Should I amend marriage certificate during USCIS stage? [merged threads]

[roughlyworried 5]

I just noticed a pretty big mistake I think on our marriage certificate. We already filed the I-130 9 months ago. We had done a Utah virtual marriage, and she was living in China and I was in America. I did it with Webwed, and they told me it was normal for both to be listed at the same location. However, I sadly didn’t confirm with the Utah courthouse and I come to find out they can in fact list other countries. The only problem? They don’t edit marriage certificates older than 2 months! So now this marriage certificate I can’t change and it shows her as being in the United States at the time of marriage. What do I do since they can’t change it? Should I get married here in Thailand with her again with a Chinese marriage certificate? Any help would be appreciated. My stomach just sank to the bottom of the ocean.

[pushbrk 12,246]

Lawyer time.

[roughlyworried 5]

14 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

Lawyer time.

Yup. Already on it. Also, while on this subject, would it be ok to get another marriage certificate from another country 2 years after originally being married? I wouldn’t want to use it for United States immigration, but rather for being able to go to my spouses country since I’m having serious doubts about if our green card application will get approved or not.

[Family 3,556]

28 minutes ago, roughlyworried said:

My stomach just sank to the bottom of the ocean.

Don’t do anything drastic.. Your marriage is perfectly fine , even if it contains incorrect locations of the parties . There are all sorts of digital footprints of where the host connected to each  of you …and USCIS and COs will just ask you to explain any discrepancies noted.
 

Prepare and file linked Affidavit to Amend Marriage Record and keep a copy for you should the question ever come up….human errors do happen so just do everything by mail .because phone info is often sketchy.

 

https://www.cachecounty.org/assets/department/clerk/Affidavit to Amend Marriage Record.pdf

[pushbrk 12,246]

Listen to the lawyer but I would tend to do nothing and see what happens.  You're married.  You don't legally marry again without fraudulently claiming  you are unmarried.  

 

[roughlyworried 5]

28 minutes ago, Family said:

Don’t do anything drastic.. Your marriage is perfectly fine , even if it contains incorrect locations of the parties . There are all sorts of digital footprints of where the host connected to each  of you …and USCIS and COs will just ask you to explain any discrepancies noted.
 

Prepare and file linked Affidavit to Amend Marriage Record and keep a copy for you should the question ever come up….human errors do happen so just do everything by mail .because phone info is often sketchy.

 

https://www.cachecounty.org/assets/department/clerk/Affidavit to Amend Marriage Record.pdf

So I did end up finding that amendment form. I talked to another department in Utah. They said they can amend it, but I need to sign WITH my wife in front of a notary public, in addition, it has to be original ink signature and original stamp. However I’m living in Thailand, and there’s no way for her to do it in the US obviously and I don’t think they accept Thai notaries (still trying to find a definitive answer). I tried looking into the embassy here, but couldn’t get an appointment. 

[Family 3,556]

2 hours ago, roughlyworried said:

I tried looking into the embassy here, but couldn’t get an appointment. 

Just slow down and get her an appointment at US embassy whenever it Is available..ALL you need to do for your I-130 ( for and if questioned about the error is have a paper trail of attempting to “ amend”..not “ edit”. ) 

So send it in with your  both your signatures “ wet” and have it properly “ rejected “ ..as you await a  US embassy appointment…for notary purposes. 
As you can see phone conversations are misleading.

NOT anything to worry over and most definitely DO NOT entertain the thought of “ getting married again “. 
 

If you the petitioner are also living w wife overseas, be aware there will be Domicile requirements ( Intent to re establish domicile letter plus evidence).

[roughlyworried 5]

12 minutes ago, Family said:

Just slow down and get her an appointment at US embassy whenever it Is available..ALL you need to do for your I-130 ( for and if questioned about the error is have a paper trail of attempting to “ amend”..not “ edit”. ) 

So send it in with your  both your signatures “ wet” and have it properly “ rejected “ ..as you await a  US embassy appointment…for notary purposes. 
As you can see phone conversations are misleading.

