US marriage license requirements for a Brit

I have a question about US legal terminology, in relation to evidence of ID, which Americans may be able to answer.

We will marry in Washington DC. As a Brit, they say I need to send a colour copy of my passport, "notarised with a raised seal".

A UK notary quoted me £100 to do this! Our wedding officiant says they have wed other Brits who got it done for a fiver. That sounds more like a simple verified copy price.

I'm wondering if the common solicitor's stamp to verify a sworn copy would suffice, as notarization here is more like an apostille process which they charge an arm and a leg for. The Post Office or a solicitor will verify and  stamp a copy document for ten pounds or less.

Does "notarized copy" just mean the same as a verified copy in the US? Or do I really have to notarize it?

Or, alternatively, does anyone know a London notary who will notarized my passport for a reasonable fee?

You can either:
- send a regular photocopy of the photo page
Or
- get a copy certified by a UK Post Office for about £8-10


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Thanks for replying Ksand24, but what you're saying is true for the UKBA visa application process, I don't think it's true when applying for a marriage license in DC, where they have this requirement for "notarized with a raised seal". 

Thanks for replying Ksand24, but what you're saying is true for the UKBA visa application process, I don't think it's true when applying for a marriage license in DC, where they have this requirement for "notarized with a raised seal".

Sorry - I misread your post (that's what I get for trying to reply when I'm in Sainsburys).

I've never heard of anyone else needing a notarised copy of their passport for a US marriage licence (and there have been hundreds of people here on the forum who have married in the US).

Will they not just accept your actual passport as proof of ID?

Most people just arrive in the US, show their passport, get their marriage licence same day, and then get married.

Yes, we are going to apply for the license by proxy to save time. That does mean I need to send a colour copy of my passport, as I won't be physically there. Apparently that means DC Courthouse want it "notarised with a raised seal". I guess I will have to get it notarised as we don't want any hold ups.

Yes, we are going to apply for the license by proxy to save time. That does mean I need to send a colour copy of my passport, as I won't be physically there. Apparently that means DC Courthouse want it "notarised with a raised seal". I guess I will have to get it notarised as we don't want any hold ups.

I don't really understand why you need to do it in advance... it sounds like a lot of time and money and hassle for something you can do in a few hours after you arrive.

If you apply by proxy, they only submit the applications once a week, so if you miss the weekly deadline, you would have to wait an extra week to get it.
For cost, you're looking at:
- $250 application fee
- up to £100 to get your passport notarised (it cost me £50 in 2009 to get something notarised by a solicitor for a US form)

Or if you just do it in DC when you arrive in the US, it will be issued on the same day and will only cost you:
$45 licence fee

Can you have it notarised at your finances bank once you arrive?  His/her bank should do it for free.

We just did the exact same thing last month (in DC, too...we used DC Elopements.com, are you?). I'm asking my UK partner what service he used. (Am waiting for my spousal visa!). BRB.

Hello Foundinblank,

Yes we are using DC Elopements to get the proxy license application sorted out. Yes, I'd be interested to know how your husband "notarized" his passport copy for the wedding license.

Also, I'd be interested to know - did you have to wait long for a biometrics appointment in DC? Ideally we'd. Like to get that as soon as possible so we can be free to get away for a honeymoon.

Meanwhile, congratulations!  ...and good luck with your application.

Why do you have to go through a 3rd party service? Is your fiance in DC?

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She's in NY, and will be travelling prior to the wedding, so it's easier for us to have a celebrant pre apply for the license on our behalf. Also, DC have a couple of weeks waiting list time for a courthouse wedding.

notice you just wrote about doing the biometrics and then being free for a honeymoon. Keep in mind you submit the online applications(make sure all documents are in hand before you submit) and then you schedule the biometrics appointment. Once you have the appointment though you only have 5 days to get the application in. So you may want to wait to do everything until after the honeymoon.

Why not just go somewhere else? PA is a three day wait from obtaining the form to getting married. Florida has no wait. We applied for the license, got married the next day, and submitted the form right after the wedding. We did luck out, though...one of our friends was legally allowed to perform weddings.

Thanks Frazieme,
We just want to accelerate the process as much as possible, so we will try to submit all the visa things and then snatch some time for holidays.

When you say that after biometrics we have 5 days, do you mean 5 days to send off the documents with the VFS courier? That shouldn't be  problem if we have all our documents  ready in advance, should it?

When you say that after biometrics we have 5 days, do you mean 5 days to send off the documents with the VFS courier? That shouldn't be  problem if we have all our documents  ready in advance, should it?

You have 5 days from your biometrics appointment to mail the documents to Sheffield for processing.

However, there's no such thing as a 'VFS Courier'. VFS are just a website that allow you to purchase certain services that are offered by UKVI New York and UKVI Sheffield.

The 'VFS Shipping Service' is just pre-paid 2-day UPS shipping labels that you pay for and print off yourself.

- If you only purchase the return shipping label ($141), then you print off the shipping label from your email, put it with your documents and then ship the package to Sheffield yourself using UPS or DHL

- If you purchase the round-trip shipping labels ($227), you print both off from your email, put the return label with your documents and then take your package and outbound label to your local UPS store. You then collect a UPS envelope, put your documents inside, attach the shipping label and then ship it with UPS.

Your timeline for the visa is:

- research the visa and gather ALL your documents
- print and complete VAF4a Appendix 2 form
- get married
- complete the online application
- submit the online application and pay for the visa (this is your official application date. Then book the biometrics appointment online (you will be directed to do this)
- attend the biometrics appointment, taking with you your passport and printed appointment confirmation sheet
- they will check your ID, stamp the sheet, take your fingerprints and photo and then send you home
- place your passport and stamped appointment sheet with your documents and ship them to Sheffield within 5 DAYS (also, if you will use priority processing, purchase this before you ship, following the instructions exactly)
- wait for the visa to be processed