merrodri

Hello all. Am looking ahead to next steps after my fiance enters the U.S. on his K1 visa. Has anyone here been married in Florida? How long does it take to get your marriage license from the clerk after the marriage? I am worried aout it taking a long time. Also, do you have to file the I-485 during the 90-day K-1 period?

Noorah101

You can google marriage requirements in Florida; you might need to search by county.

You can usually expedite getting the certified copy of the marriage certificate, so look into that.

Only the marriage must take place within 90 days. However, it's a good idea to file AOS as soon as possible, because that is what gives him the right to remain in the USA.

Rene

ian-mstm

Why? What difference if it takes a few days or a few weeks?


No - that's never been a requirement.

Ian

S Folinsky

1. One obtains the marriage license BEFORE getting married, not after.

2. The marriage must take place within the 90 days period, not the filing of the I-485. If one misses the 90 day period for getting married AND marries the K-1 petitioner, the normal I-130/485 adjustment is available. If one does not marry within the 90 period and marries someone other than the K-1 petitioner, then adjustment is not available [there is actually a published case where the K-1 petitioner died just before the K-1 admission, tough luck. In that particular case it did not help that the K-1 then engaged in a fraudulent marriage].

zzrmark

I married in Sarasota back in August.

My lady and I went down to the courthouse armed with all the required paperwork (can't remember what was required but I do remember taking my divorce decree, passport and UK driving licence, as mentioned above, it's all on their website). We were issued with the marriage licence at that time but note that you have to wait three days until you can marry! (No problem for us because we had a good 6 weeks before the ceremony).
Any person certified as a notary can sign the certificate, we asked an administrator from my wife's school, it was his first time conducting a marriage ceremony.
He then took the licence with him (as his official stamp lives in his office at school) and was kind enough to drop it into the courthouse the next working day, no doubt some notaries would be able to stamp it at the ceremony and leave you to return it to the courthouse - or you could just have the ceremony at the courthouse, personally I wouldn't recommend it if Bradenton courthouse is anything to go by. The place was full of reprobates and for some reason the marriage section stunk of vomit!!!
The certified licence was then posted back to us and we received it about 10 days after the ceremony.
HTH (Congratulations )

RICH

10 years ago in Tampa Bay, my experience was pretty much the same. Maybe less than 10 days to get it back.

Michael

Some courthouses are very nice. My son got married at the San Diego courthouse which has Spanish style architecture and has a nice green belt around the courthouse for taking pictures. The Justice of the Peace was on the other side of the building where criminal cases are held.

NCSox

We got our marriage licence in Sanford, had to wait 3 days before it was active, but didn't get married until 3? Weeks later.
Our pastor stamped it and I think we took it to a nearby court house and had it back in our hands the same day. There was a minimal cost for additional copies of the certificate. A very straight forward procedure from start to finish