I-130 Marriage Certificate for divorced Chinese parent?

[haojiang11]

I need to fill out the I-130 for my father-in-law to get his green card, which requires a copy of his marriage license. He's divorced, and my wife says the Chinese government took away their Marriage License and revoked it when they were divorced, and they don't have any copies of the marriage license.

Does anyone know what can we put in the I-130 in place of the Marriage License in this case? Can I ask him to write a letter declaring he was married when my wife was born, then have it officially stamped by his local police department? Or can we put in the divorce decree instead of the marriage license?

Thanks in advance!

[rayb]

There is no requirement that a marriage license be submitted for a visa applicant who is divorced from that marriage. The divorce document(s) are proof of the prior marriage.

The exception, however, is if there is a need to show proof of relationship, which would normally be established by information about the mother, whose information would be on her marriage certificate.

--Ray B

I need to fill out the I-130 for my father-in-law to get his green card, which requires a copy of his marriage license. He's divorced, and my wife says the Chinese government took away their Marriage License and revoked it when they were divorced, and they don't have any copies of the marriage license.

Does anyone know what can we put in the I-130 in place of the Marriage License in this case? Can I ask him to write a letter declaring he was married when my wife was born, then have it officially stamped by his local police department? Or can we put in the divorce decree instead of the marriage license?

Thanks in advance!

[haojiang11]

There is no requirement that a marriage license be submitted for a visa applicant who is divorced from that marriage. The divorce document(s) are proof of the prior marriage.

The exception, however, is if there is a need to show proof of relationship, which would normally be established by information about the mother, whose information would be on her marriage certificate.

--Ray B

Thank you Ray. My wife is applying for a green card for her father, so there is a need show to proof of family relationship. In the I-130 instruction under father, it says "Also give a copy of your parents' marriage certificate...".

[rayb]

Given that the father is divorced, I would provide a copy of the divorce pages, which amount to a Chinese notarial form, with an explanation from a government office where the divorce occurred, explaining why a marriage document was taken at time of the divorce.

Over the last 8 years or so, notarial certificates of marriage and divorce have replaced marriage and divorce certifcates to meet U.S. immigration requirements, and such notarial certificates are based on existing records, which should be available.

Go to: http://travel.state.gov/contenthttps...country/CH.htm

--Ray B

Thank you Ray. My wife is applying for a green card for her father, so there is a need show to proof of family relationship. In the I-130 instruction under father, it says "Also give a copy of your parents' marriage certificate...".

[haojiang11]

I will give it a try. Thanks again!

Given that the father is divorced, I would provide a copy of the divorce pages, which amount to a Chinese notarial form, with an explanation from a government office where the divorce occurred, explaining why a marriage document was taken at time of the divorce.

Over the last 8 years or so, notarial certificates of marriage and divorce have replaced marriage and divorce certifcates to meet U.S. immigration requirements, and such notarial certificates are based on existing records, which should be available.

Go to: http://travel.state.gov/contenthttps...country/CH.htm

--Ray B