Q: Do I need my vital records or just the marriage certificate for an adjustment of status?
My fiance and I got married in Virginia last week. I was here on a K-1 (fiance) visa. After the ceremony, we requested copies of the signed marriage license at the courthouse and they gave them to us right away. I was ready to submit my package for AOS when a friend told us that we need to include "the one with the blue frame", the vital records of our marriage, which we haven't requested yet. Is that so? Or is the marriage license enough?
I'm clear about all of the other documents that we need to provide, the marriage certificate is the one I need more information on.
A:
As you may know, you will need much more documentation than a properly certified and sealed marriage certificate. The issue is when and how to proceed. If done correctly, there will eventually be a hearing/interview.
The paperwork is complicated with some applicants improperly filing incomplete documentation, then living out of status for years, until they are taken into custody, or perhaps, deported.
I strongly recommend an appointment with a competent and experienced immigration attorney who can spend enough time to investigate whether and how he may qualify while answering all of your questions.
The above is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney client relationship.
A: You need to submit a copy of the official record of your marriage. Some states issue a keepsake document which is decorative and not an official record of the event. The license itself does not count, either. You should go to the county courthouse that has jurisdiction over where you married and request an official copy of your marriage.
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