My boyfriend (soon to be husband) has accepted a job in the US. I will get the dreaded H4 visa once we are married. As we both live in NL, we will get married here soon. Do I need to get the marriage certificate officially translated for the visa application? Any tips on where to get this done? How long does it take?
Please respond in Dutch if you want to, I can read nederlands but I cannot write it
Als je in NL trouwt kun je een internationaal trouwbewijs krijgen (tegen betaling) bij het gemeentehuis, waar, naast andere talen, ook de Engelse termen op staan. Je hoeft dus geen vertaling te laten maken. Wij hebben overigens voor al onze Amerikaanse visa zaken de vertalingen zelf gedaan, en door een vriend/vriendin of collega laten controleren en ondertekenen. Dat was op advies van onze immigratieadvocaat.
Voor Amerikaanse instanties is een 'notarization' van een vertaling vaak voldoende. Je gaat in de VS dan naar je bank toe en vraagt om een 'notary public', meestal is 1 van de bankmensen zo'n 'notary' en doet dat gratis voor klanten, anders moet je een paar dollar betalen aan een buitenstaander (overigens niet een Nederlandse notaris, maar iemand die alleen maar een handtekening zet dat hij/zij je identificatie heeft gezien en dat de handtekening inderdaad een echte handtekening is).
Zo'n 'notarized' verklaring is in mijn ervaring voldoende in de VS. Maar dat wil niet zeggen dat dat altijd het geval is, vraag dat dus na bij een immigratie advocaat.
ik doe dat meestal met de volgende tekst (aanpassen voor betreffende plaats):
State of [staat]
County: [county]
CERTIFICATE OF TRANSLATION
I, ______________, certify that I am competent to translate this document from the Dutch into the English language, and that the translation is true and accurate, to the best of my abilities. All archival seals, stamps, and certifications have been translated here.
English Title: xxx marriage certificate [of ander document]
Dutch Title: Burgerlijke stand Amsterdam (trouwboekje) [of ander document]
I certify under penalty of perjury, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1746, that the attached translation is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and ability.
Maar zoals gezegd, veel Nederlandse verklaringen zijn tegenwoordig meteen in een aantal talen.
Thank you! So, just to clarify, when we get married I just ask the gemeente for an international trouwbewijs? Or is it something I ask for in addition to the usual trouwbewijs after we have got married.
You can get an international version of the extract of the marriage register. Take one extra, you can be asked for it in the US and it handy to have it ready.
Same for the internat. version of the extract ot the birth register that you will probably also need. Take three becasue it is a hassle to get ahold of it once you are in the US. You can be asked for it in the US, especially in the beginning.
These certificates do not become invalid over time, as they do in Holland.
You both also have to make sure you will be properly 'uitgeschreven' at the municipal office of the town or city where you live.
Somebody here suggested in another item to ask for the so-called DigiD before you leave.
I left before they did the DidiD, and indeed I now cannot acces certain information because I do not have that #.
And you can no longer apply for it once abroad.
As far as I know it is not necessary to notarize the translations of documents. I translated everything re. Mr. Oor years ago. I completed the form as given by Benno for every document and added it to the copy of the original document - or the original document if requested - and the translation.
Anything that needs to be notarized, your lawyer will take care of that.
So you are getting the so-called depression visa ? I hope you realize this is basically only a visitor visa, you are not supposed to live in the US with your husband. You are supposed to stay home, rake care of yourself, and from time to time visit the US to see your husband. That is an H-4.
Of course nobody does this IRL.
But do not underestimate this visa. It is nice for your husband that he has a job in the States but you need your own life to continue !
Realize that you husband builds rights to SS, MediCare, maybe a 401-k. But you are not contributing to anything - you are only losing rights eg. a % of AOW.
H-4 is survivable, but you have to be really assertive about your situation. Take the initiative and make known that you are a person too - and not part of the house-hold goods.
Make sure you get your own car - can be a clunker as long as it moves you where you need to be.
When you are going to rent a house, do not go for the nice roomy house in the quiet suburbs. You will go bonkers there.
Go for an apartment if necessary, but make sure you live somewhere where there is life ! close to a college, shop, etc. Middle of the town if possible. (Maybe you will not need that car then.) The smaller the apartment the less time it takes you to clean it.....
Have your degrees - if you have any - certified before you leave and if possible already do the TOEFL test. The only way to let the H-4 not ruin your life as it did mine, is education. You cannot afford to have a gap in your resume in todays world ! It makes you unemployable in the US (H-4 is no excuse for not working for employers) as well as in the UK or in the Netherlands or wherever.
So find a college or university where you are located and start applying as soon as you arrive. USers are suckers for procedures, forms, etc. so it can take time before you are in. Also on an H-4 most states allow you to pay in-state tuition but most of the time after six months or a year.
An alternative is adult-education if they have good programs locally. But do get up every morning and out of the house ! Make sure you meet people.
Going to the gym also works for some people.
On an H-4 you have no right to a SS# and that does not make life easy in the US - where almost everything is based on exactly that #. Go to the local SS adm. and ask for an affidavid that you are legally staying in the US but cannot have an SS#.
You will need that ao. to get a drivers license.
Living in the US can be a great experience, even on an H-4 visa. But you have to make it happen and fight for it. Nobody else will.
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