Marry again in the US

[OCman 12]

Hi Everyone:

 

My wife has been approved as a new immigrant.  We were originally married in China so our marriage certificate is in Chinese.

But we are thinking about getting married again in the US so we have the certificate in English.

 

Are there any issues that we need to be aware of? 

For immigration, we will always use the original marriage date and certificate.

But for other US business, can we use the new marriage certificate?

 

Thanks for your advice!  

 

 

[Crazy Cat 39,169]

You were married when you were "first" married.......any ceremony after that is a celebration......but your official date of marriage is the one before she entered the US. That is the one should always be used for official business.  Is your Chinese marriage certificate translated?

Edited June 1, 2019 by missileman

[RandyW 149]

Your white book serves as a legal marriage certificate in the U.S.

[JFH 12,189]

The only way you two can legally marry in the USA is terminate the current marriage. You can have a celebration/reception/party/vow renewal but nothing will have any legal standing as you are already “as married as you can be”. It would be merely ceremonial. You can have a official translation done of your Chinese marriage certificate (and I would recommend that for things like preparing a will, etc).  

 

Once you are married, you are married in the eyes of the US authorities, irrespective of where the marriage took place. Just as a foreign-born person with a foreign language birth certificate doesn’t need to be re-born when they move here. 

Edited June 1, 2019 by JFH

[OCman 12]

Yes, I have an officially translated copy of the marriage certificate.   The white book?  

We want to get an American marriage certificate in addition to the Chinese one.  

 

So there is no need or benefit with getting married again in the US?

 

[Crazy Cat 39,169]

1 minute ago, OCman said:

Yes, I have an officially translated copy of the marriage certificate.   The white book?  

We want to get an American marriage certificate in addition to the Chinese one.  

 

So there is no need or benefit with getting married again in the US?

 

It isn't even possible to be officially married in the US (or anywhere) again unless you divorce first.......there is no benefit in getting married again in the US......

[OCman 12]

2 minutes ago, missileman said:

It isn't even possible to be officially married in the US (or anywhere) again unless you divorce first.......there is no benefit in getting married again in the US......

I don't believe you have to be divorced first.

 

A friend of mine did that and we thought  it was kind of nice to get married again in the US.  

[Crazy Cat 39,169]

Just now, OCman said:

I don't believe you have to be divorced first.

 

A friend of mine did that and we thought  it was kind of nice to get married again in the US.  

You can have a ceremony....but it won't be a legal marriage.   It won't change your legal marriage date.  Did you read @JFH's post above?

[OCman 12]

1 minute ago, missileman said:

You can have a ceremony....but it won't be a legal marriage.   It won't change your legal marriage date.  Did you read @JFH's post above?

Yes, we know it won't change anything.  We are already married to each othere, so there is no fraud either.  

 

Just getting another paper documenting our marriage.  

 

[JFH 12,189]

11 minutes ago, OCman said:

 

So there is no need or benefit with getting married again in the US?

 

No benefit and not even possible even if there were benefit. In order to obtain a marriage license you will have to sign an oath that you are free to marry. How can you do that if you’re already married?

[OCman 12]

10 minutes ago, JFH said:

No benefit and not even possible even if there were benefit. In order to obtain a marriage license you will have to sign an oath that you are free to marry. How can you do that if you’re already married?

 

Not sure if that will get asked.  But my wife and I thought it would be nice to do it again in an American ceremony.  A friend of ours actually got re-married in several countries many years ago.  No problem so far.  

Edited June 1, 2019 by OCman

[JFH 12,189]

6 minutes ago, OCman said:

 

Not sure if that will get asked.    

Of course it will! Bigamy is a crime in this country so you always have to swear you are free to marry. Our county doesn’t put the marriage license application online but King County (where Seattle is) does and it asks if you are related to each other. Married is related. You can also only select “single”, “widowed” or “divorced” as your current status. 

 

https://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/depts/records-licensing/recorders-office/documents/MLAPPpdf.ashx?la=en

 

 

Edited June 1, 2019 by JFH

[Crazy Cat 39,169]

3 minutes ago, OCman said:

 

Not sure if that will get asked.  But my wife and I thought it would be nice to do it again in a English ceremony.  A friend of ours actually got re-married in several countries many years ago.  No problem so far.  

You are using the term "marriage" loosely........This will more like a reaffirmation....because your legal marriage date does't change....

 

[JFH 12,189]

1 minute ago, missileman said:

You are using the term "marriage" loosely........This will more like a reaffirmation....because your legal marriage date does't change....

 

Indeed. Ceremony is fine. You could have a ceremony every day if you so wish. I don’t think he understands that people who are legally married cannot legally marry again. 

[Crazy Cat 39,169]

3 minutes ago, JFH said:

Indeed. Ceremony is fine. You could have a ceremony every day if you so wish. I don’t think he understands that people who are legally married cannot legally marry again. 

You need a larger VJ mailbox......