RO_AH

Short answer, get the 13a before you get to the PI. Less hassel

Much ado about nothing 

My opinion on that type of mistake is that it has no legal bearing on whether you are actually legally married or not.  Even with the mistake you most certainly ARE legally married in the eyes of the Philippines and therefore in the eyes of the US as well.  No court in either country would ever overturn your marriage over such a trivial mistake.  So it is a completely valid marriage certificate as is.
 
Since your are showing Philippines as the country of the beneficiary you need a PSA copy of the marriage certificate though.  The "civil registry" (Local Civil Registry) is not adequate by itself.

If she speaks Tagalog aka Filipino, she should be given the option to conduct the interview in  Tagalog.
 
This is the general policy of consulates: English or the national language.

You are already married. Unless you want to divorce her and then remarry her. You can have a party to celebrate /renew your vows to each other … but there is no legal standing/ceremony/recognition of a renewal or celebration 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Supplements/Supplements_by_Post/MNL-Manila.html

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Supplements/Supplements_by_Post/MNL-Manila.html

8 page single sided

Lets put this debate about having a wet  signature on divorce decree to rest..just a  few weeks away my fiance will be having an interview for K1 visa.   Because I turned in my original divorce decree with my K1 application, all she has is a copy of it. I already have requested a certified copy of my  divorce but its coming  from State of Hawaii. I  dont know how long it will take to  get here. 
 
To be continued......Stay tune!!!!

Exactly, correct! The Manila embassy does request them in their requirements  for the interview, only a copy, , and the Department of State does not require them to do so. Its only a formality that the embassy even looks at them. The State deparment in the USA are the ones that have the resources to verify them, and the embassy doesn't need to double check them.  The only exception are some rogue embassies like Montreal and Dubai who feel they know better than USCIS.
 
I also verified with my K1/CR1 agency, that they have done nearly 20 thousand K1/CR1 in 20 years, and the Manila embassy has NEVER asked them for originals, including upto last week.
 
I don't know why another member says they know 6 couples in the month of July that all got 221g for their CR1/IR1 at the Manila embassy.  Really? They know 6 couples all being interviewed in the Month of July, all having divorced usc petitioner at the Manila embassy and all being 221G due to not having an original divorce decree.? This seems very hard to believe ..    Especially since there is not one member on this website that reported it first hand themselves and on the contrary many members saying the exact opposite (embassy has never asked for original). I don't know whats going on with these people saying its needed .. one even said ALL civiil documents must be original .. .. but at this point I would definately call this just a social media rumor and ignore it.  No originals are needed and everyone needs to stop panicking and worrying about it.  This goes for all documents, incuding your tax returns, I-134 etc... 
 
The other possibility, and thekey is to provide the correct divorce document, as specified in the reciprocity details on the DOS web page.   Some people present the wrong document .. such as a Divorce NISI certificate instead fof the Divorce Absolute certificate.  But the correct divorce document varies by State and by Country if it is a foreign country divorce (and you need it to be translated as well).      If the USCIS approved it, you'd think that would be the correct document and a photocopy of the same document are at most needed.
 
 
 

let me be the sacrifice lamb on this issue. I will update about this issue once and for all. she will be having an interview at the end of august. 

Would you rather have a 2 year Green card or a 10 year Green Card?  It is as simple as that.  If you enter before 2 years of marriage, there is no switching to a 10 year card immediately at your 2nd anniversary.  
It took USCIS 44 months to approve my wife's I-751 (she entered the US 30 days prior to our 2nd anniversary).  We submitted it in March of 2019.  It was approved in December 2022.  

Actually, we also don't know. Why not take one for the team, find out and let us know. 

The permanent resident will have to remove conditions before their 2-year card expires, the "wedding anniversary" date will not really matter in this process (but evidence covering the duration of the marriage should still be sent).  Full details here: 
 
ETA: If at all possible, it is not a bad idea to delay entry after the second wedding anniversary.  

Yep, we arrived a few days ago, unvaccinated, they didn't ask for covid test result nor the travel pass qr code. And no mask required.

@heynow VJ has a fairly large user base of Filipina/US couples and they are a great resource. I suggest using a lawyer if you want a handhold during the process (but be aware that might not guard against an RFE) but questions regarding culture, civil documents, and nuances of medical through St Luke’s? VJ is the place to be… and it’s free! 

Especially when people don’t realize some consulting services are very country specific. What’s completely fine for one country is a red flag for the other. 

Thanks! It definitely sucked. I think I am out of the woods but I will keep the syrup in mind.
 
Yeah...QR code...that's it (nod to Jon Lovitz)!!!

First thing people need to realize is that not everything is like in America, if you travel a lot, you would more likely see that what it is like in the Philippines is more like the rest of the world. Most Americans are very spoiled in their thinking and expectations. Learn to embrace and accept the differences.
 
As far as the CENOMAR, I think it's pretty consistent across the board for requiring a CENOMAR for a Filipino to get married. They need to prove that they are not currently married first. But the foreigner usually but not always needs an "Affidavit in lieu of legal capacity to marry" to show that they aree not currently married and are able to marry. The need for and how to get an Affidavit in lieu of legal capacity to marry has changed so that is one reason that she must go check exactly what is required.
 
After getting married and receiving the PSA marriage certificate, then you will order a CEMAR from PSA for both you and your wife before the interview. That will prove that you are both legally married in the Philippines, and it is required at the interview.
 

If it's a fair price, that's for you to decide. I did all the paperwork myself, asked questions here if I wasn't sure. No problems for me.

I suppose anyone can charge whatever they want for reviewing documents. $50, $1,500. At least they're calling themselves a visa coach and not misrepresenting as an attorney. ☺️
 
You see organizations warn of excessive delays, denials, and so on for errors in paperwork. While it's true if you don't fill out a form correctly or submit enough credible and reliable (or required) evidence, then it certainly could result in a delay or refusal. This is partially why USCIS has pretty detailed and lengthy instructions for every document.
 
I like Dashinka's answer: Peace of mind for some folks is a big deal. As for fairness of fee, short of looking at market trends, it's really anyone's guess or opinion. And even if there were market trends to look at it, it still comes down to: they can charge whatever they want.
 
At the end of the day, as many others, we have so far done this ourselves. As another person mentioned, the forms are kind of the easier part. And if you have any questions and you ask, you will get answers from knowledgeable and experienced VJ members. No one here has ever let me down when I've had a question. 
 
Good luck with whatever you choose. 🤙🏾

You do the legroom yourself, u don’t need “consultant” to word / spell check your document. U can do it yourself. Donate that $400 for go fund me or people in need instead. The hardest one is to collect the evidence and not to fill the form. U can ask questions here people are willing to help 

Another vote to wait for the PSA marriage certificate before filing the I-130.  The LCR copy is not enough for US immigration.
 

Wait for the PSA. You did the right thing by requesting an expedite. The last thing you want is for them to reject the app or give you an RFE, because it's missing and have to start over.