we are about to apply for an IR-1 immigrant visa to USA for my wife. i have a couple of questions if anyone knows:

1) we are eligible to apply in Bangkok since i've lived here a long time. do i still need to translate the marriage certificate to English or will they accept the Thai original?

2) my wife is divorced but the proof of that was handed to the amphur when we got married. we can get a copy from her old amphur but that's all the way up north. do they really need this or is the marriage certificate enough?

thx

1. I'm not sure about this. When submitting documents to the embassy they can be in Thai or English. I'm not sure if the USCIS office in Bangkok has the same policy. You can email them and ask. [email protected] Might as well get it translated. It's only a couple hundred baht.

2. You're going to need proof of the divorce. From the I-130 instructions:

What Documents Do You Need to Prove Family

Relationship?

You have to prove that there is a family relationship between

you and your relative. If you are filing for:

1. A spouse,

submit the following documentation:

A.

A copy of your marriage certificate.

B.

If either you or your spouse were previously married,

submit copies of documents showing that all prior

marriages were legally terminated.

C.

A passport-style color photo of yourself and a passport-

style color photo of your spouse, taken within 30 days

of the date of this petition. The photos must have a

white background and be glossy unretouched and not

mounted. The dimensions of the full frontal facial

image should be about 1 inch from the chin to top of

the hair. Using pencil or felt pen, lightly print the name

(and Alien Registration Number, if known) on the back

of each photograph.

Source:

http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-130instr.pdf