Hi everyone,

I was just reading on the US Embassey website about what to bring to the interview and it mentions marriage certificates. I have my marriage certificate, of course and copies, but my husband has been married before and I never thought I needed copies of his marriage certificate, much less the original! we of course have the original divorce decree and again the copies. the website states:

Marriage certificate* - the original or certified copy bearing the appropriate seal or stamp of the issuing authority for each of the applicant's marriages.

Do I need to find his earlier marriage certificate????

Drowning in paper!!!

Shannon

I don't think so, no. Having a copy of the divorce decree subsumes that there was a valid marriage certificate. As my mentor Mr. Spock once said, "If I let go of a hammer on a planet that has a positive gravity, I do not need to see the hammer fall to know that it has, in fact, fallen."

Ian

I would say yes, whilst quite agreeing with the logic of the above, you may well get a RFE otherwise.

Shannon

I had the divorce cert from my first marriage, but not the original marriage certificate. I had no problem.

Hi Shannon,
The certificate will not be difficult to get, and I always err on the side of caution, particularly when it is stated that something should be brought. Both of us were married previously and we had marriage certificates and divorce decrees for both of us, as well as birth certificates/custody papers for our children included in our packet.

~SecretGarden
~and Mr. Pink

no
just your marriage certificate and his divorce paper......you need to
make a copy of everything
bb

Hi Shannon,

Since it pretty plainly spells out "each of the applicant's marriages" - I take that to mean they want to see previous marriage certificates, yes. They aren't hard to get, although I'm not sure you have enough time to order them and have them arrive for the interview (when is it?)

I'd at least go ahead and submit the request to order the copy of the marriage certificate (if you can't find the original), and bring proof that you've ordered it to the interview, if you haven't gotten the copy yet.

Best Wishes,
Rene

I don't think I should be allowed to do any more research! I just looked at the US Embassey website, and it does not mention needing the other marriage certificates, just mine. I don't even remember where I saw that. The UK embassy has a good list of what to bring, and it does not say old marriage certs, just divorce decrees and current marriage certificate. I think I am ok.

here is the link to the page: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new...iv/ds2001.html

I don't have an appointment, but was instructed in my packet 3 to schedule the medical, which is happening next week.

Going Crazy!!!

Shannon

I'm definitely NOT an expert - but in our experiences here in the UK, a marriage certificate is superceded by the divorce decree. That was all the authorities here, both UK and US, have asked for - in respect of previous marriages - confirmation that they were dissolved, not that they existed in the first place.
I actually had to surrender my original marriage certificate when I got divorced - so no longer have it in my possession anyway. The UK merely asked for both mine and my USC spouse's divorce papers when we applied for his residency here, and the USCIS have asked the same - both wanting OUR current marriage certificate and past divorce decrees.
Hope all goes well for your interview...

Hi Shannon,

hehehe...never mind my post then. You're most likely fine with your current marriage certificate and proof of dissolution of prior marriage(s).

Rene