NOT anything to worry over and most definitely DO NOT entertain the thought of “ getting married again “. 
 

If you the petitioner are also living w wife overseas, be aware there will be Domicile requirements ( Intent to re establish domicile letter plus evidence).

Hi. Yes I’m living with her overseas, but haven’t fully moved and kept my mailing address in the United States, along with continuing to pay utility and insurance bills there. I’ll be returning to the United States permanently atleast 1-2 months before filing with NVC. I wouldn’t still have to re establish domicile correct? 
 

 

Also, a question about the amendment when I do it. My wife’s name is also somewhat not correct. For Chinese anyway. They put first name (included first name and middle name, but you can’t tell besides there is not a space between them) and then last name. Usually chinese go by last name first name middle name. So the name is backwards according to Chinese, but in English it’s fine aside from the first name and middle name not being separated by a space.

[Simplytex 387]

4 hours ago, roughlyworried said:

I just noticed a pretty big mistake I think on our marriage certificate. We already filed the I-130 9 months ago. We had done a Utah virtual marriage, and she was living in China and I was in America. I did it with Webwed, and they told me it was normal for both to be listed at the same location. However, I sadly didn’t confirm with the Utah courthouse and I come to find out they can in fact list other countries. The only problem? They don’t edit marriage certificates older than 2 months! So now this marriage certificate I can’t change and it shows her as being in the United States at the time of marriage. What do I do since they can’t change it? Should I get married here in Thailand with her again with a Chinese marriage certificate? Any help would be appreciated. My stomach just sank to the bottom of the ocean.

This is kinda interesting to me, cause I did Utah online as well, except ours was May 2022 and directly with Provo Country court, and the certificate I have looks different/has different wording on it, along the lines of:

 

Simplytex, of *birth place", currently residing in __, Texas, USA

 

Ms Simplytex, of *birth place*, currently residing in ___, Russia. 

 

Further down the page it then has where the clerk was at the time of performing the marriage (Provo, Utah) but doesn't mention or imply that we were there (we were together in Turkey, at the time.)

 

Best of luck getting it sorted out!

[Family 3,556]

9 minutes ago, roughlyworried said:

27 minutes ago, Family said:

Just slow down and get her an appointment at US embassy whenever it Is available..ALL you need to do for your I-130 ( for and if questioned about the error is have a paper trail of attempting to “ amend”..not “ edit”. ) 

So send it in with your  both your signatures “ wet” and have it properly “ rejected “ ..as you await a  US embassy appointment…for notary purposes. 
As you can see phone conversations are misleading.

NOT anything to worry over and most definitely DO NOT entertain the thought of “ getting married again “. 
 

If you the petitioner are also living w wife overseas, be aware there will be Domicile requirements ( Intent to re establish domicile letter plus evidence).

Hi. Yes I’m living with her overseas, but haven’t fully moved and kept my mailing address in the United States, along with continuing to pay utility and insurance bills there. I’ll be returning to the United States permanently atleast 1-2 months before filing with NVC. I wouldn’t still have to re establish domicile correct? 
 

 

Also, a question about the amendment when I do it. My wife’s name is also somewhat not correct. For Chinese anyway. They put first name (included first name and middle name, but you can’t tell besides there is not a space between them) and then last name. Usually chinese go by last name first name middle name. So the name is backwards according to Chinese, but in English it’s fine aside from the first name and middle name not being separated by a space.

If you filed w US address and have not severed financial/ residence connections plus you planned so well in returning ahead of time, you won’t have any domicile issues.

 

Your chance to correct her name is on the form. Stick to the English format of First, Middle , Last …as I presume you already have it aligned with the I-130 Receipt Notice and Chinese Passport…

You have lots of time to review that translations for birth certificate are also correct …it’s not a big issue , the no space name variant will become part of a predictable long list of aka’s she will acquire in the West.

