just received) I assume I have to wait for NOA1, but once I receive that how do I go about fixing this? I really would like to avoid a RFE over this if at all possible. 

I would just send a copy of the marriage license with a copy of the NOA1 and a brief letter explaining. 

[ThomasNC1988 762]

14 minutes ago, kbertrand said:

I sent off our application for our I-130 last week (spousal) and I just realized going over the copies I made that I sent off a copy of our Ontario marriage license (not a copy of the certificate that we just received) I assume I have to wait for NOA1, but once I receive that how do I go about fixing this? I really would like to avoid a RFE over this if at all possible. 

That's a tricky situation traditional advice would have been to wait for the RFE, but with the new RFE rules it may be worth trying what was suggested above.

[Cryssiekins 976]

When I realized I made a mistake with AoS, I didn’t bother waiting for them to find the mistake I knew was there. 

 

I sent a letter (and the corrected item) with a letter explaining.  Include as much information you have (case/ a-number, names etc) so they can get it where it needs to go.  

[C90 376]

18 minutes ago, USS_Voyager said:

I would just send a copy of the marriage license with a copy of the NOA1 and a brief letter explaining. 

Make sure you sent in a copy of the certified marriage certificate, not the license. The license is not a proof of marriage, it's just the paper you need to get married

[LilyJ 1,258]

On 2/4/2019 at 3:25 PM, C90 said:

Make sure you sent in a copy of the certified marriage certificate, not the license. The license is not a proof of marriage, it's just the paper you need to get married

That also depends where you live though; In Florida for example, your marriage license is both your paper you need to get married, AND your proof after you got married. Though in OPs case you are right, in which OP will need to send the certified copy of the marriage certificate and a letter explaining what happened

[Ryan H 3,790]

You can certainly try to send the correct document but realize that doing so may be nothing more than an exercise in futility as it may not get matched with the file despite all the information you would provide.

 

If what you send is ultimately matched with the file, it would be within the adjudicator's individual discretion to either issue an RFE for the document or deny the petition.  While I can't say for certain what the outcome would be, logic and common sense dictate that a very complete file minus the document would result in an RFE being issued.

[pushbrk 12,106]

On 2/4/2019 at 1:49 PM, USS_Voyager said:

I would just send a copy of the marriage license with a copy of the NOA1 and a brief letter explaining. 

The problem is the "marriage license" was what was sent.  They needed to send a photocopy of a certified copy of a "marriage CERTIFICATE".  A marriage license is what you need in order to GET married.  A marriage certificate is the evidence you ARE married.  

 

The OP can send a copy to the service center once they have their case number, but should also be prepared to respond to the RFE.  This experience is likely to result in better preparation for the NVC stage. 😉

 

[pushbrk 12,106]

7 hours ago, LilyJohansen said:

That also depends where you live though; In Florida for example, your marriage license is both your paper you need to get married, AND your proof after you got married. Though in OPs case you are right, in which OP will need to send the certified copy of the marriage certificate and a letter explaining what happened

Nonsense.  In many states the license and certificate are on the same page, but once married, the document becomes a "marriage certificate", not JUST a license TO marry.

[LilyJ 1,258]

9 hours ago, pushbrk said:

Nonsense.  In many states the license and certificate are on the same page, but once married, the document becomes a "marriage certificate", not JUST a license TO marry.

This is what I meant, that they are sometimes on the same page and not separate documents

[pushbrk 12,106]

3 hours ago, LilyJohansen said:

This is what I meant, that they are sometimes on the same page and not separate documents

In a medium of written communication, it's best to clearly write what you actually mean the first time.  In the 14 or so years I've been around here, I've seen the term Marriage License misused hundreds of times.  There is no telling how many of those times contributed to somebody being confused and sending the wrong document.  If my fingers get too lazy to be precise (And they sometimes do.) thankfully, people will be along to question or correct me.