'raised' seal on marriage certificate? -

and for question number 2 from me today -     *insert weak drumroll sound here* -


i could swear that i read/heard somewhere that the copy of my marriage certificate that i need for my
visa should bear a 'raised' seal on it. all 3 copies of our certificate do not bear a 'raised' seal on it. the only
'seal' it has on it is one on the top of the paper between the words 'certified copy of an entry of marriage'.

has anyone else heard of this 'raised' seal before? (do i need to have my certificate notarised?)
or perhaps, i am going mad afterall


thanks again for tolerance of my questions.  
-trish

You were married in the UK so the marriage certificate you were given at the ceremony is the certificate you need.  It should be perfectly acceptable.

And good on you getting more than one copy!  You never know when you're going to need it over the next few months/years! 

You were married in the UK so the marriage certificate you were given at the ceremony is the certificate you need.  It should be perfectly acceptable.

And good on you getting more than one copy!  You never know when you're going to need it over the next few months/years! 

i phoned the consulate in NY to hear their list of required documents for the spouse visa.
and it lists the copy of marriage cert. bearing a raised seal. i then phoned the registry office where we were married and was
informed that no registry certificates in the country are issued with a raised seal.

so now, i am convinced (at 11.40am) i am going mad

i think i will end up phoning the consulates (again) to ask about this...


another thing that raised a bit of concern for me is this -
my address at the time of the marriage is listed at my partner's UK address. (since that is where i was staying)., might this cause an problem(issue) as at the time of marriage i was not permantantly residing in the UK?

(i certainly hope my inpending insanity over all this is normal!!)

thanks again!
-trish

i phoned the consulate in NY to hear their list of required documents for the spouse visa.
and it lists the copy of marriage cert. bearing a raised seal. i then phoned the registry office where we were married and was
informed that no registry certificates in the country are issued with a raised seal.



another thing that raised a bit of concern for me is this -
my address at the time of the marriage is listed at my partner's UK address. (since that is where i was staying)., might this cause an problem(issue) as at the time of marriage i was not permantantly residing in the UK?

I think that the "raised  seal" requirement applies to marriage certificates from US states.  Marriage certificates from the UK (or at least all of the ones I've ever seen) don't have a raised seal.

My address on the marriage certificate was a temporary one for me as well.  They never asked about it.  If they do ask you, just tell them that's where you were living at the time of the marriage...I can't see how that'd be a problem.

Good luck!  :-)

I think that the "raised  seal" requirement applies to marriage certificates from US states.  Marriage certificates from the UK (or at least all of the ones I've ever seen) don't have a raised seal.

My address on the marriage certificate was a temporary one for me as well.  They never asked about it.  If they do ask you, just tell them that's where you were living at the time of the marriage...I can't see how that'd be a problem.

Good luck!  :-)

ohhhhhhhhhhh! i never thought of that!
the raised seal being on the certificates from the US... ! *snaps fingers*

thanks again for the reply... i blame my pregnancy hormones on making me even more neurotic about this visa process!:)
i really do appreciate all the responses & advice i've been getting:) much peace of mind...

i phoned the consulate in NY to hear their list of required documents for the spouse visa.
and it lists the copy of marriage cert. bearing a raised seal. i then phoned the registry office where we were married and was
informed that no registry certificates in the country are issued with a raised seal.

 Were you married here in the States? if you were, then go to the town hall where the marraige was recorded (all marraiges are recorded, same as births and deaths) and request a copy of that record. It may cost you a few dollars but when they issue it to you make sure that they put the town or county seal on it, its a stamp similar to a Notary Public stamp........thats whats meant by a raised seal copy. The consulate only wants proof that the marraige is legally registered in the state and county in which it was entered into, this seal is that proof.

Were you married here in the States? if you were, then go to the town hall where the marraige was recorded (all marraiges are recorded, same as births and deaths) and request a copy of that record. It may cost you a few dollars but when they issue it to you make sure that they put the town or county seal on it, its a stamp similar to a Notary Public stamp........thats whats meant by a raised seal copy.

i was married in the UK ...    but it now makes sense to me about the raised seal on the certificates. (i didn't know that they would have meant a cert. for the US). silly me.

thanks for the reply

Just to clarify further on the USA seal front for those with US marriage certificates.  The one we sent in was an inked copy of the original seal on the certificate.  So you know when you get a document notarized and it's actually an impressed seal? We did not have that.  Even when I requested additional copies of our marriage certificate they sent me the same type of copy.  I have my visa so I guess they did not have a problem with it.

Good luck lunar!

Good luck lunar!

thanks!!

i'm not going to fret about the certificate, i've got other visa issues now to go over and over in my head!