[roughlyworried 5]

2 minutes ago, Simplytex said:

This is kinda interesting to me, cause I did Utah online as well, except ours was May 2022 and directly with Provo Country court, and the certificate I have looks different/has different wording on it, along the lines of:

 

Simplytex, of *birth place", currently residing in __, Texas, USA

 

Ms Simplytex, of *birth place*, currently residing in ___, Russia. 

 

Further down the page it then has where the clerk was at the time of performing the marriage (Provo, Utah) but doesn't mention or imply that we were there (we were together in Turkey, at the time.)

 

Best of luck getting it sorted out!

We were in July of 2020. It was quite new then. I did some digging on VJ, and someone else had the same issue, except they had a way to correct it in 2021. According to my emails with webwed, they were correct in saying we couldn’t use foreign addresses or countries. However, I know there was a way it could be changed based on a post I just saw in VJ by contacting them right after. But that was in 2021 that was posted…a full year later. So I’m wondering if there wasn’t a way for me to legitimately do it. Sadly, I won’t have any proof of this. Either way I’ll seek an amendment. I don’t see how they could truly Deny us beyond an RFE unless they think she was present illegally in the United States OR somehow find us guilty of willful misrepresentation.

 

[Family 3,556]

4 minutes ago, roughlyworried said:

Either way I’ll seek an amendment. I don’t see how they could truly Deny us beyond an RFE unless they think she was present illegally in the United States OR somehow find us guilty of willful misrepresentation.

There will be NO DENIAL and you have nothing to worry about. .unless of course you choose to! Enjoy your extraordinary blessing of being able to spend the Wait Time Together! Great Journey 

[roughlyworried 5]

5 minutes ago, Family said:

There will be NO DENIAL and you have nothing to worry about. .unless of course you choose to! Enjoy your extraordinary blessing of being able to spend the Wait Time Together! Great Journey 

I guess worst case is an RFE. My worries are mainly, with everything, at the interview because it seems like things can be asked so unexpectedly. Best we can do is just answer honestly. 

 

But yes. As you can tell from my name, I’m a very worried person. Without going to personal, I have a diagnosed but currently untreated case(s) of severe OCD and panic disorder. And my wife is my greatest comfort to me. So having her be able to come live with me in the states is of prime importance to me, hence why I worry so much. 

[Family 3,556]

Just now, roughlyworried said:

13 minutes ago, Family said:

There will be NO DENIAL and you have nothing to worry about. .unless of course you choose to! Enjoy your extraordinary blessing of being able to spend the Wait Time Together! Great Journey 

I guess worst case is an RFE. My worries are mainly, with everything, at the interview because it seems like things can be asked so unexpectedly. Best we can do is just answer honestly. 

 

But yes. As you can tell from my name, I’m a very worried person. Without going to personal, I have a diagnosed but currently untreated case(s) of severe OCD and panic disorder. And my wife is my greatest comfort to me. So having her be able to come live with me in the states is of prime importance to me, hence why I worry so much. 

At USCIS stage , RFE is nothing but an opportunity to clarify any questions and your meticulous nature has already allowed you to get in front of any questions, so kudos.

 

At interview , you are already ahead of almost all couples who have to wait the entire process separated..so there is little they can surprise her with . 
 

 

[roughlyworried 5]

12 minutes ago, Family said:

At USCIS stage , RFE is nothing but an opportunity to clarify any questions and your meticulous nature has already allowed you to get in front of any questions, so kudos.

 

At interview , you are already ahead of almost all couples who have to wait the entire process separated..so there is little they can surprise her with . 
 

 

Yes. I’m quite meticulous. I even go through INA and Foreign service manuals to see if I can find answers there all the time. At this point, I’m almost hoping for an RFE to correct another mistake in the I-130 where we forgot one job and one address she had that we will have to put in the DS-260. 
 

I don’t think I quite understand what you mean by we are ahead of other couples for interview since we haven’t had to wait the entire process separated?